Overview

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Horvat 'Ethri is an early Roman period village in the upper Shephelah. Its name has been confirmed from an ostracon found in the excavations and has been equated with Κάφετρα (= Kefar 'Ethra) mentioned by Josephus. According to Josephus, this village was destroyed by Cerealis around the year 69 CE during the first Judean revolt (Jewish War IV.552-54). This fits well with the results of the archaeological excavation.

The village was excavated by Boaz Zissu and Amir Ganor from 1999 to 2001 for the Israel Antiquities Authority. The village consists primarily of large courtyard-style houses. One notable public building has been interpreted as a synagogue. The village also includes numerous underground caverns that served several purposes. Some of the caverns were used as cisterns, others for miqvoth. At least one cavern was used for burials. Several caverns were used for hiding places during the Judean revolts.

Evidence was found that the village was inhabited during the Persian and Hellenistic periods, but few architectural remains from those periods can be discerned. The village was at its largest during the Roman period preceding the first Judean revolt. Buildings K and U can be dated to this period. This settlement was destroyed during the revolt and rebuilt shortly after. Many of the other buildings – large courtyard houses and the public building – are dated to this period. The settlement was destroyed again during the second Judean revolt. After a period of abandonment, the site was resettled by non-Judeans at the beginning of the third century. The earlier houses were restored and were used through the fifth century with no significant architectural alterations.