Section E

Section E
Views of the Arbel Cave Village
(Leibner's Site 35, 'Kulat Ibn Man', or Arbel Caves East)
click text to see the picture

[1] General views

301 Arbel Cliffs with area of Arbel Cave Village outlined

302 Zoomed in on Arbel Cave Village

303 Caves surveyed by Israeli Cave Research Center, and others (1980-2011), from Yinon Shivti'el, Cliff Shelters and Hiding Places in the Galilee During the Early Roman Period, Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht (2019), 52.

304 Central, original part of the Arbel Cave Village, from about 100 BCE: note 'high-rise' design

305 Frontal view of the ancient caves at the base of the stack on the left in 304, taken from a blue plaque nearby.

306 Original accommodation block in Arbel Cave Village

307 Close-up of the two-story, communal room at the bottom right in 306

308 Area adjacent and to the right of the view in 306: the caves were incorporated into a fortress by Fahr a-Din, Druze ruler in the 17^th century (see below 'Kulat Ibn Man fortress)

309 View to the southwest at sunset

310 View to the northeast at sunset: beside the Great Cave

[2] The Great Cave

311 The Great Cave complex outlined in 3 parts: possibly dining-room (DR), storerooms (S), and kitchen (K).

312 Approaching the Great Cave from the north

313 Reconstruction proposed by Leen Ritmeyer (1989): the small caves in the central section do not actually meet the front wall; there was a corridor in between, joining the kitchen and dining-room.

314 Northern end of the Great Cave: surviving wall

315 Northern end of Cave: junction with rock face, part that was probably refortified by Josephus in 66 CE.

316 Northern end of the Great Cave again

317 Northern end of the Cave: detail of ancient ashlars

318 Entering the northern end of the Great Cave

319 Entrance hall inside the doorway

320 Inside the Great Cave, looking at the entrance hall

321 Looking at the entrance hall from the southern end, full length 75 m.

322 Central section, with small caves on several levels

323 Central section, small caves probably used as storerooms with passage-way in front.

324 Beyond the central section, fluted vertical channels in back wall of Great Cave, suggesting chimney stacks

325 Large overhang indicates height (12 m.), and depth (14 m.) of original Cave.

326 Southern section of Great Cave: room with at least three chimneys, possibly the kitchen

327 The Great Cave from south to north: kitchen closeup

328 The Great Cave: entire length, 75m.

329 The Great Cave at sundown

[3] The 'Kulat Ibn Man' fortress (17th century)

330 Looking up at the ruins of the 'Kulat Ibn Man' fortress

331 Reconstruction proposed by Leen Ritmeyer (1989)

332 Starting the ascent to the fortress: the natural caves seen at the base of the cliff to be presented later.

333 The setting of the fortress is impressive

334 The fortress has been under repair since 2018

335 Movement around the lower level is restricted

336 Inside the entrance is a passage-way on two levels

337 Extensive repairs are needed to make the area safe

338 Inside the cave complex, large areas are inaccessible

339 The only way to go is up

340 The passage emerges higher up, on the second level

341 The cliff-top is still far above

342 The view from the gallery....

343 Over Mt Nitai, Hamam and the visiting school groups

344 Some 17th century fortification at the north end

345 Close up of the archer's slit

346 Mysterious structure inside the fortified room

347 Part of a large chamber carved out of an ancient cave complex

348 The other part of the same room as 347

349 This large room has a splendid view of Mt. Nitai

350 Turning south along the upper gallery

351 View over the southern section of the fortress

352 The upper gallery from the south: blue plaque mid-way

353 The blue plaque close-up: an ancient Jewish mikveh

354 Looking down into the mikveh

355 Continuing south along the upper gallery

356 Continuing further along

357 And there is a large chamber, again incorporating caves fashioned in ancient times, with a cistern on the left

358 Close up of the entrance to the cistern

359 The sides of the chamber show ancient quarrying

360 This was a large cave complex in the 1^st century BCE

361 Other ancient caves are visible above and below

362 The gate that prevents entry to the southern end

363 The journey down

364 Exiting the fortress

365 Returning to the foot of the cliff, near the Great Cave.

Section E Views of the Arbel Cave Village (Leibner's Site 35, 'Kulat Ibn Man', or Arbel Caves East) click text to see the picture
[1] General views
301	Arbel Cliffs with area of Arbel Cave Village outlined
302	Zoomed in on Arbel Cave Village
303	Caves surveyed by Israeli Cave Research Center, and others (1980-2011), from Yinon Shivti'el, Cliff Shelters and Hiding Places in the Galilee During the Early Roman Period, Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht (2019), 52.
304	Central, original part of the Arbel Cave Village, from about 100 BCE: note 'high-rise' design
305	Frontal view of the ancient caves at the base of the stack on the left in 304, taken from a blue plaque nearby.
306	Original accommodation block in Arbel Cave Village
307	Close-up of the two-story, communal room at the bottom right in 306
308	Area adjacent and to the right of the view in 306: the caves were incorporated into a fortress by Fahr a-Din, Druze ruler in the 17^th century (see below 'Kulat Ibn Man fortress)
309	View to the southwest at sunset
310	View to the northeast at sunset: beside the Great Cave
[2] The Great Cave
311	The Great Cave complex outlined in 3 parts: possibly dining-room (DR), storerooms (S), and kitchen (K).
312	Approaching the Great Cave from the north
313	Reconstruction proposed by Leen Ritmeyer (1989): the small caves in the central section do not actually meet the front wall; there was a corridor in between, joining the kitchen and dining-room.
314	Northern end of the Great Cave: surviving wall
315	Northern end of Cave: junction with rock face, part that was probably refortified by Josephus in 66 CE.
316	Northern end of the Great Cave again
317	Northern end of the Cave: detail of ancient ashlars
318	Entering the northern end of the Great Cave
319	Entrance hall inside the doorway
320	Inside the Great Cave, looking at the entrance hall
321	Looking at the entrance hall from the southern end, full length 75 m.
322	Central section, with small caves on several levels
323	Central section, small caves probably used as storerooms with passage-way in front.
324	Beyond the central section, fluted vertical channels in back wall of Great Cave, suggesting chimney stacks
325	Large overhang indicates height (12 m.), and depth (14 m.) of original Cave.
326	Southern section of Great Cave: room with at least three chimneys, possibly the kitchen
327	The Great Cave from south to north: kitchen closeup
328	The Great Cave: entire length, 75m.
329	The Great Cave at sundown
[3] The 'Kulat Ibn Man' fortress (17th century)
330	Looking up at the ruins of the 'Kulat Ibn Man' fortress
331	Reconstruction proposed by Leen Ritmeyer (1989)
332	Starting the ascent to the fortress: the natural caves seen at the base of the cliff to be presented later.
333	The setting of the fortress is impressive
334	The fortress has been under repair since 2018
335	Movement around the lower level is restricted
336	Inside the entrance is a passage-way on two levels
337	Extensive repairs are needed to make the area safe
338	Inside the cave complex, large areas are inaccessible
339	The only way to go is up
340	The passage emerges higher up, on the second level
341	The cliff-top is still far above
342	The view from the gallery....
343	Over Mt Nitai, Hamam and the visiting school groups
344	Some 17th century fortification at the north end
345	Close up of the archer's slit
346	Mysterious structure inside the fortified room
347	Part of a large chamber carved out of an ancient cave complex
348	The other part of the same room as 347
349	This large room has a splendid view of Mt. Nitai
350	Turning south along the upper gallery
351	View over the southern section of the fortress
352	The upper gallery from the south: blue plaque mid-way
353	The blue plaque close-up: an ancient Jewish mikveh
354	Looking down into the mikveh
355	Continuing south along the upper gallery
356	Continuing further along
357	And there is a large chamber, again incorporating caves fashioned in ancient times, with a cistern on the left
358	Close up of the entrance to the cistern
359	The sides of the chamber show ancient quarrying
360	This was a large cave complex in the 1^st century BCE
361	Other ancient caves are visible above and below
362	The gate that prevents entry to the southern end
363	The journey down
364	Exiting the fortress
365	Returning to the foot of the cliff, near the Great Cave.