Tel Hamid (a bust)

I set out this morning (alone this time) for Tel Hamid, but I could not find it. According to the map the tel, which was occupied from the ninth century BCE to sixth century CE, is supposed to be hard to find. I came to the general area - near the Nesher cement factory off Highway 44 and Highway 6 and climbed up to the high point, but the bush was exceptionally thick and hard to traverse. I saw a lot of sherds and bits of flint all over, but none of the walls that were uncovered during the salvage excavations that took place in 96, 98 and 02. It looks like it was a substantial site, and according to my encyclopedia may be the biblical site Gibbethon (mentioned in Joshua and 1 Kings).

It's only the second time we have set out and not found the site we are looking for, so not a bad average in all. I'll try for something better known next week.