Bar Kokhba Revolt Cave Damaged by Illegal Excavations in Gush Etzion

Illegal excavations, destruction, and vandalism have been discovered in a hiding cave dating back to the Bar Kokhba revolt in the Al-Arroub area of Gush Etzion. Staff from the Kfar Etzion Field School, who toured the site located in Area C near Beit HaBracha and Givat Oz veGaon, report damage to the archaeological layers of the site and warn of irreversible harm to the historical evidence remaining within it.

According to the school, signs of illegal digging aimed at locating and looting ancient artifacts are evident inside and around the cave. These excavations damage the remains and their archaeological context, which is essential for understanding the use of the cave and the lives of those who hid within it.

The site, known as the Arabiya Cave, was discovered in 1968. The story of its discovery began in a Hebron market, where Prof. Yaakov Meshorer, an expert in ancient numismatics, noticed a Bar Kokhba revolt coin offered for sale. Upon inquiring about its origin, he was directed to the cave in the area. Subsequent surveys and initial excavations highlighted its archaeological importance.

Historical Significance of the Cave

The importance of the cave is also linked to the Bar Kokhba letters found in the Judean Desert. One of these letters was sent to Yehuda bar Menashe in Kiryat Arabiya, concerning the supply of the Four Species for the holiday of Sukkot. Bar Kokhba instructed that lulavim and etrogim, along with myrtles and willows, be gathered and sent to the camp.

Following the findings in the cave, researchers proposed identifying the area with Kiryat Arabiya mentioned in the letter. Local springs and favorable conditions for growing myrtles and willows supported this hypothesis, connecting the subterranean pottery and coins with the letters of the revolt leader.

Call for Enforcement and Protection

During the recent Sukkot holiday, more than five decades after the excavations, Kfar Etzion Field School staff returned to the site and discovered signs of destruction. The school has called for increased supervision and enforcement to prevent further damage.

The fact that the site is located in Area C, which is supposed to be under Israeli enforcement responsibility, raises difficult questions regarding the lack of protection and supervision over national heritage assets in the area.

David Hasson, CEO of the Kfar Etzion Field School, added that without assertive and systematic enforcement, the glorious history of the Bar Kokhba era in Al-Arroub might remain only a memory in history books.