Digital brochure Masada National Park

Welcome to Masada National Park

Contents Introduction............................................................................................. 3 Geography. ..............................................................................................4 Security and Safety Instructions ............................................................5 Periods in the Masada Story...............................................................6-11 Map of the Mountain.............................................................................12 The Snake Path Gate, the Commandant’s Headquarters, the Storeroom Complex ...................................................................13-15 The Northern Palace .........................................................................16-17 The Bathhouse..................................................................................18-20 The Synagogue..................................................................................21-25 The Western Palace.........................................................................26-30 The Masada Challenge...........................................................................31 The Southern Cistern.............................................................................32

Introduction

Masada was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001. Its inscription on this prestigious list epitomizes its outstanding universal significance, which must be protected for the benefit of all humanity. Masada was the last bastion of Jewish freedom fighters against the Romans; its fall signaled the violent destruction of the kingdom of Judea at the end of the Second Temple period. The tragic events of the last days of the rebels at Masada transformed it into both a Jewish cultural icon and a symbol of humanity’s continuous struggle for freedom from oppression. Built by Herod, king of Judea, Masada was a fortress-palace in the style of the ancient Roman East. The camps, fortifications, and assault ramp at its base constitute the most complete surviving ancient Roman siege system in the world.

The Roman siege ramp

Geography The plateau of Masada is located on the eastern fringe of the Judean Desert near the Dead Sea coast, between En Gedi and Sodom. It is a mountain bloc that rose and was detached from the fault escarpment, surrounded at its base by Wadi Ben Yair on the west and Wadi Masada on the south and east. The plateau, 450 m above sea level, is approximately 650 m long and 300 m wide. East of the mountain is a marl plain scored by numerous fissures, the result of sediment left by the primordial Lissan Lake. Masada is close to two ancient roads: One cut through the center of the Judean Desert and led to southern Moab in eastern Transjordan; the other connected Edom, Moab and the Arava Valley to En Gedi and Jerusalem. Masada’s remote location and its natural defenses were the advantages that transformed it into a fortress during the Second Temple period.

View of the marl landscape from the top of Masada

Safety Rules

Visits are permitted only when the park is open. After dark, visitors are permitted only in authorized areas: the hostel and the open campground on the eastern side, and the campground (entrance fee required) on the western side. Do not deviate from marked paths; do not climb walls or damage antiquities. Do not go near the edge of the cliff. Beware of falling rocks. Caution: There are dangerous places at this site. Parents, please watch your children. Bring water on your ascent of the mountain and drink frequently. A hat and good walking shoes are recommended. Obey park rangers and signs. Do not leave your vehicle in the parking garage after the park closes. The management is not responsible for valuables left in vehicles. Do not bring food up the mountain; there are designated picnic areas at park entrances. Pets are prohibited in the park. Cages are available at the entrances. Please note: The Snake Path closes under extreme weather conditions (excessive heat, flooding). Access and Services for Persons with Disabilities All of Masada National Park, its eastern and western entrances, and the sound and light show have been adapted for visits by persons with mobility, vision or hearing impairments. Disabled access was made possible with the assistance of the National Insurance Institute – the Fund for the Development of Services for the Disabled.

The History of Masada

Sources

The First Fortress The story of Masada was recorded by Josephus Flavius, who was the commander of the Galilee during the Great Revolt and later surrendered at Yodfat and was captured by the Romans. At the time of Masada’s conquest, Josephus was in Rome, where he devoted his life to chronicling the revolt. In spite of the debate surrounding the accuracy of his accounts, his main points seem to have been borne out by excavation. The name “Masada” is mentioned in a divorce document from the time of the Great Revolt, which was discovered in the caves of Wadi Muraba‘at. The name appeared in Aramaic transliteration of a word that means “fortress.” According to Josephus, the first fortress at Masada was built by "Jonathan the High Priest" – apparently the Hasmonean king Alexander Janaeus (103–76 BCE), whose coins were discovered in excavations of the site. Some scholars tend to identify Jonathan with the brother of Judah the Maccabee, who became high priest in 152 BCE. So far, no remains have been discovered at Masada that can be securely dated to the Hasmonean period.

The Herodian Period

Herod, who ruled from 37 BCE to 4 BCE, was well aware of the strategic advantages of Masada. He therefore chose the site as a refuge against his enemies as well as a winter palace. During his reign, luxurious palaces were built here in addition to well-stocked storerooms, cisterns and a casemate wall. After the death of Herod in 4 BCE and the annexation of Judea to the Roman Empire in 6 CE, the Romans stationed a garrison at Masada.

The Period of the Great Revolt

Josephus relates that one of the first events of the Great Revolt of the Jews against the Romans, which broke out in 66 CE, was the conquest of Masada by the Sicarii, a group that got its name from the small knife they carried, called a sica. The Sicarii were led by Menahem, son of Judah the Galilean, who was murdered in Jerusalem in 66 CE. After the murder, Eleazar Ben Yair fled from Jerusalem to Masada and became commander of the rebel community on the mountain. It was a varied group, which apparently included Essenes and Samaritans. The last of the rebels fled to Masada after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE and joined those already at the fortress under the command of Eleazar Ben Yair. The rebels, who lived in rooms in the casemate wall and in some of the Herod’s palaces, constructed a synagogue and mikvehs (Jewish ritual baths). They left behind numerous material vestiges attesting to their community life.

The Siege

According to Josephus, Masada was the last rebel stronghold in Judea. In 73 CE, the Roman Tenth Legion, led by Flavius Silva, laid siege to the mountain. The legion, consisting of 8,000 troops plus auxiliary forces, built eight camps around the base, a siege wall, and a ramp made of earth and wooden supports on the natural slopes to the west. Captive Jews brought water to the troops, apparently from En Gedi, as well as food. After a siege that lasted for a few months, the Romans brought a tower with a battering ram up the ramp with which they began to bombard the wall. The rebels constructed an inner support wall out of wood and earth, which the Romans then set ablaze.

As Josephus describes it, when the hope of the rebels dwindled, Eleazar Ben Yair gave two speeches in which he convinced the leaders of the 960 members of the community that it would be better to take their own lives and the lives of their families than to live in shame and humiliation as Roman slaves. In Josephus’ own words in The Jewish War 7, 395–396, 398, 402, 406): Then, having chosen by lot ten of their number to dispatch the rest, they laid themselves down each beside his prostrate wife and children, and, flinging their arms around them, offered their throats in readiness for the executants of the melancholy office. These, having unswervingly slaughtered all, ordained the same rule of the lot for one another, that he on whom it fell should slay first the nine and then himself last of all...They had died in the belief that they had left not a soul of them alive to fall into Roman hands... The Romans expecting further opposition, were by daybreak under arms...Here encountering the mass of slain, instead of exulting as over enemies, they admired the nobility of their resolve and the contempt of death display by so many in carrying it, unwavering, into execution. According to Josephus, two women and five children who had been hiding in the cisterns on the mountaintop told the Romans what had happened that night, on the 15th of Nissan, the first day of Passover. With the fall of Masada, the suppression of the revolt was completed and all of Judea returned to Roman hands. A Roman auxiliary unit apparently remained at the fortress until the beginning of the second century CE.

The Masada Museum

The Byzantine Period After the Romans left Masada, the fortress remained uninhabited for a few centuries. During the fifth century CE, as part of the phenomenon of monastic settlement in the Judean Desert, a monastery of the type known as a laura , inhabited by hermits, was founded. It has been identified as the site called Marda, mentioned by the Church fathers. The community apparently ceased to exist during the seventh century or the beginning of the eighth.

The History of Masada Research After the Byzantine period, Masada sank into oblivion until the nineteenth century. The first scholars to identify Masada with the plateau the Arabs called es- Sebbeh were the Americans Robinson and Smith in 1838, and the first to climb it were Wolcott and Tipping in 1842. Warren climbed Masada from the east in 1867, Conder described and mapped it in 1875, Sandel discovered the water system in 1905, and Schulten studied mainly the Roman fortifications in 1932. From the 1920s and especially during the 1940s, Masada became a lodestone for pioneering Zionist youth groups. The Hebrew translation in 1923 of “The Jewish War” by Josephus, as well as the poem “Masada,” written by Yitzhak Lamdan, published in 1927, brought Masada closer to the hearts of young people in Palestine’s Jewish community. Shmarya Guttman, who led numerous trips to the mountain, was particularly instrumental in transforming Masada into a symbol. Together with Micha Livneh and Ze’ev Meshel, Guttman rediscovered the Northern Palace and the Snake Path in 1953. Survey excavations were carried out in 1955–1956, mainly in the northern part of the plateau and the water system. This led to the major excavations carried out by The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, headed by Yigael Yadin (1963–1965). These excavations uncovered most of Masada’s structures, along with thousands of well-preserved artifacts that present a rare picture of the material culture at the end of the Second Temple period. During the excavations many buildings were conserved and reconstructed and after preparation of the site for visitors, Masada National Park was opened in 1966. The construction of the first cable car in 1971 increased the stream of visitors.

Research on Masada has continued, and since the excavations ended, many books and articles were written about the site. After a short excavation in 1989 conducted by Ehud Netzer, excavations were renewed by the Hebrew University in 1995 in the framework of a large-scale development project funded by the Tourism Ministry through the Israel Government Tourist Corporation. A number of excavation seasons were carried out led by Ehud Netzer and Guy Stiebel on the plateau, in addition to a season directed by Gideon Foerster, Benjamin Arubas, Haim Goldfus and Jodi Magness at Roman camp 6 and the siege ramp. Beginning in 2017, an excavation expedition has been at work at the site from Tel Aviv University, headed by Guy Stiebel. Conservation and restoration activities were carried out by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.

The Bathhouse

Map of the Mountain

Masada Challenge

Southern water cistern

Eastern observation point

20b

20a 20a

Western Palace Byzantine church

Western gate

13b

Snake Path gate

13a

Ramp path

Synagoge

8 8 9 9

11 11

Northern Palace

Legend:

Don't miss Observation point Audio guide Model Toilets Drinking water

Cashier Information Cable car Trail Wheelchair access Recommended direction

At present, visitors can ascend to Masada in three ways: two from the east (from road 90) – by cable car from the eastern entrance or on foot via the Snake Path; and from the west (arriving from Arad) – via the Roman ramp. The visitor route is described from the east (the cable car or the Snake Path). For those ascending from the west (via the Roman ramp) we recommend reaching the shade structure near the church (24) and joining the visitor route from there. The Snake Path Gate 1 – From the upper cable car station, walk along the cliff bridge to the Snake Path gate. To the right, a staircase leads to an ancient cistern and from there to the upper end of the Snake Path. The walls of the gatehouse are decorated with stucco. Along the walls are the original plastered benches that served the guards and those awaiting entry. The stone paving was intended to prevent damage to the floor by the hooves of the donkeys that brought supplies to the mountain. Notice the black line that shows the height of the preservation of the original remains. From the gate, the visitor route leads to a shade structure with a relief map of the mountain’s surface and the visitor routes. From there, turn right to the path leading to the northern complex. The quarry 2 – In Herod’s day, this quarry, to the left of the path, provided the stone – hard and durable dolomite – for construction of Masada’s buildings. The plateau of Masada consists of extensively cracked rock due to its location along the Syrian-African rift, which made the work of the diggers easier. The quarry later served as a dry moat protecting the entrance to the northern complex. Herod’s massive building program required large amounts of stone, which came from on-site quarries and from the digging of water cisterns. Architectural elements such as column, capitals and cornices, made of sandstone (Samara Formation) were brought ready-made to the site, apparently from quarries

in the Jericho area. Marks in Hebrew on these and other elements attest to the Jewish origin of the stonemasons. Leave the building, turn right and go up to the main entrance to the northern complex 3 . This area includes the storerooms, administrative center,bathhouse, and Northern Palace, to which only those close to Herod were allowed entry. Pass the entrance and turn right to an interior courtyard. East of the courtyard is a large hall which was originally decorated with plaster stucco reliefs and apparently served as a reception hall for visitors to the fortress. At its center is a model of the reconstructed northern complex. This spot has a magnificent view from this spot eastward to the Dead Sea and the Mountains of Moab. The “commandant’s headquarters” 4 is located left of the entrance. It consists of a series of rooms decorated with frescoes that may have served as offices to monitor the unloading of goods and scrutinize visitors arriving at the northern complex. As elsewhere in the Classical world, the walls of the major structures at Masada were covered with frescoes, created by painting the still-wet plaster after it had been prepared. The bold colors were absorbed into the plaster as it dried. Most of the designs were geometric or imitation marble, with a small number of floral designs. Herod’s artists clearly avoided human images. Turn left to the storerooms complex 5 – This group of 29 long rooms surrounded by corridors was built by Herod to hold food, wine and oils, and even raw materials and weapons if needed, enough to supply 10,000 fighters. As Josephus describes them: "For here had been stored a mass of corn, amply sufficient to last for years, abundance of wine and oil, besides every variety of pulse and piles of dates" (Josephus Flavius, The Jewish War 7, 296).

Three pits discovered in one of the storerooms’ plastered floors, attest to the storage of liquids. Josephus states that when the rebels took the fortress, they found well-preserved food supplies, which he attributed to the arid conditions. Herod’s discerning taste was evident in the contents of the storerooms, which included a large number of amphorae (two-handled wine jars) bearing ink inscriptions. Among the inscriptions are those noting a shipment of amphorae to King Herod in 19 BCE from southern Italy by a supplier named Lucius Lanius. According to Josephus, Herod had a special wine servant, and among the delicacies served at Masada was a fish sauce known as garum, from southern Spain. Fish bones from this sauce were found adhering to the remains of one vessel. The king ended his banquets with apples or apple liqueur brought from Cumae in the region of Campagne, Italy, known for its high quality. Cross the storerooms and head for the Northern Palace via a flight of steps alongside of which the original stone steps can still be seen. The massive plastered wall in front of you closed off the palace from the south. From here, continue to the upper terrace of the palace.

The Northern Palace

The Northern Palace 6 – This grand and daring building constructed by Herod is Masada’s architectural gem. It is 30 m high, built on three rock terraces and supported by impressive retaining walls. Combining both Hellenistic and Roman architectural elements, the palace was built to host high-ranking visitors and to allow the king his solitude. Herod and his family lived on the upper level, and the two lower levels were for receptions. The upper terrace 6a – This level, consisting of the king’s private rooms and a lookout patio, has been preserved in its original Herodian form. In the center of this semicircular terrace, which was once surrounded by columns, remains of a magnificent garden have recently been discovered. Remnants of the Roman siege system and the ancient road northward can clearly be seen from this terrace. In addition to the strategic advantage of the palace’s location at the inaccessible northern edge of the cliff, residents could enjoy the shade and the breeze at this point. From here you can look down on the two lower levels of the palace. Descent to these levels in antiquity was via a flight of stairs west of the palace that was destroyed in an earthquake. The residential wing consisted of four rooms and a central roofed hall. Its rooms were paved with mosaics containing geometric patterns, and their walls were covered with frescoes. A model depicting the restored Northern Palace can be seen in the central hall. A black and white mosaic has been preserved in the southwestern room. A similar mosaic design can be seen in the courtyard of the large bathhouse. Parallels of this style have been found in Italy, which indicates that Herod brought the mosaic masters, like his fresco artists, from Italy.

Retrace your steps to exit the upper terrace of the Northern Palace, and head for the steps leading to the middle terrace 6b . On the way you’ll pass a water cistern and a plastered immersion bath, and you’ll see the beginning of the original flight of steps connecting the upper terrace of the palace to the middle terrace. In the center of the middle level of the palace was a circular hall surrounded by columns of which only the foundations remain. The hall was intended for receptions and meals; the niches in the cliff wall hint at the presence of a library. The steps leading to the lower terrace of the palace 6c are original. This level, which was also used for banquets and receptions, consisted of a chamber surrounded by stoas. Pilasters, once topped by Corinthian capitals that were painted and even bore gold leaf, stand against the southern wall. The outer walls of this central hall were plastered and covered with stucco, and the inner walls were covered with frescos depicting imitation marble slabs and geometric patterns. East of the hall a staircase descends toward a small bathhouse including a tepid room, a cold room, and a hot room. Finds here attest to the events of Masada’s last night – the skeletal remains of three individuals identified with the rebels, vestiges of clothing and sandals, arrows, and numerous pieces of mail armor. Among the most chilling finds was a woman’s braided hair, remarkably preserved. Return to the visitor route.

The Bathhouse 7 – Bathhouses were an integral part of Roman culture, that was brought to Judea by King Herod. Enter Masada’s Roman-style bathhouse via a pastoral courtyard surrounded by columns. A model of the bathhouse located in the courtyard shows its original appearance and use. Enter the dressing room ( apoditerium ), with its floor paved with unique triangular stones ( opus sectile ) and its fresco-adorned walls. During the revolt, benches made out of column drums were installed in this room, along with an immersion bath. During the Great Revolt, a bench (built from column drums) was installed along the wall and an immersion pool was built. Moving into the tepid room ( tepidarium ) you’ll see remarkably preserved frescoes. On the right, steps led down to the cold water pool in the cold room ( fridgedarium ). Continue through the original arched entrance to the hot room ( caldarium ). This room had a double floor, known as a hypocaust. The upper floor stood on stone and brick columns. Hot air flowed under the upper floor and rose through clay pipes embedded in the walls. In one corner of the room, a portion of the floor and wall has been restored. Nearby was a bath to which hot water was channeled. The room was originally decorated with frescoes and stucco reliefs and had a wide arched ceiling. Leaving the hot room through an opening in the wall created for visitors, you’ll pass the bathhouse oven. Continue to the right through the corridor of the storerooms toward the place where the “lots” were found. Findspot of the “lots” 8 – A number of ostraca (inscriptions on pottery sherds) were discovered here. One group contained names, among them “Ben Yair,” the name of the commander of the Sicarii. Yigael Yadin connected this group of ostraca with the lots that Josephus says were cast by the rebels on their last night.

From this point, continue to the western entrance courtyard, which was a central junction on the plateau. Visitors ascending from the west would enter Masada from this direction via the water gate 9 . There is an excellent view from the roof of the bathhouse, to the south of which is a view of the unexcavated portion of the storerooms. Its walls lie prone, the result of an earthquake, which apparently took place in 364 CE and caused most of the destruction at Masada. The water gate 9 – A trail from the upper cisterns hewn in the northwestern slope led to this gate, situated in the northern part of an open courtyard. A plastered aqueduct channeled the water from the gate to cisterns on the mountaintop. Cross the open court to the administration building 10 – The location of the administration building near the storerooms demonstrates its probable use by Herod’s clerks. During the revolt, a number of rebel families lived in the building, constructing a ritual bath in the corner of its central courtyard. After the conquest of Masada, soldiers of the Roman garrison lived here briefly. Retrace your steps and turn left toward the guardroom, whose walls, along which benches were installed and decorated with stucco. The path skirts a water cistern and an ancient storage cave where the remains of dozens of Herodian-era storage vessels were found. At the end of the wooden walkway is the Northern Palace observation point 11 , containing an interactive model demonstrating Masada’s water system. This point affords a view of the Northern Palace, the water system and the trails up the mountain, as well as three Roman siege camps and the siege wall. Looking north, you can see Wadi Ze’elim and En Gedi.

The southern cistern

The Water System – Masada’s arid location required a permanent water supply. The impressive system Herod built included dams that diverted floodwater to channels leading to 12 cisterns dug on two levels into the rocky slope. The plastered cisterns could hold an amazing 40,000 cubic m of water. Pack animals then bore the water up to the cisterns on the mountaintop. Retrace your steps past the cistern and the ritual bath, and head to the synagogue 12 . From the guard room you can take a detour to the southern portion of the administration building where you can ascend a reconstructed tower 25 for an extensive view of the plateau and its surroundings. In Herod’s day, the tower served as a guards’ lookout. South of the tower are the officers' quarters 26 , a residence built in barracks style in Herod’s day to house his soldiers. This building, which later served the rebels, continued in use in the Byzantine period. The synagogue 12 – This building, constructed in Herod’s time, was apparently first used as a stable. It was converted into a synagogue at the time of the Great Revolt, when rows of benches lining the hall and a separate room at the back were added. Two holes dug in the floor of the back room were found to contain Bible scrolls, indicating it may have served as a geniza, a storage room for sacred scrolls. Among the scrolls discovered was Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of the dry bones. On the floor of the room an inscription was found that read “the priest’s tithe.” This is one of the only synagogues dating from the time of the Second Temple, which was destroyed in 70 CE. South of the synagogue is the “casemate of the scrolls.” A rare group of finds from the time of the Great Revolt was discovered here, collected by the Romans after the conquest of Masada. Outstanding among the finds is a large number of parchment and papyrus

fragments. Rolling stones and hundreds of ballistae were also discovered in the room. One rare find here was a salary record belonging to a cavalry soldier of the Tenth Legion. The soldier’s name, according to the document, was Gaius Masius. He was born in the colony of Beirut and was paid three times a year, with expenses for clothing, equipment, and food deducted at the source.

The synagogue

Columbarium Towers 13a , 13b – These two square towers in which pigeons were raised, also served as lookouts and guard towers. They were built at Herod’s time, before the construction of the perimeter wall. These structures could be accessed only via a ladder. The niches in the walls housed pigeons that were used as food, and whose droppings were used as fertilizer. The southern tower was also used during the Byzantine period. The Byzantine church 24 – The center of the Byzantine monastery was the church, which is well preserved. Pass through the narthex, with its white mosaic, and continue to the nave. The floor here was covered with mosaic and its walls were decorated with a design created from pottery sherds embedded in plaster. The room’s semicircular apse is preserved to its original height; glass from its window was found in the church courtyard. The floor contains a pit that may have served as a crypt or a reliquary. It was dug into the ground beneath the altar, which was originally sectioned off by a decorated marble chancel. The church was roofed with clay tiles, which were found by the dozens during excavation. Plastered stone gutters protruded from the roof of the church and were attached to its outer walls. The western room of the church contains a mosaic depicting floral designs and medallions encircling fruit and baskets of communion bread. A low stone wall surrounded the church courtyard, where a number of farming installations were discovered.

A mosaic in the Byzantine church

A wall in the Byzantine church

The breaching point 14 – Above the Roman siege ramp the casemate wall is conspicuously missing where it was destroyed during the assault. In the Hebrew month of Nissan, in the spring of 73 CE, the Romans raised a tower high enough to overlook the cliff and the wall. During the siege, the area was bombarded by the Roman artillery launchers, as attested to by the ballistae and arrowheads discovered in the excavation. The rebels defended themselves by rolling down large stones on the Romans. But after the Romans destroyed the perimeter wall and burned the wood-and-earth wall the rebels had built to shore it up, the siege came to an end. From the reconstructed tower you can see the siege wall and the Roman camps at the base of Masada, among them camp 6, the camp of the Tenth Legion commander, Flavius Silva. The western Byzantine gate 15 – This gate of dressed stones stood at the upper end of the path that led over the ramp to the top of the mountain during the Byzantine era. It serves as an entrance to this day. To visit the cisterns, you can leave via the Byzantine gate, take the ramp trail westward for about 75 m, and near its starting point turn right on the signposted trail. The entire length of the trail from the gate to the cisterns is about 500 m. The “tanners’” tower 16 – In the portion of the casemate walls west of the Western Palace is a prominent tower, on whose ground floor an industrial installation was discovered that was once identified as a tanners’ workshop. Today it is believed to have been a laundry from the time of the rebels.

The Western Palace 17 – At 3,700 sq m, the Western Palace, built during Herod’s reign, is the largest structure on Masada. It was built around an earlier core to which service wings, guard rooms and storerooms. To the right of the entrance is a model of the reconstructed palace. Entering the palace through an entryway, you’ll see benches covered with stucco reliefs. Crossing the long narrow courtyard, notice the water channel on its eastern side. Crossing the elongated, well-plastered courtyard, you’ll see a model of the core of this grand palace. In this part of the palace is a room identified as a “throne room” because of four depressions discovered in the floor where a throne may have been placed. Ascend the flight of steps on the northern side of the courtyard to view the bath complex below, with its mosaics and stucco. Nearby is a reception room with a magnificent colorful mosaic. Going down the steps, you’ll see a room on the left containing two bathtubs and a water cistern. Now, head toward the public immersion pool. For mobility-challenged visitors and their helpers – Enter the door on the east side of the courtyard to see the mosaic in the core of the palace. Continue via an opening on the west side of the courtyard and you’ll notice a large stove used for cooking in the days of the rebels. At the end of the storage room turn left toward the public immersion pool. Public immersion pool 18 – This stepped pool was dug and plastered during the days of the Great Revolt. The wide steps allowed several people to enter the bath at once. Near the steps a dressing room was discovered, containing wall niches where clothing could be placed.

Part of an exhibition at the eastern entrance

Small palace 19 – This palace, situated on the continuation of the path to the south, underwent many changes during the revolt, when residential structures were built around it. Next to it is a public assembly hall with benches along the walls and a kind of constructed table at the center. The Yadin expedition’s excavators nicknamed this structure the "Beit Midrash" – the Torah study house – but it is now believed to have been a dining room and prayer hall for the Essene community. Small palace 20a – Located east of the pool, this palace had rooms surrounding a central courtyard containing a water cistern. The rebels made changes in the building to use it as living quarters. Note: To visit the southern part of the plateau (27–32), turn south. Small palace 20b – Located close to the continuation of the path, this palace also consisted of rooms surrounding a courtyard. Here too, remains dating to the period of the Great Revolt were found. The path will lead you eastward to the casemate wall and a number of buildings dating to the period of the Great Revolt. The “tenements” 21 – This large group of modest structures hugging the inner face of the perimeter wall served as living quarters during the Great Revolt. Artifacts discovered here reveal elements of daily life during the period of the revolt. Among them were textiles, weaving tools and woven baskets, as well as pottery, glass and bone vessels. Leather items were also discovered, together with stone and metal implements and coins. Jewelry and even food items were also found. However, the most outstanding discoveries are ostraca bearing inscriptions in Hebrew and Aramaic, which provide a rare glimpse of community life during the Great Revolt.

Take the path down toward the eastern observation point, which is accessible to the mobility-challenged, and continue on the path northward toward the eastern water cistern 22 at the bottom of the slope. The cistern drains the northern half of the plateau, and the makeup of its plaster hints that it may have been quarried as far back as Hasmonean times. A plastered channel originating at the Snake Path gate led water to this cistern. The cistern was renovated and reused by the Byzantines. Continue along the casemate wall and on the left of the path you’ll see a Byzantine monastic cave 23 located in a depression that had apparently originally been a quarry. The monks would remain isolated during the week in cells or caves like this one, and at week’s end they would come together for meals and prayer in the church. From here, head toward the exit via the Snake Path gate 1 next to the flagpole. The round columbarium tower 27 – Leave the path south of the small palace 20b and head toward the round columbarium tower, built during Herod’s time. Pigeons were raised in the lower floor of this tower. Byzantine monastic cell – On the southern side of the plateau, east of the swimming pool, is a two-room monastic cell from the time of the Marda Monastery. Swimming pool 29 – Herod built a large plastered swimming pool at Masada with a flight of stairs leading to the bottom. The construction of this swimming pool with its capacity of 550 cu m in such an arid area attests to the importance Herod accorded the culture of bathing.

The southern fort 30 – Masada could be accessed in antiquity via the southern cliff. This is apparently the reason a fort was built at this point, which could surveille people approaching Masada from the south. This point affords a spectacular view of Wadi Masada, the Dead Sea, the siege wall, and the siege camps. Camp 8, built on the cliff to the south, had a view of the plateau for intelligence purposes.

Imported amphorae

The Masada Challenge 30 The Legendary Mountain as You’ve Never Before Seen it: The Masada Challenge Visit must be reserved and pre-paid Link>> The Masada Challenge is a new and unique trail on which you’ll uncover the mysteries of Masada outside the casemate wall. Via this trail, on the southern part of the plateau, you can safely proceed outside of the casemate wall and visit hidden archaeological complexes that have never before been accessible because of the challenge of reaching them. To make this possible, we’ve created a demanding walking trail on the edge of the cliff of Masada. The panorama it offers – from the Judean Desert to the Dead Sea – is spectacular. There are ladders and handholds on the way, and visitors wear helmets and are attached by a harness to a safety cable all along the way. We recommend arriving 15 minutes before your scheduled time so you can enjoy the view. The trail is for fit hikers and children 10 years old or older. Entry is only for visitors with a paid reservation. Walkers must follow the safety rules. To reserve your visit, search for “Masada Challenge.”

The southern water cistern 28 – The huge investment and knowhow that went into the construction of Masada’s water cisterns are exemplified here. A flight of 64 stairs leads into this great cistern, whose walls were covered with many layers of plaster. On the wall to the left of the stairs is an inscription mentioning a youth group that was here in 1941. The cistern is fed from a plastered aqueduct that reached it from the north. The large quantity of water made possible cultivation of the area north and west of the cistern. Evidence has recently been found of a vineyard from the reign of King Herod. The southern casemate wall and southern gate 31 – Turn left to a portion of the casemate wall that includes a gateway paved with stone that led to a large water cistern and to caves in the southern cliff. Adjacent to it is a tower and an original casemate containing a ritual bath 32 , storage facilities for grain, and stoves. The roof of the tower reveals another breathtaking view of Wadi Masada, the Dead Sea, and the mountains of Moab. Continue walking north and you’ll arrive at a number of simple dwellings built by the rebels – “the tenements” 21 and the modern route leading to the Snake Path gate 1 .

The Night Show – “Masada from Dusk to Dawn”

The Night Show tells the story of Masada through spectacular, cutting- edge video-mapping technology screened on the western slope of Mount Masada, with the participation of a large cast and a sound track especially composed by Shlomo Gronich. LINK>> Access to the night show is only via road 3199 from the city of Arad. There is no access to the night show via road 90 from the Dead Sea.

The Yigael Yadin Masada Museum

This museum at Masada National Park exhibits the archaeological finds excavated at the site by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem under the leadership of the late Yigael Yadin. Useful Information Headphones are available to users of hearing aids with type T adapter. Visitors with such an adapter can listen to the soundtrack with a special connector provided by the museum staff. The soundtrack is in seven languages: Hebrew, English, French, German, Russian, Chinese and Spanish.

Writers: Guy Stiebel, Orit Shaham-Gover, Esti Ben Haim Content consultant: Ehud Netzer Maps: Shalom Kweller Translation: Miriam Feinberg Vamosh Photos: INPA Archives; the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; and the Geological Survey of Israel.

רשות הטבע והגנים C

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