Kavul
Today an Arab city (Kabul) 8KM from the bay of Haifa, on the west hills of the Galilee. It was destroyed by Cestius in the wake of the Jewish revolt. In Roman times - a large Jewish city.
Home > Sites > West Galilee > Kavul (Chabulon, Zabulon, Kabul, Cabul, Damun)
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Background:
In the Roman times - a large Jewish city close to Acre. It was burnt by Cestius in the wake of the Jewish revolt. In late Roman period an important Jewish village. Today the site is in ruins, and a new Arab village is located nearby.
Location:
Today Kavul is an Arab city (Kabul) 8KM from the bay of Haifa, on the west hills of the Galilee. This city is located at the edge of the western hills of the Galilee, 12 KM away from the bay of Haifa, on the road to from Shefaram to the north.
The ancient city is strategically located close to the north-south Via-Maris road, and close to the path east towards the Netufa Velley through Ibelin.
The site is located on a hill, about 0.5KM from the junction, and is adjacent to the modern road to the Kabul village.
History of the place:
The ancient city was mentioned in several biblical texts (see references below): it was part of tribe of Asher (Joshua), but was later given by king Solomon to Hiram King of Tyre as exchange for his assistance in building the temple (Kings).
In the Roman times the city was burnt by Cestius Gallus, the Governor of the Roman province of Syria, during his attempt to crush of the Jewish revolt (66AD). He was later defeated in Beit Horon so he was eventually punished for his cruel acts in Israel. According to Josephus, Kavul was regarded as a beautiful city, and named "the city of men".
The city was later restored and was an important Jewish village in the Roman period (2nd-4th C AD). The Schenia Cohenic family, a distinguished family that used to serve the Temple (as referenced in Chronicles I 24:11 "... the tenth to Shecaniah"), settled here - an indication of its importance.
The city was destroyed, as most of the villages in the Glilee, at the Persian/Arab conquest (6/7C AD).
In the Middle Ages, Kabul was a small agriculture village. Later, in the 16Th C , there were several Jewish families in the village.
An Arab village, et-Damun, was located in the site until 1948 when it was destroyed. It is in ruins since then.
Today, a large Arabic village, Kabul, is located 2KM to the east.
Photos:
(a) General View:
The site is on a low hill, about 10M above the plains. Most of the site is covered by low trees and brushes. Much of the site has been burnt in the recent weeks (prior to 9.2006) and the south side of the site is now chopped away by the extension of the road to Kabul. The recommended place to visit is on the east side, near the old cemetery.
Click on the photo to view it in higher resolution...
(b) Cemetery:
On the east side of the ruins there is a large cemetery of several dozen graves. In the photo below - a view of the graves, and the hills above the valley of Khilazon.
(c) Ancient Game:
The photo below shows an ancient game that was carved into the rock. It consists of 8 x 8 round holes, similar to Chinese checkers. The players used stones in different colors to play in this game.
This rock is located at the eastern side of Kavul, north of the cemetery. On the same rock there are 2 such games.
(d) Well:
In the west side of the site there is a deep well, which was one of the sources of the water for the city. The water was raised by a bucket to a small pool, then flowed into a water trough.
Biblical References:
(a) Joshua (19, 24-27)
This text tells about the boundaries of the Asher tribe, which included the city of Cabul.
"And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.
And their border was ... And it turned toward the sunrising to Beth-dagon, and reached to Zebulun and to the valley of Iphtahel northward at Beth-emek and Neiel; and it went out to Cabul on the left hand",
(b) Kings I (9: 11-13)
This text tells about the Solomon-Hiram agreement, where the area of west Galilee (land of Kavul/Cabul) was traded with the Phoenicians. The implied reason was that King Solomon had to pay for his debts (to pay the cost of the timber, labor and other goods), and he paid with prime real estate (although Hiram was not pleased as per the Biblical text). Actually, this old treaty lasted for 3000 years until Israel was founded, since the area of west Galilee always remained under the Phoenician control.
11 now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar-trees and cypress-trees, and with gold, according to all his desire--that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.
12 And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him: and they pleased him not.
13 And he said: 'What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother?' And they were called the land of Cabul, unto this day.
Historical References:
(a) Josephus Flavius (Wars Book 2: 18:9)
This text tells about the beginning of the conquest of the Romans during the Jewish revolt:
"...so Cestius took part of his forces, and marched hastily to Zabulon, a strong city of Galilee, which was called the City of Men, and divides the country of Ptolemais from our nation; this he found deserted by its men, the multitude having fled to the mountains, but full of all sorts of good things; those he gave leave to the soldiers to plunder, and set fire to the city, although it was of admirable beauty, and had its houses built like those in Tyre, and Sidon, and Berytus. "
(b) Josephus Flavius (Wars Book 3: 3:1)
In this text is a location of the site (Zabulon):
"Now Phoenicia and Syria encompass about the Galilees, which are two, and called the Upper Galilee and the Lower. They are bounded toward the sun-setting, with the borders of the territory belonging to Ptolemais, and by Carmel; ... As for that Galilee which is called the Lower, it, extends in length from Tiberias to Zabulon, and of the maritime places Ptolemais is its neighbor".
Etymology (behind the name):
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Identification:
The modern village of Kabul preserved the ancient name of Kevul, and therefore there is a high probability that this is indeed the biblical site.
There are other possible candidates at the nearby sites which have a Iron age level:
- Khirbet Rosh Zait - 2KM north-east to modern Kabul; 1KM south-west to Shaab
- Khibet Ya-anin (Ne'iel)- 3 KM north to Kabul; 1KM west to Shaab
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