For the archaeological site by the same name in the Negev, see Horvat Maon.
For the ancient site by the same name in the Galilee, see Bethmaus.
Tell Maon (Arabic: Khirbet Ma'in[1][2]) was an ancient town in the Hebron Hills, formerly known simply as Maon (Hebrew: מעון), rising 863 metres (2,831 ft) above sea level. The town, now a ruin, is mentioned in the Book of Joshua (Joshua 15:55 and the Books of Samuel (1 Samuel 25:2). It still had a Jewish population during the Roman and Byzantine periods, and a synagogue was discovered there. The site is located about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) southeast of Yatta.
The site is first mentioned as one of the cities of Judah.[3][4] Maon was the place of birth of Nabal the Carmelite.[5] In 1 Samuel 23:24–25, "the wilderness of Maon" is mentioned as a place of refuge for David when he fled from king Saul.[3] The site is not referred to again in biblical sources, and only after the destruction of the Second Temple is there a reference to the site again, where Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai is said to have gone up to Maon of Judah.[3][6]
In the early 4th-century CE, Maon was mentioned in Eusebius' Onomasticon as being "in the tribe of Judah; in the east of Daroma."[7] The name "Darom" (Arabic: ad-Darum) literally means "south," but in relation to the rest of Palestine it had the general connotation of the immediate territory in and around Bayt Jibrin (Eleutheropolis), as evinced by Al-Muqaddasi.[8]
ArchaeologyEdit
A synagogue dating back to the Talmudic period was discovered at Tell Maon.[9] Archaeologists have also discovered at the site potsherds dating back to the early Bronze Age, as well as from the Israelite period (where jar handles were found bearing the paleo-Hebrew inscription LMLK (= "for the king") and from the Hellenistic period.[3] Shards have also been found in situ from the Roman and Byzantine periods, and from the Middle Ages.[3]
Tell Maʻîn –– A mound some 100 feet high. On the west are foundations, caves, and cisterns, and foundations of a tower about 20 feet square. The masonry in this tower is large, with a broad irregular draft and a rustic boss. One stone was 3 feet 8 inches long, 2 feet 9 inches high, the draft about 3 inches wide. There is also a round well-mouth, 5 feet diameter, cut out of a single stone.[11]
Modern eraEdit
Tell Maon is situated SE of the Arab town of Yatta, on the north side of regional highway 317. Today, on the northern slope of the Tell are settled several families who have recently moved there from Yatta.
Ilan, Z. [in Hebrew] (1988). "Maon - A Synagogue from the period of the Talmud (מעון - בית כנסת מתקופת התלמוד)". Sela'it - A Monthly Magazine for the Youth (in Hebrew). Tel-Aviv: The Society for the Protection of Nature. 17 (2): 16–17. ISSN 0334-4479.
Ilan, Z. [in Hebrew] (1991). Ancient Synagogues in Erez Israel (בתי כנסת קדומים בארץ ישראל). Tel-Aviv: Miśrad ha-biṭaḥon. ISBN9650505229. OCLC 26159213.
Amit, David (2003). Synagogues at Tell Maon and at Tell 'Anim, and the Jewish settlement in the south of Mount Hebron (בתי הכנסת בחורבת מעון ובחורבת ענים והיישוב היהודי בדרום הר חברון). Jerusalem: Hebrew University (Doctoral dissertation). OCLC 170885342.
^Aharoni, Y. (1979). The Land of the Bible: A Historical Geography (2 ed.). Philadelphia: Westminster Press. p. 439. ISBN0664242669. OCLC 6250553. (original Hebrew edition: 'Land of Israel in Biblical Times - Historical Geography', Bialik Institute, Jerusalem (1962))
Al-Muqaddasi (1994). The Best Divisions for Knowledge of the Regions. Translated by Basil Anthony Collins. Reading: Garnet Publishing. ISBN1-873938-14-4.
Amit, David (n.d.). "Hurvat Ma'on". In Ben-Yosef, Sefi (ed.). Israel Guide - Judaea (A useful encyclopedia for the knowledge of the country) (in Hebrew). Vol. 9. Jerusalem: Keter Publishing House, in affiliation with the Israel Ministry of Defence. OCLC 745203905.
Amit, David (1997), "A marble candelabrum from the synagogue of Maon in Judea", Judea and Samaria Research Studies (מחקרי יהודה ושומרון)(PDF) (in Hebrew), vol. 7, Jerusalem: Israel Antiquities Authority, OCLC 741089250
Chapmann III, R.L.; Taylor, J.E., eds. (2003). Palestine in the Fourth Century A.D.: The Onomasticon by Eusebius of Caesarea. Translated by G.S.P. Freeman-Grenville. Jerusalem: Carta. ISBN965-220-500-1. OCLC 937002750.
Conder, C.R. (1879). Tent Work in Palestine. A Record of Discovery and Adventure. Vol. 2. London: Richard Bentley & Son (published for the Committee of the PEF). OCLC 23589738.
Guérin, Victor (1869). Description Géographique Historique et Archéologique de la Palestine (in French). Vol. 1: Judée, pt. 3. Paris: L'Imprimerie impériale.
External linksEdit
Survey of Western Palestine, Map 25: IAA, Wikimedia commons (Tell Máîn shown on upper part of map)
October 21, 2023
tell, maon, archaeological, site, same, name, negev, horvat, maon, ancient, site, same, name, galilee, bethmaus, arabic, khirbet, ancient, town, hebron, hills, formerly, known, simply, maon, hebrew, מעון, rising, metres, above, level, town, ruin, mentioned, bo. For the archaeological site by the same name in the Negev see Horvat Maon For the ancient site by the same name in the Galilee see Bethmaus Tell Maon Arabic Khirbet Ma in 1 2 was an ancient town in the Hebron Hills formerly known simply as Maon Hebrew מעון rising 863 metres 2 831 ft above sea level The town now a ruin is mentioned in the Book of Joshua Joshua 15 55 and the Books of Samuel 1 Samuel 25 2 It still had a Jewish population during the Roman and Byzantine periods and a synagogue was discovered there The site is located about 6 kilometres 3 7 mi southeast of Yatta Tell Maon خربة معين Arabicח רבת מעין HebrewRuinTell Ma on near HebronTell MaonLocation of Tell MaonCoordinates 31 24 34 N 35 08 02 E 31 40944 N 35 13389 E 31 40944 35 13389Grid position162 090 PALRegionWest BankDistrictJudea and Samaria AreaGovernment CouncilHar Hevron Mount Hebron Regional CouncilTime zoneUTC 2 IST Summer DST UTC 3 IDT Contents 1 History 2 Archaeology 3 Modern era 4 See also 5 Further reading 6 Gallery 7 References 8 Bibliography 9 External linksHistory EditThe site is first mentioned as one of the cities of Judah 3 4 Maon was the place of birth of Nabal the Carmelite 5 In 1 Samuel 23 24 25 the wilderness of Maon is mentioned as a place of refuge for David when he fled from king Saul 3 The site is not referred to again in biblical sources and only after the destruction of the Second Temple is there a reference to the site again where Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai is said to have gone up to Maon of Judah 3 6 In the early 4th century CE Maon was mentioned in Eusebius Onomasticon as being in the tribe of Judah in the east of Daroma 7 The name Darom Arabic ad Darum literally means south but in relation to the rest of Palestine it had the general connotation of the immediate territory in and around Bayt Jibrin Eleutheropolis as evinced by Al Muqaddasi 8 Archaeology EditA synagogue dating back to the Talmudic period was discovered at Tell Maon 9 Archaeologists have also discovered at the site potsherds dating back to the early Bronze Age as well as from the Israelite period where jar handles were found bearing the paleo Hebrew inscription LMLK for the king and from the Hellenistic period 3 Shards have also been found in situ from the Roman and Byzantine periods and from the Middle Ages 3 C R Conder of the Palestine Exploration Fund visited the site in 1874 10 during which time a brief description was written of the site Tell Maʻin A mound some 100 feet high On the west are foundations caves and cisterns and foundations of a tower about 20 feet square The masonry in this tower is large with a broad irregular draft and a rustic boss One stone was 3 feet 8 inches long 2 feet 9 inches high the draft about 3 inches wide There is also a round well mouth 5 feet diameter cut out of a single stone 11 Modern era EditTell Maon is situated SE of the Arab town of Yatta on the north side of regional highway 317 Today on the northern slope of the Tell are settled several families who have recently moved there from Yatta See also EditMa on Mount HebronFurther reading EditIlan Z in Hebrew 1988 Maon A Synagogue from the period of the Talmud מעון בית כנסת מתקופת התלמוד Sela it A Monthly Magazine for the Youth in Hebrew Tel Aviv The Society for the Protection of Nature 17 2 16 17 ISSN 0334 4479 Ilan Z in Hebrew 1991 Ancient Synagogues in Erez Israel בתי כנסת קדומים בארץ ישראל Tel Aviv Misrad ha biṭaḥon ISBN 9650505229 OCLC 26159213 Amit David 2003 Synagogues at Tell Maon and at Tell Anim and the Jewish settlement in the south of Mount Hebron בתי הכנסת בחורבת מעון ובחורבת ענים והיישוב היהודי בדרום הר חברון Jerusalem Hebrew University Doctoral dissertation OCLC 170885342 Gallery Edit nbsp Tell Maon in Hebron Hills nbsp Tell Maon nbsp Ruin of Maon near Hebron nbsp Remains of ancient wall at Tell Maon nbsp The ancient hill of Tell Maon nbsp Old structures at Tell Maon nbsp Staicase at Maon nbsp General ruins nbsp Stone troughs at the well of Maon nbsp Remnants of Byzantine fort at Tell MaonReferences Edit Tsafrir Y Leah Di Segni Judith Green 1994 TIR Tabula Imperii Romani Iudaea Palestina Eretz Israel in the Hellenistic Roman and Byzantine Periods Maps and Gazetteer Jerusalem Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities p 178 ISBN 965 208 107 8 Aharoni Y 1979 The Land of the Bible A Historical Geography 2 ed Philadelphia Westminster Press p 439 ISBN 0664242669 OCLC 6250553 original Hebrew edition Land of Israel in Biblical Times Historical Geography Bialik Institute Jerusalem 1962 a b c d e Amit n d pp 222 223 Freedman 2000 p 854 Guerin 1869 pp 170 172 Mekhilta of Rabbi Ishmael on Exodus 19 1 Chapmann et al 2003 p 72 Al Muqaddasi 1994 p 157 Amit 1997 p 155 Conder 1879 pp 90 91 Conder amp Kitchener 1883 p 415Bibliography EditAl Muqaddasi 1994 The Best Divisions for Knowledge of the Regions Translated by Basil Anthony Collins Reading Garnet Publishing ISBN 1 873938 14 4 Amit David n d Hurvat Ma on In Ben Yosef Sefi ed Israel Guide Judaea A useful encyclopedia for the knowledge of the country in Hebrew Vol 9 Jerusalem Keter Publishing House in affiliation with the Israel Ministry of Defence OCLC 745203905 Amit David 1997 A marble candelabrum from the synagogue of Maon in Judea Judea and Samaria Research Studies מחקרי יהודה ושומרון PDF in Hebrew vol 7 Jerusalem Israel Antiquities Authority OCLC 741089250 Chapmann III R L Taylor J E eds 2003 Palestine in the Fourth Century A D The Onomasticon by Eusebius of Caesarea Translated by G S P Freeman Grenville Jerusalem Carta ISBN 965 220 500 1 OCLC 937002750 Conder C R 1879 Tent Work in Palestine A Record of Discovery and Adventure Vol 2 London Richard Bentley amp Son published for the Committee of the PEF OCLC 23589738 Conder C R Kitchener H H 1883 The Survey of Western Palestine Memoirs of the Topography Orography Hydrography and Archaeology Vol 3 London Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund Freedman D N Allen C Myers 31 December 2000 Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible Amsterdam University Press ISBN 978 90 5356 503 2 Guerin Victor 1869 Description Geographique Historique et Archeologique de la Palestine in French Vol 1 Judee pt 3 Paris L Imprimerie imperiale External links EditSurvey of Western Palestine Map 25 IAA Wikimedia commons Tell Main shown on upper part of map Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tell Maon amp oldid 1161563572, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
