Tel Dan (Israel)

Overview

Tel Dan (Tell el-Qadi) is a nature reserve and the source of the Dan and Jordan Rivers. Located in the northern part of Israel near the border with Lebanon and situated on the southwestern slopes of Mount Hermon, Dan was an ancient Canaanite city originally known as Laish (Judges 18:29) or Leshem (Judges 19:47). When the tribe of Dan failed to take the original territory allotted to them, they migrated to this area during the early days of the Judges era, took the city, and gave it their tribal name. As the northernmost city of Israel, the name of the city, together with Beersheba in the south, defined the borders of the land, "from Dan to Beersheba" (e.g. Judges 20:1; 1 Kings 4:25). Dan stood at the northern end of the very fertile upper Jordan Valley, one of the most productive regions of the land. This location also made it vulnerable to invasions from the north, which was the approach traditionally used by Mesopotamian powers. A combination of factors (Judges 17-19) including a lack of obedience to God's commands, a desire for better land, and the influence of a heretical man named Micah resulted in Dan becoming the most idolatrous of all the tribes

Excavations of the 50-acre Tel Dan site have been ongoing for more than 30 years with numerous finds of archaeological importance. Among the significant finds is a mud brick arch that dates back to the Middle Bronze Age – the oldest arch found in the near east. There is also a gate in the region that predates the time of Abraham (circa 1800 BC). The Golden Calf Altar, one of the high places of Jeroboam spoken of in 1 Kings 12:25-31, can also be found in these archaeological ruins.