The
valley is located approximately 5 kms south of Bethlehem, southeast of
Al Khadir village. The valley begins at the eastern limits of Solomon's
pools and descends eastwards for about 2 kms until the village of Artas.
The environment of the site is well preserved. The valley connects the
pools with Artas village, which is partly built down in the valley and
on the slopes.In the first century AD Herod trapped the aqueduct of Solomon's pools and led the water through the valley and village of Artas to his fortress (Herodion or Tell Freidis). The water of this aqueduct still irrigates fruit trees and vegetables planted in the valley. This agriculture makes the valley a very important source of income for the people of Artas and forms a beautiful environment for the site. The name Artas derives from the Latin word Hortus or garden. During the Crusader period it was known as Artasium.
Next to the forest trees on the slope of the northern mountain, a quarry spoils the homogeneous appearance. Shrubs, many wild weeds, and herbs are growing amongst the rocks, big stones are scattered on the slope of the southern hill. The foot of the hill beside the pools is covered with pine trees.
On the western side is the entrance to the pools
which leads through a part of Artas town reaching the edge of the pool.
A belt of trees planted by the British Mandate Authority surrounds the
pools.
Al Jib village
A
Canaanite city, Al Jib village is located approximately 10 kms north west
of Jerusalem. Canaanite Gibeon, Al Jib is a historically important village
built beside and on top of parts of the archaeological site known by the
Canaanite name Gibeon. The archaeological site and the traditional village
are located on a hill dominating the surrounding valley cultivated with
grain crops and vegetables. From this high location the site has a beautiful
view of Jerusalem and the surrounding hills. While the village and the
archaeological site are quite well preserved, the traditional houses in
the heart of the village are abandoned and slowly disintegrating. The archaeological
site was excavated in 1956, 1959-60 and 1962 by Dr. J.B.Pritchard from
the University of Pennsylvania.
Gibeon is one of the most important ancient Canaanite sites. According to the excavations, the site was occupied in the Middle Bronze period. Many tombs rich with Middle Bronze materials have been found on the site. These materials indicate that the site was coming to its end before the Late Bronze period.
The earliest town wall was erected in the 12th century BC. In this period, Gibeon was prosperous and one of the most important cities and sanctuaries in the region, much more important than Jerusalem. The most important discovery was the water tunnel which belongs to the Iron Age. This water system is a shaft of cut rocks with steps circling down its wall.
This water shaft was made to reach the water source (spring) in the eastern slope of the hill. Near the upper entrance of the tunnel, there is a big water cistern used as a reservoir for collecting rain-or spring-water. The cistern also shows spiral stairs of 79 steps, carved in the rock and leading down to the bottom, when the water level has gone down. Source: Endangered Cultural Heritage Sites in the West Bank Governorates, MOPIC, February 1999