Ziv Reinstein

16/11/2021

Tuesday, 16 November, 2021, 08:29 Updated: 08:38

A 2100-year-old fortified structure, destroyed by the Hasmoneans, was uncovered in the Lachish Forest

"The destruction of the building is apparently related to the conquest of the area by the Hasmonean John Hyrcanus, around 112 BC and illustrates, in effect, the stories of Hanukkah," the archaeologists say

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Hasmonean fortress exposed in Lachish forest (Photo: Emil Aljem, Israel Antiquities Authority)

Weapons, burnt wooden beams, dozens of coins and a fortified structure from the Hellenistic period - tangible evidence of a battle that took place between the Hasmoneans and the Slovaks about 2,100 years ago, are currently being unearthed in the Antiquities Authority's excavations in the Lachish Forest area.

The excavations are being carried out as part of the project to establish the Derech Malkei Yehuda in cooperation with the Jewish National Fund, funded by a landmark project at the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage, and with the participation of students from Eretz Israel and Archeology.

According to Saar Ganor, Vladik Lifshitz and Achinam Montagio, excavation directors on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, "The site we uncovered illustrates, in fact, the stories of Hanukkah. We seem to have discovered a structure "Hasmonean attack. But according to the findings on the ground, the Slovak defense did not succeed; the structure we discovered underwent significant destruction and burning by the Hasmoneans.".

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Tamar Cohen from Dimona Studio holds a Hellenistic jug that she discovered in an excavation (Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority, Saar Ganor)

Was part of an array of fortifications erected by Hellenistic army commanders.

The fortified structure (Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority, Emil Aljem)

A building measuring 15 x 15 m, which was designed as a well-fortified unit, was discovered in the excavation. The outer walls, no less than three meters wide, were built of large stones and a sloping outer wall that protects against climbing. In its interior, the fortified building is divided into seven rooms, which have been preserved to an extraordinary height of about two meters. A staircase, which led to a second floor, which did not survive, was exposed in the excavation. It can be estimated that the height of the building was about five meters.

The site where the fortified structure was exposed is located at the top of a high hill, which dominated the main road that passed through the Lachish River, and which connected, in ancient times, between the coastal plain and the main mountain boulevard. From the building you can overlook Marsa - the largest city in the area, which was the capital of Adomia in the Hellenistic period.

Students from the Ministry of Education's Studies in Israel and Archeology, from schools in Be'er Sheva, Dimona and Nitzan, participated in the excavation, as part of the administration, education and rapprochement of the community led by the Israel Antiquities Authority.

Students discover their history "through their hands" as part of their studies for a matriculation certificate in the profession and turning the archeological excavation into a learning scientific laboratory.

In addition, students from the Asher Ruach preparatory school for at-risk youth from Mitzpe Ramon took part in the excavations, as part of a week aimed at making a significant contribution to the community.

During the excavation, thousands of large stones were removed, which collapsed from the top of the building.

A layer of intense destruction, about half a meter thick, was discovered below them.

Within this stratum, hundreds of finds were discovered - including pottery, slingshots, iron weapons, burnt wooden beams, and dozens of coins that could be dated to the end of the second century BC.

The fortified structure uncovered in the Lachish Forest (Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority, Vladik Lifshitz)

Vladik Lifshitz and Der Yael Abadi-Reiss of the Israel Antiquities Authority expose the layer of destruction and fire (Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority, Saar Ganor)

Comprehensive students from Ramot Beer Sheva took part in the excavations (Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority, Saar Ganor)

The building was conquered by John Hyrcanus

"" Based on the findings and coins, the destruction of the structure can be attributed to the conquests of the Hasmonean region of John Hyrcanus by John Hyrcanus, around 112 BC, "archaeologists say.

The Hasmoneans, who began their revolt against Hellenistic rule and the House of Seleucus, following the decrees of Antiochus IV and harming their Jewish lifestyles, waged many battles against the Slovak army.

The conquests of John Hyrcanus, described in the Book of Maccabees and by the historian Yosef ben Matityahu, led to the expansion of the Hasmonean state to the south.

At the end of the excavations, the building will be preserved and developed, and it will open to the general public in cooperation with the southern part of the Jewish National Fund, as one of the points of visit on the "Road of the Kings of Judah".

Findings unearthed at the site (Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority, Davida Dagan-Eisenberg)

Weapons from the battle for the building (Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority, Saar Ganor)

Remains of a burnt wooden beam (Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority, Saar Ganor)

According to Eli Escozido, director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, "The stories of the Maccabees are revived before our eyes. In a few days we will celebrate Hanukkah, at the center of which the Hasmoneans defeated the Hellenists, "Students from the State of Israel will follow in their footsteps. This is unusually exciting."

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