Mount Precipice

{{Short description|Mountain in Israel}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Mount Precipice
| photo = Mounthakfiza.jpg
| elevation_m = 395
| location = [[Nazareth]]
| coordinates = {{coord|32|40|58|N|35|17|55|E|type:landmark}}
}}

'''Mount Precipice''' ({{lang-he|הר הקפיצה}}, "''Har HaKfitsa''"; {{lang-ar|جبل القفزة}}, "''Jebel al-Qafzeh''", "Mount of the Leap"), also known as '''Mount of Precipitation''', '''Mount of the Leap of the Lord''' and '''Mount Kedumim''' is located just outside the southern edge of [[Nazareth]], 2.0&nbsp;km southwest of the modern city center.

It is believed by some to be the site of the [[Rejection of Jesus]] described in the [[Gospel of Luke]] ({{bibleverse|Luke|4:29-30}}). According to the story, the people of Nazareth, not accepting Jesus as Messiah tried to push him from the mountain, but "he passed through the midst of them and went away."<ref name="ncta1" />{{better source needed|date=April 2018}}

Archaeological excavations in the [[Kedumim Cave|Qafzeh Cave]] in the mountain [[Skhul and Qafzeh hominids|found human remains]], whose estimated age is 100,000 years old. The human skeletons were associated with red ochre which was found only alongside the bones, suggesting that the burials were symbolic in nature. Previous to this discovery, scientists believed that human symbolic reasoning evolved much later, about 50,000 years ago.<ref name="bbc1" />

During the 20th century the mountain was used as a quarry, now abandoned. [[Highway 60 (Israel)|Highway 60]] goes through a tunnel dug in the mountain in the site of the old quarry, connecting [[Afula]] and [[Jezreel Valley]] (Arabic - Marj Ibn Amer) directly to Nazareth.<ref name="haaretz1" />

On 14 May 2009, [[Pope Benedict XVI]] celebrated a [[Mass (liturgy)|Mass]] on this  mountain, during his [[List of journeys of Pope Benedict XVI|visit]] to the Holy Land. 40,000 people participated.<ref name="cns1" />

==See also==
* [[Skhul and Qafzeh hominids]]

==References==
{{Commons category|Mount Precipice}}
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="ncta1">{{cite web |url=http://www.nazarethinfo.org/show_item.asp?levelId=63499 |title=The Mount of Precipice |author= |publisher=Nazareth Cultural & Tourism Association |access-date=2013-07-28}}</ref>
<ref name="bbc1">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3310233.stm |title=Cave colours reveal mental leap |author=Dr David Whitehouse |work=BBC News |date=2003-12-11 |access-date=2013-07-28}}</ref>
<ref name="haaretz1">{{cite news |url=http://www.haaretz.co.il/news/science/1.1361812 |title=New "Tunnels Road" will connect Afula to Nazareth and Nazareth Illit |author=Eli Ashkenazi |publisher= HAARETZ |date=2008-11-18 |access-date=2013-07-28}}{{in lang|he}}</ref>
<ref name="cns1">{{cite web |url=http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0902221.htm |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20091004233047/http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0902221.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-10-04 |title=Pope nears end of Holy Land trip with visit to Nazareth |author=John Thavis |publisher=Catholic News Service |date=2009-05-14 |access-date=2013-07-28 }}</ref>
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Precipice}}
[[Category:New Testament mountains]]