Hurvat Mezad

Horvat Mazad (also spelled Hurvat Mesad) or Khirbet el-Qasr (also Khirbet al-Kusr) is an archaeological site located in the Jerusalem District of Israel. Occupied intermittently from the Late Bronze Age to the modern period, its main phase occurred between the 2nd century BCE and the 1st century CE, when it was developed into a fortified complex by the Hasmonean and Herodian dynasties before being abandoned during the First Jewish–Roman War (66–73 CE). Horvat Mazad, located along the ancient Jaffa–Jerusalem road, served as a strategic outpost overseeing access between the coastal plain and the Judaean Mountains. Archaeological remains include a square watchtower, casemate walls, cisterns, vaults, and a rock-cut mikveh (Jewish ritual bath) that was later altered by burials dating to the Early Islamic period. Researchers believe the site was part of a broader defensive network protecting routes into Jerusalem. Excavations have uncovered artifacts from multiple periods, including a substantial number of coins minted during the reign of Alexander Jannaeus, as well as oil lamps, jewelry, and textile fragments.

Archaeological site data from Wikidata (CC0). Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).