Digging in the West Bank

June 9, 2011

From 2003-2008, secret meetings between three Israeli archaeologists and three Palestinian archaeologists took place on neutral ground outside of Israel. Though they came to some satisfactory conclusions, drew up a paper on it and presented it in 2008 before 50 Israeli archaeologists—with favorable responses—the issue is far from being an official agreement. Meanwhile, most of the finds since 1967 are stored in an East Jerusalem facility, and none have been transferred permanently to Israel.

Professor Adam Zertal of Haifa University is one Israeli archaeologist that has done digs in the West Bank and uncovered some astounding finds. From 1990 to 2008, he helped supervise some of the excavations that took place in the Jordan Valley and Samaria. A Science Daily article reported that the team “exposed five compounds in the shape of an enormous foot.” According to Zertal, they are believed to be the “first sites that the People of Israel built upon entering Canaan.” He explains that the foot testifies “to the biblical concept of ownership of the land.”

This could be the biblical Gilgal, where the Children of Israel crossed the Jordan River and entered the Promised Land. Though it is mentioned 39 times in the Bible, no one has found a site that seems to identify it. But the Hebrew word gilgal may not refer to a specific place, says Zertal. The word actually only refers to a camp or stone structure.

A more recent find, just 3.1 miles (5 kilometers) north of Jericho, was discovered when Zertal’s team saw a hole in the ground. Upon entering, however, they discovered what is now known to be the largest human-made cave in Israel—a whopping one acre (or 100 x 40 meters)!

Originally, it is believed to have been a stone quarry of first-century Roman times supported by 22 pillars. However, it might have become a monastery or hide-away for persecuted Christians at some point because 31 cross markings were found on the pillars as well at Roman letters, a zodiac symbol, and something that resembles a Roman Legion’s pennant.

If the West Bank becomes a Palestinian state, Israelis and tourists will probably never have the chance to visit sites like these, which now number up to 6,000! Maybe that’s why the IAA has opted not to work there.

Source: By Charleeda Sprinkle, Assistant Editor

Photo Credit: University of Haifa