Sha'ar HaGolan: the Museum of Yarmukian Culture
On the banks of the Yarmuk, a village around 8,000 years old gave its name to a prehistoric culture. The kibbutz's small museum displays its pottery and figurines.
Prehistory
'Ubeidiya Among the Oldest Human Sites Outside Africa
South of the Sea of Galilee, very early humans lived on the shore of a vanished lake. Their stone tools are among the oldest known outside Africa.
- Where : Jordan Valley, south of the Sea of Galilee
- Duration : About 45 min
- Access : Open-air site, free entry
Essentials
'Ubeidiya is a prehistoric site in the Jordan Valley, south of the Sea of Galilee, near Kibbutz Beit Zera. Humans lived here on the shore of an ancient lake. They left behind Acheulean stone tools and many animal remains.
The site is among the oldest known sites of humans outside Africa. A study published in 2026 dates it to at least 1.9 million years ago. It is one of the stops in our overview of prehistoric sites in Israel.
In brief
- Why go
- One of the oldest known sites of humans outside Africa: at least 1.9 million years old according to a 2026 study.
- What you'll see
- The excavation areas and the ancient living surfaces, now tilted at about 70 degrees. There is no museum on site.
- Check before you go
- Free entry, from sunrise to sunset. No dogs; the site is not accessible to people with reduced mobility.
History
Archaeology
Humans on the shore of a vanished lake
Excavated since 1960
'Ubeidiya lies in the Jordan Valley, south of the Sea of Galilee, near Kibbutz Beit Zera. Archaeologists have been working here since 1960. The layers of ground preserve traces of an ancient lake, on whose shore humans lived.
Tools and bones
The excavations have produced Acheulean stone tools, a stone-working tradition of early humans. They have also yielded many animal remains.
A stop on the route out of Africa
According to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's press release, 'Ubeidiya is "among the oldest known sites of humans outside Africa". It bears witness to the first dispersals of the genus Homo out of Africa. These humans passed through the Levantine corridor, the strip of land linking Africa and Asia.
Source: Hebrew University of Jerusalem press release (EurekAlert, 19 February 2026)
History
At least 1.9 million years: the 2026 dating
An older age than thought
Earlier estimates placed 'Ubeidiya between 1.2 and 1.6 million years ago. A study published in 2026 in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews puts it at at least 1.9 million years. The team includes researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the University of Haifa and the University of Tulsa, among them Ari Matmon, Omry Barzilai and Miriam Belmaker.
Three methods combined
- Cosmogenic isotopes: they measure how long the sediments have been buried.
- Palaeomagnetism: it relies on past reversals of the Earth's magnetic field, recorded in the layers.
- Uranium-lead dating of fossil shells of freshwater snails of the genus Melanopsis.
🔎 A recent proposal
In their modelling, the authors also consider a younger age range. The figure of at least 1.9 million years is therefore a recent proposal, still to be confirmed, not a consensus.
Source: A. Matmon et al., Quaternary Science Reviews 378, article 109871 (2026)
Plan my visit
'Ubeidiya: planning your visit
- Opening hours
- Open from sunrise to sunset, according to the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.
- Entry
- Free, no entrance fee.
- Visit duration
- About 45 minutes.
- Getting there
- Drive to the gate of Kibbutz Beit Zera. Before the gate, turn right along the fence, then left at the first bend. After about 100 m, turn right at the junction, go down to the bridge over the Jordan and cross it. Climb for about 1 km to an old grey hut on the left and turn left. Check the route before you set off.
- On site
- Excavation areas, tilted layers of ground and the excavation teams’ hut. No museum.
- Dogs
- Not allowed.
- Accessibility
- The site is not accessible to people with reduced mobility.
Getting there & GPS
'Ubeidiya
'Ubeidiya, near Kibbutz Beit Zera, Jordan Valley, south of the Sea of Galilee
GPS coordinates : 32.6893, 35.5567 (reference point, not the exact entrance)
Start navigation with:
Visiting 'Ubeidiya today
What you can see
The site is in the open air and there is no museum. You can see excavation areas and the "'Ubeidiya Formation", layers of ground folded and broken into a small anticline, an arch-shaped fold. The ancient living surfaces are now tilted at about 70 degrees. A hut is used by the excavation teams.
Getting there
According to the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, drive to the gate of Kibbutz Beit Zera. Before the gate, turn right along the fence, then left at the first bend. After about 100 m, turn right at the junction and go down to the bridge over the Jordan, then cross it. Climb for about 1 km to an old grey hut on the left, and turn left. Check the route before you set off.
Combine it with
To see prehistoric finds on display, the Sha'ar HaGolan museum is a few kilometres to the east.
Source: Israel Nature and Parks Authority, site page (in Hebrew)
Suggested itineraries
- Prehistory of the Jordan Valley
- 'Ubeidiya → Sha'ar HaGolan museum
Around the site
'Ubeidiya and its surroundings
Close by (under 3 km)
-
Yardenit (Jordan River)
Baptisms in the Jordan
Page coming soon
Go further
Nahal Amud: The Valley of the Galilee Neanderthals
Above the stream that runs down to the Sea of Galilee, a cave yielded Neanderthal skeletons. You can hike the valley, but you may not climb up to the cave.
Capernaum, the town of Jesus on the Sea of Galilee
The fishing village where Jesus settled, taught in the synagogue and stayed with Peter: what the Gospels say, what the excavations found and what you can see today.
PrehistoryPrehistory in Israel: From the First Humans to the First VillagesFour prehistoric sites to visit in Israel and five more closed to the public: over a million years of human history, from Mount Carmel to the Jordan.Read the article → Frequently asked questions
Where is 'Ubeidiya?
In the Jordan Valley, south of the Sea of Galilee, near Kibbutz Beit Zera. GPS coordinates are given in the "Getting there & GPS" section.
How old is the 'Ubeidiya site?
Earlier estimates ranged from 1.2 to 1.6 million years. A study published in 2026 proposes at least 1.9 million years, combining three dating methods. This is a recent proposal that still needs confirming: the authors also consider a younger range.
Is it the oldest human site outside Africa?
That cannot be claimed. 'Ubeidiya is among the oldest known sites of humans outside Africa. It bears witness to the first movements of the genus <em>Homo</em> out of Africa, through the Levantine corridor.
What can you see on site?
Excavation areas, folded layers of ground and ancient living surfaces tilted at about 70 degrees. There is no museum. A visit takes about 45 minutes; entry is free, from sunrise to sunset.
Is the site connected with the Bible?
No: 'Ubeidiya documents prehistory and cannot be used to identify the figures of Genesis, whose story is presented on our page on <a href="/en/origines#creation-eden">Creation and the Garden of Eden</a>.