Ancient Treasure Hunting

On our way to Jerusalem, after our time around the Sea of Galilee, we visited Beit She'an National Park. This city was settled as early as the Chalcolithic era (about 6,000 years ago). Extensive excavation of a large mound in Beit She'an has revealed more than 20 layers of remains from ancient civilizations. Canaanite Temples pre-date Egyptian occupation of the region followed by Israelite rule and the Philistines during the Old Testament period. Beit She'an is also mentioned in the Bible several times and is best known as the site where King Saul and his sons were killed and hanged from the city walls (1 Sam 31: 10-12). The city remained a significant metropolis during the reign of King David and King Solomon.

Beit She'an became a flourishing multi-cultural Roman city, during the Roman occupation and one of 10 cities in the Decapolis (the only city west of the Jordan River). The city was destroyed after an earthquake in AD 749 and never truly regained its former glory.           

Excavations conducted between 1921 and 1933 by the University of Pennsylvania led to the rediscovery of this ancient city. The expedition exposed an early Arab dwelling quarter which covered the entire tel, a round church and dwelling quarter of the Byzantine Period on the mound's summit, and the remains of a monumental Roman temple. A large area excavated in the high, southern part of the tel, contained settlement strata dating from the Early Bronze Age to the Iron Age.

The many objects of artistic value and ritual vessels which were found in the temple and its vicinity represent, until today, one of the most valuable collections of such artifacts dating to the second millennium BC to be found in Canaan.