Hasmonean and Herodian royal winter palaces

Additional excavations were conducted by the Germans Ernst Sellin and Carl Watzinger, in 1910–1911, but the results have never been published.

A series of winter palaces were discovered, some which were shown to have been built by the Hasmoneans, and others by Herod the Great, who inherited the older estate and substantially expanded the palatial compound with new buildings.

South of one of the palaces, in the area that today is the Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, remains of luxurious houses were discovered, scattered over dozens of acres.

The establishment of the mound resulted in coverage of the Hasmonean palace, and thus parts of it were preserved, such as a building wall remaining 7 metres high.

Perhaps they are also the place where, according to historian Josephus, Aristobulus III (53–36 BC), the last high priest from the Hasmonean dynasty, was drowned.

South of the large pools was a luxurious 21 by 17 metres building, the so-called pavilion, built in the style of a Doric temple.

The hypothesis is that they were built by Queen Shlomtzion (ruled 67–76 BCE) for her two sons, Hyrcanus and Aristobulus, in order to soften the rivalry between them that lasted nearly thirty years.

The palace also served the last Hasmonean king, Antigonus Matityahu II (r. 40–37 BCE), as evidenced by a hoard of 20 coins.

The first palace was situated on the southern bank of Wadi Qelt, on land leased from Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, who received it as a gift from Mark Antony in 36 BCE.

In the palace were a magnificent hall, a luxurious bathhouse, and a pair of deep pools, which were apparently ritual baths.

Herod won the trust of Emperor Augustus and in return received the Jericho area he had previously lost to the by then defunct Queen Cleopatra.

Ehud Netzer, the editor of excavations at the site, believe that palace residents could see water flowing in the riverbed for up to two months a year, letting the viewers feel like they were on the edge of an actual river.

Farm crops, according to literary sources, were: palm trees, persimmon resin, and sap, which produced perfumes and medicines.