Tel Rehov

This is the location of the largest ancient Canaanite and Israelite site in the Beth-Shean Valley and one of the largest tells in the Holy Land. Nine seasons of excavations at Tel Rehov, from 1997-2008, revealed successive occupational layers from the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age I (12th - 11th centuries BCE). Large and well-preserved buildings from three occupation layers were dated to the 10th - 9th centuries BCE (the time of the United Monarchy of David and Solomon and the Divided Monarchy under Omri and Ahab). Two of these cities suffered a destruction. A spectacular discovery was the industrial apiary – the only ancient beehives ever discovered in archaeological excavations. Remains of the 8th century BCE city that was violently destroyed by the Assyrians in 732 BCE include an 8 m-wide mudbrick wall around the acropolis. Evidence of Assyrian slaughter was found in the destroyed 8th century BCE houses.

Abundant finds were revealed, including unique pottery cult objects, clay figurines, seals, ivories and many others. Tel Rehov has became a major site for studying the Iron Age II in Israel, set squarely in the forefront of the debate over the chronology and nature of this period.