The site of Gibeon was excavated by James B. Pritchard, the first curator of the Biblical Archaeology section of the University Museum. Gibeon, now the modern Arab village of el-Jib, was first occupied in the Middle Bronze Age I as evidenced mainly by its cemetery. In the Early Iron Age, a massive city wall was built around the mound and a huge cylindrical pool for fresh water, reached by a spiraling stair of 79 steps, was excavated in the bedrock. The city reached its peak in the 7th century B.C.E. when the entire mound was covered with buildings, and the Gibeonites produced and traded large quantities of wine. Altogether, 63 rock-cut storage cellars for wine were excavated by Dr. Pritchard.