A Rare Statue of Hercules was exposed at Horvat Tarbenet in the Jezreel Valley

In excavations of the Israel Antiquities Authority, within the framework of the Jezreel Valley Railway project, directed by the Israel National Roads Company

A marble statue of Hercules from the second century CE was uncovered in excavations the Israel Antiquities Authority is conducting at Horvat Tarbenet, within the framework of the Jezreel Valley Railway project, directed by the Israel National Roads Company.

According to Dr. Walid Atrash of the Israel Antiquities Authority, “This is a rare discovery. The statue, which probably stood in a niche, was part of the decoration of a bathhouse pool that was exposed during the course of the excavations. It is c. 0.5 m tall, is made of smoothed white marble and is of exceptional artistic quality. Hercules is depicted in three dimension, as a naked figure standing on a base. His bulging muscles stand out prominently, he is leaning on a club to his left, on the upper part of which hangs the skin of the Nemean lion, which according to Greek mythology Hercules slew as the first of his twelve labors”.

The hero Hercules, of Greek and Roman mythology, was born in Thebes. He is the son of the god Zeus and the mortal Alcmene, a woman from Electryon. Hercules is considered the strongest man in the world, a symbol of power, courage and superhuman strength; one of the most famous legendary heroes of ancient Greece who battled the forces of the netherworld on behalf of the Olympian gods. Hercules is described as hot tempered, and he often times acted impetuously and with uncontrollable rage. Greek mythology has it that Zeus’ wife, Hera, expressed her jealousy and fierce hatred of Hercules from the day he was born because he was the product of her husband’s infidelity. While he was just a baby Hera placed two poisonous snakes in his bed, but he managed to overpower them. Later, in a fit of madness brought on by Hera, Hercules killed his three sons and his wife Megara, whilst she attempted to protect the smallest of them. In order to atone for his terrible sin, the Oracle of Delphi ordered Hercules to go to Eurystheus, king of Mycenae, and perform whatever the king commanded him to do. Among the king’s commands were twelve superhuman feats known as the ‘Labors of Hercules’. Depictions of the labors of Hercules are among the most common themes in ancient art and the statue that was discovered portrays Hercules’ first task.

Horvat Tarbenet is located in the Jezreel Valley, three kilometers northeast of Kefar Barukh, and four kilometers northwest of Afula. Tarbenet was a Jewish settlement in the third century CE, which is mentioned in the Jerusalem Talmud (Megilla 4, 5). The story is told of a local teacher who would teach the Ten Commandments very quickly, so rapidly that his students could not understand him. The townspeople asked the teacher to take a break between each passage so they could follow him. The teacher refused because “the sages forbade one from stopping while reading the words of Moses”. The teacher’s refusal even received the backing of Rabbi Hanina. The teacher continued to teach as he did until the residents fired him.

In an archaeological excavation conducted at the site remains were discovered, among them dwellings, a built well and an installation that included a large pool which was probably part of a Roman bathhouse. Benches were found on two sides of the pools. The well, which is 2.90 m in diameter and in excess of 4 m deep, had a saqiye type pumping installation constructed above its opening. A drainage channel that extended as far as the pool was built alongside the well. It seems that the well and channel were meant to supply water for the pool. After the pool was no longer being used it was filled in with a layer of earth that contained numerous potsherds, an abundance of broken glass vessels and the marble fragment of the statue of Hercules. The complex that was discovered apparently underwent a number of changes and it is dated to the Roman and Byzantine periods, until the beginning of the Early Islamic period.

At the beginning of the last century the legendary Valley Railway linked Haifa with Damascus. Recently the Israel National Roads Company commenced work renewing the rail line with the necessary changes in its route. The new Valley Railway, which is c. 60 kilometers long, will carry passengers and freight between Haifa, Afula and Bet She'an. In certain places the new track will pass alongside the route of the historic Valley Railway.

(Courtesy of Israel Antiquities Authority)

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August 11, 2011

THE INCREASE IN INCOMING TOURISM CONTINUES:

1.9 MILLION VISITORS (OF WHOM 1.6 MILLION ARE TOURISTS) HAVE ENTERED ISRAEL IN THE PERIOD JAN-JULY 2011 (4% MORE THAN SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR)

TOURISM MINISTER STAS MISEZHNIKOV: “THE TOURISM INDUSTRY (DOMESTIC AND INCOMING) HAS CONTRIBUTED ABOUT NIS15 MILLION TO THE ECONOMY IN THE FIRST 7 MONTHS OF THE YEAR.

2010 INCOMING TOURISM SURVEY PUBLISHED TODAY SHOWS THAT TOURISTS RATE VERY HIGHLY PERSONAL SAFETY, NIGHTLIFE, PEOPLE’S FRIENDLINESS, ACCOMODATION FACILITIES AND ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES

1.9 million visitors entered Israel in the period January-July 2011. Of these, 1.6 million were tourists who stayed in Israel more than one night, 4% more than in the corresponding months of 2010. 274,000 visitors entered in July, 2% fewer than in July 2011. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, the number of day-tourists in January-July fell 25% to 251,000. Of these, 102,000 arrived as cruise ship passengers, 42% more than in the corresponding months of last year.

The 2010 Incoming Tourism Survey from the Tourism Ministry, published today, points to a significant increase in the satisfaction levels of tourists visiting Israel. The survey, carried out by the Geocartography company, was conducted during 2010 among a sample of 27,000 of the 3.45 million tourists who visited Israel during last year – Israel’s record tourism year.

The tourists gave the highest ratings (on a scale of 1-5) to archeological sites (4.5); personal safety (4.2); accommodation facilities (4.2); night life (4.1) and people’s friendliness to the tourist (4). Rated between 3.4 – 3.8 out of 5 were cleanliness in public spaces; security checks; airport facilities; restaurants and taxis.

Minister of Tourism Stas Misezhnikov: “The stability in the tourism industry, despite the crises in the region, is a result of the increased budgets and intensive marketing activities.” The minister noted that revenue from incoming tourism alone totaled NIS 8 billion in January-July 2011, which together with domestic tourism, brings the total contribution of the tourism industry to the economy in the first seven months of the year to NIS 15 billion. The tourism industry directly and indirectly employs 160,000 people.

The survey also showed that 24% of the tourists were Jews and 68% were Christians. The average stay was 11 nights, and the average spending per tourist was $1,100. 43% of all tourists arrived on a repeat visit. 77% of the tourists visited Jerusalem, 56% visited Tel Aviv, 51% visited the Dead Sea, 35% visited Tiberias, and 33% visited Nazareth.

(Courtesy of Israel Ministry of Tourism)

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August 8, 2011

Artifacts breathe new life into the destruction of the Temple

On the eve of Tisha B'Av, commemorating the anniversary of the destruction of the First and Second Temples, artifacts were exposed that breathe new life into the story of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.

A sword in a scabbard that belonged to a Roman soldier and an engraving of the Temple's menorah on a stone object were discovered during work the Israel Antiquities Authority conducted in the 2,000 year old drainage channel between the City of David and the Jerusalem Archaeological Garden.

The channel served as a hiding refuge for the residents of Jerusalem from the Romans during the destruction of the Second Temple.

During the course of work the Israel Antiquities Authority carried out in Jerusalem's ancient drainage channel, which begins in the Siloam Pool and runs from the City of David to the archaeological garden (near the Western Wall), impressive finds were recently discovered that breathe new life into the story of the destruction of the Second Temple. The excavations are being conducted on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, in cooperation with the Nature and Parks Authority and are underwritten by the City of David Foundation.

A 2,000 year old iron sword, still in its leather scabbard, was discovered in work the Israel Antiquities Authority is doing in the channel, which served as a hiding refuge for the residents of Jerusalem from the Romans at the time of the Second Temple's destruction. In addition, parts of the belt that carried the sword were found.

According to the excavation directors Eli Shukron of the Israel Antiquities Authority and Professor Ronny Reich of the University of Haifa, "It seems that the sword belonged to an infantryman of the Roman garrison stationed in Israel at the outbreak of the Great Revolt against the Romans in 66 CE. The sword's fine state of preservation is surprising: not only its length (c. 60 cm), but also the preservation of the leather scabbard (a material that generally disintegrates quickly over time) and some of its decoration".

A stone object adorned with a rare engraving of a menorah was found in the soil beneath the street, on the side of the drainage channel. According to Shukron and Professor Reich, "Interestingly, even though we are dealing with a depiction of the seven-branched candelabrum, only five branches appear here. The portrayal of the menorah's base is extremely important because it clarifies what the base of the original menorah looked like, which was apparently tripod shaped".

The fact that the stone object was found at the closest proximity to the Temple Mount to date is also important. The researchers suppose a passerby who saw the menorah with his own eyes and was amazed by its beauty incised his impressions on a stone and afterwards tossed his scrawling to the side of the road, without imagining that his creation would be found 2,000 years later.

(Courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority spokesperson)