THE CIRCULAR STRUCTURE AT ‘EIN AL-QASTAL: A SPRINGHOUSE?

Enot Zippori, situated approximately 2km west of Nazareth in Lower Galilee, are a group of springs, the most prominent of which is 'Ein al-Qastal, marked by a distinctive circular structure traditionally interpreted as a 'springhouse.' Following recent investigations conducted by the Maritime Unit of the Israel Antiquities Authority, including a geophysical survey and targeted excavations of the installation and a nearby British Mandate-period pumping station, it is suggested that the structure was a Roman-period settling pool. The associated hydraulic system, comprising subterranean channels and pools, appears to have transported water from 'En Rabi to supply domestic and agricultural needs of the surrounding settlements.