Visiting Tel Gibeon Water system

Hi,
Amitim Latiyulim group have done it again =)
They have arranged a visit to Tel Gibeon water system! This place is only 5 km from my parents old house in Jerusalem. But not only that I havn’t been there, I only learned about this place couple of years ago when I found a tour book and saw the illustration of this beautiful water system: the spring, the well, the staircase….

This tell, is located in the south edge of Jib, in the West Bank Palestinian territories. Means that even if I have learned about it before it was impossible to get in there. I did use to run along the road that run a km away from there. But it was after the fence was built. The soldier Nahchson Wachsman was hold and murdered by terrorists a couple of kilometers away from here in 1994.  My classmate, Ronen Landau, was killed here in 2001 by terrorists. That is why we got in with security forces escort.

Th place has landmark product of biblical archaeology, because it’s recognized with the ancient city of Gibeon and the “pool of Gibeon“. A site that mentioned several times in the bible (such as is  2 Samuel 2:13). This identification was made possible mainly due to the wine cellars (with room for 95,000 liters of wine) that was found here. Hebrew inscriptions of גבען (GBʻN) on the handles of wine storage jars, most of which were excavated from a large pool matching the biblical description.

Getting up to the armored bus near Ofer Prison - Tel GibeonGetting up to the armored bus near Ofer Prison

The border crossing - Tel GibeonThe border crossing

In the distance you can see the fence and road stretched along the hillsTel GibeonIn the distance you can see the fence and road stretched along the hills

Part of the village of El-Jib - Tel GibeonPart of the village of El-Jib

Some of the security forces escorting us in, there and out of the place

El-Jib mosque - Tel Gibeon

El-Jib mosque

 The fence along the road and and underground passage for the Palestinian of El-Jib. - Tel Gibeon
The fence along the road and and underground passage for the Palestinian of El-Jib.

Israeli settlements West to El-Jib: Har Samuel (part of Giv’at Ze’ev), Givon HaHadasha, Giva’t Ze’ev.

Some of the village older buildings

The area looks like the oldest area of the village, and I thought it is where the tell is. But the tell itself is remarkable kept, and isn’t built =)

5 buses with around 250 people - Tel Gibeon5 buses with around 250 people

The cemetery on the edge of the village. Separating it from the tell. - Tel GibeonThe cemetery on the edge of the village. Separating it from the tell.

The pool - Tel GibeonThe pool

The wine cellars, on which 95,000 liters of wine have been found - Tel GibeonThe wine cellars, on which 95,000 liters of wine have been found

The pool from within. dug in two stages: the first is 11.8m in diameter and 10.8m in deep. The second continues 13 meter down into a water chamber, but is closed with rock.

The entrance to the staircase leading to the spring pool

The illustration of the water system showing the layout and section of the staircase, tunnel and pool. - Tel GibeonThe illustration of the water system showing the layout and section of the staircase, tunnel and pool.

Going down the tunnel staircase of 93 stairs, leading to the spring. Unfortunately, it is full of rubbish

The spring pool and the lower entrance - Tel Gibeon

The spring pool and the lower entrance

The spring tunnel about 60 meter long, 2*2 meter. Wonderful of chiseling. The guys there are trying determine what is the age of the tunnel. Those tunnels are dug in order to increase the water flow by allowing it to run easily in the tunnel instead through the rock.

The lower entrance to the water pool (covered with garbage)

The lower entrance from the outside

The external water tunnel. Dug during the British mandate to run the water from the pool down to the fields in the valley. - Tel Gibeon

The external water tunnel. Dug during the British mandate to run the water from the pool down to the fields in the valley.

The Tell from below. Three directions are stiff as this, and the North one (directed to the village) is almost without slope. - Tel GibeonThe Tell from below. Three directions are stiff as this, and the North one (directed to the village) is almost without slope.

The pool from the lower entrance (you can see it is also full of garbage) - Tel GibeonThe pool from the lower entrance (you can see it is also full of garbage)

Climbing up the staircase

 

Looking down on the lower entrance and the external tunnel from the edge of top of the tell. The opening in the right pic is a air hole of the external tunnel.

Looking North from the edge top of the tell to El-Jib village houses - Tel GibeonLooking North from the edge top of the tell to El-Jib village houses

Looking East from the tell you can see on the horizon the Northern outskirts of Jeruslaem - Tel GibeonLooking East from the tell you can see on the horizon the Northern outskirts of Jeruslaem

Panorama view looking from North to the East. On the horizon one can see Ramallah. - Tel GibeonPanorama view looking from North to the East. On the horizon one can see Ramallah.

Yes the water are cold and I got goosebumps, but I did noticed the stinging nettles waiting for me and I got stung. - Tel GibeonYes the water are cold and I got goosebumps, but I did noticed the stinging nettles waiting for me and I got stung.

While I was down in the spring the rest of the group listened to the explanations about the winery. - Tel GibeonWhile I was down in the spring the rest of the group listened to the explanations about the winery.

Going down to the pool - Tel GibeonGoing down to the pool

Looking down half way to the bottom - Tel GibeonLooking down half way to the bottom

Looking up half the way down

Looking up from the bottom of the pool

The staircase going down to the lower chamber - Tel GibeonThe staircase going down to the lower chamber

But the way to the lower chamber is closed with rocks and garage - Tel GibeonBut the way to the lower chamber is closed with rocks and garage

The winery - Tel GibeonThe winery

The winery cellars used to hold the jars of wine

Wondering around the tell

Looking South from the Tel Gibeon to Nabi Samwil

Going home, we were quite an attraction for the people of the village - Tel GibeonGoing home, we were quite an attraction for the people of the village

The village of El-Jib is in area B (Palestinian civil control and joint Israeli-Palestinian security control) - Tel GibeonThe village of El-Jib is in area B (Palestinian civil control and joint Israeli-Palestinian security control)

The Gibeon valley, such a beautiful place but scared with fences.Tel GibeonThe Gibeon valley, such a beautiful place but scared with fences.

Take Care
Gad

 

 

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Tel-Gibeon, West bank, Israel

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Tel-Gibeon, West bank, Israel 31.847103, 35.184863