A Walk On Massada BACK

This walk will take at least an hour, even if you browse only cursorily at each of the numbered locations on our map. But remember that the numbers on our map, which go anti-clockwise, do not correspond with some of the numbers atop Massada, so you should disregard the latter. We also assume that you have entered the gate on the eastern side, overlooking the Dead Sea. Recently, shaded rest areas, including bathroom and drinking facilities, have been added.

Walk across to No. 1 on the northern tip of the mountain. This is the upper terrace and living quarters of Herod's private hanging palace-villa. The dwelling rooms are paved with mosaics which are among the oldest in Israel. Note the semi-circular porch at the northern edge.

Now walk back to the store-houses at No. 2. Built from dolomite stone quarried on Massada, they were destroyed by the Zealots and by earthquakes. Remains of wine, oil and flour jars, together with coins, were found here. As with other restored buildings on Massada, everything below the painted black line is original.Between the store-houses and the steps leading down to the middle terrace of the palace-villa is the large bath-house, No. 3. There is a hot room, cold room, tepid room and disrobing room. The round clay bricks in the hot room supported the upper floor. Impressions of clay pipes for hot air circulation can be seen on the wall plaster. The small bathing pool covering frescoes in the disrobing room was added by the Zealots.

Walk west towards the steps and descend to the middle terrace, No. 4, about 20 m. down. This was built for Herod's leisure hours. The circular building probably had rows of pillars supporting a roof. More steps continue down to the lower terrace, No. 5, about 15 m. below. Again, this was erected for leisure and pleasure. The Herodian artists tried to give the impression that the plastered walls were panelled in stone and marble when painting the walls between the columns and Corinthian capitals. The bath-house on the east, to which access is forbidden, contained the skeletons of a young man, woman and child. The scales of armour, arrows, inscribed potsherds and parts of a prayer shawl found next to the man can be seen in the museum at the foot of Massada. The sandals and plaited hair of the woman are on display at the Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem. They are believed to have been among the last defenders of Massada. Coins inscribed with ``The Freedom of Zion,'' and food, were also found on this terrace.

Return to the summit and walk to the administration building, No. 6, adjoining the western end of the store- houses. There is a mikve (ritual bath) in its northeastern corner.

Now walk along the casemate wall on the west. Built around the entire summit, it was a popular Herodian structure with double walls partitioned into rooms for stores or dwellings. Many of the Zealots lived in them.

The Synagogue is No. 7 on the walk, overlooking Silva's camp. It is the oldest synagogue in Israel. Two parchment scrolls buried within it contained fragments from the books of Deuteronomy and Ezekiel. Also found were coins from the revolt, pottery inscribed with Hebrew names, Herodian jars, burned furniture, glass and a wash basin.

A short distance away, at No. 8, is another casemate room where the first of fourteen biblical, sectarian and apocryphal scrolls was discovered on Massada. Written on parchment, it was from the Book of Psalms. Here, too, were found parts of Leviticus and a scroll believed to have been written by the Essenes of Qumran. Seventeen silver shekels, struck during the five years of the revolt and inscribed ``Jerusalem the Holy,'' were also extracted from the rubble.

Cross over to the 5th-century Byzantine chapel at No. 9. The mosaic floor is decorated with rings around pomegranates, figs, oranges and grapes.

Walk southwest to the Western Palace at No. 10. It is divided into an administrative building, dwelling quarters, a service wing and storerooms. The only coloured Herodian mosaic floor on Massada is in the entrance hall to the throne room. There are also humble, Zealot additions, including a cooking stove. A small bath-house is in the service chambers.

From the edge you can see the ramp and the western entrance.

Continue over to the swimming pool at No. 11. Steps lead down to the base where coins of the revolt were discovered. Nos. 12 and 13, east and south of the swimming pool, are Herodian villas in which the Zealots added walls and partitions.

Walk east to the niched circular structure at No. 14. It is dubbed the Columbarium because it resembles a dove cote. However, experiments have shown that the holes are too small to house pigeons. No one knows with any certainty what its purpose was but one theory is that the niches held the ashes of non-Jews cremated on Massada.

Proceed to No. 15, a lookout tower on the southern wall high above Roman siege camps. A few metres below the casemate wall, but out of bounds to visitors, are a number of caves in which the excavators found the skeletons of twenty-five men, women, children and an embryo. These, and the skeletons found in the palace-villa, are believed to be the remains of the Jewish defenders. They were buried with full military honours near the Roman ramp on the western base of the mountain.

Turn east, towards one of the many cisterns at No. 16. Steps lead down to the enormous reservoir, cut into the rock. Floodwaters were channelled through a hole in the roof.

Walk northeast towards the wall and stop at the mikve at No. 17. It proves decisively the ardent religious nature of the defenders of Massada. There are three pools. The smallest is for washing hands and feet before immersion. Diagonally opposite it is a pool to collect rainwater. A pipe connects this with the actual mikve.

Continue along the eastern casemate wall, observing the cramped quarters in which many of the Zealots lived for so long. Most of these quarters contained their household utensils, but the majority of the rooms are fenced off and may not be entered because of the danger of collapse.

The wall leads up to the Snake Path gate by which you entered Massada.

From Massada you can take either the road to Eilat or the one to Jerusalem.