Nahal Siyah - Hermitage

The hermitage consists of a rock-hewn two-storied cave on the cliff. The cave entrance (1.5×2 m) has recesses for hinges cut in the doorjambs and a threshold (0.9 m wide). To the right of the entrance, one meter above the floor there is a hewn niche (0.4×0.7×0.7 m). The lower level of the cave (5×5 m, 2 m high) has a square, central rock-hewn pillar (1×1 m), which supports the ceiling. A rock-hewn shelf (0.7 m high), with seven hewn depressions (four of them measure 0.5×0.5 m, the other three—0.35×0.45 m; mangers?), runs the length of the eastern wall. Also hewn in the eastern wall is a staircase, consisting of eleven steps, leading to the upper level, which has five rock-hewn recesses (0.35×0.55–0.65 m) in the northeastern corner. Other recesses were hewn in the wall opposite the entrance. Hewn perforations in the cave walls are apparently for tying animals. The upper level (4×5 m) has a balcony with a rock-hewn parapet. In the northern wall, 0.6 m above the floor are three rock-hewn niches.