Megiddo- Uncovering Ruins Dating back to Solomon

our guide-Yaniv with his handy Israel Map
I found a lap map here, and it helped tremendously

We ate in a beautiful Kibbutz area here at the base of the mountain. There were pomegranate trees, orange trees, and an amazing fragrance from one or more of the lush plantings. All of Israel is on the drip irrigation system which saves 70 percent on their water bill and makes terrific looking flora.

Here we are at Tel Megiddo. A "tel" is an elevated man made mountain, where men over the centuries have built, an area becomes conquered or eroded, and then a new "group" of people build on top of what was there. The Greek name for Megiddo is Armageddon. Excavations have unearthed 26 layers of ruins here-Megiddo is strategically located at the head of the pass overlooking the Jezreel valley from the west.

The area has been excavated three times, and is currently being excavated again. As time has passed, excavation techniques have grown more intricate, and less is being destroyed in the excavation project. There is a city gate entrance, walls, stables, water system, and in 2005 the remains of a church dating back to 3 AD was found a few hundred meters south of the Tel. There was a mosaic found at the church site consecrating the church  "to God, the Jesus Christ".

stone steps we take "up" to the Tel

City Gate

The City-Gate is where the people would have entered. Kings and judges will sit OUTSIDE of the city gate so that access is restricted to foreigners. Many believe Solomon constructed these gates in 10BC

Some of the ruins are "rubble" like because older excavation
techniques were not as good at preservation

I loved the horses someone stuck here. The two stable areas could have
accommodated over 400 horses, and still have the "mangers"
in tact as they were made of a stone

horse trough-Manger

Every place we visit, has some sort of ingenious
water system that has been "dug"-this one was
hidden over 100 feet down, so someone could
"pulley" the water up, but the enemy would not
know about the water source

The Tel of Megiddo is the first of many sites in Israel that are carefully preserved. The excavations have uncovered jewelry, vases, lamps, and more. Well known battles have occurred here starting in the 15th century BC-the last battle was in 1918 between allied troops led by General Edmund Allenby and the defending Ottoman army.  Futuristically, it will be a battle site again according to the book of Revelation.