According to Maeir, the discovery of Gath as a huge, fortified city on the border of Judea during an extended period, without any signs of destruction, proves the Philistines controlled the Judean plain and it is likely the remnant of a failure of the Israelite kingdom to spread westward, and not a sign of its power.
Advertisement
The excavations of the ancient city of Gath, which was the largest city in the country from 10 to the 19th century BCE, are underway in the national park of Tel Zafit, located in the foothills of Judea between Jerusalem and Ashkelon.
Historians believe that Gath was destroyed following a siege by Hazael, King of Aram Damascus, in 830 BC.
The gate is the largest of its kind to ever be discovered in Israel, according to Maeir, who said that that fact substantiates the theory that Gath was once a very influential city. The Bible refers back to the massive city gate itself, within the tale of David’s escape from King Saul to the king of Gath.
In addition to the monumental gate, an impressive fortification wall was discovered, as well as various building in its vicinity, such as a temple and an iron production facility.
With the help of archaeologists and researchers from universities all over the world, Maeir and the Ackerman Fellows have been able to study Israel’s archaeological importance in Gath through the expedition. Tell es-Safi/Gath is one of the largest tells (ancient ruin mounds) in Israel and was settled almost continuously from the 5th millennium BCE until modern times.
The gate of the city is the largest to have been excavated in Israel so far.
The archaeological dig is led by Prof.
Advertisement
They also believe they found evidence of an quake in the 8th century B.C. possibly connected to the natural disaster mentioned in the beginning of the Book of Amos.
