At nearby Tel Sandahanna (Arabic for St. John), excavations uncovered vivid, beautifully preserved Byzantine mosaics of birds and flowers. These served as floors in 5th- and 6fh-century churches and can be seen near the top of the tel, protected by small sheds. More recently excavations have uncovered a Roman mosaic floor in even better condition. Two of the caves were used for burials and have niches for the appropriate urns. Since the sites are unmarked and the tel is large, you should ask for the assistance of a kibbutznik from Beit Guvrin, a 20-minute walk down the hill. (Most get off work about 12:3O-l:3Opm and will show interested travelers around. Ask to see the house of King Abdallah, grandfather of King Hussein of Jor-dan, located amidst the Beit Guvrin caves.)

Getting to and from Beit Guvrin requires advance planning. Bus #11 from Kiryat Gat goes directly to the kibbutz. (Sun.-Thurs. 8:05am and 5:10pm, Fri. 8am and 2:15pm, NIS 4.5; return from Beit Guvrin at 8:25am and 12:30pm. You’ll have to catch one of the morning buses if you don’t want to spend the night.) Some of the Kiryat Gat-Hebron buses pass by Beit Guvrin; ask the driver to let you off here since there is no regular stop. Taxis run from the central bus station to Beit Guvrin, Tel Maresha, and Tel Lakhish. To reach the caves, walk to the paved road opposite the kibbutz. The first fork bears left to the Beit Guvrin bell caves.