Overview

Along the Wadi Qelt in Jericho, Tulul Abu al-'Alayiq is where the Hasmonian kings and Herod the Great built their winter palaces to escape the cool, damp winters in Jerusalem. Beginning with John Hyrcanus I (or perhaps with his father Simeon), the Hasmonean kings established a royal estate, growing and processing dates and balsam. A large palace, built through seven stages was built at the southern end of the estate. Adjacent to the palace is perhaps the earliest surviving synagogue.

Herod the Great choose the same area for his three palaces. The first palace was built to the south of the Wadi Qelt and is not included in the virtual tour of the site. The second palace was built near the Hasmonean palace and incorporated some of its remains into it. The third palace was Herod's most ambitious and it bridges the Wadi Qelt. Unfortunately, most of the southern extension of the palace is no longer visible.

The ruins at Tulul Abu al-'Alayiq were first discovered by E. Robinson in 1838, and then excavated by Charles Warren in 1868. Further excavations were carried out in the early 1900s, and the site was identified with Herodian Jericho. In the early 1950s, excavations were carried out by J. L. Kelso and D. C. Baramki, and then by A. H. Detweiler, F. V. Winnett, and J. B. Pritchard. They began to uncover Herod's winter palaces, though they did not all recognize the ruins as such. Finally, beginning in 1973, extensive excavations were carried out annually through 1983, and again in 1986-1987, by Ehud Netzer on behalf of the Hebrew University and the Israel Exploration Society. He was able to trace and identify the complex remains of the Hasmonean and Herodian palaces, except for the buried palace under the northern tell, as well as service buildings and an elaborate industrial area.

The archaeological strata uncovered at the site, as illustrated in the site plan, date to the following periods:

	15 BCE
	25 BCE
	63–40 BCE
	67–63 BCE
	76–67 BCE
	134–76 BCE