Overview
- The Gal'on Fortress in the Guvrin Forest has been restored and formally reopened to visitors after excavation, conservation and site development.
- Keren Kayemet LeYisrael (KKL‑JNF) funded the project at about NIS 400,000 and the Israel Antiquities Authority carried out the excavation and conservation work.
- Excavators Saar Ganor and Itamar Weissbein date the stone citadel to the mid‑12th century BCE and interpret it as a Canaanite-built fort under Egyptian influence.
- Archaeologists recovered Canaanite pottery at the site and position the fortress on the ancient route between Lachish and Gath, indicating a strategic role in controlling movement across the region.
- The renovation added parking, an access road, picnic areas, signage and an accessible path to make the site usable for visitors, increase local tourism and preserve the ruins for study and education.