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The site known as the Sword of Kastra is in the southern part of the city on the western spurs of the Carmel about one and a half km from the beach. The ancient city of Kastra was a wealthy trading city, which was inhabited continuously from the 4th century AD until the Muslim conquest in the 7th century and was discovered at the foot of the western spur of the Carmel Excavations made at the site revealed residential buildings and paved streets, courtyards, a water supply system for the city, drainage canals, oil mills for oil production and wine production tanks that testified to an affluent trading city. There is no doubt that the city enjoyed the economic advantages of a city close to the sea with the economic hinterland of the Carmel Ridge .... a bit like Haifa?

Pottery vessel, Kastra Museum (Photo: Inbal Chen Bargav)
Pottery vessel, Kastra Museum (Photo: Inbal Chen Bargav)

A trip between past and present

Start your visit at the beautiful Ana Hostel at the foot of the Carmel, after which you can continue with a gentle and easy walk to the remains that remain on the site itself. Already in the lobby of the hostel you can see a section of the mosaic floor that decorated the floor of the northern church that was uncovered in the old city, and it is decorated with geometric patterns and dark colors on a light background Inside the lobby are displayed other items that testify to the wealth of the old city and the prosperous commercial life that existed there: cooking pots, tableware, candles and coins, glassware and jewelry.

Glassware, Kastra Museum (Photo: Inbal Chen Bergev)
Glassware, Kastra Museum (Photo: Inbal Chen Bergev)

Kastra - the trade and art center

After the tour of the site and among its remains, you can continue to Kastra, the trade and art center located behind the Haifa Mall. There on the top floor, hidden among the shops, is a tiny museum that regularly exhibits additional items that were uncovered and discovered on the site.

Many glass vessels, jewelry jars and perfumery vessels were found in the tombs that were uncovered at the site and they were brought as burial offerings starting from the end of the Roman period and the beginning of the Byzantine period. You can get an impression of these tools in the display in the museum.

A mosaic floor from the city of Kastra, on display at the Haifa Hostel (Photo: Inbal Chen Bergev)
A mosaic floor from the city of Kastra, on display at the Haifa Hostel (Photo: Inbal Chen Bergev)

Excavations in place

Between the years 1965-1990, various excavations and surveys were conducted at the site. In the years 1993-1997, a large rescue excavation was carried out on behalf of the Antiquities Authority under the supervision of the "Carmel Routes" company and under the management of Dr. Zeah Yabin and Dr. Gerald Finkelstein, following the start of the "Carmel Tunnels" transportation project. Following the rescue excavations, some of the findings were transferred to the open-air "Hecht" museum known as "Dorot Park" which is located near the Forties Grove in Carmel Park.

Amphoras and vessels for storing wine and oil, displayed in the lobby of the Haifa hostel (Photo: Inbal Chen Bargav)
Amphoras and vessels for storing wine and oil, displayed in the lobby of the Haifa hostel (Photo: Inbal Chen Bargav)

Trade and export city

During the excavations, no less than 11 textile houses dating to the Byzantine period were discovered. The canvas houses produced very large quantities of oil that satisfied the needs of the local residents and were mainly intended for export by land and sea. Besides the canvas houses, 14 wine cellars were uncovered. The vats were found between the houses and next to the churches and next to them were treading surfaces, filtering ponds, the must collection pit and more.

Amphoras and vessels for storing wine and oil, displayed in the lobby of the Haifa hostel (Photo: Inbal Chen Bargav)
Amphoras and vessels for storing wine and oil, displayed in the lobby of the Haifa hostel (Photo: Inbal Chen Bargav)

Cemetery

46 sealed graves were uncovered in the cemetery at the site of Kastra, whose form of burial is similar to the members of the religions - the Jews and the Christians. Beside them were buried gold jewelry, beads, pendants, hundreds of whole glass vessels that were brought as burial offerings.

Castra Sword (Photo: Inbal Chen Bergev)
Castra Sword (Photo: Inbal Chen Bergev)

(The information for the purpose of the article was taken from the records of the Antiquities Authority at the Kastra Museum and the Ana Hostel as well as from a booklet called "Kastra at the Foot of Carmel" produced by the Maritime Museum in Haifa, in 1990)

contact: At watsapBy email

Inbal Chen Bergev
Inbal Chen Bergev
Inbal, teacher and attorney, founder of the "For Haifa" group on Facebook, which connects Haifa nature and the local community. Works to raise awareness of urban nature and the preservation of Haifa's wetlands.

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5 תגובות

  1. This is not a museum.
    It's a display in shop windows like in Dagon until they destroyed the display there as well.
    Too bad, another waste of Haifa that invests almost nothing in culture
    Who will enter the hostel to see this? And Shkmona in general - mosaics covered with grass

  2. And I dug there…. It was interesting with the archaeologist Abdel Salam Said. It was fascinating!

  3. Fascinating article, I didn't know it was possible to walk among the remains near the Carmel tunnels.

  4. Inbal Chen Bargav impresses. pleasant evening

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