TEL DAN NATURE RESERVE

The Tel Dan Nature Reserve protects the Nahal Dan, one of the most important sources of the Jordan River along with the Nahal Banias. The humidity favours dense vegetation and visitors can swim in the natural pools formed by the watercourse. The place was once the northern boundary of the Kingdom of Israel. We can see the remains of the city of Leshem, a Canaanite city and religious centre of the pagan tribes of the North, where a golden calf is said to have been venerated. A black basalt stele from the 9th ^ou VIIIe century BC, known as the "Tel Dan stele", has been found on the site, which contains an inscription in Aramaic. It mentions the victory of King Hazael, or his son, King of Damascus, over the King of the Hebrews or the "House of David". For many archaeologists, this is the first and only identification of King David on an archaeological site to date.