The cheerful and colorful article in Haifa, which invites everyone to practice climbing the 'Crow Wall' in the Ramez/Alon mountains, is an example of the carelessness and irresponsibility with which the Antiquities Authority and the Municipality of Haifa handle this important site, and not only there, but also in Bersh Mia, Kastra, Shekmona and more . But even for those who are eager to run and tell the guys and announce strange announcements, it is appropriate to call to respect the past and the existing knowledge, and take a little trouble and review the written sources before inviting hundreds of people to damage this important and unique archaeological site.
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"The wall of the crows" (Arak a-Zi'an) is mistakenly called that, since the chicken is called Zag (Pyrrhocorax) Not exactly a crow, although a relative of his. The cliff, not a wall, was used as a residence not only for winged animals, but was a rock shelter for Neve Shanan's ancestors.

The site was discovered by one of the greatest researchers of Carmel to this day, the Swiss Graf Eberhard von Mülinen during his stay in Carmel in 1907. He wrote several pages about it in his book Beiträge zur Kenntnis des Karmels. The book was published in Hebrew in 2013 by Magnes Publishing, the result of joint work between Prof. Aharon Geva Klinberger, head of the department of Arabic language and literature at the university, and myself. Anyone who writes about the Carmel or wants to get to know its north must get to know the book.

| A ritual site

Von Mullinen surveyed the site, sketched and even photographed it in all its glory, as it was before Meir Yaari Street was paved and the nearby synagogue was built, which destroyed part of it. The inhabitants of the site in the prehistoric period were hunters and gatherers, and at a certain stage they probably created a ritual site made of huge rocks and a circle of stones [Kromlech] with protected courtyards. In 1956, the archaeologist resident of Shahar housing, Ernest Vershner, excavated at the site, and in 1993, the archaeologist Ze'ev Yivin returned and excavated there, and discovered nearby a Hellenistic farm rich in finds, coins, a silo and water bodies.

| falling between the chairs

It is therefore an important archaeological complex, which any local authority that does not have archaeological wealth, such as Haifa, should have cultivated. Right next door, a public garden was established for the welfare of the residents of Ramat Alon, and only the impressive site with the cliff and the rock niches, the stone avalanches and the Hellenistic farm, remained for the designer, falling between the thrones of the Antiquities Authority and the Haifa Municipality.

Now, friends, go climb other walls, and leave the wall and the crows in peace..

| Photos

Arak az-Zie'an in a picture from 1907 - in von Mullinen's book

Von Mullinen's book - the cover of the book in Hebrew

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| Haifa Municipality's response

This is an archaeological site under the responsibility of the Antiquities Authority. The municipality is aware of the importance of the place and therefore defined the area in the construction plans as an open public space that will remain in the public domain.
The plan forbids construction near the wall and includes instructions to ensure the preservation and maintenance of the place.

| (A response has not yet been received from the Antiquities Authority)

| Omri Shafer's response (author of the original article)

The criminal neglect of the human and natural heritage in Haifa is prompting the residents to take civil action - and that should be congratulated

The determination of the Antiquities Authority, which is the legal authority in this case, must be accepted. However, I greatly respect Prof. Yossi Ben-Artzi who has contributed a lot to the city of Haifa and its residents over the years, and his words are important and worthy. We all share the tremendous love for the human and natural heritage in the city of Haifa and our desire to preserve it. Therefore, I believe that we also share in the frustration in the face of the sad situation it is in - from Shikmona through the Carmelite Antiquities, from Kastra through Rashmia to the "Wall of Crows" we are dealing with (and more) - the feeling is the same when we are standing in front of them. In front of the exposed, vulnerable and damaged antiquities - we stand heartbroken.

There is no escaping the conclusion that the officials of the Haifa municipality do not attribute any value to genuine qualities, to the melody inherent in the word placed before them. They are not able to see through the wall even the happiness and interest it will bring to the residents, the possibility of connecting the community to a place that will make them proud. Along with the neglected archaeological sites, the buildings and complexes for conservation are also crumbling, and with them also the urban nature sites.

However, like mushrooms after the rain, civil initiatives emerge to protect various sites throughout the city in the face of the municipality's neglect. to connect the community to the place. To create a bond between the people and make them take responsibility for their environment. The "Crow Wall" (perhaps it would be better to call it "The Wall of the Zags") is visited by many hazards throughout the year, which reach their peak every year in Omer. Then many come and severely damage the site - they burn the wall with high bonfires, leave a lot of debris in the area and move the stones in the antiquities complex The next door. The plague of graffiti didn't escape him either.

So when I heard about a group of young people and young-at-heart that wants to maintain the place and hold activities there, I was excited. The first thing they did was to collect mountains of waste and clear it out of the compound. A community began to form around the site and nurture it. But as Prof. Ben-Artzi points out, talking may have a price. Against what I knew about the values ​​of the site, I hoped that the activity would be a solution that balances things - to create minimal damage alongside cultivation and preservation. Maybe I'm wrong and I accept the possibility. But if the young people come down from the wall, one thing is certain: the site will return to being a neglected wasteland, the fires will continue to burn the wall, the debris will continue to pile up and the ancient stones will continue to be scattered. And who knows, maybe in a few years we will wake up in the morning and find heavy equipment coming onto the ground and destroying the site, realizing one of the many construction plans that threaten its future.

Therefore, in general, in the face of the criminal neglect of the human and natural heritage in Haifa, when residents take civil action - and as long as they act reasonably - I welcome it.

Best regards, Omri Shafer