twenty years of excavating bethsaida · a roman temple cemetery residential quarter . bethsaida as...
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Bethsaida Excavations
Twenty years of Excavating
Bethsaida
► A forgotten Biblical Kingdom of
Geshur
► Bethsaida is located at the North-East of the Sea of Galilee
► It was identified by E. Robinson in 1838
► Since 1987 it is being excavated and since 1991 by the Consortium for the Excavations of Bethsaida headed by the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
► Its location, size (20 acres), strength suggests that it was the capital of the Kingdom of Geshur
GESHUR
BETHSAIDA
Capital Cities in Southern Levant
DAMASCUS
TYRE
SAMARIA
JERUSALEM
RABBAT AMMON
DIBON
BETHSAIDA
THE KINGODM OF GESHUR
DAMASCUS
BETHSAIDA
City gate
Palace
Lower City
Upper city
W301
W315
CITY WALL
W335
BASTION
W337
W405
DEBRIS
DEBRIS
W855
W403
JAR BURIAL
W850
W851
169.80
168.25
169.40
167.76
168.80
167.87
170.65
171.75
169.80
170.26
170.01
169.19169.61
171.75
169.02
174.15
173.96
169.71
172.51172.12172.91
170.78
170.84
170.79170.69
170.9170.71
168.95170.23
168.53
170.45
W12
W6
7
L3
65
RO
OM
7
W6
8
RO
OM
8W
31
0
16
7.45
16
8.18
16
7.38
16
7.48
16
6.21
bed
rock
L6
38
W325
W303
cave
16
7.13.
16
7.48
RO
OM
6
RO
OM
5
W8
4RO
OM
4
W8
6
W11
W85
W8
7
RO
OM
3W
89
W3
25
W80
W4
00
RO
OM
1R
OO
M 2
W3
18
VE
ST
IBU
LE
W8
3
EN
TR
AN
CE
MA
IN H
AL
L
W88
W3
20
W3
12
L6
23
16
7.30
16
7.47
16
7.12
16
7.52
16
7.08
16
7.99
16
7.13
16
8.27
C C.L.E. 2006
Stratum 6, mid 10th to mid 9th centuries BCE
City Gate
Palace
Granary
A Section at the Outer City Gate, strata 5, 6
The Façade of the outer city gate
The King of Assyria Shalmaneser
III visited Bethsaida twice, in 842
and 838 BCE
W12
W6
7
L36
5
RO
OM
7
W6
8
RO
OM
8W
31
0
bed
rock
L6
38 cav
e
RO
OM
6
RO
OM
5
W8
4RO
OM
4
W8
6
W11
W85
W8
7
RO
OM
3W
89
W3
25
W80
W4
00
RO
OM
1R
OO
M 2
W3
18
VE
ST
IBU
LE
W8
3
EN
TR
AN
CE
MA
IN H
AL
L
W88
W3
20
W3
12
L6
23
C C.L.E. 2006
Palace
Four chamber city gate
Served as granary Storage
City gate
Bastion Southern Tower
Inner city gate
Chamber
1
Chamber
2
C C.L.E. 2006
A Section showing the city walls
Four Chamber City Gates
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
size in sq.m.
Bethsaida
Dan
Megiddo IVA
Dor
Beer Sheba V
Beer Sheba III
Ashdod 10
Tell En-Nasbeh
Outer City Walls
City Wall debris
Paved Road
Inner City Gate reconstructed with
wood beams
THE DECORATED
STELE AS WAS LEFT
AT 732 B.C.E.
BASIN
NOTICE THESE STONES
The moon-god from Bethsaida
The Stepped High Place
A Direct Access High Place
Sacrificial High Place
A pit filled up with
Sacrificial left over.
All animals were Kosher
Animals
Chamber 4
To the name of
The Moon God Symbol
The Siege of Bethsaida 732 BCE
A Revival in the Hellenistic
Period In the 3rd BCE Bethsaida was resettled as a colony of Tyrians.
The Bethsaida inhabitants provided Tyre with linen garments.
They made “good living” and were able to purchase their wine from the Island of Rhodes which was considered to be the best wine in the market.
Hellenistic weaving set from
Bethsaida
Gold Earrings – a sign of wealth
Bethsaida in the Hellenistic
Period In about 100 BCE
Bethsaida was
conquered by the
Hasmoneans.
The town declined.
Bethsaida in the Roman Period
Bethsaida was resettled
by the Herod as these
coins demonstrate.
Herod populated
Bethsaida with Jews as
these fragments of a
limestone vessel
indicates
The site thrived once
more
Bethsaida under Philip the son of
Herod
In 30 CE Bethsaida was
elevated to a status of a
“Polis” – Greek city
This coins was minted by
Philip in commemoration
of this act.
Philip renamed Bethsaida
Julias after Augustus’
wife, Livia, Julia
The Temple for Julia/Livia
Philip built a temple
for the Roman
Imperial cult and
dedicated it to
Julia/Livia
Decorated Stone from the Temple
Mount in Jerusalem
Favisa, Sacred Deposits near the
Temple
Utensils from the Temple
Strigilis
Simpulum
C C.L.E. 2006
City wall
A Roman Temple
Cemetery
Residential Quarter
Bethsaida as Jesus saw it
The “Wine Maker” House Wine cellar
Remnants of a Private house
The “Clinic”
Houses next to the city wall
Kitchen
Dining room (Triclinium)
Open courtyard
The “wine maker’s House”
The “Wine Maker’s House”
Fishing Gear
Limestone Vessels a hallmark of
Jewish presence
Private Homes at Bethsaida
A Gem Stone
A group of Roman Nails
Left by a Carpenter
Digging west of the gate
A Hellenistic Juglet
A Roman Bronze Bowl (Patera)
from the Temple Area
A Decorative Nail from perhaps
from the door of the temple
Breakfast
Some of our attentive students
Tension is built up
THANK YOU