SHA'ARAIM (KHIRBET QEIYAFA)

Ron Traub 3h ·

MY ISRAEL:

SHA’ARAIM (KHIRBET QEIYAFA):

Located in the Shephela (the Judean Lowhills) overlooking the Ela valley where perhaps the most famous confrontation in world history took place, namely, the battle between David & Goliath. In 1 Samuel 17, the clash between David & Goliath is recorded in detail & Sha’araim is mentioned by name in 1 Samuel 17 : 52 “and the wounded of the Philistines fell down by way of Sha’araim, even unto Gath, & unto Ekron”. Sha’araim is also mentioned in the book of Joshua as part of the tribal allotment of Judah (Joshua 15:20 & 36) as were the nearby towns of Socho & Azeka (Joshua 15 : 35).

Sha’araim, also known as Khirbet Qeiyafa, occupied a position of strategic importance between the southern coastal plain (Philistia) & the cities of Jerusalem & Hebron. The city has been dated to the start of the 11th century B.C.E & the beginnings of the 10th century B.C.E. incorporating the reigns of both David (1010 B.C.E-970 B.C.E.), & Solomon (970 B.C.E – 930 B.C.E.). Further evidence of the city’s age was supplied by olive pits. During the olive oil extraction process waste products are generated which were placed in a pit. These waste products were subjected to radio carbon dating which confirmed that Sha’araim was indeed a city from the First Temple period. (1010 B.C.E. – 586 B.C.E.).

Until the archaeological discoveries on Sha’araim were unearthed, some archaeologists believed king David to be a mythological figure. Discoveries on the site has forced them to accede that king David existed. This due to a number of observations. Firstly, Sha’araim unlike many other archaeological sites has only one destruction layer, therefore all discoveries are from a specific period which in this case corresponds to the time of king David (1010 B.C.E-970 B.C.E). Essential to the running of a kingdom is writing. Prior to excavations at Sha’araim some archaeologists claimed that Hebrew did not evolve into a written language until many years after king David. The discovery of the Khirbet Qeiyafa ostracon, a semitic inscription written in ink on a pottery shard dated to 1000 B.C.E., bears testimony to the age of the city & is proof that Hebrew was very much a written language during the time of king David.

Sha’araim is the only city from the 1st Temple period that has 2 four chambered gates. One facing south that overlooks the Ela valley & the other facing west towards the biblical city of Azeka. It is from these gates that the name Sha’araim is derived. Shar in Hebrew meaning gate, & Sha’araim the plural. The meaning of the Arabic name Khirbet Qeiyafa is uncertain.

Constructed on bedrock & encircled by a 700 meter wall made up of massive megalith stones, it enclosed an area of 2.5 Hectares = 6 Acres = 25 Dunam. A project of this size requiring the moving of 200 000 tons of stone would have needed manpower only a centralized government could supply. Jug handles with imprints to mark the jug’s contents found on site further suggests that this was a regional centre for the collection of taxes controlled by a centralized authority. The center of the site houses the remains of a large structure, which due to its size was in all probability the governor’s residence. Other archaeological findings include a stable and a number of houses as well as artifacts such as baking trays, stone tools, metal objects, scarabs (a representation or image of a beetle.), seals, & ceramics common to other Judean cities. Further archaeological proof that Sha’araim was indeed a Jewish city is evidenced by the absence of non-kosher animal bones.

Unique to Judean cities are casement walls, which are two parallel walls that in this case are 4 meters apart and surround the periphery of the site. The spaces between the parallel walls are divided into segments by internal walls built at right angles to the parallel walls. These internal segments provided housing and storage facilities for the residents & in addition strengthened the wall.To date, Sha’araim is the oldest known example of this design. Casement walls have not been found in any Canaanite or Philistine city, nor in any city within the northern kingdom. (Refer to the sketch of the 4 chambered gate & casement wall). The Northern kingdom having emerged after the death of king Solomon in 930 B.C.E. His death resulted in the breakup of the United kingdom & its transformation into the Divided kingdom which comprised of the kingdom of Judea in the south & the kingdom of Israel in the north.

The city’s sudden destruction in 925 B.C.E. has been attributed to either an earthquake or war, however neither reason is certain. The site was fortified during the Hellenistic period (332 B.C.E – 167 B.C.E.) & is home to the remains of a farmhouse or kahn (an inn) from the Byzantine period (324 C.E. – 638 B.C.E.).

A survey of the site conducted in 2001 awakened the interests of archaeologists & as a consequence, extensive excavations were carried out between 2007 & 2013. To date, only 20 % of the site has been unearthed.

Ron Traub (Tour Guide & Architect). Website : rontraub-tours.com Photo’s : Rimonah Traub. Sketch : Ron Traub.