Canaanite Fortress

Archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) have uncovered the ruins of a 3,200-year-old Canaanite fortress near Gal On, a kibbutz in central Israel.

An aerial photo of the Canaanite fortress near Gal On in central Israel. Image credit: Emil Aladjem, Israel Antiquities Authority.

“The fortress we found provides a glimpse into the geopolitical reality described in the Bible’s Book of Judges, in which the Canaanites, Israelites and Philistines are fighting each other,” said IAA archaeologists Dr. Saar Ganor and Dr. Itamar Weissbein.

“In this period, the land of Canaan was ruled by the Egyptians and its inhabitants were under their custody.”

“Then, during the 12th century BCE, two new players entered the game: the Israelites and the Philistines. This led to a series of violent territorial disputes.”

“The Israelites settled in non-fortified settlements at the Benjamin and Judean Mountains.”

“Meanwhile, the Philistines accumulated power in the southern coastal plain and established big cities such as Ashkelon, Ashdod and Gat.”

“In an attempt to conquer more areas, the Philistines confronted the Egyptians and the Canaanites on the border line, which probably passed at the Guvrin river, between the Philistine kingdom of Gat and the Canaanite kingdom of Lachish.”

“It seems that the Gal On fortress was built as a Canaanite/Egyptian attempt to cope with the new geopolitical situation.”

“However, in the middle of the 12 century BCE, the Egyptians left the land of Canaan and returned to Egypt. Their departure led to the destruction of the now unprotected Canaanite cities — a destruction that was probably led by the Philistines.”

3,200-year-old bowls found in the rooms of the Canaanite fortress. Image credit: Dafna Gazit, Israel Antiquities Authority.

The Gal On fortress measures 18 by 18 m (59 by 59 feet) and has watchtowers on its four corners.

A massive threshold, carved from a single rock weighing around 3 tons, was preserved at the entrance of the building.

The fortress has a courtyard paved with stone slabs and columns in the middle. Rooms were constructed from both sides of the courtyard.

The archaeologists found hundreds of pottery vessels, some stil intact, in the rooms, including special vessels such as bowl and cup that were probably used for religious ritual.

They also found a large number of bowls, some of which were made in a style copying Egyptian bowls.

“The stories of the Judges in the Bible demonstrate clearly the complicated geopolitical reality and the struggle for the control of territories during the establishment of new political powers in the land of Israel,” they said.

“The fortress structure, called Egyptian ‘governor houses,’ is known from other sites excavated in Israel.”

“The fortress was built in a strategic location, from which it is possible to watch the main road that went along the Guvrin river — a road connecting the coastal plain to the Judea plains.”