Yesterday evening after work, my family and I went swimming at our nearest beach. Our nearest beach is Nasholim beach. One of the most amazing beaches in the world, it has everything a sea-lover might wish for. Small and large sea coves to explore, baby fish that you can either chase between the rocks or allow to nibble on your dead skin, a huge collection of sea shells and waves that are often large enough for surfing. You can look for the hidden mermaid's chair to make a sitting wish, catch some fish or sift for ancient archeological treasure. Our favourite bay at Nasholim is just big enough for a tiring swim from to one side to the other and back again. If you'd rather do beach instead of sea - the sand is white and soft and made for lazing. I usually stay in the water as much as possible. Life in Israel can be tense, so it is nice to float aimlessly without any thoughts in the Mediterranean sea. The summer is slowly coming to an end which means that the water is finally coo...
Kibbutz Nachsolim is right next to Hof Dor (Dor beach), one of my favorite beaches here in Israel. I usually walk right past the kibbutz, straight into the clear (and wonderfully cool) Mediterranean sea!
But a while ago I had the chance to visit the glass museum on the kibbutz and I was surprised at the amazing treasures housed in there. It is not just about glass - even though glass was the reason the building was originally built.
The museum took its name from an extremely well-equipped and state-of-the-art glass bottle factory that the Baron Rothschild had built in 1891 right next to the beach. The glass factory was to supply bottles to the wineries in Zichron Yaakov using the sand from the nearby beach. The chemist Meir Dizengoff ( later the first major of Tel Aviv's) oversaw the bottle making process.
Not a bad idea one might think - but nobody had bothered to check the sand's suitability to be made into bottles. The glass factory did make bottles .... but the glass of the bottles was too dark and the 'uppity' wine-makers of Zichron Yaakov refused to buy the bottles. And on top of everything, many of the factory workers succumbed to malaria, and after five years the glass factory was closed.
The old glass factory was nearly pulled down but then the Dutch marine archeologist Kurt Raveh showed up. He, with the help of volunteers and kibbutznikim rebuild the old glass factory with stone from old Roman ruins. The 'new' building was turned into a museum and house some amazing finds.
Hof Dor was a harbor in the Bible times and an important trading center. Many artifacts were brought up out of the sea or dug out from the nearby archeology site, Tel Dor. In the museum you can see various relics such as Roman fertility dolls, a Crusader sword, a 1948 pistol from the War of Independence and a large cannon dumped by Napoleon.
This beautiful beach was obviously more than just a place for a nice swim! The staff at the museum were very well informed and me and my fellow museum goers were following our guide with open mouths. Our children were entertained with a puzzle whose answers they had to hunt for throughout the museum.
Here is some more information about the glass museum, the Mizgaga in Hebrew and here is Kurt Naveh's web site.
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| The Glass Factory Museum |
The museum took its name from an extremely well-equipped and state-of-the-art glass bottle factory that the Baron Rothschild had built in 1891 right next to the beach. The glass factory was to supply bottles to the wineries in Zichron Yaakov using the sand from the nearby beach. The chemist Meir Dizengoff ( later the first major of Tel Aviv's) oversaw the bottle making process.
The old glass factory was nearly pulled down but then the Dutch marine archeologist Kurt Raveh showed up. He, with the help of volunteers and kibbutznikim rebuild the old glass factory with stone from old Roman ruins. The 'new' building was turned into a museum and house some amazing finds.
Hof Dor was a harbor in the Bible times and an important trading center. Many artifacts were brought up out of the sea or dug out from the nearby archeology site, Tel Dor. In the museum you can see various relics such as Roman fertility dolls, a Crusader sword, a 1948 pistol from the War of Independence and a large cannon dumped by Napoleon.
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| Ancient Grecian urn - those old Greeks must have really loved their urns! They are everywhere :) |
This beautiful beach was obviously more than just a place for a nice swim! The staff at the museum were very well informed and me and my fellow museum goers were following our guide with open mouths. Our children were entertained with a puzzle whose answers they had to hunt for throughout the museum.
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| The view from the excavation site - Tel Dor |
If you ever visit the northern part of Israel - come and visit the glass museum. There is lots to see and you can even go for a dip in Mediterranean afterwards. Who knows...you might even find some treasure at the bottom of the sea! It has happened before.
Here is some more information about the glass museum, the Mizgaga in Hebrew and here is Kurt Naveh's web site.
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