Megiddo

After Mt. Carmel, we went to Megiddo. Megiddo has an amazing history.   The area is a major intersection between the N. and S. and the E and W.  It was very important area.  The site of Megiddo has 25 layers beginning with 2000 BC.   In Megiddo, we saw the stables for King Herod.  This was Herod the Great’s son.  Although he didn’t live in Megiddo, it was a very important city. 

One fascinating fact about Megiddo, is how they rerouted the water from outside of Megiddo to a well within the city walls.  They dug a tunnel and then blocked the entrance and hid it so it couldn’t be seen from outside the city walls.  This provided water to the city while under siege while preventing the enemy from getting water. 

The well was quite a hike down being 183 steps doen then another 85 back up to the area that was blocked before.

Another item escavated in Megiddo was a grainery.  The grainery, rather than being a silo the grainery was a large hole with a cover.  There were two sets of steps in the grainery for going down and coming up.

It’s hard to describe Megiddo at all since there are so many layers to experience and see.  The entrances to the city were in different places based on who built the layer. 

Oh, speaking of city gates, when I read in the Bible about a man sitting at the sitting gates, I always pictured some guy sitting next to a wall with a gate in it like we have in our fences.  Reality is so very different.  When you see the city gates, you see little alcoves off on each side.  This is where the men would come to carry on important business as well as judges to hold court.  This was a very important place in the Biblical times.

There is so much to say about Megiddo that I will have to expound in further posts.  There is so much we are learning that it’s hard to get these posts done and take notes and pictures at the same time.  I need six hands and two heads.

Oh,  I forgot to tell you.  The Megiddo area is called a Tel.  Tel is a mound that  is a an archeological dig.

As I write this, we are on the third day and have just visited Capurnaum.  I haven’t even finished writing about the first day.  You will likely see posts through April as I and other posters remember things and get pictures edited and ready for posting.  There is so much we are packing into each day that it’s amazing.  Just when you think you have seen the highlight of the tour, you see something better.