Online-Texte der Evangelischen Akademie Bad Boll Aufstände in Galiläa Schriftliche Berichte und archäologische Funde Dr. Yinon Shivtiel Ein Beitrag aus der Tagung: Bauern, Fischer und Propheten. Neues aus Galiläa zur Zeit Jesu Archäologie und Theologie im Neuen Testament Bad Boll, 7. - 8. Mai 2011, Tagungsnummer: 500211 Tagungsleitung: Dr. Thilo Fitzner _____________________________________________________________________________ Bitte beachten Sie: Dieser Text ist ausschließlich zum persönlichen, privaten Gebrauch bestimmt. Jede weitere Vervielfältigung und Verbreitung bedarf der ausdrücklichen Genehmigung des Urhebers/der Urheberin bzw. der Evangelischen Akade- mie Bad Boll. © 2011 Alle Rechte beim Autor/bei der Autorin dieses Textes Eine Stellungnahme der Evangelischen Akademie Bad Boll ist mit der Veröffentlichung dieses Textes nicht ausge- sprochen. Evangelische Akademie Bad Boll Akademieweg 11, D-73087 Bad Boll E-Mail: [email protected] Internet: www.ev-akademie-boll.de Cliff Settlements, Shelters and Refuge Caves in the Galilee1 Yinon Shivtiel2 The1existence of intricate systems of intercon- nected refuge caves in2the Judean Desert has been known for a long time, and has been the subject of many publications, including one in this volume.3 These systems were attributed by researchers to the period of the Bar Kokhba rebellion. One of the researchers suggested in his article that over 20 similar systems existed in the Galilee (Shahar 2003, 232-235). The pur- pose of this article is to show that the cave sys- tems in the Galilee served not only as places Figure 1. Two coins from Akhbarah. of refuge, but also as escape routes for local villagers. The common denominator of these the time-range and the simultaneity of prepa- systems was their complexity, as compared rations of the caves for refuge suggest that the with cliff-top caves, as they are currently acces- methods of enlarging and preparing these caves sible only by rappelling. It would appear that may have been passed down through many the inhabitants of many cliff-top Galilean vil- generations. Pottery remains do not give a clear lages prepared escape routes and refuge caves enough answer to these questions; they sug- to serve in times of need. They descended into gest a long time-span (from the Hellenistic to these natural caves by ropes, and enlarged and the late Muslim period). Numismatic evidence adapted them for survival in times of danger. is generally regarded as a more reliable dating guide; however, the caves explored by the pres- An inspection of these refuge caves indicates ent author unfortunately failed to reveal coins, common methods and planning, raising the with the exception of two "Sepphoris" coins, question of the existence of a central authority 115-117 A.D., which were found in a cave in directing operations within a specific period, the Akhbarah cliff (fig. 1). These prove that this against the possibility of future wars; or per- system was in use in the time of Trajan. haps it was simply a matter of one village learn- ing and copying from another, thus providing The similarity between the refuge-caves a similar method throughout the region. Both of the Galilee and those of the Judean Desert attributed to the time of Bar-Kokhba – whether 1 I would like to express my indebtedness to Professor the first stages of planning and preparation were Hanan Eshel for his useful comments. at the time of Bar-Kokhba or a great deal earlier 2 Lecturer Safed College. – does not help us in dating the Galilean caves; 3 See the comprehensive books by Kloner and Tepper the work and building methods are characteristic 1987; Eshel and Amit 1998. 223* Bilder von den Höhlenexpeditionen von Yinon Shivtiel, Ph.D. Yinon Shivtiel Map 1. Refuge and concealed caves in Galilee. of the entire region in ancient times. in one period, it is reasonable to assume that they served a similar purpose in later times, as For these reasons, we have neither a reli- is clearly evident even from the Muslim period. able key for the dating nor the background to Therefore, we can only present the data as the beginning of the preparation of the Galilean found: the location of the caves, their proximity caves. To date, they can be equally attributed to settlements, and the geological conditions. In to the Herodian Period, the First Revolt, and specific places, the shape and dimensions of the the Bar Kokhba Rebellion, and references to natural cave can be drawn, as well as the man- the use of caves in these periods can be found made extension, supply routes, and evidence of in various sources.4 If they served this purpose daily life (especially purification rites), storage 4 Josephus Flavius, War I, 304, 307, 309-313; II, 573; III, 27, 334, 341; Dio’s Roman History VIII, 12, 69. 224* Cliff Settlements, Shelters and Refuge Caves in the Galilee methods for food and water, means of harassing North of Tiberias, at the top of the descent the enemy, means of preventing the conquest of leading down from the peak of Mt. Arbel to the the enemy, and means of camouflaging the site. dry riverbed of Wadi Hamam, excavations of All technical questions regarding the means for an area of 100 dunam (25 acres) revealed the achieving these ends – access to the refugee ruins of the Jewish settlement of Arbel, with community, its size, plans for living quarters, its ancient synagogue overlooking a gorge that the question of whether the first caves were all separates Mt. Arbel from Mt. Nitai. Both moun- started in one period, and above all the dating tains have been associated with ancient Arbel of the earliest preparation of the caves – all since the discovery of a widespread system of these questions must remain unanswered until refuge caves used by besieged Jews in the period a definitive find is made which settles the ques- preceding the Great Rebellion. Standing oppo- tion one way or another. site these two imposing cliffs, one can clearly see the mouths of dozens of caves; reading Mt. Berenice is situated at the southwest Josephus Flavius’ account of Herod’s campaign corner of the Sea of Galilee, about 2 km. south against the Jewish settlers of the villages around of the modern Jewish settlement of Tiberias, the Sea of Galilee makes it abundantly clear above the antiquities of ancient Tiberias being that the reference is to Arbel. Josephus stated excavated today. This imposing mountain, a that Herod’s conquest of Galilee was complete, steep-sloped limestone cliff with a precipitous except for Arbel, which was surrounded by eastern side, stands out from the surrounding caves. Josephus emphasizes the innovativeness countryside. Soaring to a height of 190 meters and the tremendous demands made of Herod in above the lake, its entire eastern side is dotted the Arbel campaign, lowering his warriors to with caves. Of the thirty of these caves that the cave-mouths by ropes inside wooden crates have been explored, all were originally natural (Josephus Flavius, Antiquities XIV, 417-430), caves formed by karstic erosion. however, sev- and mentions in particular "the length of time" eral had been dug from the centre to the end and (Josephus Flavius, War I, 309-313) that elapsed prepared for human habitation (Schwager and until the king finally settled on "this sophisti- Miron 1990, 61-76). Finds in the caves included cated and dangerous stratagem" (Josephus Fla- shards from Late Roman period and other sev- vius, War I, 309-313). All this is readily under- eral periods (Cohen 1990, 86-88). stood by anyone investigating these caves, and finding himself dangling at the end of a rope in A Mishnaic source in the Palestinian Talmud front the cave-mouths. relates how Rabbi Huna – of the fourth century CE – tells how he and his friends used to hide An extensive survey of the Arbel caves "for days and nights in the caves above the carried out by the late Z. Ilan revealed the fol- Great Beit Midrash". It is widely accepted that lowing data for the first time.6 A refuge cave it refers to the Beit Midrash of R. Yohanan, in Tiberias 5 6 The research was headed by Dr. Z. Ilan, in which the author participated, surveyed the caves of Arbel and Mt. Nitai. The results of the survey appeared in an internal report published by the Cave Research Centre and the 5 Apparently the reference was to the period of the Nature Protection Society in December, 1992 (Hebrew). Gallus Revolt, Palestinian Talmud, Pesahim, 1, 1; 27, 1 The earliest survey was made by Y. Tepper and Y. Shahar (Hirschfeld 2005, 24-26). in 1982-1983. See Shahar and Tepper 1991, 24-53. 225* Yinon Shivtiel system was discovered and explored, and period. The path continues eastward at the foot found to be most impressively developed and of other cave-systems, which can be seen when organized: from the fortress known as "Kalaat one faces the cliff, until one reaches a manmade Abu- Ma’an" after a Druze revolutionary who flight of steps leading to the "Ma'an" fortress. entrenched himself there against a seventeenth On the wall to the east of the steps, there are century Turkish sultan (Vilnai 1977, 287), the remains of caves, with an additional split-level explorer enters the central cave-system. The miqveh, and a plaster-lined water-cistern. At the limestone sedimentary rocks (from the Eocene side, a quarried channel leads down to another period) provided a base for the widespread well-developed complex of caves, built along karstic action, which hollowed out numerous the cleft running down from the cliff top. 8 The natural caves. The cave entrances resemble a caves are on six different levels and contain dovecote, and attracted many species of birds, numerous spacious rooms with dressed-stone especially pigeons and doves, to nest there.