Friday April 8, Biet Lehi, Caesarea

This is the most amazing day we have had. We were taken to an active archeology site southwest of Jerusalem that was first discovered in the late 60's. This village was mostly in natural caves that had been carved out to make them bigger. Evidence suggests this could be the land of Lehi's inheritance. This is a picture of an underground stable with actual mangers of stone, not unlike those in use around Bethlehem.

Pigeons were use for sacrifice at Temples to celebrate the birth of a child and these are underground pigeon nests carved into the walls in what is called a columbarium. They have uncovered over 8000 nest so far and still are finding more.

Cross carved into the wall during the 1st Century in this underground church in a cave.

This is the floor and ruin of a 5th Century Byzantine Church built above ground at the same site

Mosaic of a boat, what is it doing so far inland?

This specifies who is honored because of financial support for the building of the church

Site is protected by leaving mosaic floor covered with sand so it will not be damaged

Traditional residents tell the story of coming to this site, which once was a great oak tree surrounded by a stone wall, to listen to a wise man named Abu-laman (father of Laman) ??? Lehi ????

Underground olive press

Other underground olive presses in a common work area

This is an escape or hiding tunnel carved out the back of a traditional Jewish bath used for ritual cleaning

Opening to allow water to come in to fill font at bottom of bath

Channel to allow water into Jewish ceremonial bath

Sampson's Well at the bottom of the

hill he fought and killed over a thousand Phillistines.

This is the Jerusalem Cave, google that term and find out that this was the original cave found in the 60's that started interest in the area

This is Caesarea build by King Herod on the Mediterranian Sea to honor Caeser. Stone denoting Pontius Pilot as being the governor of the area

Public Toilets built at the beautiful seaside Hippodrome, used for chariot races

Ampitheater

Hippodrome

Aqueduct bringing water to the site from over 11 miles away. Anchors in the Harbor area

Crusader defenses built in the 10-11 Century.

Peter stepped down these steps to board a boat and travel to Rome

Harbor, but grass would be the water

Crusader gatehouse

Another view of aqueduct further north.