Rebbo

Rebbo
Walled structures at Rebbo Ruin
Location within Israel
Coordinates 31°39′51.23″N 34°58′47.833″E / 31.6642306°N 34.97995361°E / 31.6642306; 34.97995361
Grid position 1481/1183 PAL

Rebbo[1] or Horvat Rebbo (Hebrew: חורבת רִבּוֹא‬, lit. "Rebbo ruins"), alternative spellings: Robbo, Ribbo; in Arabic Khurbet Rubba (lit. "Rubba ruins"), is an ancient site in Israel, possibly mentioned by Eusebius in his Onomasticon.[2] The site, which is now a ruin, sits on a hill 414 metres (1,358 ft) above sea level, and is now part of the Adullam-France Park, maintained by the Jewish National Fund (KKL). It lies about 1.5 km. to the west of Aderet as the crow flies.

The site is quite extensive and contains tunnels believed to have been in use during the Bar Kokhba revolt. Tombs from the Second Temple period, agricultural features and cisterns (now covered with iron gratings) can be seen on the site. Many mastic trees (Pistacia lentiscus) and buckthorns (Rhamnus lycioides) cover the site.

In ancient sources

Eusebius (4th century) writes that in his day it was a village, called in Greek: Ῥοββώ and situated "in the territory of Eleutheropolis (Beit Gubrin) to the east."[3]

Archaeological surveys

Conder and Kitchener (1878)

The ruin appears in Conder and Kitchener's 1878 Survey of Palestine map under the name Khurbet Rubba. They noted under "Rabba" that it was a "city of Judah, mentioned with Kirjath Jearim (Joshua XV. 60). In the Onomasticon a place called Rebbo is mentioned as east of Eleutheropolis, which might be the same. A good-sized ruin named Rubba is found in the low hills south of the valley of Elah, north-east of Beit Jibrin, which would be in a suitable position for the early Christian site."[4] They found there "Caves, cisterns, and heaps of stones, ruined walls, bases of pillars and shafts much worn, two lintel stones with crosses, both measuring about 7 feet by 2 1/2 feet."[5]

A. Saarisalo (pre-1931)

The site was surveyed by Finnish archaeologist A. Saarisalo in the early 20th century, who concluded that the village was inhabited as late as the Byzantine and early Arab periods.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Palmer, 1881, p. 401
  2. ↑ Elitzur, 2004, p. 356
  3. ↑ Notley & Safrai, 2005, pp. 136–137 (§778)
  4. ↑ Conder & Kitchener, 1883, SWP III, p. 314
  5. ↑ Conder & Kitchener, 1883, SWP III, p. 360
  6. ↑ Aapeli Saarisolo, "Topographical Researches in the Shephelah", in: The Journal of the Palestine Oriental Society, vol. XI, Jerusalem 1931, p. 16

Bibliography

  • Conder, C.R.; Kitchener, H.H. (1883). The Survey of Western Palestine: Memoirs of the Topography, Orography, Hydrography, and Archaeology. 3. London: Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund.
  • Elitzur, Yoel (2004). Ancient Place Names in the Holy Land - Preservation and History. Hebrew University, Magnes Press. ISBN 1-57506-071-X.
  • Notley, R.S.; Safrai, Z. (2005). Eusebius, Onomasticon - The Place Names of Divine Scripture. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 0-391-04217-3.
  • Palmer, E.H. (1881). The Survey of Western Palestine: Arabic and English Name Lists Collected During the Survey by Lieutenants Conder and Kitchener, R. E. Transliterated and Explained by E.H. Palmer. Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund.
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