SLIDE 1
Bethsaida Excavations
Twenty years of Excavating Bethsaida
SLIDE 2 ► 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
SLIDE 3 Capital Cities in Southern Levant
DAMASCUS TYRE SAMARIA JERUSALEM RABBAT AMMON DIBON BETHSAIDA
SLIDE 4 THE KINGODM OF GESHUR DAMASCUS BETHSAIDA
SLIDE 6 Lower City Upper city
SLIDE 7 W301 W315 CITY WALL W 3 3 5 B A S T I O N W 3 3 7 W 4 5 DEBRIS DEBRIS W855 W403 JAR BURIAL W850 W851
169.80 168.25 169.40 167.76 168.80 167.87 170.65 171.75 169.80 170.26 170.01 169.19 169.61 171.75 169.02 174.15 173.96 169.71 172.51 172.12 172.91 170.78 170.84 170.79 170.69 170.9 170.71 168.95 170.23 168.53 170.45
W12 W67 L365 ROOM 7 W68 ROOM 8 W310
167.45 168.18 167.38 167.48 166.21
bedrock L638 W325 W303 cave
167.13. 167.48
ROOM 6 ROOM 5 W84 ROOM 4 W86 W11 W85 W87 ROOM 3 W89 W325 W80 W400 ROOM 1 ROOM 2 W318 VESTIBULE W83 ENTRANCE MAIN HALL W88 W320 W312 L623
167.30 167.47 167.12 167.52 167.08 167.99 167.13 168.27
C C.L.E. 2006
Stratum 6, mid 10th to mid 9th centuries BCE City Gate Palace Granary
SLIDE 8 A Section at the Outer City Gate, strata 5, 6
SLIDE 9
The Façade of the outer city gate
SLIDE 10
The King of Assyria Shalmaneser III visited Bethsaida twice, in 842 and 838 BCE
SLIDE 11
SLIDE 12 W12 W67 L365 ROOM 7 W68 ROOM 8 W310 bedrock L638 cave ROOM 6 ROOM 5 W84 ROOM 4 W86 W11 W85 W87 ROOM 3 W89 W325 W80 W400 ROOM 1 ROOM 2 W318 VESTIBULE W83 ENTRANCE MAIN HALL W88 W320 W312 L623
C C.L.E. 2006
Palace Four chamber city gate Served as granary Storage City gate
SLIDE 13 Bastion Southern Tower Inner city gate Chamber 1 Chamber 2
SLIDE 14 C C.L.E. 2006
A Section showing the city walls
SLIDE 15 Four Chamber City Gates
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
SLIDE 16 Outer City Walls
City Wall debris Paved Road
SLIDE 17
Inner City Gate reconstructed with wood beams
SLIDE 18 THE DECORATED STELE AS WAS LEFT AT 732 B.C.E.
BASIN NOTICE THESE STONES
SLIDE 19
The moon-god from Bethsaida
SLIDE 20
The Stepped High Place
SLIDE 21
A Direct Access High Place
SLIDE 22 Sacrificial High Place
A pit filled up with Sacrificial left over. All animals were Kosher Animals
SLIDE 23 Chamber 4 To the name of
The Moon God Symbol
SLIDE 24
The Siege of Bethsaida 732 BCE
SLIDE 25 A Revival in the Hellenistic Period
In the 3rd BCE Bethsaida was resettled as a colony
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.
SLIDE 26
Hellenistic weaving set from Bethsaida
SLIDE 27
Gold Earrings – a sign of wealth
SLIDE 28
Bethsaida in the Hellenistic Period
In about 100 BCE Bethsaida was conquered by the Hasmoneans. The town declined.
SLIDE 29
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
SLIDE 30 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
Philip renamed Bethsaida Julias after Augustus’ wife, Livia, Julia
SLIDE 31
The Temple for Julia/Livia
Philip built a temple for the Roman Imperial cult and dedicated it to Julia/Livia
SLIDE 32
Decorated Stone from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem
SLIDE 33
Favisa, Sacred Deposits near the Temple
SLIDE 34 Utensils from the Temple
Strigilis Simpulum
SLIDE 35 C C.L.E. 2006
City wall A Roman Temple Cemetery Residential Quarter
SLIDE 36 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
SLIDE 37
The “wine maker’s House”
SLIDE 38
The “Wine Maker’s House”
SLIDE 39
Fishing Gear
SLIDE 40
Limestone Vessels a hallmark of Jewish presence
SLIDE 41
SLIDE 42
Private Homes at Bethsaida
SLIDE 43
A Gem Stone
SLIDE 44
SLIDE 45
A group of Roman Nails Left by a Carpenter
SLIDE 46
Digging west of the gate
SLIDE 47
A Hellenistic Juglet
SLIDE 48
A Roman Bronze Bowl (Patera) from the Temple Area
SLIDE 49
A Decorative Nail from perhaps from the door of the temple
SLIDE 50
SLIDE 51
Breakfast
SLIDE 52
Some of our attentive students
SLIDE 53
Tension is built up
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THANK YOU
SLIDE 65
