Jewish History Moment podcast with Ben Bresky
Israel Beat
History of Ancient Beersheba and the Horned Altar
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History of Ancient Beersheba and the Horned Altar

Did the Biblical Patriarchs once walk these sandy trails? Find out as we explore the breathtaking Tel Be’er Sheva archaeological site and learn about the controversial altar.

The ruins of ancient Beersheba attest to the importance of the city where Abraham lived. But the most intriguing artifact is the horned altar. This is one of the idolatrous “high places” King Hezekiah ordered torn down. Or was it King Josiah? Find out as we delve into the historical debate between Prof. Yohanan Aharoni, a refugee from warn-torn Germany and founder of the Tel Aviv University Institute of Archaeology, and IDF Chief of Staff Yigael Yadin, a war hero who went on to become a noted archeologist.

Ancient well at the Tel Be’er Sheva National park. Photo credit: Ben Bresky 2025
Ruins of ancient Beersheba. Photo credit: Ben Bresky, 2025
The engineering geniuses in Iron Age Israel brought water to the desert. The infrastructure is still there. Photo Credit: Ben Bresky, 2025

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