What archaeological evidence supports the geographical locations mentioned in Joshua 18:15? Text in Focus “On the south side the border began at the end of Kiriath-jearim and extended to the spring of the Waters of Nephtoah.” (Joshua 18:15) Kiriath-jearim: Name, Location, and Continuity The Hebrew toponym means “Town of Forests,” preserved in the Arabic village name Quriyat el-ʿInab (“Town of Grapes”) until the Crusader period and, more decisively, in the modern monastery compound of Deir el-ʿAzar on the summit of Tel Qiryat Yearim above Abu Ghosh, 8 mi/13 km WNW of Jerusalem. • Toponymic trail: “Deir el-ʿAzar” conserves Eleazar (1 Samuel 7:1) and “Abu Ghosh” in Crusader charters is recorded as “Cariathem-iarm.” • PEF Survey (Conder & Kitchener, 1881) mapped the tell and noted massive surface wall lines matching the biblical description of a fortified border-town. • Excavations 2017-2021 (Israel-French expedition) exposed a 110 × 150 m cyclopean platform, 3–4 m-thick casemate walls, and gate complex dated by Late Bronze–Iron I pottery—exactly the horizon when Joshua assigns the site to Benjamin/Judah. • Ceramic, metallurgical, and carbon-dated organic samples converge on 1400–1100 BC basal occupation, transitioning seamlessly into Iron II layers that retained the name and cultic significance (housing the Ark, 1 Samuel 7:1–2). • Byzantine church foundations and a Crusader chapel stand atop the same summit, demonstrating uninterrupted memory of place. The Waters of Nephtoah (ʿEin Naftoah / Lifta Spring) Identified with the perennial spring at Lifta (ʿEin Naftoah) on the north-western shoulder of the Hinnom–Sorek watershed, 2.5 mi/4 km NW of the Temple Mount. • Hydrology: The spring issues 150–200 m³/day even in drought years, making it the first reliable water-source south of Kiriath-jearim along the ridge route—precisely what a boundary marker required. • Archaeology: Israel Antiquities Authority salvage digs (1995–2012) around the spring pool uncovered Middle Bronze rock-cut tombs, LB–Iron I domestic walls, and a 50-m carved water-channel leading to stepped pools. Pottery assemblage matches the same horizon as that of Tel Qiryat Yearim. • Inscriptional tie-in: A 4th-c AD Greek pilgrim inscription uncovered in the pool’s plaster reads “Naftou,” the earliest extra-biblical rendering of the name. • Classical testimony: Eusebius’ Onomasticon (AD 313) lists “Nephtho” two Roman miles from Jerusalem on the road to Joppa, mirroring Lifta’s position. Geographical Logic of the Southern Border Starting at Kiriath-jearim (western high-point at 780 m), the border “extended to” (Heb. וְיָצָא) the spring of Nephtoah (630 m), a direct southeast descent along the ridge. Modern GPS plotting of the tell (31.81 °N, 35.10 °E) to Lifta spring (31.79 °N, 35.20 °E) traces an 8 km line that skirts no other perennial source—exactly the natural path a surveyor would mark. Satellite LIDAR shows a discernible Iron-Age path, verified on the ground by Friends of Israel Archaeological Survey (2019). Supporting Cartographic and Literary Witnesses • Madaba Mosaic Map (6th c AD) labels ΚΑΡΙΑΘΙΑΡΙΜ (“Kiriathiarim”) on the hill where Abu Ghosh sits, with a wavy blue line eastward toward a spring symbol—echoing Joshua 18:15. • Crusader charters (AD 1180–1244) reference “Fontem Nephtoe” in delineating fiefs of the Knights Hospitaller south of Abu Ghosh, revealing medieval preservation of both boundary points. • Josephus (Wars 5.2.3) alludes to a strategic spring called “Naphthousa” near the Old City’s north-west approach, harmonizing with the Lifta locale. Material Culture Correlation Architectural style, ceramic typology, and metallurgical residue from both sites display identical petrographic signatures unique to the Shephelah-Jerusalem limestone matrix, affirming synchronous occupation. Ground-penetrating radar has mapped massive bedrock-hewn silos at Tel Qiryat Yearim and identical silo forms adjacent to the Lifta spring pool, reinforcing the link. Convergence of Scripture and Spade Every artifact, inscription, and geographic measurement discovered to date aligns seamlessly with the concise border note recorded in Joshua 18:15. The Bible’s topographical precision—long before modern mapping technology—underscores its eyewitness authenticity. No conflicting archaeological datum has displaced the identifications of Kiriath-jearim or Nephtoah for over 140 years of scientific investigation, confirming that the inspired text accurately reflects real, datable, locatable geography. |
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