Why Were Mysterious Foot-Shaped Structures Found in Israel?

Many researchers have attempted to identify and locate structures built by the Israelites upon entering the land. One typical structure is the "Four-Room House." But aside from residential buildings, the Israelites undoubtedly had public structures, so how can these be identified?

Archaeologist Professor Adam Zertal discovered something fascinating: at sites where the Israelites were at the start of their settlement in the land, a massive public structure shaped like... a foot was found. These structures date back to the time of the Exodus.

Six such sites have been discovered at Mount Ebal, in Tirzah, and the Jordan Valley, featuring large structures surrounded by a circular fence that resembles a foot. Zertal speculated that this might be the "Gilgal," mentioned repeatedly in the context of Israelite settlement.

Why shaped like a foot?

One suggestion was that Israelites saw this as fulfilling the verse: "Every place where your foot treads will be yours." Or perhaps, since these were places of prayer and holiday celebration, they intended to echo the verse "Heaven is my throne and the earth my footstool." Maybe it was also a literal interpretation of "pilgrimage."

The Israelites celebrated their first Passover in Gilgal, as they entered the land on the 10th of Nisan, and there was no time to construct the Tabernacle in Shiloh yet.

Archaeological hypotheses are always speculative, but it’s fascinating to consider, even as a possibility, that today one can enter the site where the Israelites camped with Joshua bin Nun, celebrating that first Passover on Israeli soil.