Bar Kochba Caves9 min read

Today we will explore the Bar Kochba Caves, a hiding system of underground cavities hewn in the rock, connected by low and narrow passages, located in the Judean lowlands and the Galilee. According to the study, these systems were hewn by the men of Bar Kochba’s army in preparation for the revolt of the Jews against the Roman Empire in 135-132. We will discuss some of the most interesting ones, some are open to visit and some are not.

Bar Kochba

Shimon ben Kusba, known in history as Kochba (? – 135 AD), was the leader of the third great Jewish revolt against the Roman Empire, which is now named after him: the Bar Kochba Revolt. Very little is known about Ben-Kusba, apart from his leadership of the uprising that ended in the defeat and death of many thousands. Bar Kochba ruled for three years in the territories of Judea that his people conquered from the Romans, with his supporters believing he was the Messianic King and holding the title of “President of Israel.” He was probably killed when Beitar fell to the Romans. Very few reports have survived about him, and even his name was not discovered except following archeological excavations in the 20th century; His familiar nickname “Bar Kochba” is taken from ancient historians’ letters written hundreds of years later.

Many legends have been tied around the figure of the mythological leader, mainly his courage and toughness. one legend said that “during the battle, he would get hit by catapult stones in his shield and it would splash from him and kill the enemy.”

In the late 1940s and throughout the 1950s, scrolls and inscriptions originating in caves in the Judean Desert began to arrive at the Antiquities Market. The dry climate and difficult access to the caves were enough to keep the texts written on papyrus or leather scrolls from the weather, animals, and humans.

In 1960, it was decided to embark on an operation to recover the lost scrolls. The Judean Desert was divided between 4 scholars – Yochanan Aharoni, Pesach Bar Adon, Nachman Avigad, and Yigal Yadin, and it was Yadin who found the “letter cave”, on the north bank of Hever valley. For the first time, the image of Bar Kochba came to life after letters were discovered in it that “Shimon ben Kusba, President of Israel,” sent to the commanders of Ein Gedi in the revolt. The letters contained various orders from which the figure of Bar Kochba emerged – as an observant, assertive and even aggressive man who threatened those who disobeyed his orders.

Construction of Bar Kochba Caves in Preparation for the Revolt

In ancient times, various underground installations were hewn for various uses, such as cisterns, mikvahs, and quarries. These were common mainly in the Judean lowlands because of the rock that was easy to hew in (just look at Masada). Realizing the superiority of the Romans on the battlefield, Bar-Kokhba’s strategy was to lead a guerilla war. From the descriptions of Dio Cassius (the most important historian of the Bar Kochba revolt), we learn that the Jews of Israel, in preparation for the revolt, used the same underground spaces and even connected them to a ramified network of narrow and winding tunnels with distinct architectural features, and stockpiled weapons and food in it.

This enabled the Jews to attack the Romans by surprise and hide for a long period if needed. The partial historical information available on this rebellion suggests the Romans had to use 11 legions and auxiliary forces to suppress it, and it took them almost 4 years. Eventually, the Romans brutally suppressed the rebellion, defeating Bar-Kochba in Beitar.

From the surveys and excavations conducted over the years, there are about 350 hiding systems of various sizes documents – from small family hiding systems to huge public ones. The main distribution of hiding systems is in the Judean lowlands, but hiding systems can also be found in Mount Hebron, the Binyamin region, the northern Negev, and even the Galilee.

Bar Kochba Caves

Here are the main Bar Kochba caves that worth a visit.

Khirbet Midras (System 20)

Located about 15 km southwest of Beit Shemesh, Hirbet Midras is undoubtedly the most famous and traveled of all Bar Kochba caves, and is a key site for understanding the history of the rural settlement in the Judean Shephelah during the Roman period.

The entrance to the caves’ system is near a large bell pit and is found after passing through several narrow burrows and difficult passages in its lower part. Inside the system, there is a marked route and a comfortable path leads to it, a 5-minute walk from a regulated parking lot. Throughout the system, we can notice several distinct characteristics of the hiding systems – candle sockets, narrow and winding tunnels, sharp turns of 90 degrees, and storage facilities. There are several other hiding systems in the area, the last of which was discovered in an excavation done a few years ago, but as of today only system 20 is regulated and allowed for exploring.

Khirbet Nakik

Horbat Nakik is the first ruin surveyed in the Hiding Systems Survey in 1979. Horbat Nakik’s large hiding system is meticulously made like a huge maze that crosses many dozens of facilities and houses many rooms and storage rooms (an indication of the system’s ability to accommodate many people at once).

In the days when the hiding system operated, anyone who wanted to enter the cave had to climb a rope ladder inside a bell pit to the beginning of the cave. At the top of the ladder was a small space followed by a stone door. Only if the visitor proved he was allowed to enter did the guard open the stone door for him from the inside.

The visitor then reached a system of rooms and only if he was allowed to enter beyond that, another door was opened for him and a 25-meter-hewn cavern led to the ‘heart of the system’ – a room with eight openings, all locked from the inside. Since the opening was closed, there was a hewn hole above it for air passage and communication. Only when this door was opened was it possible to enter another hewn room with various objects, including a mat spread out on the floor.

Few knew that under the mat there was a stone slab that could be lifted and below it a vertical opening with holes in the sides to help it climb. It was the secret ‘stash’, and it too had a door locked from the inside.

Khirbet Rafia (System 40)

One of the most popular hiding systems in the Judean lowlands among caving enthusiasts, and one of our favorite bar kochba caves.

A path that is not suitable for regular vehicles leads to the Rafia cave. The opening of the cave is hidden, under a huge tree. There are six entrances to the cave, near the main one a wise hiker left a rolled rope, designed to help hikers inside find their way back.

The trip requires a headlamp, preferably with spare batteries and another flashlight for safety. Rafa Cave is considered a beautiful and fascinating hiding cave. The entrances and exits, scattered on the hill, are different from each other, some of them hidden. Between the main entrance and the western exit are about fifty meters of crawling in the dark with thin air and inability to turn around – once you enter, you must reach the end. As you can clearly understand, the trip is not suitable for those who are afraid of closed places.

Historical evidence tells of a village that was on the site during the Second Temple period. Fearing enemies, the residents added narrow and winding connecting underground channels between the caves, in case they were forced to flee and hide. The sound of the troops coming could be heard from a distance. As the march of hundreds of soldiers reached the ears of the villagers, the rebels entered the caves. The Roman soldiers, dressed in clumsy armor, could not push themselves into the narrow and winding tunnels, so the rebels could disappear.

The route inside the cave is marked with reflectors – a blessed work by the Society for the Protection of Nature. In the tunnels, the air is not very clear so there is joyful breath once you exit Important Warning: At the top of the hill are open pits, so keep an eye on where you are going and take good care of the children.

Khirbet Zichri

A beautiful and branched hiding system used in recent years to train military units engaged in the field of tunnels. You can reach by car as close as a few dozen meters from the cave, and park under a carob tree with an impressive view and a nice shade.

The site contains archeological remains and a hiding system. From the dirt road with the black trail marker north of the ruin, ascend south (through an opening in the cattle fence) to the ruin. The entrance to the cave is to the left of the path when you reach a small dirt plaza.

Khirbet Kanim

Khirbet Kanim near Givat Yeshayahu is known mainly to cyclists who visit the popular “Kanim single” route. You can park the car at the eastern end of Givat Yeshayahu and exit through a bedrock fence to Khirbet Kanim. In the spring season, the area has a spectacular blossom. At the top of the hill under a fig tree is the opening of the system. From there, you proceed down it by stairs.