Kh. el-Maqatir: A Fortified Settlement of the Late Second Temple Period on the “Benjamin Plateau” (original) (raw)

2017, In the Highlands Depth

Since 1995 the Associates for Biblical Research (ABR) has been excavating at Kh. el-Maqatir, nine miles north of Jerusalem. Beginning in 2010, increasing evidence has emerged, which reveals clear signs that the site was more than a small Jewish village on the Benjamin Plateau. On the contrary, excavations have unearthed the presence of extensive walls and a huge fortification tower. Moreover, the discovery of mikva’ot, stone vessels, punctured pottery, and a tomb typical of the Late Second Temple period lend further evidence to the theory that the site was in fact Jewish. This material evidence along with architectural traits and the massive fortifications betray the reality that Kh. el-Maqatir was an important upper-class, ritually observant, Jewish settlement in the Late Hellenistic and Early Roman periods. Numismatic and destruction evidence suggests that the Romans destroyed the site in ca. 69 CE. Ancient textual witnesses and archaeological evidence may suggest that Kh. el-Maqatir was the first-century settlement of Ephraim.

Sign up for access to the world's latest research.

checkGet notified about relevant papers

checkSave papers to use in your research

checkJoin the discussion with peers

checkTrack your impact