Tel Zayit, Archaeological site in Southern District, Israel.
Tel Zayit is an archaeological excavation site located on elevated terrain with steep slopes on its southern and eastern edges. The area reveals multiple layers of settlement across different time periods, with remains of structures and domestic spaces visible throughout the grounds.
The settlement experienced two major destructions by fire, one around 1200 BCE and another in the ninth century BCE. Each time the site was rebuilt, showing a pattern of recovery and continued occupation across multiple centuries.
The site served as a working settlement where people lived in homes and workshops across different periods. Visitors can see how successive groups left behind pottery and structures that reflect their daily lives here.
The site sits near a natural water source that ancient residents relied on for daily needs. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear as the terrain is uneven with slopes and requires careful footing while exploring.
A remarkable stone discovered in 2005 contained one of the oldest known written alphabets, dating back more than 2,800 years. This inscription provides rare evidence of how writing developed in this region during that ancient period.
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