Archaeologists in northern Israel have uncovered evidence that bathing played a role in ancient Phoenician religious practices. A study by Dr. Levana Tsfania-Zias, published in Levant, details how ritual bathing was likely part of worship at the sacred site of Tel Dan, where Phoenician traditions continued for nearly 500 years. The findings shed light on how ritual, water, and faith intertwined in ancient communities.
The most compelling discovery is a small bathing facility built during the reconstruction of the temple after the Seleucid conquest. The space was divided into two rooms—one with yellow plaster for changing clothes, and another with blue plaster that held a shallow basin.
While the basin was not large enough for full immersion and lacked a heating system, its layout suggests it was used for standing washings, possibly with cold water.
Researchers believe the bathing area was reserved for priests. Its location—accessible from a rear western entrance that bypassed the public porch—supports the idea of private cleansing before leading rituals.
This early example of Phoenician ritual bathing traditions highlights the role of physical purification in spiritual preparation.
Roman-era revival and pilgrim practices
The temple saw renewed activity centuries later, during the Roman period. After being abandoned for about 200 years, it was reoccupied between the late 1st and early 4th centuries CE.
A new addition, known as the Fountain House, was built to accommodate visiting pilgrims. These travelers likely used simple clay vessels, found broken near the fountain, for ritual washing before entering the sacred space, a practice echoed in biblical references.
Excavations at Tel Dan began in the late 1960s under archaeologist Avraham Biran. From 1969 to 1994, Biran led the initial digs. Work resumed in 2005 under David Ilan and Yifat Thareani, representing the Nelson Glueck School of Biblical Archaeology at Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem.
Their efforts uncovered layers of activity, including evidence of shifting religious uses over time.
Historical and geographical setting of Tel Dan
Tel Dan is located roughly 12 kilometers from Qiryat Shemona, in Israel’s far north. The site stands on a large mound built during the Middle Bronze Age, surrounded by springs that feed into the Jordan River. These natural water sources may have influenced the site’s ritual landscape.
In 1976, archaeologists discovered a carved limestone slab at the temple. The bilingual inscription, written in Greek and Aramaic, refers to a god “who is in Dan.” Scholars remain divided over the deity’s identity. Some early interpretations linked the figure to the god of the Israelites.
Others suggest the temple honored a different, unnamed deity. In Phoenician and nearby cultures, it was common to refer to gods simply by their place of worship, such as “Lord of [City Name],” making identification difficult.
Dr. Tsfania-Zias believes the temple primarily served local worshipers, though imported pottery and the inscription point to visitors from outside the region. Plans are underway to open new excavation areas, which may offer more insight into the worship practices and the people who kept them alive.