Samaria

Since the beginning of the historical-geography research of the Land of Israel many researchers have attempted to correctly identify Ophrah Avi Ezri - the city of Gideon son of Joash. Over the years, eight proposals were suggested as to the identification, all of which relied heavily upon the preservation of the name, archaeological finds and the context in which Ophrah is mentioned in the Bible. However, none of these suggestions is accepted today by most scholars. Most proposals link the location of Ophrah to events that occurred in the Valley of Jezreel, but completely ignore the Samaria Ostraca, from which it is possible to learn the location of the Abiezer family. The most likely proposal is the suggestion of Hanan Eshel, which identifies Ophrah with Khirbet Aufar, located one kilometer southeast of the village a-Till in central Samaria. There are many advantages to this proposal, particularly the fact that the site is located within the Abiezer family inheritance and its close proximity to Nablus. However, the downside of this proposal is the lack of appropriate archaeological finds. As a continuation to the proposal of Eshel we would like to propose to identify Ophrah with Khirbet Sur, located one kilometer north-east of Khirbet Aufar. On this site there are all the advantages of Eshel's proposal, suitable archaeological finds and additional considerations.

2 Kgs 17:24–41 uses the phrase yere YHWH  in two distinct
ways and that the tension between the two different meanings of this phrase is an essential part of the narrative. This phrase can refer to cultic worship and also to exclusive loyalty to God. Phrases similar to the former meaning are extensively used in Akkadian, and the latter meaning seems unique to the Hebrew Bible. This passage contrasts these meanings to highlight the idea that the new settlers in Samaria were disloyal to YHWH despite their ritual worship of Him.

A perícope de 2Rs 17.24-33(+34-41) é um texto basilar na reconstrução da história samaritana. Embora o texto não conste no cânon samaritano, ele é o único na Bíblia Hebraica a utilizar a forma gentílica , que virá a ser utilizado de forma pejorativa, junto ao termo “cutitas” nos embates entre os samaritanos de Gerizim e judaítas. Propomos, portanto, a analisar o texto histórico-literariamente, observando a diacronia do texto e possíveis conexões do relato com a história das deportações assírias e nova formação étnica samaritana. Nossa hipótese é que, embora tenha caráter lendário, a perícope traz um substrato imagético histórico que corresponde às crenças e perspectivas do divino em Samaria, antes de sua queda, cooperando, assim, à reconstrução do culto de Israel.

A lo largo de su historia el Imperio romano tuvo que hacer frente a numerosas revueltas, debido al enorme territorio que controlaba. De entre los pueblos que las protagonizaron, los hebreos se contaban entre los que con mayor insistencia lucharon por recuperar su independencia. En cuanto a los diversos conflictos que enfrentaron a judíos y romanos, la que, a la postre, seria recordada como la Primera Guerra Judeo-romana (66-73 d.C.) pasó a la historia como el más importante de todos. Ello se debe tanto a que requirió de la participación de dos futuros emperadores al mando de las tropas romanas que debían restablecer la paz en la provincia de Judea, Vespasiano y su hijo Tito, como al hecho de que la ciudad de Jerusalén y el Gran Templo que albergaba acabaron completamente destruidos.

En el año 66 d.C. numerosos factores se unieron al odio que sectores radicales hebreos sentían hacia sus conquistadores romanos, provocando la caída del procurador de Judea, Gesio Floro, y la derrota del Legado de Siria, Cestio Galo, en Beth Horón, quien acudió con sus tropas a pacificar la región sin conseguirlo. El movimiento fue cobrando fuerza tras estos éxitos, y Jerusalén se convirtió en el epicentro del independentismo judío. Roma no podía permanecer pasiva ante estos acontecimientos y Nerón envió allí a Vespasiano, un general experimentado, para acabar de una vez por todas con el problema. La resistencia implacable que demostraron los rebeldes y los problemas políticos que, durante ese tiempo, se produjeron en Roma, provocaron que la conquista final quedara en manos de su capaz hijo Tito quien, a la postre, consiguió conquistar Jerusalén y acabar con la revuelta. El gran triunfo que se celebró en Roma para conmemorar la victoria era lo que la nueva dinastía Flavia necesitaba para afianzar su poder. Sin embargo, la campaña no finalizó hasta el año 73 d.C., tras la toma de la fortaleza de Masada, donde los últimos insurrectos prefirieron suicidarse antes de ser derrotados. El enfrentamiento se saldaría con una enorme pérdida de vidas, tanto entre los soldados romanos como entre los insurrectos judíos y la población civil. Gracias a la obra de Flavio Josefo, podemos reconstruir lo sucedido para poder así conocer con detalle uno de los grandes episodios de la Historia Antigua.

In Amos 4:1, the prophet launches an attack upon a group described as “cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria.” The traditional view identifies this group with the elite women of Samaria who are condemned for acts of oppression committed through the agency of their husbands. One recent challenge to this view has been to regard the passage as condemning the people of Samaria for their involvement with a fertility cult. This paper strengthens the case for the traditional view by providing additional evidence for the comparison of women to cows. In addition, however, this paper goes further to examine the women’s demand, “Bring so that we may drink” and argues that this statement represents an effort to challenge the social hierarchy by which ancient Israelite society protected the vulnerable. In this way, this line stands in parallel with the previous two to condemn the women for their direct oppression of the poor.

There are five monumental burial sites in Samaria that date from the Second Temple time and are similar in shape and size and remind us of the magnificent necropolis tombs of Jerusalem from this period. Four of the five sites are located in a cluster in western Samaria are: Deir ad-Darb, Khirbet Kurqush, Tell Timnah section (Khirbet Tibneh). The fifth site, Khirbet Kefr Beita, is near the center of Samaria and Nablus. Since the discovery in the 19th century of these tombs they have been discussed by many researchers and especially the question of chronology and ethnic identification of the deceased. Since none of the graves have undergone archaeological excavation, the researchers relied on the parallel architecture and decoration and the location of the site area. Most researchers tended to attribute the monumental tombs to the wealthy Jewish population that lived in the late Second Temple period. The clearest evidence of this is the mention by Josephus about a Rhodes Ptolemy, faithful friend of Herod, who received agricultural estate Barros (Jewish War II, 71-66; Jewish Antiquities XVII, 291-286). It is acceptable to identify Eros with Haris village which around it the Herodian structure named 'Qalat Fardus' and a Monumental tomb 'Deir ad-Darb'. However, so far no study has been proposed to connect them to their historical background and tie them in with the other magnificent tombs and the discussion about them is individual and overall. I would like to point out some new insights that can shed light on research magnificent tombs and settlement history of the area. First, we must remove the Khirbet site from the discussion which build Necropolis tombs that reflect the capital of the Timnah province. In light of the architectural components, they can be dated to the graves decorated with four burial sites to the time period by first century BCE to the middle of the first century CE, and at least the days of Herod. In addition, there are four common similarities between the burial sites architecturally - decoration and in terms of their location in space, four sites are located in the boundary between the settled area north of the Samaritans, and the area that belonged to Judea during the Second Temple period, to the south. In addition to magnificent tombs can be found in this area other remains indicative of settlement growth and development during the late Second Temple period, such as: Field towers, extensive quarries, large and impressive ruins and more. Items that point to the area being 'Jewish' Second Temple period are such elements as fragments of ossuaries, ritual baths and other findings. In the light of the remains listed above especially luxurious tombs, I think there's a place to return to their proposal identifying some of the researchers in this area the Mountain King that appears in Rabbinic sources, as a Jewish area from the Maccabees till the time of Bar-Kokhba revolt.

The silver inscribed amulet (PEF 2049) in the collections of the Palestine Exploration Fund was found in a tomb of the Graeco-Roman period during the excavations of the British expedition to Samaria directed by J. W. Crowfoot from 1931–35. The silver was tightly rolled up inside a cylindrical copper case and was recognized when the copper had fallen away. Comparative study of the associated finds, notably glass and lamps, suggests a date in the 4th or perhaps 5th century AD. The method of unrolling the silver sheet and its conservation is described. A copy and a transliteration of the text, which was directed at the healing of the owner, is given, with discussion of its religious setting and philological commentary.

Khirbet el-Qutt is located on top of a hill in South Samaria region, one KM south of el-Lubban es-Sharqia and north of Ma'ale-Levonah. The hill is surrounded by steep slopes from all directions except the southern side, and it overlooks the Lebonah Valley and the ancient road that crosses it from the west. These geographical conditions enabled the establishment of a fortified settlement during numerous periods on this hill. The site have been surveyed in the past by some scholars who described in it remains of buildings, cisterns, underground complexes, burial caves, ritual bathes and pottery from the Iron age to the Early Moslem periods.
The writers of this paper surveyed the site at November 2014, over the course of the "New South Samaria Survey" on behalf of Bar-Ilan Institute of Archaeology and the Staff Officer of Archaeology unit in Judea and Samaria. In this paper we present the result of our survey with emphasis on the remains of the jewish settlement from the the end of the Second Temple times to the Bar-Kokhba revolt: ritual bathes; a hiding complex carved under the ground with shards of jars and cooking pots that are common in other Bar-Kokhba complexes; set of big reservoirs resemble in their shape and sizes to the big reservoirs from the Hellenistic – Herodian strongholds; and a Necropolis with 17 burial caves, 11 of them with  niches (Kokhim) and on with fragments of ossuaries. Beside these elements we collected a great amount of pottery from the early roman period (20% from total).
Historically, we attribute the site at Khirbet el-Qutt to the 'Akraba District, one of the northern districts of Judah in the early roman period. Due to the toponym of the site and its location, Zeev Safrai identified the site with Kafr Liqitiya, mentioned in historical sources as one of the places Hadrian seated Roman troops at the end of the Bar-Kokhba revolt. This proposal is in line with the geographical and archaeological data of the site, in particular its location overlooking the main road from Judah to the Galilee.
The results of this survey is added to the data from the archaeological surveys of the area that indicate a dense rural settlement in South Samaria in the early Roman period, the peak period in the history of this rgion.

The chapter discussed the worked ivory and bone artifacts from Eilat Mazar's excavations at the Ophel, Jerusalem. Key finds include typical Middle Bronze geometric bone inlays, Late Bronze Age incised inlays, and some intriguing Iron Age II inlays shaped as uraei snakes, or cobras in an Egyptian style. These colorful inlays may have once adorned a piece of wooden furniture, a box, or even an architectural model. They form an important contribution to our understanding of the Iron Age ivory assemblages found in sites such as Samaria and Nimrud, as these are inlays used locally in Jerusalem itself.

A system of pits recently discovered in Khirbet el-Hammam in northern Samaria apparently meets the accepted definition of “Gibeon pits”. These pits, used to store wine in the late Iron Age and early Persian period, are evidence of a developed local agriculture and of the site’s centrality. The location and identification of these pits in connection to other remains from Khirbet el-Hammam may shed new light on the size and centrality of the city during the Iron Age.

Since the time of their discovery, archaeologists and art historians accepted the Samaria ivories to be of Phoenician origin. Considered alien and idiosyncratic artifacts in Samaria, the ivories were deemed unrepresentative of local material culture. As a result, other Iron Age ivories subsequently discovered in the Levant were also regarded as Phoenician. This article aims to shed light on the thinking behind the ethnic labeling of these ivories, and its lingering, detrimental implications that prevent finds from being viewed as indigenous material culture. A brief review of relevant archaeological finds from both old and recent excavations at the sites of Jerusalem, Rǝḥov, and Hazor will show that there is in fact substantial evidence to anchor Iron Age ivories within the southern Levant. In the process, new suggestions regarding continuity from the Bronze to the Iron Age will be made by addressing the use of different raw materials and the repertoire of images depicted on inlays.

Abstract: M. Levy-Rubin, “Islamization of Space and People”
The paper examines the process of Islamization of the region of Samaria in Palestine during the early Muslim period. It is demonstrated that Islamization of Samaria should be viewed as a multi-faceted process, the elements of which were intertwined and served as reciprocal triggers. These include the following: A. The settlement of newly arrived Muslims in the area due to the favourable conditions. B. The Arabization of the local Samaritan community, which drew it closer to Arabic language, culture, and religion. C. The conversion of large parts of the community to Islam. D. The spatial Islamization of Samaria, characterized by new Islamic monuments, especially mosques, and by the adoption of various local holy sites and traditions. Thus, though Samaritan presence continued still to be significant in the area, they were no longer masters of the region, and were slowly but surely being pushed aside by growing Islamic presence.

SUMMARY: Lecture-21 discusses the Iron IIB-C periods (925-586 BC), equated with the Divided Monarchies of Israel and Judah, including a discussion regarding archaeological finds in the Northern kingdom of Israel, at Omri and Ahab's royal capital at Samaria (e.g., the palace; the Samaria Ostraca; regional administration), settlement patterns and use of solid wall fortifications and water cisterns (e.g., Hazor; Megiddo); the beginning of a discussion on the Southern Kingdom of Judah, including Jerusalem, its expansion, fortifications, and growing affluence, a nearby military stronghold and subsequent royal retreat at Ramat Rahel, and featuring the Assyrian siege and capture of Lachish. This lecture is designed mainly as an educational resource/aid for college students (i.e., normally posted only on my institution's course website), the public (e.g., people auditing my course), and interested colleagues from other disciplines (to whom I periodically provide copies privately).  I am posting it here, both as a broader access, educational tool, and especially to promote the study of this region and its past societies.  For further knowledge about this region and period, I refer interested parties to the textbooks and other sources from which the initial materials were extracted for this ppt. (see syllabus; e.g., initially Mazar, Archaeology of the Land of the Bible), and/or the bibliographies in these works and my online resource guides (see other files in my academia folders).  Much of this and the other lectures summarize the pertinent materials in the course textbook(s), add in other data, including my own research materials, and furnish numerous images to clarify/illustrate the wealth of information encountered in the textbook(s).  Some generic imagery (usually indicated as such) is posted to aid in transmitting various concepts visually, and/or when a specific image remains not located (temporarily).  I update and revise such lectures each time, with such elective courses normally being taught once every two years.  I try to cover the most current, mainstream views, and usually place summary notes at the end of each lecture (or in separate test study guides).  Over time, each lecture is improved, errors rectified, and additional data placed within the lecture.  These ppt. lectures take many hours to compile, but they have proved useful to many of my more serious students (who have since pursued graduate degrees), and a few colleagues, who, like me, often teach outside our main fields of specialty, and I hope they can be of benefit to others as well.  My apologies for any errors I may have made (over time, as I teach this course every two years, I try to rectify any errors that might slip in inadvertently), and for my liberal usage of educational imagery from professional sources and vetted internet sources. UPDATED: New formatting, additional images and text, some new slides and text, revisions, etc. November 2023.

Israel Finkelstein attempts to link "Solomonic" Megiddo destroyed by Shishak with the building of Samaria because of identical mason's marks found in buildings in both places.  That is, he asserts that they must have been built by the same builders using these special marks.  However, what the identical marks actually prove, is that Megiddo had been destroyed at the time Samaria was built, the identical mason's marks proving stones from the destroyed Megiddo were used to build at Samaria some 50 years later.

Several important features of the narrative character of Abraham allude to the features of the historical person of Sanballat, the first Israelite governor of the Persian province of Samaria. The most important common features of Abraham and Sanballat are the origin in the city of Haran, a non-Yahwistic name, being related to the cult of the moon god Sin, being given the land of Israel as a hereditary possession, founding the central sanctuary of Yahweh on Mount Gerizim, and respecting an important priest from Jerusalem. These and other common features point to the origin of the book of Genesis in the secular elite of the Persian province of Samaria ca. 350-340 B.C.

The Oriental client king Herod and his atttitude toward the Roman supremacy in urbanism and figural arts are the subjects of this article.  There are a number of statuary fragments from Samaria and Caesarea Maritima that can be linked with early Imperial personalities. The main point is a new proposal concerning the giantic statues of Augustus and Livia in the temple of Caesarea Maritima. On the basis of comparable finds from the Metroon at Olympia, it is possible to attribute a colossal marble foot preserved on the site to this group

Az északi országrész, Izráel nemzeti vallásának rekonstrukciója korlátokba ütközik. Az északi szövegeket déli recenziójukban vették fel az Ószövetségbe, és lépten- nyomon észrevehető egy erős polémia az izráeli vallási megnyilvánulásokkal szemben. A deuteronomista mozgalom óta minden nem Jeruzsálemben lejátszódott kultuszt illegitimnek tekintenek, és azt retrospektív beledolgozták a szövegekbe is. Azonban még így is felsejlik az eredeti vallás kontúrja. Az Ószövetség beszámolója alapján Izráel istenét bika alakjában képzelték el és ábrázolták ki, amely a viharistenek szimbolikájára jellemző. A szövegek bár nem nevezik meg ezt az istent, mégis őt a kivonulás isteneként tüntetik fel. Ez az első nyom az isten azonosítása útján. JHWH vezette ki a népet Egyiptomból. Feltűnő az is, hogy az északi királyok és gyermekeik teofór nevei túlnyomórészt JHWH-ra vonatkozó elemet tartalmaznak. Az 1Kir 16,32* azt is elárulja, hogy a Baál tisztelet Izráel nemzeti kultuszában egy szinkretista vallásos reform eredménye, de nem az eredeti állapot. Ezenfelül az Ószövetség legrégebbi szövegei JHWH-t olyan istenként írják le, mint akinek megjelenését a viharistenekre jellemző teofánia kísér. Ezeket a megfigyeléseket kumulatívan egybeolvasva arra a következtetésre juthatunk, hogy Izráel nemzeti kultuszának középpontjában a viharisten JHWH állt.
A bika szimbóluma töretlenül jelen van a térségben a késő bronzkortól kezdve, és Samária akropoliszán is 5 tárgy bizonyítja jelenlétét. A névjegyzék szintén JHWH dominanciáját erősíti bármilyen más istennel szemben. Ha figyelembe vesszük a bika-ábrázolások gyakoriságát, valamint JHWH elsőbbségét a többi istenhez képest, a bika szimbolikát nem magyarázhatjuk másképp, mint főként JHWH ábrázolásait, amelyek mögött elmarad – bár minden bizonnyal jelen van – a Baál szimbolikája. Mind a bibliai mind a biblián kívüli források egy irányba mutatnak: Izráel nemzeti istene a viharisten JHWH volt.

Περίληψη
Στην νοτιοδυτική Κρήτη η διαχρονική παρουσία και εξέλιξη της ανθρωπογενούς δραστηριότητας ήταν και είναι συνδεδεμένη με την δεσποτεία του φυσικού παράγοντα. Η βραχώδης και απόκρημνη οροσειρά των Λευκών Ορέων κατεβαίνει απότομα στις νότιες παραλίες του νησιού και επηρεάζει άμεσα το σύνολο των γεωγραφικών παραγόντων και την βιοποικιλότητα της περιοχής, αφήνοντας ελάχιστες διόδους επικοινωνίας μεταξύ του εσωτερικού και των ακτών, διαμέσου των μικρών και μεγάλων φαραγγιών.
Το φαράγγι της Σαμαριάς που κυριαρχεί στο σημερινό Εθνικό Δρυμό Λευκών Ορέων στη Δυτική Κρήτη αντιπροσωπεύει την τυπική μορφή των διαύλων αυτών επικοινωνίας. Ξεκινώντας από τις νότιες παρυφές του οροπεδίου του Ομαλού είναι μια μοναδική γεω(μορφο)λογική δομή στον Μεσογειακό χώρο, που εκτείνεται σε μήκος 16 χιλιομέτρων με υψόμετρα που ποικίλλουν από 0 μέχρι 2134 μ.. Ο ευρύτερος αυτός χώρος του φαραγγιού με το πλήθος των περιοδικών και μόνιμων πηγών, τους αμέτρητους χείμαρρους, τα καρστικά σπήλαια αλλά κυρίως τα απόκρημνα πρανή που φτάνουν σχεδόν κατακόρυφα σε ύψη μέχρι και 450 μ., είναι κατεξοχήν δομημένος από τα μεταμορφωμένα πετρώματα της Ομάδας των Πλακωδών Ασβεστόλιθων, μίας ακολουθίας σχιστόλιθων, δολομιτικών και ασβεστιτικών μαρμάρων που εμπεριέχουν φακούς, κονδύλους και ενδιαστρώσεις υλικού πυριτικής σύστασης που ονομάζονται κερατόλιθοι. Τα παλαιότερα (ηλικίας 240-190 εκ.χρ.) πετρώματα της ακολουθίας αυτής δομούν λόγω της υπάρχουσας τεκτονικής αντικλινικής δομής, μια από τις ομορφότερες κορυφές του Εθνικού Δρυμού, αυτή του Γκίγκιλου.
Ο συνδυασμός της φύσης των πετρωμάτων με κατά τόπους έντονο το φαινόμενο της καρστικοποίησης, της έντΟνης τεκτονικής δραστηριότητας και των διαβρωτικών παραγόντων, έχει δημιουργήσει ένα σχετικά πολύπλοκο υπόγειο σύστημα υδροφορίας και το έντονο μορφολογικό ανάγλυφο που είναι και ταυτόχρονα κλασσικό παράδειγμα μιας λεκάνης απορροής του τοπικού υδρογραφικού δικτύου. Σε περιόδους ανομβρίας η κοίτη ροής του μέγιστου κλάδου, του ιστορικά ανώνυμου ποταμού που διασχίζει
το φαράγγι, συνεχίζει να τροφοδοτείται από πηγές με μικρή αλλά μόνιμη παροχή. Οι σπουδαιότερες από τις πηγές αυτές που βρίσκονται διάσπαρτες κατά μήκος του φαραγγιού είναι γνωστές με παραδοσιακά ονόματα όπως: Το Λινοσέλι που βρίσκεται στην ανατολική παρυφή του Γκίγκιλου, το Λουσωπό, ανατολικά της
ψηλότερης κορυφής του Βολακιά, τα  Ποτιστήρια στην βόρεια περιοχή του φαραγγιού σε υψόμετρο περίπου 900 μ., το Μιτατούλι και η Βρούλα, πηγές που ύδρευαν παλαιότερα το Πάνω Χωριό της Σαμαριάς, το νερό της Πέρδικας, το Νερούτσικο και λίγο πριν τις Σιδερόπορτες τα Κεφαλοβρύσια, από όπου και υδρεύεται και η κοινότητα της Αγίας Ρούμελης. Στην περιοχή της νοτίου εξόδου του φαραγγιού της Σαμαριάς ο ανώνυμος ποταμός έχει δημιουργήσει την διαπλατυμένη μορφολογική δομή του προσχωματικού κώνου.
Η περιοχή αυτή ήταν κατειλημμένη από την σημαντική και αυτόνομη ελληνορωμαϊκή πόλη Τάρρα, στην οποία σύμφωνα με την παράδοση συναντήθηκαν ο Απόλλωνας με την νύφη Ακακαλλίδα, στην οικία του
μάντη Καρμανόρα . Εκτός από τις αναφορές ιστορικών και περιηγητών για την ύπαρξη και την θέση της αρχαίας πολιτείας, η αρχαιολογική σκαπάνη έφερε στο φως πλήθος ευρημάτων που ξεκινόντας από την κλασσική περίοδο φτάνουν μέχρι τους χρόνους της ενετοκρατίας. Από την πολυποικιλότητα των ευρημάτων, στα οποία περιλαμβάνονται από αντικείμενα καθημερινής δραστηριότητας, (αγγεία) της κλασσικής περιόδου, των ρωμαϊκών χρόνων, τάφων και κτισμάτων της πρωτοχριστιανικής εποχής μέχρι
χρυσά και αργυρά πρόσφορα νεκρών θα διακρίνουμε την σπάνια σε αριθμό και ποικιλία συλλογή κομματιών γυαλιών. Τα ευρήματα αυτά επέτρεψαν την υπόθεση για την ύπαρξη βιοτεχνικής δραστηριότητας κατασκευής γυάλινων αντικειμένων στην πόλη της Τάρρας ή σε άμεσα κοντινή περιοχή. Η αρχική αυτή υπόθεση που εκφράστηκε πριν σαράντα περίπου χρόνια υποστηρίζεται από την πιστοποίηση της ύπαρξης άφθονων φυσικών ενεργειακών πόρων και ορυκτών πρώτων υλών στην περιοχή. Κομμάτια πυριτιολίθων υψηλής καθαρότητας σε SiΟ2 καθώς επίσης τόνοι ξυλείας μεταφέρονται χρονιαία στην κοίτη ροής του μέγιστου κλάδου, του ιστορικά ανώνυμου ποταμού που διασχίζει το φαράγγι, από την βίαιη δράση των χειμάρρων που δημιουργούνται από την περιοδική εκφόρτιση των πολυπληθών πηγών.
Οι ίδιες πηγές που από τους κλασσικούς χρόνους πιθανώς να στήριξαν την οικονομική ανάπτυξη της ευρύτερης περιοχής παρέχοντας άμεσα και έμμεσα τις απαραίτητες πρώτες ύλες για την κατασκευή του γυαλιού συνεχίζουν μέχρι σήμερα να αποτελούν ένα από τους κυριότερους πόλους στήριξης της οικονομικής ανάπτυξης της τοπικής κοινωνίας. Παρέχουν το απαραίτητο νερό όχι μόνο για τα λιγοστά μέλη της τοπικής κοινότητας, αλλά για το σύνολο των επισκεπτών - περιπατητών του φαραγγιού, που υπερβαίνουν τις 350.000 ετησίως και μάλιστα σε χρονική περίοδο ανομβρίας.
Το ακριβό αλλά και ταυτόχρονα ευαίσθητο περιβαλλοντικά αυτό σύστημα πρέπει με ιδιαίτερη φροντίδα να το διαφυλάξουμε, στηριζόμενοι σε αειφόρες μορφές διαχείρισης του.

המאמר מציג תוכנית חדשה של ארכיאולוגיה חינוכית בגיתות ברקן ליד היישוב ברקן, אשר נהגתה ומבוצעת על ידי קהילת בית הספר היסודי ע"ש בנציון נתניהו ביישוב במהלך חמש השנים האחרונות. הרקע הארכיאולוגי וממצאי החפירה מתוארים במאמר לצד המטרות וההישגים החינוכיים והחברתיים של המיזם. הישגים אלו הם מטרתה העיקרית של הפעילות, בשונה מרוב החפירות הקהילתיות בארץ ובעולם, אשר בדרך כלל מלוות חפירות ארכיאולוגיות שיזמו ארכיאולוגים או חפירות שקשורות לפיתוח ולבנייה. כמו כן, מתוארים ממצאים מקדמיים של מחקר חברתי־קהילתי מלווה שנערך בקרב המשתתפים בחפירה הארכיאולוגית, כדי לחדד את התרומות החינוכיות של הפעילות.

Kh. El-Urmeh is situated on the top of a commanding hill in Eastern Samaria, about two kilometers south - east of the settlement of Itamar. Scholars have identified here Biblical Arumah, the city of Abimelech son of Gideon the judge.
The remains of a Hasmonean – Herodian fortress, including an impressive water supply system were studied in the past. The system includes a series of rock-cut and plastered cisterns, supplied by surface runoff water.
These cisterns, of a design familiar from Hasmonean and Herodian fortresses in the Judean Desert as well as from fortresses located in the settled parts of Judea, may have been associated with a royal fortress. Similar cisterns were recorded at Sartaba-Alexandrium, Kipros, Horqania, Doc-Dagon, Masada, Kh. El-Hamam, H. Tura, etc.
In the early '80s Hanan Eshel and Ze'ev H. Erlich documented at Kh. El-Urmeh six cisterns, of a total volume of c. 5000 cubic meters.
In this article, which is an update of the pioneering study of Eshel and Erlich, the authors present a brief documentation carried out during a tour of the site in 2009. It turned out that the site was severely damaged by unsupervised development work, quarrying and road construction made with heavy machinery by the residents of the nearby village of Beta.
These works uncovered openings to four additional cisterns, sealed until recently. The cisterns have similar characteristics. The total volume of ten cisterns is estimated at c. 15000 cubic meters.
The effort of installing the cisterns was probably due to the need to ensure year-round supply of adequate quantity of water to the residents of the fortress, located on the edge of the desert.
These findings reinforce the suggestion of Eshel and Ehrlich, who identified the fortress at Kh. El-Urmeh as a royal Judean fortress from the Second Temple period.

Ma'an Channel, Interview with Mr. Dergham AlFares, Director of Northern Governorates Sites - Palestinian Ministry of Tourism, talking about Sabastiya... Etymology and meaning, previous names, distinctive tourist destination, and the value of global heritage.

During a study tour in November 2012, a large and ramified underground hiding complex was found at Khirbet Si'a, which is located on the top of a hill about five kilometers south of Shiloh, near the national watershed and next to a road leading from the Shiloh Valley to the Jordan Valley Rift. We mapped the network and identified architectural elements that are typical of an underground hiding complex from the period of the Bar-Kokhba revolt, some of them part of ancient installations from the Iron Age and the Second Temple period. Among the elements there are tunnels with a characteristic incision, niches for candles, sharply angled turns, changes in floor level, orderly sealings of openings and a system for drawing water in secret. These elements exist in many underground hiding complexes all over Judea.
The complex at Khirbet Si'a joins a series of such complexes discovered in recent years in northeastern Judea (southeastern Samaria) that have been dated to the period of anti-Romans revolts, in particular that of Bar-Kokhba: at Tell Shiloh, Khirbet Jib'it, Khirbet Nisya, Khirbet Kefr 'Attia, Khirbet Kulasun and Khirbet al-Mishrake. The total length of the complex is over 60 meters, which makes it the largest underground complex known today in the region of northern Judea (southern Samaria).
As a result of a topographical analysis and a delineation of the southern border of the 'Aqraba district at the foot of the northern escarpment of the Ba'al Hatzor chain and along Wadi Samiya, it seems that Khirbet Si'a should be added to the many sites in the 'Aqraba district where there is evidence of Jewish settlement from the Second Temple period up to the period of the Bar-Kokhba Revolt.

Abstract: M. Levy-Rubin, “Islamization of Space and People” The paper examines the process of Islamization of the region of Samaria in Palestine during the early Muslim period. It is demonstrated that Islamization of Samaria should be viewed as a multi-faceted process, the elements of which were intertwined and served as reciprocal triggers. These include the following: A. The settlement of newly arrived Muslims in the area due to the favourable conditions. B. The Arabization of the local Samaritan community, which drew it closer to Arabic language, culture, and religion. C. The conversion of large parts of the community to Islam. D. The spatial Islamization of Samaria, characterized by new Islamic monuments, especially mosques, and by the adoption of various local holy sites and traditions. Thus, though Samaritan presence continued still to be significant in the area, they were no longer masters of the region, and were slowly but surely being pushed aside by growing Islamic presence.