Tel Abel Beth Maacah Excavations
The excavations reveal a substantial northern city with connections to several neighboring cultures. They illuminate the region in which the kingdom of Maacah is mentioned, but do not establish that the excavated city was the kingdom’s capital or under its control.
About the Discovery
Tel Abel Beth Maacah is a large ancient settlement near the northern end of the Hula Valley. Excavations beginning in 2013 have uncovered houses, public buildings, storage facilities, and objects associated with religious activity. Iron Age finds include a citadel building, storage jars, figurines, and an ink inscription on a jar.
The city stood at a crossroads among Israelite, Aramean, and Phoenician communities. Although its name resembles that of the biblical kingdom of Maacah, the exact relationship between the city and that kingdom remains uncertain.
Scripture Reference
2 Samuel 20:14–22; 1 Kings 15:20; 2 Kings 15:29 (references to Abel Beth Maacah). Joshua 13:11; 2 Samuel 10:6 (references to Maacah).