JERUSALEM, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Israeli archaeologists discovered an extensive underground complex dating back about 2,000 years, used for hiding during wartime, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said in a statement on Monday.
The expansive complex was unearthed in the northern Galilee region, near the Sea of Galilee, at the ancient village site of Huqoq.
The IAA noted that the villagers converted a cistern to create the hiding complex as a shelter during Jewish revolts against the Roman Empire's rule.
It comprises eight hiding cavities, with connecting tunnels dug at 90 degrees, to hamper the heavily armed Roman soldiers chasing the rebels.
The excavation also yielded hundreds of broken clay and glass dishes, an impressive ring for a precious stone, and other significant finds.
The site of Huqoq has been inhabited since the Early Bronze Age and flourished during the Roman period, mainly due to the presence of a constant spring. ■
