Crosses Cave - Nahal Tekoa

Grid ref.

224029/615874 (New Israel Grid)

General:

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A chamber cave about 15X8 m, height about 3 m. On the floor dark sediment rich in burnt dung, at least a meter thick. Smoothed walls and an elliptical cross-section: the cave appears to be phreatic/hypogenic. Wide entrance 10 m, height 3. Sparse walls built at the entrance to a height of 1 m. A patina of soot and remains of campfires on the ceiling. It was used as a shepherds' cave.

One terrace above it and west of it, Grid ref. 223999/615881, half a room hewn in the rock and in its wall large crosses are engraved. Next to it a flight of steep steps hewn in the rock overcomes the cliff above the cave.

In the vicinity of the cave there are various installations, apparently connected with monasticism: a water cistern, a deep cupmark.

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Written by: Amos Frumkin

Region: Northern bank of upper Nahal Tekoa, at the foot of Nokdim

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