The Road of the Patriarchs or Way of the Patriarchs ( Derech haʾAvot Lit. Way (of) the Fathers), is an ancient north–south route traversing the land of Israel. The name is used by biblical scholars because of mentions in biblical narratives that it was frequently travelled by Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It is also called the Hill Road or the Ridge Route because it follows the watershed ridge line of the Samarian and Judaean Mountains. It runs from Megiddo and Hazor south to Beersheba by way of Shechem, Bethel, Jerusalem, Ephrath and Hebron. Unlike the Via Maris and the King's Highway which were international roads crossing the territories of many peoples, the Ridge Route was wholly within the territory of ancient Israel. Modern equivalent The modern Highway 60 follows roughly the route of the Way of the Patriarchs (without the more recent bypasses), passing through Afula, Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Halhul, Hebron and Dhahiriya. Archaeological findings Ritual baths Way stations were discovered along the route between Beersheba and Jerusalem from the time of the ancient Temple and later during the Hellenistic and Roman eras. Ritual baths (mikvaot, Hebrew: מקוואות) served pilgrims during their journey. Milestones Milestones have been discovered along the route signalling that, even in Roman times, the route was used as a major road. The stones represent the distance to Jerusalem. Biblical events The Maccabees' Battle of Beth Zechariah The Way of the Patriarchs passes by Khirbet Beit Zakariyyah, a small Palestinian village near the Israeli settlement of Alon Shevut, possibly the site of the Battle of Beth Zechariah between Judas Maccabeus and the Seleucid Greeks. It was there that Judah's brother, Eleazar Avaran, was killed after stabbing and killing one of the Greek elephants. This incident is commemorated by the name of the adjacent community, Elazar. Battle of Gibeah The biblical story of the Concubine of the Hill from the Book of Judges, leading up to the battle of Gibeah (), tells of a small family caravan journeying on the ridge route from Bethlehem towards Jerusalem. Gibeah is generally identified with Tell el-Fūl. Route near ancient Jerusalem Ancient Jerusalem (today's Old City) was not situated on the mountain watershed. Indeed, the Ridge Route did not pass directly through the ancient city but was situated just to the west, about a 20-minute walk from the city walls. The route from Bethel southwards would have passed through today's