Cistern 2

A picture of one of the cisterns that was found under one of the houses at the southern foot of Tel Maresha that dates to the Hellenistic Period (ca 3rd-2nd centuries BC).

Each of the residential houses had a central courtyard surrounded by rooms and a second story.  Under the houses, cavities were carved for a variety of purposes: water storage (= cistern), baths, columbaria, oil presses, storage places, etc.  Each had its own staircase descending from the house above.  In later periods some of them were connected by tunnels.