Khirbet Jurish

Archaeological ruin southeast of Jerusalem

31°42′55″N 35°05′1″E / 31.71528°N 35.08361°E / 31.71528; 35.08361EstablishedHellenistic period

Khirbet Jurish (Heb. Hurvat Geres) is an archaeological ruin 30 kilometres (19 mi) southwest of Jerusalem. The site is protected by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. The ruins of the site stand on a hill to the west of Tzur Hadassa, on a mountain now called Har Kitron, along regional highway 375.

Description

The site, surveyed by archaeologist Boaz Zissu on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, covers an area of about 40 dunams (9.8 acres) and sits at an elevation of 751 metres (2,464 ft) above sea-level. The ruin lay adjacent to the old Jerusalem-Beit Gubrin Roman road,^[2] and was visited by PEF explorers, Conder and Kitchener.^[3] Three or four ritual immersion baths (miqva'ot) have been discovered on the site, attesting to it being an ancient Jewish settlement. The site also contains a large bottle-shaped cistern, with a depth of about 6 meters, and a bottom measuring 4.3 x 4.7 meters. Potsherds found on the site have been dated back to the Hellenistic, early Roman, and Byzantine periods.^[4] On the western slope of the ruin are five rock-carved sepulchres, attesting to the site's antiquity.

Gallery

Stone wall at Khirbet Jurish
General view of ruins at Kh. Jurish
Burial chambers, cut in rock at Kh. Jurish
Tomb at Ruin Jurish
Burial stone used to cover entrance to burial cave
Burial chambers in Kh. Jurish
Ruin of Jurish
Cave dwelling
Cistern at Khirbet Jurish
Rock-cut tombs
Burial tombs
View looking west from Khirbet Jurish

References

^ meaning "The ruin of Jurish", according to Palmer, 1881, p. 307
^ "Elah Roman Road". BibleWalks 500+ sites. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
^ Conder and Kitchener (1883), p. 116
^ Zissu (2007), p. 221

Bibliography

Conder, C.R.; Kitchener, H.H. (1883). The Survey of Western Palestine: Memoirs of the Topography, Orography, Hydrography, and Archaeology. Vol. 3. London: Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund.
Palmer, E.H. (1881). The Survey of Western Palestine: Arabic and English Name Lists Collected During the Survey by Lieutenants Conder and Kitchener, R. E. Transliterated and Explained by E.H. Palmer. Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund.
Zissu, Boaz (2007). Ya'acov Eshel (ed.). "Excavations and Surveys - Identification of Gerasa in Judea". Judea and Samaria Research Studies (in Hebrew). 16. Ariel: 219–231.