Newly Discovered, Spectacular Underground Quarry May Mark the Biblical Gilgal
The largest man-made cave in Israel may have marked a Biblical site sacred to ancient Christians.
(Israel)—Haaretz News reports that a "spectacular underground quarry" has been discovered in the Jordan Valley near Jericho, "which archaeologists believe may have marked a Biblical site sacred to ancient Christians." It is reportedly the largest man-made cave so far discovered in Israel.
"When we reached the entrance to the cave, two Bedouin approached us and warned us not to go in, because it was cursed and inhabited by wolves and hyenas," said Prof. Adam Zertal. CLICK HERE to watch a Yahoo News video report about the discovery.
The report notes that the archaeologists entered anyway, discovering a ceiling supported by 22 gigantic columns on which various symbols were carved, including 31 crosses, a possible wheel of the Zodiac and a Roman legionary symbol.
Says reporter Ran Shapira, of the reason why the site was built: "A possible answer may be in the famous Madaba Map of ancient Palestine, found in Jordan. In it, a place named Galgala is marked and an accompanying Greek word meaning "12 stones." Indeed, Zertal was quoted as saying their working theory is that the site is Galgala, Biblical Gilgal.
According to Zertal, scholars had always assumed that "12 stones" referred to the Biblical story of the 12 stones the Israelites set up at Gilgal after they crossed the Jordan.
"The discovery of the quarried cave, notes Shapira, "may mean the reference was to a quarry established where the Byzantines identified Gilgal," and Zertal explains that in antiquity sanctuaries were built out of stones from sacred places. Ergo, if the Byzantines identified the site as Biblical Gilgal, it would have been considered sacred and quarrying would have remained underground to preserve it.
Click on the link provided to read more about this discovery.
