Archaeologists in northern Israel have uncovered an immense underground hideout comprising narrow tunnels and bigger rooms that were dug by Jewish villagers nearly 2,000 years ago at a time of revolt against the Roman empire.
\nThe labyrinth is evidence, the experts said, that Jewish communities as far north as the hills of the Galilee, where Jesus is believed to have preached, prepared for the Roman legions quashing rebellions closer to Jerusalem.
\nThey carved a hideout that winds at least 100 meters (yards) under their village, said Yinon Shivtiel, a historian at Zefat Academic College who specialises in caves.
\nCramped burrows, too tight for an armoured legionnaire, run between larger cavities where there is room to stand, gather and store precious goods. The cave system was designed to save entire families.
\nDuring the excavation, the team found a bronze ring that would fit a child\u2019s finger.
\nThere were two ill-fated revolts against the Romans in the Holy Land during that period. The first culminated with the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the year 70.
\nDecades later, famed leader Bar Kokhba led an uprising that was also soundly defeated. Similar hideouts from that time have been found in the foothills of Jerusalem, along with evidence of destroyed villages.
\nBut this was the first Bar Kokhba-era hideout of such scope to be unearthed much further north, in a spot called Huqoq. There were no signs of destruction, Shivtiel said, suggesting the fighting did not reach the area.
\n\u201cWe were amazed to see how big this complex is,\u201d said Uri Berger of the Israel Antiquities Authority, brandishing a small iron blade that was found buried in the hideout and dates from around the time of Bar Kokhba.
\nTheir work is not done yet, he said.
\nThere are still more burrows to be cleared from the dirt, he said, and perhaps, more artefacts that offer a glimpse into life in the Holy Land 2,000 years ago.
\n(Reuters)underground hideout. underground hideout, Jewish villagers, Roman empire<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Archaeologists in northern Israel have discovered a vast underground hideout built by Jewish villagers almost 2,000 years ago during a revolt against the Roman empire. The hideout includes narrow tunnels and larger rooms designed to accommodate entire families and store precious goods. This is the first Bar Kokhba-era hideout of such size found in the north, suggesting the fighting did not reach the area. The excavation team found a bronze ring that would fit a child’s finger, along with other artifacts that offer insight into life in the Holy Land during that time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":6767,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1521,2536,3194,1610,299,4908,2121,4909,4907,3364,1306,18],"class_list":["post-6766","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-other","tag-1521","tag-communities","tag-destruction","tag-evidence","tag-israel","tag-jewish-villagers","tag-land","tag-roman-empire","tag-underground-hideout","tag-villages","tag-winds","tag-world"],"acf":{"keyphrase":"","keywords":"","sourceimg":"","country-category":""},"yoast_head":"\n