Israel-s Archaeological Treasures - The Judean Foothills

ROMAN HOUSE IN BEIT  GUVRIN
Israel leads the world with the highest per capita rate of archaeological excavations and expeditions. These high school volunteers excavate the cellar of a

Roman house in Beit Guvrin in the Judean foothills as part of a unique program for archaeology buffs, "Dig for a Day".

		CEMETERY IN BEIT  GUVRIN
		The Roman - Byzantine Cemeteries of Beit Guvrin have tombs with rolling stone doorways, the kind of tomb entrance which was commonly used in that time. The New Testament describes the place where Jesus was buried as just such a tomb.

LIFE UNDERGROUND IN  BEIT  GUVRIN
Soft limestone rocks allowed dwellers of the Beit Guvrin area in Roman times to carve elaborate underground work, storage, and living

rooms interconnected by tunnels. This provided protection from invaders as well as from the climate.

		OLIVE OIL STORAGE  ROOM,  AMATZIA
		Amatzia, the headquarters of the Bar-Kochba revolt against the Romans (132-135 C.E.) is located in a labyrinth of over 40 interconnected underground rooms. This olive oil storage room, with its grooved floor, allowed oil spilled to be saved and recollected in a stone-cut depression in the floor. The storage pots are replicas of original pots unearthed here.

BELL-SHAPED CISTERN,  AMATZIA
This bell-shaped cistern was hewn from the soft local limestone of Amatzia. It was put to secondary use as a water cistern, and later turned into a columbarium where, during Roman times, it is believed that either pigeons used the carved niches on the walls for nesting, or the place was a non-Jewish burial site for cremated ashes.

		THE TOMB OF THE  PATRIARCHS,  HEBRON
		The Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron (Cave of Machpelah), bought by Abraham as the burial place for his wife Sarah, is venerated by both Moslems and

Jews. The biblical patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) and their wives (Sarah, Rebecca, and Leah) are believed to be buried here. The tomb of Rachel, Jacobs most beloved wife who died in childbirth, is located in Bethlehem.

THE CHURCH OF THE  NATIVITY,  BETHLEHEM
The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, dominates Manger Square. The original basilica was built by Emperor Constantine in 325 CE.

		THE GROTTO OF THE  NATIVITY,  BETHLEHEM
		At the church, the Grotto of Nativity is built around a cave revered by Chrisitian tradition as the place where Jesus was born.