Horvat Rosh Zayit, simply a Hebrew rendition of the Arabic Khirbet Ras Zetun, which means the "Ruins at Olive Point," is a site from the Early Israelite Period in the Segev Forest in Lower Galilee, a ten minute drive from home, which Yonatan and I spent an hour exploring this evening. Though partially excavated and with a sign board evident once you find the site, it is not signposted or well known, though it may be the site of Biblical Cabul, which is still recalled in the name of the now-Arab town of Kabul on the plain below, some two kilometres to the south west, in which there were still several Jewish families living in the 16th century. Modern Kabul hosts the tombs of the Jewish scholars and philosophers Abraham ibn Ezra and Judah Halevi.
But getting back to the subject of our stroll, Horvat Rosh Zayit: pottery shards found in the area show that the site was initially settled in the Early Israelite Period (12th century BCE) and excavations conducted under the direction of archaeologist, Dr Zvi Gal, revealed a large Phoenician fortress (16 x 15.5 meters) from the 10th century BCE, pictured below, consisting of a central courtyard surrounded by rooms, all enclosed by imposing fortifications with no gateway; so that entry to the fortress was probably by wooden ladders. Among the items found inside the compound were scores of clay vessels containing wheat seeds and pitchers for storing wine and oil.
The Phoenician citadel
This Phoenician citadel is surrounded by Israelite dwellings and installations. Indeed a private dwelling from the early Iron Age stood at this site, which was abandoned at the time of King Solomon prior to resettling and the construction of the fortress by the Phoenician Sidonites. Thus it has been suggested by Zvi Gal that the settlement was made the Phoenicians' administrative center over the adjacent agricultural plain, known as the "land of Cabul."
This hypothesis ties in with the story in the Tanach (Hebrew Bible) in which King Solomon struck a deal with King Hiram of Tyre, receiving cedars, cypresses and gold for the construction of the Temple and his palace while Hiram got farm produce and land in the area of Cabul in exchange. In this story, Hiram was not pleased with the land Solomon had allocated him:
“…then King Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him: and they pleased him not. And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day,” (1 Kings, 9:11-13).
The ancient city had previously been part of tribe of Asher (Joshua 19: 24-27):
"And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families. And their border was ... And it turned toward the sunrising to Beth-dagon, and reached to Zebulun and to the valley of Iphtahel northward at Beth-emek and Neiel; and it went out to Cabul on the left hand".
Signs of fire found at the fortress may be evidence of an Assyrian war expedition to the Phoenician coast, which may have resulted in renewed Israelite settlement slightly to the east of the fortress. In any case, settlement at the site ended in the 8th century BCE, when the Assyrian king Tiglath-Pilesar occupied Galilee.
To the north of the excavated central structures pictured below are as-yet unexcavated ruins of the agriculture village that existed after the destruction of the fortress, from the beginning of the 9th century BCE until the end of the 8th century BCE. These ruins comprise some 80% of the site.
You can explore the site through our pictures, captioned below.
The Phoenician citadel from the east
The Phoenician citadel from the west
Yonatan outside a house to the west of the citadel, identified as a ritual structure
A stone bowl in the ritual building, in which was also found a small censer and two fragmentary figurines
An 8th century BCE house and oil press to the west of the citadel
Remains of the oil press
Looking back east at the citadel from the oil press house
Further agricultural and industrial installations
Further agricultural and industrial installations
Yonatan peering under a large rock placed over an open hole into a rock cut cistern
A view into the cistern
A house to the east of the citadel, containing a further oil press
Detail of the oil press installation
A large number of Phoenician jars, storage vessels and other ceramics were found in the excavations. To the east of the citadel there is a flattened heap of ceramic fragments, left over from these excavations. These small pieces either could not be re-assembled, or were missing vital dating clues such as their rims.
Yonatan and I assembled a number of interesting pieces nevertheless, including pieces of flat vessel bases, handles, and a decorated piece with concentric circles or arcs
Another storage installation perhaps
Modern Kabul to the south west of the ruins - Yonatan photographing me in the foreground!
Beyond Kabul to the south west is Mount Karmel and Haifa bay, in the sunset.