Bet Shean - Tell el-Husn 
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Immediately north of the theater in Bet Shean is Tell el-Husn, a settlement mound on which excavations in the 1920s brought to light mainly stelae, sculpture and other objects dating from the period of Egyptian rule. Most of the finds, including a stele of Pharaoh Sethos I (1318 B.C.) and a stele depicting the war goddess Anat (1250 B.C.), are now in the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem.
Further excavations since 1986 have yielded such impressive results that the tell now ranks as one of the most important archeological sites in Israel. Since Bet Shean was destroyed by an earthquake shortly after the Arab conquest the building materials of the ancient town were not - as was the case, for example, at Caesarea - re-used in later buildings. This simplifies the work of the archaeologists, who have only to re-erect the walls which collapsed in the earthquake.
In the south part of the site another excellently preserved Roman and Byzantine theater, also seating 6,000 spectators, has been brought to light.
Further excavations since 1986 have yielded such impressive results that the tell now ranks as one of the most important archeological sites in Israel. Since Bet Shean was destroyed by an earthquake shortly after the Arab conquest the building materials of the ancient town were not - as was the case, for example, at Caesarea - re-used in later buildings. This simplifies the work of the archaeologists, who have only to re-erect the walls which collapsed in the earthquake.
In the south part of the site another excellently preserved Roman and Byzantine theater, also seating 6,000 spectators, has been brought to light.
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