powered by FreeFind	Ein Afek (kurdana) 42 pictures     0.30 minutes HQ video The flour mill, dam, pump house, concrete channels and an ancient mound, or Tel, are all integral parts of the Ein Afek Nature Reserve. Crusade building Pottery shreds excavated from the area indicated that the site was first settled 4,000 years ago, and went through many stages of settlement. The name "Afek" already appears in ancient pharaonic documents as being among the cities of the Land of Israel. The community is also mentioned in the Bible - Joshua 19:30 and Judges 1:31, and as being among the places assigned to the Tribe of Asher. Meal Crusade building Just north of the Tel are remains from the Crusader period, when the community here was known as Racordani. It flourished during the Crusader period because the waters of Na'aman powered a large mill which did most of the flour grinding for Acre. The mill survived long after the Crusaders had left, and continued to function until 1925. Nature Reserve Entering the mill, the visitor can see a medieval grinding room on the lower floor, as well as the storage and residence rooms above. The remains of an old dam, which retained water throughout the year to provide constant power for the mill, can be seen extending 625 meters from the mill. Fortifications on the roof date from the 1936-1939 disturbances during the British Mandate. The mill house can also be used as a convenient spot for bird watching since its balconies offer excellent vantage points with good views. Visitors soon come to appreciate how much this old building fits properly into the scene. View North Back to Israel Index