Tel Arad, Archaeological site in Negev Desert, Israel
Tel Arad is an archaeological site in the Negev, south of the modern town of Arad, with remains from several settlement phases. The preserved walls show planned street layouts, public buildings, and residential areas from different periods.
The first settlers built a walled city here during the Early Bronze Age, which was later abandoned. In the Iron Age, a fortress arose on the same spot and remained in use through Byzantine times.
The name comes from the Hebrew word for mound, formed by layers of settlement built one above another over centuries. Visitors today see stone foundations where families lived, stored supplies, and carried out their daily work.
Marked paths lead through the ruins and help visitors navigate between the different areas of the site. Information panels along the route explain the function and significance of the excavated structures.
Excavators found hidden silver treasures in the fortress, including pure metal and broken jewelry from the 8th or 9th century BCE. These finds lay in hiding places and were likely deposited there during a siege.
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