Tel Dan Canaanite Gate ('Abraham's Gate')
A mudbrick arched gateway from the age of the patriarchs
Found 1979 — Avraham Biran (Hebrew Union College, Tel Dan excavations 1966–1999)
Where Tel Dan (Tell el-Qadi, ancient Laish/Dan), northern Israel (Israel)
Dates from c. 1750 BCE · Middle Bronze IIB · Avraham's pursuit of the kings to Dan (Genesis 14)
Now at In situ, Tel Dan Nature Reserve, Israel
How Tel Dan Canaanite Gate ('Abraham's Gate') was found
Uncovered on the southeast slope of the mound while tracing the Middle Bronze earthen rampart; the gate had been sealed with earth soon after its construction, which preserved its arches intact.
What it is
A gate of sun-dried mudbrick on basalt foundations, about 7 meters high, with three true arches spanning a passage 2.4 meters wide, flanked by two towers and reached by a stepped approach. It is among the oldest complete standing arches in the world.
Why it matters for the Bible
Genesis 14:14 says Avraham chased the invading kings 'as far as Dan' (the city then called Laish). This gate stood in that city in the Middle Bronze Age, the period most often assigned to the patriarchs, so a visitor can stand at a doorway of the exact type Avraham's contemporaries used. The nickname 'Abraham's Gate' is a modern label, not an ancient one; the gate proves Laish was a strong walled city, not that Avraham walked through it.
The Hebrew word: SHAH-ar
שַׁעַר
שַׁעַר is pronounced SHAH-ar and means gate, the place of entry, trade, and judgment in a city (Strong's H8179).
People this discovery connects to
- Abraham — אַבְרָהָם (av-rah-HAHM) — father of a multitude
- Lot — לוֹט (LOT) — covering
Places
- Dan (Laish) — דָּן (DAHN) — judge
Events
Avraham rescues Lot from the four kings · Tribe of Dan later conquers Laish
Tel Dan Canaanite Gate ('Abraham's Gate') in Scripture
Genesis 14:14 Avram pursues the kings 'as far as Dan'; this gate belonged to that Middle Bronze city. (First mention of Dan.)
Judges 18:27-29 The Danites capture Laish and rename it Dan, explaining the name used in Genesis 14.
Questions people ask
What is Tel Dan Canaanite Gate ('Abraham's Gate')?
A gate of sun-dried mudbrick on basalt foundations, about 7 meters high, with three true arches spanning a passage 2.4 meters wide, flanked by two towers and reached by a stepped approach. It is among the oldest complete standing arches in the world.
When was Tel Dan Canaanite Gate ('Abraham's Gate') discovered?
It was found in 1979 by Avraham Biran (Hebrew Union College, Tel Dan excavations 1966–1999), at Tel Dan (Tell el-Qadi, ancient Laish/Dan), northern Israel.
Where is Tel Dan Canaanite Gate ('Abraham's Gate') today?
In situ, Tel Dan Nature Reserve, Israel.
Which Bible verses does Tel Dan Canaanite Gate ('Abraham's Gate') relate to?
Genesis 14:14, Judges 18:27-29.
Related discoveries
- לַיִשׁDan (Laish): The Tribe's Migration LayerCanaanite Laish replaced by pits, collared-rim jars, and a new people
- שַׁעַרTel Dan Iron Age Gate ComplexThe stone gate, plaza and 'seat of judgment' where the Tel Dan Stele was reused
- חֶבְרוֹןHebron (Tel Rumeida)Cyclopean walls of the Canaanite city where Avraham settled
- גְּרָרTel Haror (Tell Abu Hureira): GerarThe Middle Bronze city with a Canaanite temple, most often identified as Abraham and Isaac's Gerar
- בֵּית דָּוִדTel Dan SteleAramean victory inscription naming the 'House of David'
- בָּמָהTel Dan Sacred Precinct ('Jeroboam's High Place')A monumental platform, altar and horned altar stones at Israel's northern shrine
Sources
- Biran, 'The Triple-Arched Gate of Laish at Tel Dan', IEJ 34 (1984)
- Wikipedia: Dan (ancient city)
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