Meroth; Khirbet Marus; Ḥorvat Marish Complete

Description

Meroth, identified with modern Khirbet Marus (Ḥorvat Marish), appears to have been first occupied in the second century BCE, most likely during the Hasmonean era. This dating is supported by the numismatic assemblage: several dozen coins among the hundreds recovered belong to that period. At its peak, the settlement covered roughly 10–12 acres and likely accommodated approximately 1,000–1,200 inhabitants. Its economy was primarily agrarian, focusing on olive cultivation for oil and viticulture for wine, supplemented by cereals and vegetables, alongside cattle husbandry. A survey carried out in 1981 documented a synagogue at the site, counted among the northernmost identified in Israel to date. The same investigations recorded elements of a defensive complex, including wall segments, a sizeable moat cut into bedrock, and networks of refuge tunnels; these features may go back to the Second Temple period. Further reading: Ilan, Z. "Meroth" [in:] The New Encyclopedia of Archeological Excavations in the Holy Land. 1993: 1028-1031. Milson, D.W. 2007. Art and Architecture of the Synagogue in Late Antique Palestine. In the Shadow of the Church, Leiden, 434-439. Hachlili, R. 2013. Ancient Synagogues—Archaeology and Art: New Discoveries and Current Research. Leiden and Boston: Brill, 69-72. https://synagogues.kinneret.ac.il/synagogues/meroth/