Friday 20 September 2013

Tel Gezer


Half way between Tel Aviv (on the coastal plain) and Jerusalem (in the Judean hills, towards which this view looks), thus in the strategic area in between which has been most fought over through history.


First recorded at least 3500 years ago, this narrow Canaanite gateway remarkably preserves the mud bricks of the time.


Such 'high places' being also worship sites, these Canaanite standing stones being of a type perhaps indicated by what Exodus 24.4-6 records of Moses' use.


Another gateway, this time dated to the tenth century BC, which is exactly when 1 Kings 9.15 indicates Solomon had a building project here.


A small olive press: the depression on the left is where to place the olives for crushing so that oil can flow through the lip in the centre into the hole on the right.


A large wine press: the far area is for the grapes (with a central depression for gathering the remaining skins and so on) and the nearer depression is for collecting the juice.

1 comment:

ElsieJoy said...

A big thank you for sharing these photographs and information Peter; very interesting indeed