Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:00,935 --> 00:00:02,735
¶
2
00:00:02,737 --> 00:00:09,541
Narrator:
ANCIENT JERICHO -- THE SITE OF A LEGENDARY BIBLICAL BATTLE.
3
00:00:09,543 --> 00:00:10,943
A SEVEN-DAY SIEGE
4
00:00:10,945 --> 00:00:15,180
THAT BRINGS THE CITY'S
MIGHTY WALLS CRASHING DOWN.
5
00:00:15,182 --> 00:00:18,183
BUT IS THERE ANY TRUTH
TO THIS TALE?
6
00:00:18,185 --> 00:00:21,153
UNDISTURBED
FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS,
7
00:00:21,155 --> 00:00:25,224
INVESTIGATORS NOW
UNEARTH JERICHO'S SECRETS...
8
00:00:25,226 --> 00:00:28,761
I MEAN, THIS PRECEDED THE
PYRAMIDS, PRECEDED STONEHENGE.
9
00:00:28,763 --> 00:00:30,496
IT'S EXTRAORDINARY.
10
00:00:30,498 --> 00:00:32,631
Narrator:
...TO DISCOVER NOT ONE,
11
00:00:32,633 --> 00:00:38,637
BUT MANY ANCIENT CITY WALLS
DESTROYED AGAIN AND AGAIN.
12
00:00:38,639 --> 00:00:40,973
WE CAN SEE THOUSANDS
AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS,
13
00:00:40,975 --> 00:00:44,410
EVEN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS
INTO THE PAST.
14
00:00:44,412 --> 00:00:47,713
Narrator: TODAY, TEAMS VENTURE
INTO UNDERGROUND CAVES
15
00:00:47,715 --> 00:00:51,183
AND USE PIONEERING MICRO-C.T.
TECHNOLOGY
16
00:00:51,185 --> 00:00:54,586
TO UNEARTH THE SECRETS
OF JERICHO'S LOST INHABITANTS
17
00:00:54,588 --> 00:00:56,755
FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME,
18
00:00:56,757 --> 00:01:00,759
AND HUNT FOR EVIDENCE OF
VIOLENT INVASIONS.
19
00:01:00,761 --> 00:01:04,263
PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE THE CHANCE
TO RETRIEVE THEIR BELONGINGS.
20
00:01:04,265 --> 00:01:05,664
Narrator: HOW DOES JERICHO RISE
21
00:01:05,666 --> 00:01:09,501
TO BECOME THE WORLD'S
FIRST FORTIFIED CITY?
22
00:01:09,503 --> 00:01:14,907
AND WHO IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR ITS APOCALYPTIC DOWNFALL?
23
00:01:14,909 --> 00:01:16,675
TO UNCOVER THE TRUTH,
24
00:01:16,677 --> 00:01:21,380
WE'LL UNEARTH THIS ANCIENT CITY
LAYER BY LAYER.
25
00:01:21,382 --> 00:01:26,018
WE'LL DIGITALLY RECONSTRUCT
ITS MIGHTY WALLS,
26
00:01:26,020 --> 00:01:30,289
VENTURE DEEP INSIDE
ITS MONUMENTAL TOWER,
27
00:01:30,291 --> 00:01:34,660
AND FORENSICALLY EXAMINE
LONG-BURIED SKELETONS
28
00:01:34,662 --> 00:01:38,497
TO FINALLY DECODE
THE LEGENDARY BIBLE STORY.
29
00:01:38,499 --> 00:01:41,500
-- Captions by VITAC --
www.vitac.com
30
00:01:41,502 --> 00:01:44,903
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
31
00:01:44,905 --> 00:01:48,574
JERICHO --
AN ANCIENT CITY IN PALESTINE
32
00:01:48,576 --> 00:01:50,809
ON THE WEST BANK
OF THE RIVER JORDAN.
33
00:01:52,813 --> 00:01:57,282
THIS CITY FINDS FAME
IN THE BOOK OF JOSHUA.
34
00:01:57,284 --> 00:02:00,152
JERICHO IS THE FIRST CITY
CONQUERED BY ISRAELITES
35
00:02:00,154 --> 00:02:03,021
RETURNING FROM EXODUS IN EGYPT,
36
00:02:03,023 --> 00:02:05,390
THE SETTING FOR ONE OF THE MOST
EPIC BATTLES
37
00:02:05,392 --> 00:02:07,559
IN BIBLICAL HISTORY.
38
00:02:11,432 --> 00:02:14,633
ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE,
OVER 3,000 YEARS AGO,
39
00:02:14,635 --> 00:02:18,337
JERICHO IS A POWERFUL CITY.
40
00:02:18,339 --> 00:02:20,038
INNER AND OUTER WALLS
41
00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:22,541
STRENGTHENED
WITH RECTANGULAR TOWERS
42
00:02:22,543 --> 00:02:26,111
OFFER A DOUBLE LAYER OF
PROTECTION FROM OUTSIDE DANGER.
43
00:02:28,182 --> 00:02:30,182
ISRAELITES LAY SIEGE
TO THE CITY
44
00:02:30,184 --> 00:02:33,018
FOR SIX DAYS AND NIGHTS.
45
00:02:33,020 --> 00:02:34,553
ON THE SEVENTH DAY,
46
00:02:34,555 --> 00:02:37,389
THE PRIESTS TRIUMPHANTLY
BLOW RAMS' HORNS...
47
00:02:37,391 --> 00:02:38,724
[ HORNS BLOWING ]
48
00:02:38,726 --> 00:02:41,260
...AND THE WALLS
COME TUMBLING DOWN.
49
00:02:43,464 --> 00:02:45,797
JERICHO IS CONQUERED.
50
00:02:45,799 --> 00:02:49,735
IT'S ONE OF THE BIBLE'S
MOST FAMOUS STORIES.
51
00:02:49,737 --> 00:02:51,770
BUT HOW MUCH OF IT IS TRUE?
52
00:02:51,772 --> 00:02:58,677
¶
53
00:02:58,679 --> 00:03:01,980
ARCHEOLOGIST MAHMOUD HAWARI
HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING
54
00:03:01,982 --> 00:03:05,817
ANCIENT JERICHO
FOR OVER 15 YEARS.
55
00:03:05,819 --> 00:03:11,323
TODAY, HE HUNTS FOR EVIDENCE OF
JERICHO'S LEGENDARY GREAT WALL.
56
00:03:11,325 --> 00:03:14,927
Hawari:
DESPITE THE LEGEND AND THE STORY MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE,
57
00:03:14,929 --> 00:03:17,663
JERICHO IS A REAL PLACE.
58
00:03:19,300 --> 00:03:22,901
Narrator:
AS SOON AS ARCHEOLOGISTS BEGIN THE SEARCH FOR THE GREAT WALL,
59
00:03:22,903 --> 00:03:25,537
THEY MAKE A SURPRISING
DISCOVERY.
60
00:03:25,539 --> 00:03:29,408
THIS SITE IS A GOLD MINE
OF EVIDENCE REVEALING NOT ONE,
61
00:03:29,410 --> 00:03:32,277
BUT MANY ANCIENT WALLS
62
00:03:32,279 --> 00:03:36,548
THAT DATE BACK
OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
63
00:03:36,550 --> 00:03:38,617
Hawari:
JERICHO, OR THE TELL ES-SULTAN,
64
00:03:38,619 --> 00:03:41,086
THE ANCIENT SITE OF JERICHO,
65
00:03:41,088 --> 00:03:43,222
THE "TELL" IS AN ARABIC WORD
FOR A MOUND
66
00:03:43,224 --> 00:03:48,560
WHERE ACCUMULATION OF LAYERS
UPON LAYERS OF CIVILIZATIONS
67
00:03:48,562 --> 00:03:50,495
ARE IN THE SAME PLACE.
68
00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:55,934
Narrator: BENEATH THE TOP LAYERS
OF RUBBLE AND DEBRIS,
69
00:03:55,936 --> 00:03:59,805
ARCHEOLOGISTS UNEARTH EVIDENCE
OF AN ANCIENT FORTIFIED CITY
70
00:03:59,807 --> 00:04:03,742
SURROUNDED BY MUD-BRICK WALLS
AND RECTANGULAR TOWERS.
71
00:04:05,913 --> 00:04:08,814
DEEPER DOWN,
72
00:04:08,816 --> 00:04:12,184
AN OLDER WALL ENCIRCLES
70 MUD-BRICK HOUSES
73
00:04:12,186 --> 00:04:15,487
BUILT ON STONE FOUNDATIONS.
74
00:04:15,489 --> 00:04:19,992
EXCAVATION TO THE DEEPEST LEVEL
REVEALS AN EVEN OLDER CITY
75
00:04:19,994 --> 00:04:24,096
WITH WALLS 12 FEET HIGH
AND 5 FEET WIDE,
76
00:04:24,098 --> 00:04:28,700
AND A HUGE CYLINDRICAL TOWER
THAT RISES 28 FEET INTO THE AIR.
77
00:04:30,471 --> 00:04:33,805
BUT DO ANY OF THESE WALLS
DATE TO BIBLICAL TIMES?
78
00:04:33,807 --> 00:04:37,909
¶
79
00:04:37,911 --> 00:04:40,245
MAHMOUD EXAMINES
A CROSS SECTION OF A WALL
80
00:04:40,247 --> 00:04:43,849
IN THE DEEPEST EXCAVATION PIT.
81
00:04:43,851 --> 00:04:46,952
IT'S BUILT FROM SIMPLE STONES
WITH MORTAR AND EARTH
82
00:04:46,954 --> 00:04:49,988
BETWEEN THEM.
83
00:04:49,990 --> 00:04:53,625
THE STYLE OF CONSTRUCTION ALLOWS
MAHMOUD TO DATE THE WALLS.
84
00:04:55,129 --> 00:04:59,097
Hawari: THIS GOES BACK TO AROUND
9000 B.C.E.
85
00:04:59,099 --> 00:05:00,899
IT'S QUITE IMPRESSIVE THAT
86
00:05:00,901 --> 00:05:03,935
NOW WE'RE LOOKING
AT SUCH AN OLD WALL
87
00:05:03,937 --> 00:05:06,371
DATING ALMOST 11,000 YEARS OLD.
88
00:05:06,373 --> 00:05:09,741
IT'S EXTRAORDINARY.
89
00:05:09,743 --> 00:05:12,911
Narrator: IF THESE WALLS
DATE TO 11,000 YEARS AGO,
90
00:05:12,913 --> 00:05:16,581
THEY ARE FAR OLDER
THAN THE BIBLE STORY.
91
00:05:16,583 --> 00:05:20,218
Hawari: BETWEEN THIS WALL
AND THE BIBLICAL STORY
92
00:05:20,220 --> 00:05:23,422
OF THE STORMING OF THE CITY
BY THE ISRAELITES,
93
00:05:23,424 --> 00:05:27,459
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
7,000 YEARS DIFFERENCE.
94
00:05:27,461 --> 00:05:30,929
AND THAT TELLS YOU THAT JERICHO
EXISTED A LONG, LONG TIME AGO
95
00:05:30,931 --> 00:05:34,733
BEFORE THE BIBLICAL STORY
HAPPENED.
96
00:05:34,735 --> 00:05:37,436
Narrator: CARBON DATING ORGANIC
MATERIAL FROM THESE WALLS
97
00:05:37,438 --> 00:05:41,707
PLACES THEIR CONSTRUCTION
IN THE NINTH MILLENNIUM B.C.
98
00:05:41,709 --> 00:05:43,842
AND MAKES IT
THE OLDEST CITY WALL
99
00:05:43,844 --> 00:05:46,345
DISCOVERED
ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
100
00:05:48,349 --> 00:05:49,881
Hawari:
WHEN THIS WALL WAS BUILT,
101
00:05:49,883 --> 00:05:52,951
HUMANS WERE STILL ROAMING
AROUND THE EARTH,
102
00:05:52,953 --> 00:05:55,821
COLLECTING AND GATHERING
THEIR FOOD,
103
00:05:55,823 --> 00:05:58,957
AND THEY WERE LIVING
IN OPEN SPACES OR IN CAVES.
104
00:05:58,959 --> 00:06:03,395
AND SO THAT'S WHY JERICHO IS
SO SPECIAL AND SO SIGNIFICANT.
105
00:06:03,397 --> 00:06:06,031
Narrator: ARE THESE WALLS
EVIDENCE OF HUNTER GATHERERS
106
00:06:06,033 --> 00:06:08,300
ASSEMBLING TO BUILD
HUGE STRUCTURES
107
00:06:08,302 --> 00:06:11,403
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY?
108
00:06:11,405 --> 00:06:14,806
PALESTINIAN ARCHEOLOGIST
ISSA SARIE
109
00:06:14,808 --> 00:06:20,078
HAS BEEN EXCAVATING
ANCIENT JERICHO FOR MANY YEARS.
110
00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:23,648
HIS FINDINGS SHINE A LIGHT
ON THE FIRST GREAT WALL
111
00:06:23,650 --> 00:06:26,084
AND THE PEOPLE WHO BUILD IT.
112
00:06:39,433 --> 00:06:41,900
FOR ISSA,
JERICHO IS AT THE HEART
113
00:06:41,902 --> 00:06:44,870
OF THE NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION,
114
00:06:44,872 --> 00:06:47,139
A TRANSITION FROM
HUNTING AND GATHERING
115
00:06:47,141 --> 00:06:49,775
TO FARMING AND SETTLEMENT.
116
00:07:01,789 --> 00:07:04,222
WHY IS JERICHO THE CHOSEN SITE
117
00:07:04,224 --> 00:07:08,293
FOR THIS LEAP
IN HUMAN CIVILIZATION?
118
00:07:08,295 --> 00:07:11,430
THE LANDSCAPE OFFERS THE PERFECT
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
119
00:07:11,432 --> 00:07:13,331
FOR THESE EARLY SETTLERS.
120
00:07:15,769 --> 00:07:19,104
THE AREA IS BLESSED
WITH A NATURAL SPRING.
121
00:07:19,106 --> 00:07:22,574
THE BIBLE SAYS THE PROPHET
ELISHA PURIFIES THE WATER.
122
00:07:22,576 --> 00:07:24,910
¶
123
00:07:38,058 --> 00:07:41,560
¶
124
00:07:41,562 --> 00:07:44,729
JERICHO'S SPRING PROVIDES
A RELIABLE AND PREDICTABLE
125
00:07:44,731 --> 00:07:47,132
SUPPLY OF SAFE, FRESH WATER
126
00:07:47,134 --> 00:07:49,634
AND ATTRACTS HUNTER GATHERERS
TO SETTLE HERE
127
00:07:49,636 --> 00:07:53,004
11,000 YEARS AGO.
128
00:07:53,006 --> 00:07:56,007
SMALL COMMUNITIES
GATHER AROUND THE SPRING
129
00:07:56,009 --> 00:08:00,612
AND USE THE WATER TO GROW CEREAL
AND GRAINS AND RAISE LIVESTOCK.
130
00:08:00,614 --> 00:08:05,250
THIS IS SOME OF THE FIRST
FARMING ON THE PLANET.
131
00:08:05,252 --> 00:08:08,653
THE PEOPLE START TO BUILD
PERMANENT STRUCTURES HERE,
132
00:08:08,655 --> 00:08:11,790
INCLUDING SIMPLE HOMES MADE
FROM MUD-BRICK,
133
00:08:11,792 --> 00:08:14,960
AND MIGHTY WALLS.
134
00:08:14,962 --> 00:08:16,528
EVENTUALLY, JERICHO GROWS
135
00:08:16,530 --> 00:08:19,130
INTO A FULL-FLEDGED
PERMANENT SETTLEMENT
136
00:08:19,132 --> 00:08:21,433
OF MORE THAN 2,000 PEOPLE
137
00:08:21,435 --> 00:08:24,236
TO BECOME THE WORLD'S
FIRST CITY.
138
00:08:24,238 --> 00:08:30,475
¶
139
00:08:30,477 --> 00:08:33,645
Hawari: THIS IS THE DAWN
OF HUMAN CIVILIZATION,
140
00:08:33,647 --> 00:08:35,280
WHERE THINGS REALLY HAPPENED
141
00:08:35,282 --> 00:08:39,751
AND GAVE WAY
TO WHAT WILL BECOME OUR WORLD
142
00:08:39,753 --> 00:08:41,987
MANY THOUSANDS OF YEARS LATER.
143
00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:49,694
Narrator:
THE WALLS AT JERICHO ARE BUILT BY THE WORLD'S FIRST SETTLERS
144
00:08:49,696 --> 00:08:53,198
IN A VAST OASIS
7,000 YEARS BEFORE
145
00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,234
THE BIBLE'S STORY
OF ITS DESTRUCTION.
146
00:08:56,236 --> 00:08:59,471
BUT WHAT IS THE PURPOSE
OF THIS FIRST GREAT WALL?
147
00:08:59,473 --> 00:09:04,075
THE DISCOVERY OF A MYSTERIOUS
TOWER COULD PROVIDE CLUES.
148
00:09:04,077 --> 00:09:06,745
ARE THESE MONUMENTAL STRUCTURES
BUILT TO DEFEND
149
00:09:06,747 --> 00:09:10,882
AGAINST A VIOLENT INVASION,
AS THE BIBLE DESCRIBES?
150
00:09:10,884 --> 00:09:13,084
¶
151
00:09:19,927 --> 00:09:22,093
¶
152
00:09:22,095 --> 00:09:26,431
Narrator: JERICHO --
THE OLDEST CITY IN THE WORLD.
153
00:09:26,433 --> 00:09:29,234
ITS PAST IS INTERTWINED
WITH BIBLICAL STORIES
154
00:09:29,236 --> 00:09:32,637
OF DRAMATIC CONQUEST
AND TUMBLING WALLS.
155
00:09:34,975 --> 00:09:37,208
NOW THE DISCOVERY
OF A CITY WALL
156
00:09:37,210 --> 00:09:41,546
ALMOST 11,000 YEARS OLD TRACES
THE LEGEND BACK MUCH FURTHER
157
00:09:41,548 --> 00:09:43,882
THAN PREVIOUSLY IMAGINED.
158
00:09:43,884 --> 00:09:45,917
Hawari: WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT
THE PYRAMIDS
159
00:09:45,919 --> 00:09:49,187
THAT WERE BUILT AROUND
2500 B.C.E.,
160
00:09:49,189 --> 00:09:53,892
I MEAN, THIS HAS PRECEDED THE
PYRAMIDS, PRECEDED STONEHENGE.
161
00:09:53,894 --> 00:09:58,229
Narrator:
BUILT MORE THAN 5,000 YEARS BEFORE THESE ANCIENT WONDERS,
162
00:09:58,231 --> 00:10:01,066
THE WALLS OF JERICHO ARE AMONG
THE OLDEST STRUCTURES
163
00:10:01,068 --> 00:10:03,201
IN THE WORLD.
164
00:10:03,203 --> 00:10:07,272
I WOULD IMAGINE WHEN PEOPLE
ARE TRAVELING FROM AFAR,
165
00:10:07,274 --> 00:10:11,209
COMING TO JERICHO
AND SEEING THIS MASSIVE WALL
166
00:10:11,211 --> 00:10:12,711
FOR THE FIRST TIME,
167
00:10:12,713 --> 00:10:15,380
THEY'D NEVER SEEN
SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.
168
00:10:17,884 --> 00:10:20,518
Narrator: WHY DO THE WORLD'S
FIRST HUMAN SETTLERS
169
00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:23,722
BUILD THIS MONUMENTAL WALL
HERE IN JERICHO?
170
00:10:23,724 --> 00:10:27,726
AN UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY
MAY PROVIDE CLUES TO THE ANSWER
171
00:10:31,264 --> 00:10:34,733
ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE CITY,
172
00:10:34,735 --> 00:10:37,268
A MONUMENTAL TOWER
RISES 28 FEET
173
00:10:37,270 --> 00:10:40,939
ABOVE THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE.
174
00:10:40,941 --> 00:10:45,577
MEASURING 33 FEET ACROSS,
IT'S MADE FROM HUNDREDS
175
00:10:45,579 --> 00:10:48,580
OF HANDCRAFTED
AND SUN-DRIED BRICKS.
176
00:10:50,817 --> 00:10:53,885
INSIDE, A STEEP STAIRCASE
LEADS TO AN OPENING
177
00:10:53,887 --> 00:10:55,854
IN THE TOWER'S ROOF.
178
00:10:59,192 --> 00:11:04,129
OUTSIDE, A FINE WHITE LIMESTONE
PLASTER COVERS THE SURFACE,
179
00:11:04,131 --> 00:11:08,900
MAKING IT A DAZZLING BEACON
ON THE LANDSCAPE.
180
00:11:08,902 --> 00:11:11,770
WHEN THEY'RE BUILT,
JERICHO'S MONUMENTAL WALL
181
00:11:11,772 --> 00:11:16,207
AND TOWER RISE TALLER THAN ANY
OTHER STRUCTURE ON THE PLANET.
182
00:11:18,311 --> 00:11:21,379
WHY DO JERICHO'S PEOPLE
GO TO SUCH EXTREME EFFORTS
183
00:11:21,381 --> 00:11:24,416
TO BUILD THESE
COLOSSAL STRUCTURES?
184
00:11:32,592 --> 00:11:35,060
FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGIST HILA MAY
185
00:11:35,062 --> 00:11:37,595
INVESTIGATES THE ROLE
THIS TOWER PLAYS
186
00:11:37,597 --> 00:11:41,733
IN THE EVERYDAY LIVES
OF THE INHABITANTS OF JERICHO.
187
00:11:41,735 --> 00:11:43,968
HILA SUSPECTS
THE PURPOSE OF THE TOWER
188
00:11:43,970 --> 00:11:47,839
IS TO PROVIDE THE CITY DWELLERS
WITH A CLEAR LINE OF SIGHT --
189
00:11:47,841 --> 00:11:50,942
AN EARLY WARNING SYSTEM
OR WATCHTOWER TO GUARD
190
00:11:50,944 --> 00:11:52,844
AGAINST ENEMY ATTACK.
191
00:12:04,157 --> 00:12:07,192
HILA BELIEVES THAT THESE
SETTLERS FEEL THREATENED ENOUGH
192
00:12:07,194 --> 00:12:10,361
TO CONSTRUCT
THIS HUGE WATCHTOWER.
193
00:12:10,363 --> 00:12:12,697
BUT SHE NEEDS PROOF
THAT THE THREAT OF ATTACK
194
00:12:12,699 --> 00:12:15,233
IS A VERY REAL ONE.
195
00:12:22,743 --> 00:12:24,776
HILA LOOKS FOR CLUES IN BODIES
196
00:12:24,778 --> 00:12:28,446
FOUND NEAR
JERICHO'S CRUMBLING WALLS.
197
00:12:28,448 --> 00:12:32,117
INVESTIGATORS UNEARTH THESE
25 SKELETONS IN A REGION
198
00:12:32,119 --> 00:12:34,452
CALLED THE JEZREEL VALLEY.
199
00:12:34,454 --> 00:12:38,123
THEY DATE BACK TO 7000 B.C.
200
00:13:05,185 --> 00:13:08,486
HILA USES PIONEERING
MICRO-C.T. TECHNOLOGY
201
00:13:08,488 --> 00:13:11,055
TO RECONSTRUCT THE VERTEBRA
202
00:13:11,057 --> 00:13:15,460
AND DIGITALLY ENTER
THE VERY BONE ITSELF.
203
00:13:15,462 --> 00:13:17,495
WITHIN THE NECK
OF THIS ANCIENT MALE,
204
00:13:17,497 --> 00:13:21,432
SHE DISCOVERS SOMETHING
EXTRAORDINARY.
205
00:13:43,890 --> 00:13:46,024
¶
206
00:13:46,026 --> 00:13:49,627
HILA FINDS EVIDENCE OF SOME
OF THE WORLD'S EARLIEST WEAPONS
207
00:13:49,629 --> 00:13:53,631
AND THE FIRST EVER FOUND
IN THE REGION.
208
00:14:06,580 --> 00:14:10,448
THIS NEOLITHIC ARROWHEAD FOUND
NEAR JERICHO
209
00:14:10,450 --> 00:14:14,519
IS AMONG THE OLDEST EVIDENCE
OF WARFARE DISCOVERED.
210
00:14:14,521 --> 00:14:18,323
THE ANCIENT CITY OF JERICHO
IS RIGHT TO BE ON ITS GUARD.
211
00:14:21,962 --> 00:14:25,697
PEOPLE AT THAT TIME,
IN THE NEOLITHIC IN JERICHO,
212
00:14:25,699 --> 00:14:27,565
I THINK THEY'RE
VERY PRACTICAL PEOPLE,
213
00:14:27,567 --> 00:14:29,968
AND I THINK THEY WANTED
TO DEFEND THEMSELVES
214
00:14:29,970 --> 00:14:33,037
AND THEIR OWN SETTLEMENT.
215
00:14:33,039 --> 00:14:37,141
Narrator:
THE TOWER IS A MONUMENTAL SYMBOL OF STRENGTH TO OUTSIDERS
216
00:14:37,143 --> 00:14:41,279
THAT STILL STANDS TO THIS DAY.
217
00:14:41,281 --> 00:14:42,680
WOW.
218
00:14:42,682 --> 00:14:46,284
I'M ACTUALLY SPEECHLESS
TO LOOK INTO THIS STAIRCASE.
219
00:14:48,121 --> 00:14:50,255
Narrator:
BUT IT'S NOT A CLOSED CASE.
220
00:14:50,257 --> 00:14:53,458
SOME EXPERTS BELIEVE
THE TOWER IS NOT DEFENSIVE,
221
00:14:53,460 --> 00:14:57,962
BUT IS CENTRAL
TO AN ANCIENT RITUAL.
222
00:14:57,964 --> 00:15:00,465
ON THE EVENING
OF THE SUMMER SOLSTICE,
223
00:15:00,467 --> 00:15:02,600
THE SETTING SUN ALIGNS
WITH NEARBY
224
00:15:02,602 --> 00:15:04,502
MOUNT KRNTL
AND THE TOWER,
225
00:15:04,504 --> 00:15:07,272
CASTING A MASSIVE SHADOW
OVER THE SITE.
226
00:15:10,010 --> 00:15:12,911
INSIDE THE TOWER,
A COMMUNITY LEADER
227
00:15:12,913 --> 00:15:17,015
CEREMONIALLY CLIMBS
THE 22 STEPS,
228
00:15:17,017 --> 00:15:19,017
ASCENDING TOWARDS THE LIGHT.
229
00:15:21,121 --> 00:15:23,521
WHEN HE REACHES
THE ROOF OF THE TOWER,
230
00:15:23,523 --> 00:15:27,959
A CEREMONY TAKES PLACE TO HONOR
THE DYING RAYS OF THE SUN.
231
00:15:29,963 --> 00:15:32,931
AT THE BASE OF THE TOWER,
THE PEOPLE OF JERICHO GATHERED
232
00:15:32,933 --> 00:15:34,999
TO WITNESS THE DRAMATIC EVENT
233
00:15:35,001 --> 00:15:39,003
THAT SIGNALS THE START OF
SHORTER DAYS AND LONGER NIGHTS.
234
00:15:39,005 --> 00:15:43,474
¶
235
00:15:43,476 --> 00:15:47,612
THE TOWER COULD BE THE FOCUS
OF A SUN-WORSHIPING CULT.
236
00:15:47,614 --> 00:15:50,415
THERE IS A CONTROVERSY
OVER THE NATURE
237
00:15:50,417 --> 00:15:53,751
OF THE FUNCTION OF THIS TOWER.
238
00:15:53,753 --> 00:15:55,520
Narrator:
WHATEVER ITS ANCIENT PURPOSE,
239
00:15:55,522 --> 00:15:59,090
TODAY, THE INSIDE
OF THIS TOWER IS OFF LIMITS.
240
00:15:59,092 --> 00:16:00,692
YEARS AFTER ITS DISCOVERY,
241
00:16:00,694 --> 00:16:04,228
THE TOWER STILL REMAINS
A TANTALIZING MYSTERY.
242
00:16:04,230 --> 00:16:06,297
OFTEN, ARCHEOLOGY,
UNFORTUNATELY,
243
00:16:06,299 --> 00:16:10,001
DOESN'T GIVE ALL
THE COMPREHENSIVE ANSWERS
244
00:16:10,003 --> 00:16:14,872
Narrator:
AND IMPOSING DEFENSIVE MONOLITH OR A TEMPLE FOR WORSHIP.
245
00:16:14,874 --> 00:16:18,743
EVEN A PROTOTYPE
FOR ZIGGURATS AND PYRAMIDS.
246
00:16:18,745 --> 00:16:22,380
THE OLDEST AND TALLEST STRUCTURE
OF ITS TIME,
247
00:16:22,382 --> 00:16:26,351
THE TOWER OF JERICHO,
IS HUMANKIND'S FIRST SKYSCRAPER.
248
00:16:29,189 --> 00:16:30,621
THE BIBLE TELLS THE STORY
249
00:16:30,623 --> 00:16:34,225
OF A VIOLENT SIEGE
AT ANCIENT JERICHO.
250
00:16:34,227 --> 00:16:38,096
WHEN INVESTIGATORS UNEARTH
ANCIENT HOUSES WITHIN THE WALLS,
251
00:16:38,098 --> 00:16:42,166
THEY FIND TROUBLESOME CLUES
HIDDEN BENEATH THE FLOORS.
252
00:16:42,168 --> 00:16:45,636
ARE THESE DECAPITATED
SKELETONS CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE
253
00:16:45,638 --> 00:16:48,206
THAT THIS BIBLICAL TALE IS TRUE?
254
00:16:48,208 --> 00:16:50,908
¶
255
00:16:57,784 --> 00:16:59,951
¶
256
00:16:59,953 --> 00:17:03,921
Narrator: ANCIENT JERICHO,
THE WORLD'S OLDEST CITY
257
00:17:03,923 --> 00:17:08,726
AND THE SITE
OF A LEGENDARY BIBLICAL BATTLE.
258
00:17:08,728 --> 00:17:13,031
IT LIES IN THE SHADOW
OF A MONUMENTAL WALL AND TOWER.
259
00:17:13,033 --> 00:17:16,134
IT'S FORTIFICATIONS OFFER SAFETY
AND ENABLE THE CITY
260
00:17:16,136 --> 00:17:20,071
TO GROW TO OVER 2,000 PEOPLE.
261
00:17:20,073 --> 00:17:22,006
BUT INVESTIGATORS
UNCOVER EVIDENCE
262
00:17:22,008 --> 00:17:24,909
THAT SUGGESTS
THESE WALLS ARE BREACHED.
263
00:17:27,514 --> 00:17:31,082
BENEATH THE MUD-BRICK HOUSES,
264
00:17:31,084 --> 00:17:35,253
ARCHEOLOGISTS MAKE A GRUESOME
DISCOVERY.
265
00:17:35,255 --> 00:17:37,688
BURIED UNDER
THE FLOORS OF HOMES,
266
00:17:37,690 --> 00:17:40,792
THEY UNEARTH DECAPITATED
HUMAN SKELETONS.
267
00:17:42,529 --> 00:17:47,665
NEARBY, THEY FIND SOMETHING
EVEN STRANGER --
268
00:17:47,667 --> 00:17:52,703
SEVEN SKULLS WITH FACES
MADE OF PLASTER,
269
00:17:52,705 --> 00:17:57,475
THEIR EYES INLAID WITH
THE SHELLS OF SEA CREATURES.
270
00:17:57,477 --> 00:18:03,347
SOME HAVE EVEN BEEN PAINTED
TO IMITATE HAIR AND MUSTACHES.
271
00:18:03,349 --> 00:18:05,716
ARE THESE BIZARRE
SKULLS EVIDENCE
272
00:18:05,718 --> 00:18:08,019
OF A BIBLICAL SLAUGHTER?
273
00:18:08,021 --> 00:18:13,324
¶
274
00:18:13,326 --> 00:18:14,926
Hershkovitz:
THERE ARE A LOT OF EXPLANATION,
275
00:18:14,928 --> 00:18:19,330
A LOT THE HYPOTHESIS RAISED
IN THE LAST 20 OR 30 YEARS
276
00:18:19,332 --> 00:18:21,999
SINCE THE FIRST PLASTER SKULLS
WERE DISCOVERED.
277
00:18:23,937 --> 00:18:26,871
Narrator:
PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGIST ISRAEL HERSHKOVITZ
278
00:18:26,873 --> 00:18:30,341
FORENSICALLY ANALYZES
ANCIENT BONES.
279
00:18:30,343 --> 00:18:32,243
INTERESTING IS THE CHIN
WITH, LIKE,
280
00:18:32,245 --> 00:18:35,446
I MYSELF HAVE IT HERE --
THE DEPRESSION HERE,
281
00:18:35,448 --> 00:18:37,448
WHICH IS NICE.
THIS IS WHY I FALL IN LOVE
282
00:18:37,450 --> 00:18:39,617
WITH THIS SKULL.
283
00:18:39,619 --> 00:18:41,319
Narrator:
AT TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY,
284
00:18:41,321 --> 00:18:43,821
ISRAEL INVESTIGATES
PLASTERED SKULLS
285
00:18:43,823 --> 00:18:45,823
FOUND IN THE REGION OF JERICHO.
286
00:18:49,729 --> 00:18:52,430
SOME ARCHEOLOGISTS BELIEVE
THAT THESE SKULLS BELONG
287
00:18:52,432 --> 00:18:56,400
TO VICTIMS OF THE BRUTAL BATTLE
FOR JERICHO,
288
00:18:56,402 --> 00:18:58,970
BUT ISRAEL HAS ANOTHER THEORY.
289
00:18:58,972 --> 00:19:01,739
Hershkovitz: YOU DON'T BURY
YOUR ENEMY INSIDE YOUR HOUSE.
290
00:19:01,741 --> 00:19:03,608
THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT YOU DON'T NEED.
291
00:19:03,610 --> 00:19:05,376
YOU DON'T TAKE THE TROUBLE
292
00:19:05,378 --> 00:19:07,678
TO BURY YOUR ENEMY
INSIDE YOUR HOUSE.
293
00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:10,548
BUT WHAT I AM SURE ABOUT IT
IS THAT THE INDIVIDUALS
294
00:19:10,550 --> 00:19:12,517
THAT ARE BURIED
UNDER THE LIVING FLOOR
295
00:19:12,519 --> 00:19:16,120
WERE MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY
WHO OWNED THE HOUSE.
296
00:19:16,122 --> 00:19:18,422
Narrator: THIS PRACTICE
DATES BACK TO JERICHO'S
297
00:19:18,424 --> 00:19:20,892
FIRST NEOLITHIC SETTLERS.
298
00:19:20,894 --> 00:19:22,994
BUT WHY WOULD THE PEOPLE
OF ANCIENT JERICHO
299
00:19:22,996 --> 00:19:26,297
DECAPITATE
THEIR OWN FAMILY MEMBERS?
300
00:19:26,299 --> 00:19:29,233
THEY TOOK CARE OF THEIR DEAD
IN A VERY PECULIAR WAY
301
00:19:29,235 --> 00:19:30,902
THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO THEM.
302
00:19:30,904 --> 00:19:33,504
I MEAN, TO MAKE THIS
KIND OF A CONNECTION
303
00:19:33,506 --> 00:19:35,206
BETWEEN THE WORLD OF THE LIVING
304
00:19:35,208 --> 00:19:38,009
AND THE WORLD OF THE DEAD.
305
00:19:38,011 --> 00:19:39,443
Narrator: IN ANCIENT JERICHO,
306
00:19:39,445 --> 00:19:43,714
THESE DECAPITATED HEADS ARE
A POWERFUL SYMBOL OF ANCESTRY.
307
00:19:43,716 --> 00:19:45,850
THEIR CREATION
IS A TIME-CONSUMING
308
00:19:45,852 --> 00:19:47,652
AND DELICATE PROCEDURE.
309
00:19:49,656 --> 00:19:51,489
FIRST, MOURNERS DIG A GRAVE
310
00:19:51,491 --> 00:19:54,025
IN THE PLASTERED FLOOR
OF THEIR HOUSE...
311
00:19:56,062 --> 00:19:58,663
...AND THEN BURY THE BODY
INSIDE.
312
00:20:01,534 --> 00:20:06,504
AFTER A YEAR OR TWO,
WHEN THE FLESH HAS DECOMPOSED,
313
00:20:06,506 --> 00:20:09,106
THEY EXHUME THE SKULL
FROM THE GRAVE.
314
00:20:12,512 --> 00:20:16,681
THEY REMOVE THE TEETH
AND LOWER JAW
315
00:20:16,683 --> 00:20:20,251
AND THEN APPLY PLASTER
AND DECORATION TO THE SKULL.
316
00:20:23,623 --> 00:20:27,291
ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS,
THE FAMILY MAY GATHER TOGETHER
317
00:20:27,293 --> 00:20:30,361
WITH THE SKULL CENTER STAGE
IN A CEREMONY
318
00:20:30,363 --> 00:20:33,464
TO HONOR THEIR ANCESTORS.
319
00:20:33,466 --> 00:20:38,603
THE SKULLS FORM PART OF WHAT
ISRAEL CALLS AN ANCESTRAL CULT.
320
00:20:38,605 --> 00:20:42,306
YOU DECLARE OWNERSHIP
THROUGH YOUR ANCESTOR.
321
00:20:42,308 --> 00:20:44,742
"MY ANCESTORS WERE HERE.
THEY OWNED THE LAND.
322
00:20:44,744 --> 00:20:47,778
SO THIS LAND
BELONGS TO ME, AS WELL."
323
00:20:47,780 --> 00:20:50,581
THE AMERICAN EXAMPLE
IS MOUNT RUSHMORE,
324
00:20:50,583 --> 00:20:53,851
WHERE YOU HAVE THE FOUR
IMPORTANT AMERICAN PRESIDENTS.
325
00:20:53,853 --> 00:20:55,119
"THIS IS MY LAND.
326
00:20:55,121 --> 00:20:59,156
HERE ARE THE FOREFATHER
OF THE AMERICAN NATION."
327
00:20:59,158 --> 00:21:02,426
Narrator:
FOR ISRAEL, MOUNT RUSHMORE IS AMERICA'S VERSION
328
00:21:02,428 --> 00:21:07,164
OF THE PLASTERED SKULL,
STAKING A CLAIM ON THE LAND,
329
00:21:07,166 --> 00:21:10,234
A DECLARATION THAT GOES BACK
TO ANCIENT TIMES.
330
00:21:14,274 --> 00:21:17,074
THESE PLASTERED SKULLS
ARE THE EARLIEST EVIDENCE
331
00:21:17,076 --> 00:21:21,078
OF ANCESTOR WORSHIP
IN THE WORLD.
332
00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:23,547
AND THIS REVERENCE FOR THE DEAD
LEADS JERICHO
333
00:21:23,549 --> 00:21:28,452
TO BECOME A STRONG AND POWERFUL
UNIFIED CITY,
334
00:21:28,454 --> 00:21:32,323
AND FOR ISRAEL,
A SOURCE OF ENDLESS FASCINATION.
335
00:21:32,325 --> 00:21:35,426
ANTHROPOLOGISTS ARE ATTACHED
TO THE SKELETONS.
336
00:21:35,428 --> 00:21:38,362
THEY'RE ATTACHED
TO SOME CLOSE RELATIVES.
337
00:21:38,364 --> 00:21:42,867
AND YOU NEVER GET TIRED BECAUSE
THEY HIDE SO MANY SECRETS
338
00:21:42,869 --> 00:21:44,068
THAT THEY WANT TO TELL YOU.
339
00:21:44,070 --> 00:21:46,070
IT'S KIND OF A CHALLENGE,
LIKE SAYING,
340
00:21:46,072 --> 00:21:49,073
"LET'S SEE HOW SMART YOU ARE."
341
00:21:49,075 --> 00:21:51,776
Narrator: THE PLASTERED SKULLS
SHINE LIGHT ON LIFE
342
00:21:51,778 --> 00:21:55,846
INSIDE JERICHO'S
ANCIENT CITY WALLS.
343
00:21:55,848 --> 00:21:58,716
THIS CITY OF 2,000 PEOPLE
IS BOUND TOGETHER
344
00:21:58,718 --> 00:22:01,452
BY ANCESTRAL WORSHIP,
345
00:22:01,454 --> 00:22:04,955
PROTECTED BY ITS MIGHTY WALL
AND IMPOSING TOWER.
346
00:22:06,592 --> 00:22:09,827
BUT AS JERICHO GROWS
FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH,
347
00:22:09,829 --> 00:22:13,030
IT BECOMES A TARGET FOR ATTACK.
348
00:22:13,032 --> 00:22:17,668
CAN JERICHO'S POPULATION
FEND OFF THE LOOMING DANGERS?
349
00:22:17,670 --> 00:22:20,571
EVIDENCE AMONGST THE RUINS
MAY PROVIDE CLUES
350
00:22:20,573 --> 00:22:23,174
TO THE GREAT WALL'S FATE.
351
00:22:23,176 --> 00:22:26,811
DO THE WALLS REALLY TUMBLE
AS THE BIBLE DESCRIBES?
352
00:22:26,813 --> 00:22:29,747
¶
353
00:22:36,589 --> 00:22:38,889
¶
354
00:22:38,891 --> 00:22:43,060
Narrator:
THE ANCIENT CITY OF JERICHO,
355
00:22:43,062 --> 00:22:48,499
HOME TO KEY TURNING POINTS
IN THE HISTORY OF HUMANKIND --
356
00:22:48,501 --> 00:22:50,801
THE WORLD'S FIRST CITY WALL,
357
00:22:50,803 --> 00:22:54,705
THE ORIGINS OF CIVILIZATION,
AND AN ANCIENT SKYSCRAPER.
358
00:22:56,876 --> 00:23:00,144
THE BIBLICAL STORY OF JERICHO
TELLS OF A MIGHTY SIEGE
359
00:23:00,146 --> 00:23:02,980
TUMBLING THE GREAT WALLS
OF THIS CITY.
360
00:23:02,982 --> 00:23:06,717
BUT IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE
OF AN EVENT OF THIS SCALE HERE?
361
00:23:09,589 --> 00:23:12,490
EXCAVATING DEEP INTO
JERICHO'S PAST,
362
00:23:12,492 --> 00:23:14,925
ARCHEOLOGISTS DISCOVER
INTRIGUING CLUES
363
00:23:14,927 --> 00:23:17,762
TO THE CITY'S TURBULENT HISTORY.
364
00:23:17,764 --> 00:23:20,998
ONCE VERTICAL WALLS
NOW LIE FLAT TO THE GROUND.
365
00:23:22,602 --> 00:23:24,568
BENEATH THEM,
366
00:23:24,570 --> 00:23:28,706
INVESTIGATORS FIND A COLLECTION
OF SKELETONS.
367
00:23:28,708 --> 00:23:31,175
THE BODIES LIE FROZEN IN TIME,
368
00:23:31,177 --> 00:23:33,911
SUDDENLY CRUSHED BY THE WALL.
369
00:23:33,913 --> 00:23:38,716
AROUND THEM, A CHAOTIC MIXTURE
OF BRICKS AND FALLEN ROOF BEAMS,
370
00:23:38,718 --> 00:23:42,420
AND IN A NEARBY HOUSE,
AND ANCESTRAL GRAVE
371
00:23:42,422 --> 00:23:46,757
IS SPLIT IN TWO BY A HUGE CRACK
RUNNING ACROSS THE FLOOR.
372
00:23:48,261 --> 00:23:51,729
ARE THESE CLUES EVIDENCE
OF AN EARTH-SHATTERING CONQUEST,
373
00:23:51,731 --> 00:23:55,699
AS THE BIBLE DESCRIBES?
374
00:23:55,701 --> 00:23:59,136
ARCHEOLOGIST MAHMOUD HAWARI
SUSPECTS THIS DEVASTATION
375
00:23:59,138 --> 00:24:03,374
COULD ACTUALLY BE EVIDENCE
OF SOMETHING EVEN BIGGER.
376
00:24:03,376 --> 00:24:07,111
THIS COUNTRY HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED
TO EARTHQUAKES
377
00:24:07,113 --> 00:24:11,182
FOR MANY HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
378
00:24:11,184 --> 00:24:15,252
Narrator: JERICHO SITS ALONG
THE SYRIAN-AFRICAN FAULT LINE,
379
00:24:15,254 --> 00:24:18,889
MAKING THIS REGION A HOTSPOT
FOR TECTONIC ACTIVITY.
380
00:24:20,993 --> 00:24:22,860
COULD EARTHQUAKES BE RESPONSIBLE
381
00:24:22,862 --> 00:24:26,163
FOR THE COLLAPSE
OF JERICHO'S WALLS?
382
00:24:26,165 --> 00:24:28,365
EARTHQUAKES THAT ARE LARGE
ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY CAUSE
383
00:24:28,367 --> 00:24:31,168
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO,
IN HISTORIC TIMES,
384
00:24:31,170 --> 00:24:35,272
TO BUILDINGS ARE SOMEWHERE
BETWEEN MAGNITUDE 4.5, 5.
385
00:24:37,310 --> 00:24:40,110
Narrator: GEOLOGIST ELISA KAGAN
HUNTS FOR EVIDENCE
386
00:24:40,112 --> 00:24:42,313
OF MAJOR EARTHQUAKES
OF THIS SCALE
387
00:24:42,315 --> 00:24:46,083
IN THE REGION'S ANCIENT PAST.
388
00:24:46,085 --> 00:24:50,955
SHE VENTURES INTO SOREQ CAVE,
25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF JERICHO,
389
00:24:50,957 --> 00:24:52,857
TO SEARCH FOR CLUES.
390
00:24:52,859 --> 00:24:55,626
Kagan: CAVES ARE VERY PROTECTED
FROM THE ELEMENTS.
391
00:24:55,628 --> 00:24:58,262
IN THIS CAVE, THERE'S NO RIVERS
RUSHING THROUGH IT,
392
00:24:58,264 --> 00:25:00,364
THERE'S NO ICE FLOE,
THERE'S NO RAIN,
393
00:25:00,366 --> 00:25:02,700
THERE'S NO ANIMALS.
394
00:25:02,702 --> 00:25:07,304
Narrator:
SOREQ CAVE IS A TIME CAPSULE OF GEOLOGICAL ACTIVITY.
395
00:25:07,306 --> 00:25:09,106
Kagan:
THERE'S ALMOST ZERO EROSION,
396
00:25:09,108 --> 00:25:11,842
SO WHATEVER HAPPENS,
SUCH AS A COLLAPSE
397
00:25:11,844 --> 00:25:14,378
BY AN EARTHQUAKE,
IS FOSSILIZED AND PRESERVED
398
00:25:14,380 --> 00:25:15,813
AND WE CAN SEE IT,
399
00:25:15,815 --> 00:25:17,748
AND WE CAN SEE
THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS,
400
00:25:17,750 --> 00:25:21,352
EVEN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS
INTO THE PAST
401
00:25:21,354 --> 00:25:22,920
Narrator:
WHEN AN EARTHQUAKE HITS,
402
00:25:22,922 --> 00:25:27,458
THE SEISMIC SHOCKWAVE CAUSES
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE IN THE CAVE
403
00:25:27,460 --> 00:25:29,927
Kagan: IN THE SAME WAY
THAT BUILDINGS TODAY
404
00:25:29,929 --> 00:25:31,729
ARE AFFECTED BY EARTHQUAKES
405
00:25:31,731 --> 00:25:35,399
AND CAN BE DAMAGED
OR COMPLETELY COLLAPSE,
406
00:25:35,401 --> 00:25:40,137
STALAGMITE CAVES SHOW DAMAGE
BY EARTHQUAKES.
407
00:25:40,139 --> 00:25:43,908
Narrator: ELISA VENTURES DEEPER
INTO THE CAVE.
408
00:25:43,910 --> 00:25:45,209
SHE DISCOVERS EVIDENCE
409
00:25:45,211 --> 00:25:49,847
THAT A LARGE-SCALE
SEISMIC EVENT ONCE OCCURS HERE.
410
00:25:49,849 --> 00:25:53,150
HUGE SECTIONS OF THE CAVE
CEILING HAVE COLLAPSED.
411
00:25:56,489 --> 00:26:00,591
WHEN DOES THIS EARTHQUAKE OCCUR?
412
00:26:00,593 --> 00:26:04,995
Kagan: CAVE DEPOSITS CAN PROVIDE
AN EXCELLENT RECORDING
413
00:26:04,997 --> 00:26:06,964
OF GEOLOGICAL PHENOMENA.
414
00:26:06,966 --> 00:26:08,699
IT AFFECTS THE CAVE,
AND THEREFORE,
415
00:26:08,701 --> 00:26:10,501
LEAVES SIGNS IN THE CAVE,
416
00:26:10,503 --> 00:26:14,238
AND THESE SIGNS
WE CAN SEE TILL TODAY.
417
00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:18,142
Narrator:
THESE MINERAL DEPOSITS -- STALACTITES AND STALAGMITES --
418
00:26:18,144 --> 00:26:22,780
GROW SLOWLY
OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
419
00:26:22,782 --> 00:26:25,916
THEY ARE TIME CAPSULES
CONTAINING HIDDEN CLUES
420
00:26:25,918 --> 00:26:28,886
TO THE SEISMIC EVENTS
OF THE PAST.
421
00:26:28,888 --> 00:26:32,356
IF YOU LOOK INTO ONE OF THESE
STALACTITES SLICED OPEN,
422
00:26:32,358 --> 00:26:34,959
THE RINGS IN THE CENTER
ARE THE OLDER RINGS.
423
00:26:34,961 --> 00:26:37,995
THE OUTER RINGS
ARE THE YOUNGER PARTS.
424
00:26:37,997 --> 00:26:41,966
AND WITHIN THESE RINGS,
THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION.
425
00:26:41,968 --> 00:26:44,068
Narrator: CLOSE EXAMINATION
OF THE STALACTITES
426
00:26:44,070 --> 00:26:45,469
FROM THE COLLAPSED CEILING
427
00:26:45,471 --> 00:26:48,872
ALLOWS ELISA
TO DATE THE EARTHQUAKE.
428
00:26:48,874 --> 00:26:51,909
Kagan: HERE WE CAN SEE THAT PART
OF THE COLLAPSED CEILING.
429
00:26:51,911 --> 00:26:55,779
WE TOOK SMALL, TINY SAMPLES
HERE, USED THEM FOR DATING.
430
00:26:55,781 --> 00:27:00,417
AND THESE DARKER LAYERS
ARE POST-EARTHQUAKE REGROWTH,
431
00:27:00,419 --> 00:27:02,219
AND THIS PARTICULAR
EARTHQUAKE OCCURRED
432
00:27:02,221 --> 00:27:04,355
APPROXIMATELY 6000 B.C.
433
00:27:07,726 --> 00:27:09,693
Narrator: THIS EARTHQUAKE
COULD BE STRONG ENOUGH
434
00:27:09,695 --> 00:27:13,364
TO MAKE JERICHO'S
MUD-BRICK WALLS CRUMBLE.
435
00:27:13,366 --> 00:27:15,399
BUT THIS CATASTROPHIC EVENT
OCCURS
436
00:27:15,401 --> 00:27:19,703
4,500 YEARS
BEFORE THE BIBLE STORY IS SET.
437
00:27:22,408 --> 00:27:25,109
ELISA FINDS EVIDENCE OF MANY
MORE EARTHQUAKES
438
00:27:25,111 --> 00:27:28,278
IN THE FOLLOWING YEARS,
439
00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:30,648
BUT ARCHEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES
ALSO SHOW
440
00:27:30,650 --> 00:27:33,851
THAT THE PEOPLE OF JERICHO
DON'T ABANDON THE CITY.
441
00:27:36,722 --> 00:27:41,425
EACH TIME A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE
DESTROYS JERICHO'S WALLS,
442
00:27:41,427 --> 00:27:44,194
THE CITY'S ENGINEERS SET OUT
TO REBUILD THEM
443
00:27:44,196 --> 00:27:47,965
BIGGER AND STRONGER THAN BEFORE.
444
00:27:47,967 --> 00:27:51,001
THEY REINFORCED
THE ORIGINAL SINGLE LAYER
445
00:27:51,003 --> 00:27:54,872
WITH WIDER DOUBLE
MUD-BRICK WALLS,
446
00:27:54,874 --> 00:27:58,475
MAKING IT MUCH STURDIER.
447
00:27:58,477 --> 00:28:00,544
BY 3000 B.C.,
448
00:28:00,546 --> 00:28:03,914
JERICHO'S BUILDERS ERECT
EVEN STRONGER WALLS
449
00:28:03,916 --> 00:28:05,916
PLASTERED WITH A CLAY MORTAR
450
00:28:05,918 --> 00:28:10,020
TO BIND THE STRUCTURE
MORE TIGHTLY TOGETHER.
451
00:28:10,022 --> 00:28:12,022
1,000 YEARS LATER,
452
00:28:12,024 --> 00:28:14,658
ENGINEERS BUILD
AN ARTIFICIAL SLOPE OF EARTH
453
00:28:14,660 --> 00:28:17,828
CALLED A GLACIS
TO SUPPORT THE OUTER WALL
454
00:28:17,830 --> 00:28:19,563
AND GIVE IT EXTRA STRENGTH.
455
00:28:24,270 --> 00:28:27,371
FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS,
THE PEOPLE OF JERICHO ENDURE
456
00:28:27,373 --> 00:28:31,442
THESE EARTH-SHATTERING
NATURAL DISASTERS.
457
00:28:31,444 --> 00:28:34,945
HOWEVER, ONE LAYER
OF DESTRUCTION STANDS OUT.
458
00:28:34,947 --> 00:28:37,681
Hawari: I'M STANDING IN FRONT
OF THE CITY GATE
459
00:28:37,683 --> 00:28:41,685
FROM THE EARLY BRONZE AGE,
AND HERE THE ARCHEOLOGISTS
460
00:28:41,687 --> 00:28:45,556
HAVE FOUND
A VERY THICK LAYER OF ASHES
461
00:28:45,558 --> 00:28:49,793
AND BURNED ORGANIC STUFF,
INCLUDING PIECES OF WOOD.
462
00:28:49,795 --> 00:28:52,629
IT'S GOING OUTSIDE
THE CITY WALL,
463
00:28:52,631 --> 00:28:57,201
EXPANDING FOR
I WOULD SAY MAYBE 15 FEET.
464
00:28:57,203 --> 00:29:03,607
IT COULD BE CAUSED BY A FIRE
OR AS A RESULT OF AN INVASION.
465
00:29:04,910 --> 00:29:07,678
Narrator: THIS ASH LAYER
IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER EVIDENCE
466
00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:10,047
OF DESTRUCTION FOUND IN JERICHO.
467
00:29:10,049 --> 00:29:13,851
THE LAYER DATES TO THE MIDDLE
OF THE SECOND MILLENNIUM B.C.
468
00:29:13,853 --> 00:29:17,654
AND IS DISCOVERED
ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY.
469
00:29:17,656 --> 00:29:20,858
WHAT CAUSES THIS FIERCE INFERNO?
470
00:29:20,860 --> 00:29:24,628
COULD THE BIBLE STORY OF
THE BATTLE OF JERICHO BE TRUE?
471
00:29:24,630 --> 00:29:27,097
¶
472
00:29:34,006 --> 00:29:35,939
¶
473
00:29:35,941 --> 00:29:38,709
Narrator:
THE ANCIENT CITY OF JERICHO.
474
00:29:38,711 --> 00:29:41,311
OVER ITS 11,000-YEAR LIFE,
475
00:29:41,313 --> 00:29:45,015
THE CITY ENDURES
MANY MAJOR EARTHQUAKES,
476
00:29:45,017 --> 00:29:49,653
ITS FAMOUS WALLS TUMBLED
TO THE GROUND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
477
00:29:49,655 --> 00:29:52,623
BUT EACH TIME,
THE PEOPLE BOUNCE BACK,
478
00:29:52,625 --> 00:29:56,293
REBUILDING THEIR WALLS BIGGER,
STRONGER, AND BETTER.
479
00:29:56,295 --> 00:29:58,262
BY THE SECOND MILLENNIUM B.C.,
480
00:29:58,264 --> 00:30:03,734
JERICHO IS A WEALTHY CITY WITH
AN ESTIMATED 3,000 INHABITANTS.
481
00:30:03,736 --> 00:30:05,435
Hawari:
IN THE MIDDLE BRONZE AGE,
482
00:30:05,437 --> 00:30:09,273
STARTING FROM AROUND
2000 B.C.E.
483
00:30:09,275 --> 00:30:12,376
UNTIL 1650,
484
00:30:12,378 --> 00:30:16,747
THAT IS A TIME WHEN
REALLY JERICHO AS A CITY PEAKED.
485
00:30:18,717 --> 00:30:20,317
Narrator:
BUT ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE,
486
00:30:20,319 --> 00:30:23,787
THE CITY IS FINALLY DESTROYED
BY INVADING ISRAELITES
487
00:30:23,789 --> 00:30:27,324
WHO BRING THE WALLS
CRASHING DOWN.
488
00:30:27,326 --> 00:30:30,460
AN ANCIENT ASH LAYER DISCOVERED
ALONG THE CITY WALLS
489
00:30:30,462 --> 00:30:33,831
SUGGESTS THIS STORY
COULD HAVE ROOTS IN REALITY.
490
00:30:38,070 --> 00:30:41,305
JEWISH SCHOLARS WRITE THE STORY
OF THE SIEGE OF JERICHO
491
00:30:41,307 --> 00:30:44,341
IN THE BIBLE'S BOOK OF JOSHUA.
492
00:30:44,343 --> 00:30:46,810
THEY DESCRIBE A SEVEN-DAY SIEGE,
493
00:30:46,812 --> 00:30:49,913
THE START OF THE ISRAELITE
CONQUEST OF CANAAN,
494
00:30:49,915 --> 00:30:51,882
A REGION THAT INCLUDES
PRESENT-DAY
495
00:30:51,884 --> 00:30:54,718
ISRAEL AND PALESTINE.
496
00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:57,254
IN THE BOOK,
THE ISRAELITES STORM JERICHO
497
00:30:57,256 --> 00:30:59,556
AND BURN IT TO THE GROUND.
498
00:31:02,595 --> 00:31:05,896
ARCHEOLOGISTS SEARCH
FOR EVIDENCE OF THIS CONQUEST.
499
00:31:08,267 --> 00:31:11,368
DO FURTHER EXCAVATIONS
AT ANCIENT JERICHO ALIGN
500
00:31:11,370 --> 00:31:13,570
WITH THE BIBLICAL TALE?
501
00:31:15,074 --> 00:31:18,208
INSIDE THE WALLS
OF THE ANCIENT CITY,
502
00:31:18,210 --> 00:31:21,078
THE ASH LAYER MEASURES
MORE THAN THREE FEET THICK
503
00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:23,180
ACROSS THE ENTIRE SITE,
504
00:31:23,182 --> 00:31:26,984
EVIDENCE THE CITY IS DESTROYED
IN A FIRE OF HUGE PROPORTIONS,
505
00:31:26,986 --> 00:31:30,120
EXACTLY AS THE BIBLE DESCRIBES.
506
00:31:30,122 --> 00:31:31,321
WITHIN THE ASH,
507
00:31:31,323 --> 00:31:33,924
JERICHO'S FAMOUS DOUBLE
FORTIFICATION WALLS
508
00:31:33,926 --> 00:31:38,161
LIKE COLLAPSED, AGAIN,
LIKE THE BIBLICAL STORY.
509
00:31:38,163 --> 00:31:40,697
AND AMIDST THE DEBRIS,
510
00:31:40,699 --> 00:31:45,102
ARCHEOLOGISTS FIND SEVERAL LARGE
JARS FILLED WITH GRAIN,
511
00:31:45,104 --> 00:31:49,106
A TANTALIZING HINT THAT THE CITY
IS NOT CAPTIVE FOR LONG,
512
00:31:49,108 --> 00:31:52,609
ALIGNING WITH THE ACCOUNT
OF A SHORT SEVEN-DAY SIEGE.
513
00:31:53,979 --> 00:31:56,213
IS THIS EVIDENCE
THAT A VIOLENT SIEGE
514
00:31:56,215 --> 00:31:58,248
IS THE DOWNFALL OF JERICHO?
515
00:31:58,250 --> 00:32:04,554
¶
516
00:32:04,556 --> 00:32:06,023
THE ANSWER CAN BE FOUND
517
00:32:06,025 --> 00:32:11,128
NOT AT JERICHO,
BUT 50 MILES NORTH AT MEGIDDO,
518
00:32:11,130 --> 00:32:15,632
KNOWN TO HISTORY
AS THE SITE OF ARMAGEDDON.
519
00:32:15,634 --> 00:32:18,969
THE NAME ARMAGEDDON
IS PROBABLY A CORRUPTION
520
00:32:18,971 --> 00:32:22,205
IN GREEK OF THE HEBREW
"HAR MEGIDDO,"
521
00:32:22,207 --> 00:32:24,174
THE MOUND OF MEGIDDO,
522
00:32:24,176 --> 00:32:27,077
THE PLACE WHERE THE FINAL BATTLE
BETWEEN THE FORCES OF GOD
523
00:32:27,079 --> 00:32:30,080
AND THE FORCES OF EVIL
WILL TAKE PLACE.
524
00:32:30,082 --> 00:32:36,053
Narrator:
ARCHEOLOGIST ISRAEL FINKELSTEIN HEADS UP EXCAVATIONS HERE.
525
00:32:36,055 --> 00:32:37,955
MEGIDDO IS SPECIAL
BECAUSE IT HAS
526
00:32:37,957 --> 00:32:40,390
THE FULL SEQUENCE OF OCCUPATION.
527
00:32:40,392 --> 00:32:42,926
YOU CAN SEE
IN THE REMAINS BEHIND
528
00:32:42,928 --> 00:32:46,229
THE FULL SEQUENCE
OF DESTRUCTION LAYERS.
529
00:32:46,231 --> 00:32:48,498
Narrator:
OVER A CENTURY OF INVESTIGATION,
530
00:32:48,500 --> 00:32:53,003
ARCHEOLOGISTS DISCOVERED
25 DESTRUCTION LAYERS AT MEGIDDO
531
00:32:53,005 --> 00:32:55,706
FROM THE END
OF THE SIXTH MILLENNIUM B.C.
532
00:32:55,708 --> 00:32:57,941
TO THE 5th CENTURY B.C.
533
00:32:59,979 --> 00:33:01,878
THEY SHOW THE CITY IS BESIEGED
534
00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:06,450
AND DESTROYED MORE
THAN ANY OTHER IN HISTORY.
535
00:33:06,452 --> 00:33:09,119
IT'S A TREASURE TROVE
OF EVIDENCE.
536
00:33:09,121 --> 00:33:11,955
AND LIKE JERICHO,
IT'S SAID TO BE DESTROYED
537
00:33:11,957 --> 00:33:16,126
BY THE ISRAELITES
IN THEIR CONQUEST OF CANAAN.
538
00:33:16,128 --> 00:33:17,928
YOU CAN SEE OVER HERE,
LOOK AT THIS.
539
00:33:17,930 --> 00:33:19,596
THERE'S ASH OVER HERE.
540
00:33:19,598 --> 00:33:20,664
DURING THE EXCAVATION,
541
00:33:20,666 --> 00:33:23,033
IT'S VERY EASY TO IDENTIFY
THE BREAKS
542
00:33:23,035 --> 00:33:26,269
AND THE FIRE AND THE COLLAPSE,
BUT WHOEVER DID THIS CAME HERE
543
00:33:26,271 --> 00:33:29,873
WITH THE IDEA OF ANNIHILATING
THE CITY ALTOGETHER.
544
00:33:32,811 --> 00:33:35,779
Narrator: IN MEGIDDO, LIKE
JERICHO, THERE IS EVIDENCE
545
00:33:35,781 --> 00:33:38,882
OF TOTAL DESTRUCTION
ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY.
546
00:33:38,884 --> 00:33:43,954
¶
547
00:33:43,956 --> 00:33:49,659
SO HERE WE -- ON THE FLOOR,
MANY VESSELS BROKEN.
548
00:33:49,661 --> 00:33:51,628
PEOPLE COULD NOT -- THEY EVEN
DIDN'T HAVE THE CHANCE
549
00:33:51,630 --> 00:33:54,131
TO RETRIEVE THEIR BELONGINGS.
550
00:33:54,133 --> 00:33:57,334
SO EVERYTHING IS ON THE FLOOR.
VERY GOOD FOR ARCHEOLOGISTS.
551
00:33:57,336 --> 00:33:59,703
VERY TRAGIC FOR THE PEOPLE
OF THE TIME.
552
00:33:59,705 --> 00:34:02,005
THE QUESTION, OF COURSE,
IS MAINLY HOW TO TRANSLATE
553
00:34:02,007 --> 00:34:03,507
IT INTO HISTORY.
554
00:34:03,509 --> 00:34:06,009
WHO DID IT AND WHEN?
555
00:34:06,011 --> 00:34:08,378
Narrator: BUT DATING
DESTRUCTION LAYERS TO THE TIME
556
00:34:08,380 --> 00:34:11,948
OF THE ISRAELITE CONQUEST
IS A CHALLENGE.
557
00:34:11,950 --> 00:34:16,353
THERE IS NO WAY TO TELL
FROM ARCHEOLOGY TO HISTORY
558
00:34:16,355 --> 00:34:20,590
WITHOUT ESTABLISHING
A GOOD DATING SYSTEM.
559
00:34:20,592 --> 00:34:25,629
SO BECAUSE OF OUR RADIOCARBON
DATING PROGRAM HERE AT MEGIDDO,
560
00:34:25,631 --> 00:34:30,067
WE ARE IN A SITUATION
TO STABILIZE THAT CHRONOLOGY.
561
00:34:32,237 --> 00:34:35,505
Narrator: RADIOCARBON DATING CAN
RELIABLY DATE ORGANIC MATERIAL
562
00:34:35,507 --> 00:34:40,277
AS FAR BACK AS 50,000 YEARS AGO.
563
00:34:40,279 --> 00:34:42,712
AT MEGIDDO,
ISRAEL'S TEAM COLLECTS
564
00:34:42,714 --> 00:34:45,315
HUNDREDS OF SAMPLES
OF CHARCOAL AND POTTERY
565
00:34:45,317 --> 00:34:48,151
AND SENDS THEM FOR DATING.
566
00:34:48,153 --> 00:34:52,556
DO THESE SAMPLES DATE
TO BIBLICAL TIMES?
567
00:34:52,558 --> 00:34:55,559
THERE ARE FOUR BIG DESTRUCTIONS
AT MEGIDDO --
568
00:34:55,561 --> 00:35:00,030
ONE IN AROUND 1100 B.C.,
ANOTHER ONE IN THE 10th CENTURY,
569
00:35:00,032 --> 00:35:02,532
ANOTHER IN THE 9th,
AND ANOTHER IN THE 8th.
570
00:35:05,037 --> 00:35:07,737
Narrator: EXPERTS DATE
THE ISRAELITE CONQUEST OF CANAAN
571
00:35:07,739 --> 00:35:13,777
DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK OF JOSHUA
TO THE 13th CENTURY B.C.
572
00:35:13,779 --> 00:35:17,547
NONE OF THE DESTRUCTION LAYERS
THAT MEGIDDO MATCH THIS DATE.
573
00:35:17,549 --> 00:35:20,450
Finkelstein: THE PLACES WHICH
ARE REFERRED TO SPECIFICALLY
574
00:35:20,452 --> 00:35:23,687
AS HAVING BEEN
DESTROYED BY JOSHUA,
575
00:35:23,689 --> 00:35:25,655
THEY HAVE NO EVIDENCE
FOR DESTRUCTION.
576
00:35:25,657 --> 00:35:30,494
IN THE 13th CENTURY B.C.,
THE SUPPOSED TIME OF JOSHUA.
577
00:35:30,496 --> 00:35:33,063
Narrator: METICULOUS FORENSIC
INVESTIGATION OF MEGIDDO
578
00:35:33,065 --> 00:35:36,399
REVEALS IT IS NOT ATTACKED
BY INVADING ISRAELITES
579
00:35:36,401 --> 00:35:40,036
AS THE BOOK OF JOSHUA STATES.
580
00:35:40,038 --> 00:35:43,273
THIS LEADS ARCHEOLOGISTS
TO RULE OUT A JEWISH CONQUEST
581
00:35:43,275 --> 00:35:45,075
OF JERICHO, TOO.
582
00:35:45,077 --> 00:35:49,112
Hawari: WHEN THE STORY
OF THE CONQUEST OF JOSHUA
583
00:35:49,114 --> 00:35:50,680
WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE PLACE,
584
00:35:50,682 --> 00:35:54,084
WHICH IS AROUND THE 13th
OR 14th CENTURY,
585
00:35:54,086 --> 00:35:56,720
JERICHO WAS ABANDONED.
586
00:35:56,722 --> 00:36:00,157
THERE WAS NO INHABITANTS
WHO LIVE IN JERICHO
587
00:36:00,159 --> 00:36:03,560
AND THE CITY WAS IN RUINS.
588
00:36:03,562 --> 00:36:07,063
Narrator:
JERICHO'S ASH LAYER DATES ITS DESTRUCTION TWO CENTURIES
589
00:36:07,065 --> 00:36:10,167
BEFORE JOSHUA'S
BIBLICAL CONQUEST.
590
00:36:10,169 --> 00:36:12,702
BY THEN, ITS ANCIENT WALLS
HAVE LAIN ABANDONED
591
00:36:12,704 --> 00:36:14,437
FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.
592
00:36:14,439 --> 00:36:19,509
THE STORY IS A MYTHICAL STORY
AND DOES NOT HAVE ANY PROOF.
593
00:36:20,979 --> 00:36:23,647
Narrator:
IF THE BIBLE STORY ISN'T TRUE,
594
00:36:23,649 --> 00:36:26,950
WHAT CAN EXPLAIN THE LEGENDARY
CONQUEST OF CANAAN?
595
00:36:28,320 --> 00:36:29,819
AND WHO IS BEHIND THE ATTACK
596
00:36:29,821 --> 00:36:33,423
THAT FINALLY BRINGS THESE
FAMOUS WALLS TUMBLING DOWN?
597
00:36:33,425 --> 00:36:35,892
¶
598
00:36:42,801 --> 00:36:44,901
¶
599
00:36:44,903 --> 00:36:48,939
Narrator:
THE GREAT WALLS OF JERICHO, TUMBLING AGAIN AND AGAIN
600
00:36:48,941 --> 00:36:53,009
THROUGH CENTURIES OF
EARTHQUAKES AND CONQUESTS.
601
00:36:53,011 --> 00:36:55,812
ARCHEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE
SUGGESTS THE ANCIENT SITE
602
00:36:55,814 --> 00:36:59,049
LIES ABANDONED
IN THE 13th CENTURY B.C.,
603
00:36:59,051 --> 00:37:01,418
THE TIME OF THE LEGENDARY
BATTLE OF JERICHO
604
00:37:01,420 --> 00:37:03,954
DESCRIBED IN THE BIBLE.
605
00:37:03,956 --> 00:37:05,322
SO WHO IS RESPONSIBLE
606
00:37:05,324 --> 00:37:10,060
FOR FINALLY RAZING ITS WALLS
TO THE GROUND?
607
00:37:10,062 --> 00:37:13,330
ARCHEOLOGISTS ISRAEL FINKELSTEIN
BELIEVES THE CULPRITS
608
00:37:13,332 --> 00:37:17,434
ALSO DESTROYED THE NEIGHBORING
CANAANITE CITY OF MEGIDDO.
609
00:37:17,436 --> 00:37:21,638
WHOEVER CAME HERE HAD THE IDEA
OF COMPLETELY DEVASTATING,
610
00:37:21,640 --> 00:37:24,174
ANNIHILATING THIS CITY.
611
00:37:26,845 --> 00:37:30,413
Narrator:
ISRAEL TURNS TO AN INCREDIBLE ANCIENT SOURCE FOR CLUES
612
00:37:30,415 --> 00:37:33,316
TO THE IDENTITY
OF THE INVADERS --
613
00:37:33,318 --> 00:37:38,321
A SET OF CLAY TABLETS
CALLED THE AMARNA LETTERS.
614
00:37:38,323 --> 00:37:42,292
FOUND IN THE ANCIENT CITY
OF AMARNA IN EGYPT,
615
00:37:42,294 --> 00:37:46,062
THE ASTONISHING COLLECTION
OF NEARLY 400 CLAY TABLETS
616
00:37:46,064 --> 00:37:48,064
REVEAL THE MIGHTY
EGYPTIAN PHARAOHS
617
00:37:48,066 --> 00:37:51,668
MAY HAVE A KEEN INTEREST
IN CANAAN.
618
00:37:51,670 --> 00:37:54,337
Finkelstein: POLITICALLY,
GEOGRAPHICALLY, HISTORICALLY,
619
00:37:54,339 --> 00:38:00,277
THEY OPEN A WINDOW FOR US
INTO THEIR AFFAIRS IN CANAAN.
620
00:38:00,279 --> 00:38:02,245
THEY TELL US A LOT ABOUT
HOSTILITIES,
621
00:38:02,247 --> 00:38:08,385
BUT WE DON'T REALLY KNOW
HOW BAD THE HOSTILITIES WERE.
622
00:38:08,387 --> 00:38:11,021
Narrator:
EGYPT IS A MILITARY SUPERPOWER,
623
00:38:11,023 --> 00:38:13,957
AGGRESSIVELY ANNEXING
ITS NEIGHBORS.
624
00:38:13,959 --> 00:38:15,825
ARE JERICHO, MEGIDDO,
625
00:38:15,827 --> 00:38:19,429
AND OTHER CANAANITE CITIES
ATTACKED BY EGYPT?
626
00:38:19,431 --> 00:38:22,132
AN EMPIRE SUCH AS
THE EGYPTIAN PHARAOHS
627
00:38:22,134 --> 00:38:23,967
IN THEIR LATE BRONZE AGE,
628
00:38:23,969 --> 00:38:26,903
THEY COME ORGANIZE
AND THEY TAKE THE SEIZURES.
629
00:38:26,905 --> 00:38:29,839
Narrator: ISRAEL BELIEVES IT'S
NOT POSSIBLE FOR THE EGYPTIANS
630
00:38:29,841 --> 00:38:31,608
TO BE BEHIND THE CONQUEST.
631
00:38:31,610 --> 00:38:34,811
WE ARE NOT DEALING HERE
WITH A WELL-ORGANIZED EMPIRE
632
00:38:34,813 --> 00:38:37,314
COMING HERE
IN ORDER TO CONQUER AND STAY,
633
00:38:37,316 --> 00:38:40,517
BUT SKIRMISHES HERE AND THERE.
634
00:38:40,519 --> 00:38:43,820
Narrator:
AND BECAUSE THERE IS NO BIG DESTRUCTION LAYER AT MEGIDDO
635
00:38:43,822 --> 00:38:47,724
AT THIS TIME, HE SUSPECTS
A MORE LOCAL INVADER.
636
00:38:47,726 --> 00:38:49,559
THE HIGHLANDS NOT SO FAR
FROM US,
637
00:38:49,561 --> 00:38:51,695
30, 40 KILOMETERS TO THE SOUTH.
638
00:38:51,697 --> 00:38:54,297
AND IN THE HIGHLANDS,
WE DEFINITELY SEE
639
00:38:54,299 --> 00:38:56,966
A BIG WAVE
OF SETTLEMENT ACTIVITY
640
00:38:56,968 --> 00:38:59,269
IN THE MIDDLE BRONZE AGE,
SO SOMETHING HAPPENED,
641
00:38:59,271 --> 00:39:03,773
SOME SORT OF DISTURBANCE
IN THE 16th CENTURY B.C.
642
00:39:03,775 --> 00:39:07,977
¶
643
00:39:07,979 --> 00:39:11,147
Narrator:
ISRAEL BELIEVES THE PEOPLE OF THE HIGHLANDS SOUTH OF MEGIDDO
644
00:39:11,149 --> 00:39:13,550
LAY WASTE TO THE CITY.
645
00:39:13,552 --> 00:39:16,653
THEY STORM ACROSS MODERN-DAY
ISRAEL AND PALESTINE,
646
00:39:16,655 --> 00:39:18,755
HEADING TOWARDS JERICHO.
647
00:39:18,757 --> 00:39:20,824
THEY SMASH DOWN ITS WALLS,
648
00:39:20,826 --> 00:39:24,728
BURN IT TO THE GROUND,
AND LEAVE IT IN RUINS.
649
00:39:24,730 --> 00:39:27,630
THE HIGHLANDERS ARE EXPANDING
TO THE LOWLANDS.
650
00:39:27,632 --> 00:39:29,833
THEY ARE DESTROYING CITIES
IN THE PROCESS
651
00:39:29,835 --> 00:39:31,468
ONE AFTER THE OTHER.
652
00:39:31,470 --> 00:39:33,403
Narrator: IF THESE HIGHLANDERS
ARE RESPONSIBLE
653
00:39:33,405 --> 00:39:35,405
FOR THE CONQUEST OF CANAAN,
654
00:39:35,407 --> 00:39:37,907
HOW DOES THE BIBLICAL STORY
OF THE TUMBLING WALLS
655
00:39:37,909 --> 00:39:39,843
OF JERICHO COME TO BE?
656
00:39:42,214 --> 00:39:45,782
AFTER THE HIGHLANDERS
BURN JERICHO TO THE GROUND,
657
00:39:45,784 --> 00:39:49,252
ALL THAT REMAINS OF THE CITY
IS A HUGE HEAP OF ASH,
658
00:39:49,254 --> 00:39:53,156
COLLAPSED WALLS,
AND SMOKING DEBRIS.
659
00:39:53,158 --> 00:39:54,991
FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS,
660
00:39:54,993 --> 00:39:58,795
THE SITE LIES ABANDONED,
WITH THE CHARRED REMAINS SERVING
661
00:39:58,797 --> 00:40:04,000
AS AN INCREASINGLY DISTANT
REMINDER OF WHAT HAPPENED HERE.
662
00:40:04,002 --> 00:40:07,537
IN THE EARLY IRON AGE,
AROUND 1200 B.C.,
663
00:40:07,539 --> 00:40:10,206
ISRAELITES BEGIN TO EMERGE
IN CANAAN,
664
00:40:10,208 --> 00:40:12,876
CLOSE TO THE ANCIENT RUINS
OF JERICHO.
665
00:40:15,680 --> 00:40:19,315
LOCAL TALES AND LEGENDS
GROW UP AROUND THE RUINS,
666
00:40:19,317 --> 00:40:22,252
BUT THEY AREN'T WRITTEN DOWN
UNTIL CENTURIES LATER.
667
00:40:22,254 --> 00:40:27,424
¶
668
00:40:27,426 --> 00:40:28,925
THE BOOK OF JOSHUA
669
00:40:28,927 --> 00:40:31,928
DESCRIBING THE ISRAELITE
CONQUEST OF JERICHO
670
00:40:31,930 --> 00:40:34,998
IS WRITTEN IN
THE 6th CENTURY B.C.
671
00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:36,733
FROM THE ARCHEOLOGY
POINT OF VIEW,
672
00:40:36,735 --> 00:40:40,270
WE KNOW TODAY THERE IS NO
CONQUEST OF CANAAN.
673
00:40:40,272 --> 00:40:43,573
THE BIBLICAL BATTLE OF JERICHO
WITH TRUMPETING HORNS
674
00:40:43,575 --> 00:40:46,443
TUMBLING THE WALLS
MAY NEVER HAVE OCCURRED.
675
00:40:49,080 --> 00:40:51,181
BUT THIS ANCIENT SITE
IS FAR MORE
676
00:40:51,183 --> 00:40:55,852
THAN JUST THE BIRTHPLACE
OF AN EPIC BIBLICAL TALE.
677
00:40:55,854 --> 00:40:59,055
IT IS THE ORIGIN OF HUMANITY
AS WE KNOW IT.
678
00:41:01,793 --> 00:41:05,929
JERICHO SEES THE BIRTH
OF CIVILIZATION
679
00:41:05,931 --> 00:41:11,935
11,000 YEARS AGO WHEN
OUR NOMADIC ANCESTORS SETTLE,
680
00:41:11,937 --> 00:41:14,938
BUILD A CITY WITH GREAT WALLS,
681
00:41:14,940 --> 00:41:18,107
CONSTRUCT THE WORLD'S
FIRST SKYSCRAPER,
682
00:41:18,109 --> 00:41:22,078
AND FACE BESIEGING ARMIES.
683
00:41:22,080 --> 00:41:24,481
THIS IS THE SITE
OF EPIC DEFENSE,
684
00:41:24,483 --> 00:41:29,285
DESTRUCTION, AND INVASION,
A CITY LIKE NO OTHER,
685
00:41:29,287 --> 00:41:33,289
INSPIRING THE BIBLE STORY
THAT SURVIVES TO THIS DAY.
686
00:41:34,493 --> 00:41:44,434
¶
687
00:41:44,436 --> 00:41:54,410
¶
688
00:41:54,412 --> 00:42:04,387
¶
61642
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.