Governor's Residence 1

View looking southwest at the large Governor’s Residence that was excavated and partially reconstructed on the top of the tell.  The house was built in a luxurious Egyptian style—a square structure with rooms surrounding a central hall.  The ceiling rested on two wooden pillars supported by the two large stones that can be seen in the center of the courtyard.

An inscription was discovered in the excavation that indicated that this was the home of the Egyptian governor Ramses-Weser-Khepesh in the 12th century BC.  The house went out of use at the end of the 12th century when Egyptian rule in the area collapsed.

This picture was taken in 2017.  Note the deterioration of the plastered walls during the seven years since its rebuild.