Photos: Biblical Gate Shrine Uncovered in Israel's Tel Lachish National Park

Blending of modern and historical

Tel Lachish gate-shrine

(Image credit: Guy Fitoussi, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority)

Tel Lachish National Park is home to the gate structure, on the left, with its six rooms split by the city street.

[Read the Story About the Recent Excavation.]

Rolling hills

Tel Lachish gate-shrine

(Image credit: Guy Fitoussi, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority)

The gate structure, seen to the left, exposed at Tel Lachish National Park.

Envisioning the past

Tel Lachish gate-shrine

(Image credit: Architects Ram Shoaf and Hila Berger-Onn, Israel Antiquities Authority Conservation Department)

Team members digitally reproduced the Lachish city gate.

Uncovering the shrine

Tel Lachish gate-shrine

(Image credit: Sa'ar Ganor, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority)

The team works to excavate the altar, revealing its truncated horns.

[Read the Story About the Recent Excavation.]

Teamwork

Tel Lachish gate-shrine

(Image credit: Yoli Shwartz, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority)

Members of the excavation team carefully excavate the site.

Attention to detail

Tel Lachish gate-shrine

(Image credit: Yoli Shwartz, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority)

A team member works in the field to gently remove dirt and debris from newly uncovered artifacts.

Damage done

Tel Lachish gate-shrine

(Image credit: Yoli Shwartz, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority)

Excavation clearly shows that horns were removed from this altar.

[Read the Story About the Recent Excavation.]

Linking to history

Tel Lachish gate-shrine

(Image credit: Clara Amit, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority)

During the excavation, many artifacts from the First Temple period were uncovered: oil lamps, seal impressions on jars and even arrowheads.

Ancient battles

Tel Lachish gate-shrine

(Image credit: Clara Amit, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority)

Arrowheads found at the site offer proof of battles between Sennacherib's army and King Hezekiah's army.

Many enemies

Tel Lachish gate-shrine

(Image credit: Yoli Shwartz, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority)

More arrowheads from the dig provide evidence of conflicts between the Assyrians and the Judahites in the city gate.

Leaving a mark

Tel Lachish gate-shrine

(Image credit: Clara Amit, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority)

Seals indicated who owned the items left behind. An inscription reading "lnhm avadi" is likely the name of a senior official from the Judahite government.

[Read the Story About the Recent Excavation.]