Tel Be'er Sheva
Encyclopedia
Tel Be'er Sheva is an archeological site in southern Israel
believed to be the remains of the biblical town of Beersheba. It lies to the east of the modern city of Beersheba
and to the east of the Bedouin town of Tel Sheva
.
, often as a means of describing the borders of the Land of Israel
, extending from "Be'er Sheva to Dan
" (see Judges 20:1-3, I Samuel 3:19-21). The name is derived from the Hebrew
Be'er meaning a well, and Sheva meaning "to swear an oath".
, except for the last season which was led by Prof. Ze'ev Herzog
. These excavations were directed towards uncovering the Iron Age Israelite
city at the site. Excavations were renewed by Prof Herzog between 1993 and 1995 in order to complete the uncovering of the town's water system.
The site was renovated by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority in 1990. In 2003, its water system was opened to the public as well. The excavated town is now part of the Tel Beersheva National Park.
The streets of ancient Be'er Sheva are laid out in a grid, with separate areas for administrative, military, commercial and residential use. The town is regarded as the first planned settlement in the region. The site is also noteworthy for its elaborate water system and huge cistern, carved out of the rock beneath the town.
denounces worship at the town (Amos 5:5, 8:14). The fifth season of excavations at the Tel uncovered definite evidence of a temple at the site, when the well-dressed ashlar blocks of a large horned altar, reminiscent of small Iron Age incense altars, were found in secondary use in the walls of a storehouse. This structure had been destroyed in the late 8th century BCE, probably during Sennacherib
's campaign against Judah in 701 BCE, and was apparently reconstructed at the time of the dismantling of the altar. The find, along with the contemporary sanctuary in Tel Arad
, may therefore serve as confirmation of the reforms of King Hezekiah and his suppression of shrines outside Jerusalem, described in . The altar is currently on display in the Israel Museum
, though a replica stands at Tel Be'er Sheva.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
believed to be the remains of the biblical town of Beersheba. It lies to the east of the modern city of Beersheba
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
and to the east of the Bedouin town of Tel Sheva
Tel Sheva
Tel as-Sabi or Tel Sheva is a Bedouin town in the Southern District of Israel, bordering Be'er Sheva.According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , the population of Tel as-Sabi was 13,000 in December 2005. Tel as-Sabi's jurisdiction is 5,000 dunams...
.
Biblical Beersheba
Beersheba is mentioned numerous times in the TanakhTanakh
The Tanakh is a name used in Judaism for the canon of the Hebrew Bible. The Tanakh is also known as the Masoretic Text or the Miqra. The name is an acronym formed from the initial Hebrew letters of the Masoretic Text's three traditional subdivisions: The Torah , Nevi'im and Ketuvim —hence...
, often as a means of describing the borders of the Land of Israel
Land of Israel
The Land of Israel is the Biblical name for the territory roughly corresponding to the area encompassed by the Southern Levant, also known as Canaan and Palestine, Promised Land and Holy Land. The belief that the area is a God-given homeland of the Jewish people is based on the narrative of the...
, extending from "Be'er Sheva to Dan
Dan (ancient city)
Dan , is a city mentioned in the Bible, described as the northernmost city of the Kingdom of Israel, belonging to the Tribe of Dan. The city is identified with the tel known as Tel Dan , or Tel el-Qadi in...
" (see Judges 20:1-3, I Samuel 3:19-21). The name is derived from the Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
Be'er meaning a well, and Sheva meaning "to swear an oath".
History of research
Tel Be'er Sheva was excavated from 1969 to 1976 by the Tel Aviv University Institute of Archaeology, directed by Prof. Yohanan AharoniYohanan Aharoni
Yohanan Aharoni , was an Israeli archaeologist and historical geographer, chairman of the Department of Near East Studies and chairman of the Institute of Archeology at Tel-Aviv University.-Life:...
, except for the last season which was led by Prof. Ze'ev Herzog
Ze'ev Herzog
Ze’ev Herzog is an Israeli archeologist, professor of archaeology at The Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures at Tel Aviv University specializing in social archaeology, ancient architecture and field archaeology...
. These excavations were directed towards uncovering the Iron Age Israelite
Israelite
According to the Bible the Israelites were a Hebrew-speaking people of the Ancient Near East who inhabited the Land of Canaan during the monarchic period .The word "Israelite" derives from the Biblical Hebrew ישראל...
city at the site. Excavations were renewed by Prof Herzog between 1993 and 1995 in order to complete the uncovering of the town's water system.
The site was renovated by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority in 1990. In 2003, its water system was opened to the public as well. The excavated town is now part of the Tel Beersheva National Park.
Finds
Archeological finds indicate that the site was inhabited from the Chalcolithic period, around 4000 BCE, through to the sixteenth century CE. This was probably due to the abundance of underground water, as evidenced by the numerous wells in the area. The settlement itself dates from the early Israelite period, around the tenth century BCE.The streets of ancient Be'er Sheva are laid out in a grid, with separate areas for administrative, military, commercial and residential use. The town is regarded as the first planned settlement in the region. The site is also noteworthy for its elaborate water system and huge cistern, carved out of the rock beneath the town.
Horned Altar
Beersheba is referred to in the Bible as a site of cultic importance. It appears as a sanctified site in the patriarchal stories while the prophet AmosAmos (prophet)
Amos is a minor prophet in the Old Testament, and the author of the Book of Amos. Before becoming a prophet, Amos was a sheep herder and a sycamore fig farmer. Amos' prior professions and his claim "I am not a prophet nor a son of a prophet" indicate that Amos was not from the school of prophets,...
denounces worship at the town (Amos 5:5, 8:14). The fifth season of excavations at the Tel uncovered definite evidence of a temple at the site, when the well-dressed ashlar blocks of a large horned altar, reminiscent of small Iron Age incense altars, were found in secondary use in the walls of a storehouse. This structure had been destroyed in the late 8th century BCE, probably during Sennacherib
Sennacherib
Sennacherib |Sîn]] has replaced brothers for me"; Aramaic: ) was the son of Sargon II, whom he succeeded on the throne of Assyria .-Rise to power:...
's campaign against Judah in 701 BCE, and was apparently reconstructed at the time of the dismantling of the altar. The find, along with the contemporary sanctuary in Tel Arad
Tel Arad
Tel Arad or 'old' Arad is located west of the Dead Sea, about 10 km west of modern Arad in an area surrounded by mountain ridges which is known as the Arad Plain. The site is divided into a lower city and an upper hill which holds the only ever discovered 'House of Yahweh' in the land of...
, may therefore serve as confirmation of the reforms of King Hezekiah and his suppression of shrines outside Jerusalem, described in . The altar is currently on display in the Israel Museum
Israel Museum
The Israel Museum, Jerusalem was founded in 1965 as Israel's national museum. It is situated on a hill in the Givat Ram neighborhood of Jerusalem, near the Bible Lands Museum, the Knesset, the Israeli Supreme Court, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem....
, though a replica stands at Tel Be'er Sheva.