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Rodman Makes Gift to Excavate Israelite Well at Arad

Morris Rodman, a prominent Washington, D. C., philanthropist, has donated $5,000 to the Biblical Archaeology Society to complete the excavation of the Israelite well at Arad and to reconstruct some ancient houses nearby.

Israeli archaeologists Ruth Amiran and Rudolph Cohen are now excavating the Israelite well, located in the Early Bronze Age area of Arad. This well is situated in the center of the Canaanite city, in the same location that was occupied by the water reservoir of that city about 1,600–1,800 years before the well. The Israelites inhabiting the fortress on the hill above the Canaanite city dug the well. The well water was then used to fill the cistern within the fortress walls. The well went out of use with the destruction of the fortress in 586 B.C.; during the Herodian period it was reused.

The well was discovered four years ago during the 14th season of excavations at Arad, when the archaeologists came upon a fragment of the well’s stone lining. The excavators have already dug down 52 ½ feet, and they do not know how much deeper they will have to go before they reach the bottom. The excavation has long been hampered by lack of funds. Moreover, excavating the well requires special equipment because of the depth and narrowness of the well’s vertical sides and the concomitant dangers.