A Canaanite fortress built in the Egyptian-style that was recently excavated close to Kibbutz Galon near Kirvat Gat is now open to the public. The fortress is almost 60 feet squared and at one time had watch towers built into the four corners. A 3-ton threshold stone was at the entrance of the building, and the courtyard was paved with stone slabs and had columns in the middle. Numerous pottery vessels were found in the rooms around the courtyard. Its strategic location allowed the Canaanites to watch the main road that was along the Gurvin river, connecting the coastal plain to the Judean plains. The fortress dates to the middle of the 12th century, reflecting the geopolitical reality of the period of the Judges, when the Canaanites, Philistines and Israelites were all fighting against each other.
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