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Preparatory to the construction of a large water purification reservoir at a site near Moshav Qidron (Khirbet el-Asfura, îafetz îayim), three test and salvage excavation seasons were undertaken in 2003 and a fourth in 2004. These... more
Preparatory to the construction of a large water purification reservoir at a site near Moshav Qidron (Khirbet el-Asfura, îafetz îayim), three test and salvage excavation seasons were undertaken in 2003 and a fourth in 2004. These investigations were carried out at the request of Kibbutz Hafetz Haim and as a joint project of the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Sonia and Marco Nadler Institute of Archaeology of Tel Aviv University. The first excavation season (Licence No. A3829/03) was directed by E.C.M. van den Brink on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority. The second and third seasons (Licence No. B273/03) were directed by D. Rosenberg on behalf of the Institute of Archaeology of Tel Aviv University and the Israel Antiquities Authority respectively. The fourth season (Licence No. A4231/04) was conducted by E.C.M. van den Brink on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
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Recent excavations and research in the southern Levant have greatly increased our knowledge of the extent of interaction between indigenous Early Bronze Age peoples and their Late Protodynastic and Early Dynastic neighbours in the Nile... more
Recent excavations and research in the southern Levant have greatly increased our knowledge of the extent of interaction between indigenous Early Bronze Age peoples and their Late Protodynastic and Early Dynastic neighbours in the Nile Valley. Utilising new ...
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Levantine adaptive water subsistence and exploitative water management studies concerning late pre-and proto-history have intensified since 2000. This comes in the wake of findings concerning domestic water (e.g., groundwater wells and... more
Levantine adaptive water subsistence and exploitative water management studies concerning late pre-and proto-history have intensified since 2000. This comes in the wake of findings concerning domestic water (e.g., groundwater wells and surface irrigation systems) in particular in the eastern Mediterranean basin. Excavations conducted over the last 15 years on Israel's central coastal plain revealed several clusters of anthropogenic, vertical, narrow, deep shafts, apparently disassociated from contemporary settlement or burial localities. The shafts were cut through local kurkar and/or hamra soils. Despite their seemingly isolated, open-space locations within the settlement landscape, the shaft fills yielded a rich, albeit secondary source of typical settlement waste, consisting mostly of discarded pottery vessels, chipped-and ground-stone tools, and faunal remains. All these remains date exclusively to within the Late Chalcolithic period (LC1), contemporary with and relatable to the Beer Sheva aspect of the period (c. 4200 cal BC-3900 cal BC). This paper reviews the current state of research vis à vis these shafts in the eastern Mediterranean basin, in an attempt to integrate the recently recorded phenomenon of Late Chalcolithic shaft clusters in Israel's central coastal plain, into the framework of artificial groundwater wells from the early Pre-Pottery Neolithic through the Late Chalcolithic periods.
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Salvage excavations were carried out on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority in the fall of 2016 south of Ze'ev Wienhaus Street, located within the municipal boundaries of the modern city of Yehud in the central Coastal Plain of... more
Salvage excavations were carried out on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority in the fall of 2016 south of Ze'ev Wienhaus Street, located within the municipal boundaries of the modern city of Yehud in the central Coastal Plain of Israel. Numerous excavations have been carried out in the past in Yehud, with finds ranging from the Chalcolithic to Ottoman periods, though not continuously. In the present excavation 38 features dated to the Late Chalcolithic period were uncovered, including isolated pockets with occupational debris, narrow shafts and a shallow pit. The numerous shafts at the site are of particular interest in the light of similar features excavated in several localities in both Yehud and Tel Aviv over the last decade, and whose function is still under debate. The apparent absence of any structural (dwelling) remains notwithstanding, substantive quantities of pottery, flint, ground stone tools, and fauna remains were uncovered, that were subsequently analysed in the lab. The results of these analyses are presented below, together with the outcome of several 14 C and portable OSL tests of selected sediment samples. Those provide a detailed insight concerning the genesis, character and approximate date of the various features comprising this site, and how Yehud fits in with other contemporary sites in the region. Although structural building remains are conspicuously absent, based on the various assemblages collected at the site, Yehud Wienhaus represents a distinct part of an otherwise typical mixed farming settlement, where domestic, agricultural and animal rearing activities took place. The results of this excavation join the still-growing data base of Late Chalcolithic localities that have been exposed recently in the ancient site of Yehud and elsewhere along the Ayalon River.
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The Late Chalcolithic period in the southern Levant shows a marked increase in symbolic expression. While most Late Chalcolithic basalt bowls are undecorated, notable amounts of these were adorned, and their decorations typically conform... more
The Late Chalcolithic period in the southern Levant shows a marked increase in symbolic expression. While most Late Chalcolithic basalt bowls are undecorated, notable amounts of these were adorned, and their decorations typically conform to a few canonized conventions. A small amount of the decorated Late Chalcolithic basalt bowls are further incised with unconventional, unique designs on their exteriors. These elaborately decorated basalt bowls stand in sharp contrast to the conventionally decorated ones, thus signifying their different roles. This article discusses their geographic distributions, frequencies, and characteristics, and offers further suggestions as to their position within the Late Chalcolithic symbolic and prestige item systems. The analysis reveals regional patterns—the elaborately decorated basalt bowls are constrained to south of the Yarkon River—suggesting that the function and symbolic value of these bowls were probably geographically restricted. Their limited distribution underlines the exclusivity of these elaborately decorated bowls during the Late Chalcolithic period.
Excavations at Azor revealed architectural remains of a bathhouse that functioned over a long time span, extending from the late Byzantine (fifth–first third of the seventh centuries CE) to the Early Islamic (ninth century CE) periods.... more
Excavations at Azor revealed architectural remains of a bathhouse that functioned over a long time span, extending from the late Byzantine (fifth–first third of the seventh centuries CE) to the Early Islamic (ninth century CE) periods. The finds include plastered and tiled walls, hypocaust remains, cement water conduits, segments of clay pipes and ceramic tiles. These bathhouse remains are an important addition to the few known ancient bathhouses within the greater Tel Aviv area from this period. Sporadic finds recovered from fills point to the likely presence of a late Early Bronze Age I settlement and an Iron I–II occupation, including two cult stand fragments.
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Material remains of the Wadi Rabah culture, first defined by Jacob Kaplan's pioneering studies in the early fifties of the last century, were found at scores of sites in Israel, Jordan and Lebanon. Studies of this culture in more recent... more
Material remains of the Wadi Rabah culture, first defined by Jacob Kaplan's pioneering studies in the early fifties of the last century, were found at scores of sites in Israel, Jordan and Lebanon. Studies of this culture in more recent decades have shown the richness and diversity of its material culture complexes and shed light on possible cultural connections between the south Levantine Wadi Rabah culture and the north Levantine Halaf culture. Despite decades of research concerning the Wadi Rabah culture in Israel, only a few relevant sites are known in the Shephela foothills, an area which marks the southern boundary of this culture. Very few and often incomplete accounts were published regarding these southern sites, resulting in a fragmentary image of the characteristics of the southern facies of the Wadi Rabah culture. Here we present the final report of the excavations at Qidron, a Wadi Rabah site southeast of Moshav Qidron in the Shephela. Qidron is currently one of only a few sources of information concerning the Wadi Rabah culture in the Shephela and thus supplies valuable information concerning the material culture of the Wadi Rabah in this area. The data were retrieved mainly from five large pits that yielded many artifacts including pottery vessels, chipped and ground stone tools and production waste as well as animal bones and shells (some used as beads). The detailed study of the rich material culture from Qidron significantly contributes to our understanding of the southern facies of the Wadi Rabah culture.
During salvage excavations carried out in 2013 on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, a seemingly isolated clay coffin with anthropoid lid was uncovered on the lower east slope of Tel Shadud in the Jezreel Valley (van den Brink et... more
During salvage excavations carried out in 2013 on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, a seemingly isolated clay coffin with anthropoid lid was uncovered on the lower east slope of Tel Shadud in the Jezreel Valley (van den Brink et al., 2016). The coffin and associated funerary gifts bear strong resemblance to comparable specimens known foremost from Deir el-Balah in the Gaza strip and Bet She'an in the Jordan Valley. This new find should be placed within the context of the Egyptian New Kingdom colonization process of the region during the Late Bronze Age II and succeeding Iron Age I (van den Brink et al., In press). The coffin was systematically sampled for absorbed organic compounds along its profile. The results of the residue analysis reveals a particular burial aspect associated with pre-burial treatment of the coffin.
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One of the hallmarks of the Late Chalcolithic of the southern Levant is the production and exchange of basalt bowls. It is commonly accepted that these vessels were produced by specialists in distinct and still unidentified basalt... more
One of the hallmarks of the Late Chalcolithic of the southern Levant is the production and exchange of basalt bowls. It is commonly accepted that these vessels were produced by specialists in distinct and still unidentified basalt quarries and production sites in Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and/or Syria and were exchanged among local communities in the region, thus occurring at many Late Chalcolithic sites in the region. Some of these sites yielded notable amounts of basalt bowls, notwithstanding their sometimes considerable distance from potential basalt sources. This paper describes and discusses various aspects pertaining to the basalt bowl assemblage of Namir Road (Tel Aviv), one of the largest Late Chalcolithic basalt bowl assemblages in the southern Levant to date. This study touches upon aspects of Late Chalcolithic social and economic complexity and the specific patterns of production, decoration and distribution characterizing basalt bowl assemblages during this time span, arguably correlated with a demand for prestige objects, a demand that was part of a notable shift in the social and economic organization of Late Chalcolithic communities.
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Material remains of the Wadi Rabah culture, first defined by Jacob Kaplan's pioneering studies in the early fifties of the last century, were found at scores of sites in Israel, Jordan and Lebanon. Studies of this culture in more recent... more
Material remains of the Wadi Rabah culture, first defined by Jacob Kaplan's pioneering studies in the early fifties of the last century, were found at scores of sites in Israel, Jordan and Lebanon. Studies of this culture in more recent decades have shown the richness and diversity of its material culture complexes and shed light on possible cultural connections between the south Levantine Wadi Rabah culture and the north Levantine Halaf culture. Despite decades of research concerning the Wadi Rabah culture in Israel, only a few relevant sites are known in the Shephela foothills, an area which marks the southern boundary of this culture. Very few and often incomplete accounts were published regarding these southern sites, resulting in a fragmentary image of the characteristics of the southern facies of the Wadi Rabah culture. Here we present the final report of the excavations at Qidron, a Wadi Rabah site southeast of Moshav Qidron in the Shephela. Qidron is currently one of only a few sources of information concerning the Wadi Rabah culture in the Shephela and thus supplies valuable information concerning the material culture of the Wadi Rabah in this area. The data were retrieved mainly from five large pits that yielded many artifacts including pottery vessels, chipped and ground stone tools and production waste as well as animal bones and shells (some used as beads). The detailed study of the rich material culture from Qidron significantly contributes to our understanding of the southern facies of the Wadi Rabah culture.
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During trial excavations carried out in 2013 on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, a seemingly isolated clay coffin with anthropoid lid, containing a single primary burial, was uncovered within a 6 m × 5 m probe bordering the... more
During trial excavations carried out in 2013 on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, a seemingly isolated clay coffin with anthropoid lid, containing a single primary burial, was uncovered within a 6 m × 5 m probe bordering the lower east slope of Tel Shaddud in the Jezreel Valley. It lay at the bottom of a tightly constricted burial pit, about 1.8 m below the present surface. Subsequent salvage excavations in 2014 uncovered, less than 3 m to its southeast , a further three burial pits (none of which contained a coffin), enclosing four additional primary burials, oriented east to west — in conformity with the coffin burial. Together these burials form part of an apparent Late Bronze Age II–Iron Age I burial ground at the eastern margin of Tel Shaddud. The coffin and associated funerary gifts bear a strong resemblance to comparable specimens and associated funerary assemblages known foremost from Deir el-Balah in the Gaza strip and Bet Sheʽan in the Jordan Valley. The shared mortuary aspects of Tel Shaddud and the latter sites indicate a strong link with New Kingdom Egypt. Based on the Tel Shaddud data and its very location, in combination with selective reading of relevant, near-contemporary historic records (i.e. the el-Amarna letters) it is argued here that Tel Shaddud was a way station, or estate, functioning within the framework of the Egyptian New Kingdom colonization of the region during the Late Bronze Age II and succeeding Iron Age I.
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While the studies of Neolithic ceramic assemblages in the Near East have largely focused on the pottery styles and techniques, they have seldom taken the function of ceramic vessels into consideration. Yet, the use of pottery, found in... more
While the studies of Neolithic ceramic assemblages in the Near East have largely focused on the pottery styles and techniques, they have seldom taken the function of ceramic vessels into consideration. Yet, the use of pottery, found in large amounts in the Early Pottery Neolithic settlements, allows us to access to many aspects of daily life of prehistoric societies—in particular food practices. In order to characterise the culinary practices of Levantine societies at the end of the 7 th millennium cal. BC, an exploratory study was undertaken on the use of Yarmukian pottery. The multidisciplinary approach combines typometry (shape, size, volume, wall thickness) with use-wear (residues and abrasions) of Neolithic vessels. The first results show that the Yarmukian populations of the late 7 th millennium used their pottery for storing, transporting, cooking and consuming various substances. For cooking porridges, communities chose specific vessels within the available range of pottery types, put them in the middle of a fireplace and heated foodstuffs for a large group of people. The food habits of Yarmukian communities in the Southern Levant seem different from those of the contemporary Pre/Proto-Halafian populations in Mesopotamia who apparently used their vessels much less for long-term storage but more frequently for transporting and cooking staple foods. Résumé : Si les études de corpus céramiques du début du Néolithique céramique au Proche-Orient se sont largement cristallisées sur les caractéristiques stylistiques et techniques des poteries, elles se sont peu attardées sur les aspects fonctionnels des récipients en terre cuite. Connaître l'usage des poteries souvent retrouvées en grande quantité sur les sites permet, pourtant, d'appréhender de multiples facettes de la vie quotidienne des groupes préhistoriques – en particulier leurs habitudes alimentaires. Dans la perspective d'une restitution holiste de l'alimentation des sociétés levantines de la fin du 7 e millénaire av. J.-C., une enquête exploratoire a été entreprise sur l'usage des céramiques yarmoukiennes. L'approche pluridisciplinaire combine les aspects morpho-dimensionnels (forme, taille, volume, épaisseur des parois) et les traces d'utilisation (résidus et usures) des vases néolithiques. Les premiers résultats acquis montrent que les populations yarmoukiennes de la fin du 7 e millénaire ont utilisé leurs poteries pour stocker, transporter, cuire et consommer leurs nourritures. Lors de la cuisson de préparations bouillies, les communautés ont choisi des vases spécifiques au sein de leurs services, les ont placés au centre du foyer préhistorique et ont chauffé de la nourriture pour un groupe de personnes élargi. Les habitudes alimentaires des communautés yarmoukiennes de la fin du 7 e millénaire av. J.-C. semblent différentes de celles des populations pré/proto-halafiennes de Mésopotamie qui utilisent plus rarement leurs vases pour stocker mais s'en servent davantage pour transporter et cuire les produits.
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Salvage excavations east of Namir Road, Tel Aviv, were carried out in 2005 and 2010 on behalf of the Antiquities Authority. The site is located slightly north of Train Station North and Jabotinsky Street, within the municipal boundaries... more
Salvage excavations east of Namir Road, Tel Aviv, were carried out in 2005 and 2010 on behalf of the Antiquities Authority. The site is located slightly north of Train Station North and Jabotinsky Street, within the municipal boundaries of Tel Aviv on Israel’s Central Coastal plain. Structural and other material remains evidencing a small, sparsely populated, and apparently short-lived settlement dating to an early phase of the Late Chalcolithic period, viz., LC1 (cf. van den Brink 2013:53) were uncovered here, on top of an undulating hamra hillock, bordering an open area containing many deep, tapering, narrow, man-made shafts, apparently dating from the same period. At the lower part of the hamra slope a segment of a sandy-gravelly drainage channel cut out in the sterile hamra, with artificially reinforced banks was uncovered. The channel probably drained off into the nearby perennial Ayalon river that guaranteed the inhabitants with a steady supply of water. Based on an examination of the animal bones, flint tools and the presence of grinding stones, the subsistence of the Chalcolithic inhabitants of this site depended on a mixture of agriculture and husbandry. Hippopotami were still being hunted and sea fish supplemented the diet of the inhabitants. The populace furthermore participated in a super-regional trade exchange network of basalt and copper items. The settlement was apparently abandoned perforce after flooding by extreme heavy rainfalls during the rainy season as evidenced by the presence of thick deposits of very fine silts rich in organic material but completely devoid of any aquatic faunal or floral elements (that would have been indicative of a swamp-like environment), sealing and concealing the original settlement and its immediate surroundings.
A Late Chalcolithic Ghassulian assemblage of metal objects was recently uncovered during a salvage excavation at Bet Shemesh (Israel). Three axes and a mace head fragment from the assemblage were subjected to chemical composition and... more
A Late Chalcolithic Ghassulian assemblage of metal objects was recently uncovered during a salvage excavation at Bet Shemesh (Israel). Three axes and a mace head fragment from the assemblage were subjected to chemical composition and metallic texture analyses by SEM-EDS. While the axes were found to be composed of pure copper, in agreement with the common observation of " working tools " from this period in the southern Levant, the mace head was found to have a unique composition. In contrast to the common copper arsenic/antimony alloy used for "prestige" objects at this period, the mace head was made of leaded copper with lead concentrations N70 wt.% (in inclusions). This is the first such object reported from the Chalcolithic Levant. We suggest that similar to the use of arsenic/antimony, the addition of lead was primarily a technological requirement, done in order to facilitate production with the lost wax technique. Furthermore, this leaded copper mace head probably reflects an attempt to continue with production of "prestige" objects at times of shortage in the supply of As/Sb bronzes, and testifies for the important role these artifacts had in Ghassulian societies.
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The Yarmukian culture of the central Jordan Valley in northern Israel is well known owing to the extensive excavations carried out by Yossi Garfijinkel at Sha‘ar Hagolan, which have provided many insights into the Neolithic way of life. In... more
The Yarmukian culture of the central Jordan Valley in northern
Israel is well known owing to the extensive excavations carried out
by Yossi Garfijinkel at Sha‘ar Hagolan, which have provided many
insights into the Neolithic way of life.
In the last decade, several new Yarmukian settlements have
been discovered and excavated by the Israel Antiquities Authority
due to construction plans. One of these is the site of Naḥal Zippori
in the Lower Galilee. The settlement was established within alluvial
lands close to the Naḥal Zippori stream, and hence its name. Its
architectural remains include a rectangular structure that faced a
courtyard with a rounded silo, cooking pits and other installations.
The pottery assemblage, including decorated vessels with herringbone
patterns and line-painted designs, is characteristic of the
Yarmukian and Jericho IX aspects of the Pottery Neolithic period;
so too is the lithic assemblage with its distinctive denticulated
sickle blades. The most remarkable fijinds that link this site with
Sha‘ar Hagolan are fragments of around three dozen anthropomorphic
clay fijigurines, both female and male, and a few zoomorphic
clay fijigurines, all characteristic of the Yarmukian culture.
The discovery of this settlement site at Naḥal Zippori extends
the Yarmukian territory to the west of the country. Its rich material
culture, including a well-built architectural complex and clay
fijigurines, possibly indicates that it was a central settlement in the
Lower Galilee region.
Israel is well known owing to the extensive excavations carried out
by Yossi Garfijinkel at Sha‘ar Hagolan, which have provided many
insights into the Neolithic way of life.
In the last decade, several new Yarmukian settlements have
been discovered and excavated by the Israel Antiquities Authority
due to construction plans. One of these is the site of Naḥal Zippori
in the Lower Galilee. The settlement was established within alluvial
lands close to the Naḥal Zippori stream, and hence its name. Its
architectural remains include a rectangular structure that faced a
courtyard with a rounded silo, cooking pits and other installations.
The pottery assemblage, including decorated vessels with herringbone
patterns and line-painted designs, is characteristic of the
Yarmukian and Jericho IX aspects of the Pottery Neolithic period;
so too is the lithic assemblage with its distinctive denticulated
sickle blades. The most remarkable fijinds that link this site with
Sha‘ar Hagolan are fragments of around three dozen anthropomorphic
clay fijigurines, both female and male, and a few zoomorphic
clay fijigurines, all characteristic of the Yarmukian culture.
The discovery of this settlement site at Naḥal Zippori extends
the Yarmukian territory to the west of the country. Its rich material
culture, including a well-built architectural complex and clay
fijigurines, possibly indicates that it was a central settlement in the
Lower Galilee region.
Salvage excavations conducted in 2013 on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority at Khirbet ‘Asafna (east) revealed structural remains related to the Yarmukian aspect of the Pottery Neolithic culture and possibly to the early... more
Salvage excavations conducted in 2013 on behalf of the Israel Antiquities
Authority at Khirbet ‘Asafna (east) revealed structural remains related
to the Yarmukian aspect of the Pottery Neolithic culture and possibly
to the early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B culture as well. The site, situated
next to a natural spring, is located near the confluence of the Jezreel
and Zevulun Valleys opposite the Carmel mountain range. Large segments
of stone foundations of at least four rectangular structures were
exposed, distinct architectural units that must once have formed part
of one, possibly two, Pottery Neolithic courtyard buildings of Yarmukian
type, a type best documented at Sha‘ar ha-Golan in the Jordan Valley.
Associated pottery fijinds are sparse but fijit the Pottery Neolithic, even
though none shows sign of the distinctive pre-fijiring incised decorations
held characteristic of the Yarmukian aspect of the Pottery Neolithic.
Yarmukian clay fijigurines are equally absent. Associated fijinds further
include a variety of chipped and ground stone tools (mainly grinding/
pounding stones and pestles) and animal bones (cow, pig, gazelle and
deer), indicating that the inhabitants of this settlement were occupied
with processing agricultural produce as well as with husbandry and
hunting. Beneath these remains additional stone-built wall segments
were locally encountered. Although these could not be securely dated,
the relatively large number of flint tools of the early Pre-Pottery Neolithic
B found in secondary contexts at the site may perhaps indicate
that this earlier stratum relates to this period.
Authority at Khirbet ‘Asafna (east) revealed structural remains related
to the Yarmukian aspect of the Pottery Neolithic culture and possibly
to the early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B culture as well. The site, situated
next to a natural spring, is located near the confluence of the Jezreel
and Zevulun Valleys opposite the Carmel mountain range. Large segments
of stone foundations of at least four rectangular structures were
exposed, distinct architectural units that must once have formed part
of one, possibly two, Pottery Neolithic courtyard buildings of Yarmukian
type, a type best documented at Sha‘ar ha-Golan in the Jordan Valley.
Associated pottery fijinds are sparse but fijit the Pottery Neolithic, even
though none shows sign of the distinctive pre-fijiring incised decorations
held characteristic of the Yarmukian aspect of the Pottery Neolithic.
Yarmukian clay fijigurines are equally absent. Associated fijinds further
include a variety of chipped and ground stone tools (mainly grinding/
pounding stones and pestles) and animal bones (cow, pig, gazelle and
deer), indicating that the inhabitants of this settlement were occupied
with processing agricultural produce as well as with husbandry and
hunting. Beneath these remains additional stone-built wall segments
were locally encountered. Although these could not be securely dated,
the relatively large number of flint tools of the early Pre-Pottery Neolithic
B found in secondary contexts at the site may perhaps indicate
that this earlier stratum relates to this period.
During recent salvage excavations at the junction of the Latrun-Ashqelon Highway 3 near Bet Ḥilqiya, northern Negev, Israel, the broken head/torso of a Yarmukian cowrie-eye female clay fijigurine was uncovered within a Pottery Neolithic... more
During recent salvage excavations at the junction of the
Latrun-Ashqelon Highway 3 near Bet Ḥilqiya, northern Negev,
Israel, the broken head/torso of a Yarmukian cowrie-eye female
clay fijigurine was uncovered within a Pottery Neolithic (Jericho
IX/Lodian) deposit. A brief presentation of the fragment,
providing a fresh look at and a new interpretation of its back
in particular, is followed by a synopsis of sites known to have
yielded female clay fijigurines of this type to date.
Latrun-Ashqelon Highway 3 near Bet Ḥilqiya, northern Negev,
Israel, the broken head/torso of a Yarmukian cowrie-eye female
clay fijigurine was uncovered within a Pottery Neolithic (Jericho
IX/Lodian) deposit. A brief presentation of the fragment,
providing a fresh look at and a new interpretation of its back
in particular, is followed by a synopsis of sites known to have
yielded female clay fijigurines of this type to date.
This final excavation report concerns a salvage excavation carried out in Lod in the years 1995/1996
Discusses some examples of south Levantine and Egyptian influences on stone vessels of late prehistoric periods.
The salvage excavations at the ancient tell of Lod revealed six strata (I–VI). Stratum I consisted of much-disturbed topsoil. The partial remains of three buildings were uncovered in Stratum II, dated to the Byzantine period. Stratum III... more
The salvage excavations at the ancient tell of Lod revealed six strata (I–VI). Stratum I consisted of much-disturbed topsoil. The partial remains of three buildings were uncovered in Stratum II, dated to the Byzantine period. Stratum III consisted of sand deposits with a high concentration of MB I potsherds. Stratum IV represented the main phase of human occupation at the site, containing the remains of two superimposed settlements (Strata IVa, IVb), dating from the later phases of EB I. Stratum IVa revealed segments of three sundried mud-brick walls, lacking stone foundations; a large storage jar was found sunk into a beaten-earth floor. Stratum IVb contained three buildings segments, built of stone-wall foundations with a mud-brick superstructure. Stratum V consisted of fill layers, containing Chalcolithic materials. Stratum VI is a layer of fine, yellowish-white sand. Pottery from the site derives from strata dating to the Byzantine period, MB I, late EB I, Chalcolithic and PNA periods. The paleobotanic findings from Strata IVa–b demonstrate that olive orchards and a native maquis characterized the Early Bronze Age environment of Lod. The late EB I faunal assemblage was dominated by sheep/goat, followed closely by cattle and, to a lesser extent, pig. These animals were exploited primarily for meat and to a lesser extent for milk products, and in the case of cattle, for labor. Donkeys appear to have served as the main beast of burden. Some access to marine resources is attested by the presence of fish and mollusc remains.
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Three areas (A–C) were excavated and six archaeological strata were identified. Area A yielded sparse remains of the late Byzantine (Stratum I), Persian (Stratum II) and transitional Iron Age II/Persian (Stratum III) periods. Area B... more
Three areas (A–C) were excavated and six archaeological strata were identified. Area A yielded sparse remains of the late Byzantine (Stratum I), Persian (Stratum II) and transitional Iron Age II/Persian (Stratum III) periods. Area B yielded the poorly preserved remains of a pottery kiln of the vertical or up-draft type, dated by pottery to the late Byzantine period. Area C yielded three strata (VI–VIII) with sparse remains dating from MB IIA. The pottery included local wares and imports from Cyprus, analogous to the finds from the Palace III phase at Afeq, between the end of MB IIA and the beginning of MB IIB. Earlier pottery finds date to the Chalcolithic period and the Intermediate Bronze Age. The lithic collection from the site is very small (N = 123), including knapped limestone items and some ground-stone tools. Two sickle blades date clearly to the Middle Bronze Age, and other stone artifacts date to the Chalcolithic period and the Intermediate Bronze Age. The bone assemblage was small, pointing to the predominance of domestic animals, cattle being the most common species. Scanty remains of beasts of burden, camel and an equid (donkey?), were also found at Yehud.
Two subterranean features were uncovered at Horbat Qastra, situated on the southern outskirts of Haifa: Cave 1070, probably a reservoir, including two adjoining chambers (possibly a ritual bath, miqveh); and Cave 1071, consisting of two... more
Two subterranean features were uncovered at Horbat Qastra, situated on the southern outskirts of Haifa: Cave 1070, probably a reservoir, including two adjoining chambers (possibly a ritual bath, miqveh); and Cave 1071, consisting of two chambers, probably intended for dwelling. The caves yielded many restorable glass vessels, as well as pottery, dating from the fourth to seventh/eight centuries CE. The glass finds are characterized by their homogeneous fabric, workmanship and forms, indicating the existence of a local production center. Charred pieces of wood and a few carbonized seeds were found in Cave 1071, belonging to five species that still grow near the site. The late Byzantine faunal assemblage from Horbat Qastra is typical of this period, attesting that the animal economy of the site was based on herding, with little or no hunting. The molluscs encountered at the site originate from the Carmel Mountains, the Mediterranean Sea and the Nile River. The composition of the floral, faunal and malacological remains reflect the inhabitants’ known adeptness in fully exploiting the natural resources located in the site’s environs.
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Near Sha‘ar Efrayim, in the Sharon coastal plain, five karstic burial caves were uncovered, belonging to two burial phases: from the Chalcolothic period and Early Bronze Age I. The finds attributed to the Chalcolithic period included clay... more
Near Sha‘ar Efrayim, in the Sharon coastal plain, five karstic burial caves were uncovered, belonging to two burial phases: from the Chalcolothic period and Early Bronze Age I. The finds attributed to the Chalcolithic period included clay coffins and domiform ossuaries—both exhibiting red-painted designs and applied features—and typical pottery vessels, e.g., V-shaped bowls, cornets, fenestrated bowl stands, holemouths, lug handles and a churn(?). The EB I assemblage comprised Gray Burnished Ware, vessels with wavy-ledged handles and high looped handles and a potstand. Other finds include bone objects, beads, metal finds and an outstanding clay female figurine. Post EB I finds were retrieved solely from Cave 4, dating to Middle Bronze Age IIA and Late Bronze Age IIB. The Sha‘ar Efrayim Chalcolithic burial caves are an important link in the long chain of formal burial grounds extending from the Shephelah in the south to the western coastal plain in the north. The reuse of the burial caves during EB I and later is a well-known phenomena at other sites as well.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Since the 1990s, excavations at Shoham, located at the eastern edge of the Lod Valley, yielded several karstic caves used for burial and dwelling during the Late Chalcolithic period and the Early Bronze Age. One such cave is described in... more
Since the 1990s, excavations at Shoham, located at the eastern edge of the Lod Valley, yielded several karstic caves used for burial and dwelling during the Late Chalcolithic period and the Early Bronze Age. One such cave is described in this article. The finds included, inter alia, sherds of rectangular or domiform ceramic ossuaries, V-shaped bowls and some fenestrated pedestal bowls, dating to the Late Chalcolithic period, as well as pottery types typical of Late EB I. The cave is part of a large system of cemeteries comprising karstic caves, which served the population living in nearby settlements on the foothills of the Samaria anticline.
Excavations within a rock shelter opposite Horbat Govit in the Lower Galilee uncovered two strata dating to the Chalcolithic period. The pottery finds of the earlier Stratum 2 were of domestic types. In Stratum 1, the rock shelter was... more
Excavations within a rock shelter opposite Horbat Govit in the Lower Galilee uncovered two strata dating to the Chalcolithic period. The pottery finds of the earlier Stratum 2 were of domestic types. In Stratum 1, the rock shelter was reused for the burial of one individual, surrounded by funerary gifts typical of the Late Chalcolithic period, including V-shaped bowls, basins and holemouth jars. These finding are important with regard to the scarcity of Late Chalcolithic dwelling and burial sites in the Lower Galilee.