El-Mastarah is an archaeological site in the West Bank, Palestinian Territories, situated on a rocky hillside with sweeping views of the surrounding landscape. The site features Iron Age stone circle structures and settlement remains, including what archaeologist David Ben-Shlomo describes on camera as a casement wall — a double-line fortification typical of the Iron Age, or First Temple period, roughly c. 1200 to 600 BCE. Researchers have been investigating whether evidence of earlier Bronze Age habitation exists beneath those Iron Age layers, asking whether nomadic peoples moving through Canaan during the period described in the Exodus narrative left any trace in the soil. Gates visited the site as part of a broader investigation into the historical and archaeological evidence surrounding Moses and the Exodus, driving into the West Bank specifically to meet the international team working here. The site is not easily accessible — as Ben-Shlomo noted wryly when Gates arrived, it is "a good location, especially if you don't want to be bothered."
Iron Age occupation of El-Mastarah, evidenced by stone circle structures and a casement fortification wall, according to archaeologist David Ben-Shlomo
Potential Bronze Age habitation beneath Iron Age layers — the period researchers are investigating as contemporaneous with the events described in Exodus
Gates visits with archaeologist David Ben-Shlomo and geoarchaeologist Oren Ackermann during the filming of Expedition Unknown S10E12, "Chasing the Mysteries of Moses"
Archaeologist David Ben-Shlomo, who appears on camera at El-Mastarah in the episode, situates the site firmly within the Iron Age — approximately 1200 to 600 BCE — based on the casement wall architecture and the overall settlement pattern. He is candid with Gates that the stone circle structures themselves did not yield direct finds, but he points toward other areas of the site as more evidentially promising. His framing is careful: the Iron Age occupation at El-Mastarah comes *after* the period traditionally associated with the Exodus, meaning the site itself is not direct evidence for Moses, but it may help bracket the question of who was in Canaan and when.
Geoarchaeologist Oren Ackermann's use of portable OSL dating at the site represents a methodologically sophisticated approach to a genuinely difficult problem. OSL dating measures when sediment grains were last exposed to light, allowing researchers to date soil layers even in the absence of datable artifacts. If Bronze Age layers can be identified beneath the Iron Age occupation at El-Mastarah, that would at minimum confirm human activity in the region during the period the Exodus narrative describes — though it would not, on its own, confirm the narrative itself.
Within mainstream archaeology, the historicity of the Exodus remains one of the most actively debated questions in the field. The scholarly consensus, as of current research, is that there is limited direct archaeological evidence for a large-scale Israelite migration out of Egypt as described in the Hebrew Bible, but debate continues about smaller-scale movements, the identity of the relevant populations, and the period in question. Sites like El-Mastarah contribute to this conversation by helping researchers map settlement and nomadic patterns in Canaan during the relevant centuries.
What Gates' episode contributes is visibility for this ongoing, evidence-based scientific work — presenting OSL dating and careful stratigraphic analysis to a general audience without overstating what the findings prove. The episode is honest that El-Mastarah raises questions more than it answers them, which is a fair reflection of where the archaeology actually stands.
OSL (optically stimulated luminescence) dating works by measuring when individual grains of sand or soil were last exposed to sunlight — effectively reading the landscape's own memory of when it was disturbed.
The casement wall at El-Mastarah — a double-line stone fortification — is described by archaeologist David Ben-Shlomo as 'very typical of the Iron Age or the First Temple period,' helping date the visible surface structures to roughly 1200–600 BCE.
The Iron Age in the southern Levant begins around the same time as the traditional dating of the Exodus narrative's conclusion, meaning El-Mastarah's visible architecture likely post-dates the events Moses' story describes.
The West Bank sits within the ancient region of Canaan, the land the Hebrew Bible describes the Israelites entering after the Exodus — making sites like El-Mastarah directly relevant to ongoing archaeological investigations into that narrative.
El-Mastarah is located in the West Bank, and visitors should check current travel advisories and entry requirements for the Palestinian Territories before planning a trip, as conditions can change. The site sits on a rocky hillside that requires a hike to reach; as noted on the show, it is not easily signposted or accessible by road. Independent visits may be difficult — traveling with a local guide or as part of an organized archaeological tour is advisable.
Nablus is the nearest major city, approximately 20–30 km to the north, based on the site's coordinates in the northern West Bank.
Spring (March through May) and autumn (September through November) generally offer the most comfortable temperatures for hiking in the West Bank hill country, with lower summer heat and reduced chance of winter rain. Summer visits are possible but can be very hot.
Bethsaida
Bethsaida is another archaeological site in the Holy Land region investigated by Gates in connection with biblical-era history and settlement patterns.
Qumran
Qumran is a key site in the Palestinian Territories associated with ancient Jewish history and manuscript discovery, directly relevant to Gates' Holy Land investigations.
Jerusalem
Jerusalem is the central hub of Gates' broader 'Chasing the Mysteries of Moses' episode and the wider biblical archaeology investigations in the same season.
Sea of Galilee
The Sea of Galilee region features in Gates' Holy Land investigations and connects to the same episode arc exploring the historical landscape of the Exodus and Israelite settlement narratives.