Cult Site (Construction Technique)

View of the western wall of the podium at Dan.

On the right side of the image are modern stones "dressed" in an ancient way. Note the "margins" around the edges of the stones, and the slightly projecting "bosses" in the center of each stone. This technique seems to have developed in Phoenicia to the northwest of Israel, and was also used in the construction of buildings from the Israelite period in Samaria.

On the left side of the image rougher looking original stones are visible—with modern reconstruction near the corner of the structure. Biran believes that timber beams were placed in between some courses of stones - like in the Solomonic Temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 6:26; 7:12) - and thus the inclusion of the wooden beams in this reconstruction.

The plants growing out of the wall are caper bushes.

For a map, and brief descriptive comments on the history and significance of Dan Click Here.