Beit Hanania: History at Tel Mevorakh

Beit Hanania is a destination with distinctive archaeological layers: at the entrance to the village lies Tel Mevorakh, where finds date from the Bronze Age to the Persian period. There are also tombs from the 3rd century AD. For history enthusiasts, the site’s particular appeal lies in the different architectural forms and periods that can be read in these places.

Tel Mevorakh: Fortress, Settlements and Temple

Four excavation campaigns between 1973 and 1976 brought to light remains from several periods at Tel Mevorakh. These include a rectangular fortress from the beginning of Middle Bronze Age II, as well as settlement remains from phases B and C of this period. The remains of a settlement and a temple date from the Late Bronze Age. A four-room building is assigned to Iron Age I–II. From the Persian period comes a large building that covered most of the tell and was surrounded by a casemate wall; it probably served as an administrative centre. The fortress, settlements, temple and large building make the sequence of different architectural and settlement forms the tell’s defining theme.

Burial Chambers and Sarcophagi

The burial structures also differ in form and furnishings. At the foot of the tell, to the east, a mausoleum dating from the 3rd century AD was discovered in 1923. Marble sarcophagi were found inside; some are decorated with reliefs depicting the Greeks’ battle against the Amazons. There is also a round burial chamber on the eastern edge of the tell, likewise dated to the 3rd century AD, with 13 burial niches. Its ceiling is supported by a central pillar carved with a bull’s head. The contrast is between one structure, where the sarcophagi and their reliefs are the focus, and the other, defined by its niches and carved pillar.

Getting There

If you arrive by public transport, walk south for about 200 metres alongside Road 4, on its western side, until you reach the remains of the Roman aqueduct near Beit Hanania.

Haifa: Museums, Holy Sites and Markets

The wider destination of Haifa offers its own cultural and urban attractions. The National Maritime Museum presents 5,000 years of Mediterranean maritime history. The Haifa City Museum is housed in two buildings from the Templar period in the German Colony. The Shrine of the Báb is part of the Bahá’í Holy Places inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List; the Holy Places in Haifa and Western Galilee are visited as part of the Bahá’í pilgrimage. Bet She’arim National Park has catacombs with elaborate carvings and inscriptions. The park is the final resting place of prominent Jewish figures, including Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi.

Markets also give Haifa a character of its own: Wadi Nisnas has a lively year-round market with street food, spices and handmade sweets. The Turkish Market offers bars, street food, restaurants, art galleries and shops. Haifa’s historic underground railway is called the Carmelit. Along the Carmelit, museums, a theatre, colourful markets and promenades are within a comfortable walking distance of the stations. The landscape of the Carmel ridge, which slopes down to the sea, also defines Haifa’s connection between sea and mountains.

Choosing a holiday rental therefore comes down to a specific question of interests: do you want your stay to focus on the archaeological sites near Beit Hanania, or would you rather make Haifa’s museums, holy sites and markets the main theme? Tailor your accommodation search to the place and themes you want to shape your trip.

Discover more destinations: Ma'ale Gamla, Kafr Qasim, Hila, Shefer, Jokne'am, Alonei Habashan, Kfar Adumim, Lehavot Habashan

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