Tzur Natan
Moshav in central Israel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tzur Natan (Hebrew: צוּר נָתָן, lit. 'Rock of Nathan') is a moshav shitufi in central Israel. Located in western Samaria on a hilltop 170 m above sea level, on a ridge in the foothills of the Samarian Hills and to the south of Tayibe,[2][3] it falls under the jurisdiction of Drom HaSharon Regional Council. In 2024 it had a population of 291.[1]
Tzur Natan
| |
|---|---|
| |
  Location within Central Israel | |
| Coordinates: 32°14′25″N 35°0′42″E | |
| Country |  Israel |
| District | Central |
| Subdistrict | Petah Tikva |
| Council | Drom HaSharon |
| Affiliation | Mishkei Herut Beitar |
| Founded | 1966 |
| Founder | Nahal |
| Population (2024)[1] | 291 |
History
The moshav was founded in 1966 as a Nahal settlement by Hashomer Hatzair members, and was named after Nathan Simons. It was civilianised a year later by former members of the Beitar youth group.
In 2017 a minority of Tzur Natan families agreed to sell their land to a natural gas and diesel power station to be constructed by Edeltech only meters from the Arab Israeli city of Tira.
Archaeology
Excavations at Tzur Natan between 1989 and 1994 revealed a large Byzantine-period complex identified as a Samaritan synagogue. The building, oriented toward Mount Gerizim, included a main hall with an apse, narthex, atrium, and benches along the side walls, as well as several miqva'ot.[4] Finds such as a menorah engraving on a basalt stone and oil lamps decorated with menorahs, together with literary evidence for a Samaritan presence in the area in the 5th century CE, led the excavators to attribute the synagogue to the Samaritans.[4]
A dedicatory mosaic by the entrance mentions the village of Antesion, thought to be the ancient name of the site. A coin of Justin II (565–578 CE) found in the fill dates the synagogue to the late 6th century.[4] The building appears to have been converted into a church before its final abandonment in the 8th century. To the west, excavators uncovered more than twenty rooms with oil presses, flour mills, and a wine press, which they interpreted as an agricultural and industrial complex belonging to the Samaritan community.[4]
In 2019 a 5th-century mosaic with Greek inscription found at an ancient wine press. The inscription reads, "Only God help the beautiful property of Master Adios, amen." Adios was a wealthy Samaritan landowner.[5]