Tel Be'er Sheva
Archaeological site of the biblical town of Beer-sheba.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Tel Be'er Sheva (Hebrew: תל באר שבע), also called Tel Sheva or Tell es-Seba, is an archaeological site in Israel’s Southern District. It is thought to be the location of the ancient biblical town of Beer-sheba. The site sits east of the modern city of Beersheba and west of the Bedouin town of Tel Sheva. It has been preserved and is open to visitors as part of the Tel Be'er Sheva National Park.
The Hebrew name Beersheba comes from *be'er*, meaning “well,” and *sheva*, meaning “oath” or “seven.”
Beer-sheba appears 33 times in the Hebrew Bible, often used to mark the borders of the Land of Israel, as in “from Dan to Beersheba.” It is the setting for several patriarchal stories: Abraham lived there, made a covenant with Abimelech, and planted a tamarisk tree. God spoke to both Isaac and Jacob at Beer-sheba. Two biblical wells are associated with the site: one seized by Abimelech’s men and another dug by Isaac’s servants.
The Iron Age city sits on a hill overlooking Wadi Beer-sheba, about two and a half miles east of modern Beersheba. Excavations took place from 1969 to 1976, led by Prof. Yohanan Aharoni of Tel Aviv University, except for the final season, which was directed by Prof. Ze’ev Herzog. Most of the dig focused on a large fortified Israelite city. The biblical narrative places this city in the time of King David’s United Monarchy, around 1000 BCE, and later in the Kingdom of Judah (980–701 BCE). In the last three seasons (1974–1976), excavators dug down to bedrock to find earlier settlements, revealing four earlier occupational layers (Strata VI through IX). Herzog renewed excavations from 1993 to 1995 to finish uncovering the town’s water system.
The earliest Iron Age I occupation (Stratum IX) consisted of seven large pits, each about 22 to 25 feet across. The entire settlement likely covered about 2,990 square yards—roughly half a football field—with around 20 dwelling pits and 10 granaries, housing perhaps 100 to 140 people. This stratum was abandoned and later reused, with new structures added. Stratum VIII, dating to the 11th century BCE, contained the first houses. Like Stratum IX, it was abandoned rather than destroyed. Pottery suggests the same people built Stratum VII at the end of the 11th century BCE, which included five domestic units in what may have been an enclosed settlement.
Beer-sheba was probably first fortified during Iron IIA.
- field
- Archaeology
- location
- Southern District, Israel
- period_excavated
- 1969–1976, 1993–1995
- excavation_directors
- Prof. Yohanan Aharoni, Prof. Ze'ev Herzog
- known_for
- Biblical site of Beer-sheba; horned altar; UNESCO World Heritage Site (2007)
- national_park_established
- 1990
Lore & Background
The site was excavated from 1969 to 1976 by the Tel Aviv University Institute of Archaeology, directed by Prof. Yohanan Aharoni, except for the last season led by Prof. Ze'ev Herzog. Most of the dig focused on uncovering the large fortified Israelite city. The biblical narrative places the city in the time of the United Monarchy of King David, around 1000 BCE, and later the Kingdom of Judah (980–701 BCE). During the last three seasons (1974–1976), excavators dug down to bedrock to find earlier settlements, revealing four occupational strata (Strata VI through IX). Excavations were renewed by Prof. Herzog between 1993 and 1995 to complete uncovering the town's water system.
One of the most significant discoveries is a horned altar, the first ever unearthed in Israel. The altar was found in secondary use, its stones incorporated into a later wall. There is an unresolved debate between Prof. Aharoni and Prof. Yigael Yadin about the dating: Aharoni believed it was dismantled as part of Hezekiah's religious reforms and reused in an 8th-century wall destroyed around 701 BCE; Yadin dates the wall more than 100 years later, possibly destroyed around 587 BCE.
Reader's Guide
Tel Be'er Sheva is significant as one of the most representative tells in Israel, containing substantial remains of a city with biblical connections. It was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. The site provides key evidence for Iron Age settlement in the Negev, including fortifications, a water system, and domestic structures. The horned altar discovery is particularly important for understanding biblical cultic practices and the debate over Hezekiah's reforms. The site's stratigraphy, from Iron Age I pits to the well-planned Iron II city destroyed in 701 BCE, offers a detailed sequence of ancient occupation. The national park, opened in 1990 and expanded in 2003, allows public access to the excavated remains, preserving a tangible link to the biblical narratives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Did You Know?
- The Hebrew name Beersheba derives from 'be'er' (well) and 'sheva' (oath or seven).
- Beer-sheba is mentioned 33 times in the Hebrew Bible, often in the phrase 'From Dan to Beersheba'.
- The horned altar discovered at Tel Be'er Sheva is the first ever unearthed in Israel.
- The site was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.
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