Revadim Kibbutz
From Jerusalem we traveled north to the Jezreel Valley but along the way we made a stop at Revadim Kibbutz. This is the kibbutz I lived at for a summer when I participated in the archeological dig of Tel Miqne Ekron. I think the kibbutz has grown some from what I remembered, but it did bring back some good memories and I’m glad we could stop.
The dig closed down an number of years ago and most of the artifacts had been moved to a bigger museum, but they still had some of the replicas and stone works setup at the kibbutz that we could view. Here we are getting an explanation how the olive presses worked. Ekron was one of the largest producers of olive oil.
The tel was a few kilometers outside the kibbutz and a bit disappointingly to me (but probably better for everyone else), the dirt road to the tel got too potholed for our touring van to drive down so this is as close as I could get. It is back there somewhere!
Megiddo
Our first stop in the Jezreel Valley was Tel Megiddo. Megiddo is an ancient city that was controlled by the Canaanites, Egyptians, Israeli fortress (in time of Solomon), and Assyrians. The Jezreel Valley is one of the most fertile of the region and is a strategic trade route location making Megiddo important. It’s Greek name is Armageddon and it is where some believe the final battle mentioned in Revelations will occur.
One of two main gates and looking out from the gates into the valley.
Tel Megiddo was first excavated in the early 1900s when the approach was to dig a massive trench through all the layers. This left a massive hole in a big section of the tel.
The granary pit and what some believe are the stables.
There was also a water tunnel in Megiddo, though it was much shorter length than Hezekiah’s water tunnel, and dry the whole way.
Nazareth
Next we went east down the valley to reach Nazareth where we first visited Mount Precipice where it is believed the mob from Nazareth tried to throw Jesus off the cliff.
Looking out over the Jezreel Valley and the cliff and looking back towards the town of Nazareth.
So a little fun sidebar, right on the walkway of Mount Precipice were these plaques. You never know when you will get little reminders of home!
We spent that night in Nazareth in a hotel that was a converted monastery or church. There was a chapel tower as part of the hotel and it provided a good view of Nazareth.
The next morning we visited the Basilica of the Annunciation. This is built over the church where it is believed that the angel Gabriel came to Mary and told her she was with child. This picture probably explains it best:
What was interesting about this church is that in the church and in the pavilion that surround the courtyard were all these murals from different countries, each showing their version of Mary and often baby Jesus. It was interesting to see the distinctions by country and to see some from the countries we had already visited.
Disapprovingly to us the Canadian one (left) was a little too abstract for our tastes and the United States one (right) was a little gaudy.
The remains of a church inside the the church.
They did a good job a preserving some the archeological work that is under the church.
Cana
Next we went to the village of Cana to the Wedding Church where it is believed Jesus performed his first miracle of changing water to wine.
Some of the archeological finds under the church, including a massive stone basin.
Walking the streets of Cana.