Tel Dan is situated at one of the springs which feeds the Jordan River on the southern slopes of Mount Hermon. It has been occupied since before the impressive Middle Bronze Age arched gate was constructed, and has impressive finds of both the Middle Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age. The archaeological ruins are situated in a lovely National Park and the nature trails wander through a wooded park and criss-cross over the streams. It is a lovely place to spend a hot summer day!
One of the important parts of the site is the High Place. When Jereboam led a group who dissented with Solomon's son Reheboam and came to the Upper Galilee, he had to solve the problem of where his followers would worship now that they were cut off from access to the Temple in Jerusalem. He established two cult centres, at either end of his territory. Tel Dan was the northernmost one.
The Tel Dan High Place is pictured above and you can see the area of the altar on the lower level to the left and the temple proper on the podium to the right. There are two main architectural phases with the early Iron Age construction and then a Hellenistic refurbishment.
Also dating to the Early Iron Age is the citadel gate. As you enter the city gate, you may have been confronted with a judge or dignitary of the city who would monitor who was coming and going. The evidence for this is a dais which was protected by a canopy. There is a foundation and carved stones which would have supported wooden posts. larry Staiger, excavator of Ashkelon has suggested that this foundation may merely be a olive press, but what an olive press was doing right in the passageway of the main gate is a mystery.
Undeterred by the controversy, Meghan, Hannah and I, The Shed Folk, are posed in the picture above on the judge's dais and are looking suitably snooty and judgemental!
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