Tunnels used by Jewish rebels against Roman Empire opened to the public for first time

Visitors can now descend into the tunnels and explore some 200 metres of underground pathways, treading in the footsteps of the Jewish people who used them as escape routes and hiding places during the time of the Roman Empire.

Ruins at the site illustrate a diverse history. The Romans ultimately defeated the Jewish people in the region and built a pagan settlement with new buildings and burial sites.

The flooring of the Byzantine church which was destroyed during the Islamic period (Image: Israeli Antiquities Authority)[Missing Credit]

Then, during the Byzantine period, a church adorned with brightly coloured mosaics was constructed, the flooring of which can still be seen today.

The area then became Muslim during the rise of the Islamic Empire and Muslim inhabitants destroyed the mosaics due to religious laws against pagan imagery.

The settlement subsequently became Christian during the Crusades and was ultimately destroyed during the Ottoman Empire, before being discovered in modern Israel.

Amir Ganor, one of the IAA researchers who led the excavations (Image: Israeli Antiquities Authority)[Missing Credit]

Ganor said: “Now, following conservation work, it can be enjoyed by the public.”

And commenting on the fact the conservation work stopped the looting, he added: “Once we started to dig here, the looting stopped.

“This is what we need to do at all archaeology sites that suffer from looting.”