Orit Shamir

This study presents the Early Medieval textiles from excavations in Israel and neighboring areas (9th-13th centuries). It identifies the origin of these textiles, namely, if they were produced locally or were imported, and reconstructs the cultural connections they display. This is the first time that all the fabrics of the period, from the region, are placed and analyzed together. In this paper, we compare their characteristics (e.g. materials and weaving techniques), detect similarities and differences between fabrics of the varied sites, and explain these patterns. In comparison to other archaeological fields in Israel, such as pottery and metals, textile research is relatively new.
In the following, the textiles of nine sites (or clusters) from Israel and its immediate surroundings (henceforth, Israel) are introduced. These include (from north to south) Caesarea, Qarantal Cave 38, Qasr el-Yahud, additional Judea Desert caves (Patrich's excavations and the ‘Operation Scroll’), Qumran Caves, Wadi Murabba'at, Mezad Zohar, Avdat’s Saints Cave, and the Coral Island (Fig. 1). Although only a few artefacts are intact, we can usually assume their use through comparisons to the written sources, to ethno-archaeology, and to intact specimens from Egypt. The fabrics comprise wool, goat hair, silk, linen, cotton and mixed materials. They also introduce varied weaving techniques. Their technical details include material, size, number of threads (per cm), threads’ spin direction, weaving technique, density, colour, decoration and supplements, sewing and quality. A glossary at the end of the paper elaborates on the varied techniques and summarizes terms such as ‘wrap’, ‘Z-spun’, ‘tabby’ or ‘twill’. These data were then compared to earlier textiles from Israel and to textiles from other countries. Sites which yielded textile remains are, for example, Quseir al-Qadim (al-Quṣayr al-Qadīm), Fusṭāṭ and Naqlun's cemetery in Egypt. The comparison illuminates which of the textiles are common in the region during specific periods, and therefore are likely to be local, which are exceptional, and which can be associated with other regions.

The domestication of flax was an essential prerequisite for string and textile production in the southern Levant. Linen fabrics from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period, 7th millennium BC, were preserved only in the cave deposits of Nahal Hemar. Flax fibre processing was probably based on thousands of years of experience of using bast fibres. The Neolithic products were made by techniques such as looping and knotted netting prior to the invention or adoption of the loom that was introduced by the Chalcolithic period.
The horizontal ground loom was the first to be used in the Chalcolithic period, and thus the quality of the textiles is quite good. These textiles are characterised by splicing. The first appearance of wool apparently took place only in the Middle Bronze Age, as indicated by the textiles that have been found in Jericho. It raises the question of whether wool was not yet a favoured fibre or if the kind of sheep that produce wool were not raised in this area.

Textiles represent one of the earliest human craft technologies, and have an enormous potential in archaeological research, being able to tell us about social, chronological, and cultural aspects of past societies. At the same time, archaeological textiles tend to be rare finds. Like any perishable organic material, they are subject to rapid decomposition in archaeological contexts. The rare assemblage from the Dead Sea was preserved as a result of the extremely dry climate in the region, and provides a window into aspects of past societies. The Organic Material Collection in the Israel Antiquities Authority includes a wealth of textiles, basketry, cordage and leather, fruits and seeds, dating from 8,000 BCE until 1800 CE. The artifacts derive from excavations, they are treated at the Israel Antiquities Authority’s (IAA) laboratories and preserved in a climate controlled environment. This article will present textiles from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic until the Medieval period around the Dead Sea (Pl. 1), some of which will also be presented at the exhibition “Life at the Dead Sea” in State Museum of Archaeology Chemnitz (smac).

The textiles presented below were discovered in the course of caves survey conducted in the Judean Desert during the years 1983–1987 on behalf of the Institute of Archaeology of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and during the years 1988-1991 on behalf of the Institute of Archaeology of the University of Haifa under the direction of Joseph Patrich.1 Preserved due to the arid climate, the perishables included textiles, basketry and cordage from the Chalcolithic to the Medieval period. Some of the caves yielded modern-day textiles. The article is divided into two parts. The first part deals with textiles of the Chalcolithic Period from Lower Wadi el-Makkukh and the adjacent area; and the second part with textiles of the Roman and later periods from different caves: el-Maẓia Cave (upper Naḥal Deragot), ‘Ein Far‘ah, Wadi el-Makkukh (Fig. 1), Qumran Caves (Fig. 2), and ‘Ein Abu Maḥmud.

This article will discuss the findspots of cotton textiles and the location of their manufacture, questioning the origin of these different cotton fabrics, their provenance, and the route they took to their new owners. Unlike pottery production centres, such as Ramla (Korenfeld 2015), textile production centres almost never leave diagnostic debris such as wooden looms in the archaeological record. Thus, how can we determine where textiles were actually made? Traditionally, textile scholars use the following sources and indicators to answer this question (Shamir 2016c: 231): 1. Places with a concentration of textile finds give indications concerning the dominant material, spin direction, weaving techniques, etc. 2. The location of the earliest known examples of a certain kind of technique. 3. Historical sources. 4. Other archaeological finds such as textile tools (e.g. spindle whorls).

Silk has been discovered in Israel from sites dating to the Byzantine period, such as Nessana1 and ‘Avdat, and to the early Islamic period, at Nahal ‘Omer and ‘En Marzev; at the latter site a late seventh- to ninth-century textile was found, decorated with silk threads wrapped with silver strips.Medieval silk textiles were found at Caesarea, Wadi Murabba‘at, and the Coral Island (Jeziret Fara‘un) in the Gulf of Aqaba. The most important and significant silk textile assemblage was found in a cave near Jericho (Qarantal Cave 38), dating from the ninth through the thirteenth centuries. The present chapter aims to learn from these fragments about the shapes and materials of garments that were in daily use from the fifth to the thirteenth century.

The organic materials discussed in this chapter were discovered during excavations conducted in 2000 and 2001 at the Cave of Letters, under the direction of Dr. Richard Freund from the University of Hartford and Dr. Rami Arav from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.1 The excavation yielded approximately 300 Roman period textile fragments. Twenty- two were cleaned and catalogued (Figure 11.1). Another 254 textiles were registered in a preliminary fashion (Figure 11.2) and others were not registered because of poor preservation. In addition, a small number of threads and cords were found. The artifacts were for the most part, small and deteriorated fragments. These fragments are some that were left in the so- called “Niche of Skulls” following the Yadin excavations in 1961.

Textile impressions on the inner surface of two body fragments of a Mamluk-period bowl were discovered at Tamra (L306, B3001; Fig. 1; see Tepper, this volume). Imprints of the sherds were made on Fimo (for a detailed description of this technique, see Sheffer 1976), and were examined under a ×40 enlargement. The impressions are delicate, featuring very thin warp threads, 12 per cm; the weft is somewhat thicker, with 15 threads per cm. The threads are S-spun, tabby weave, of very good quality.
http://www.atiqot.org.il/ArticleList.aspx?id=1040
on the inner surface of two body fragments of a Mamluk-period bowl were discovered at Tamra (L306, B3001; Fig. 1; see Tepper, this volume). Imprints of the sherds were made on Fimo (for a detailed description of this technique, see Sheffer 1976), and were examined under a ×40 enlargement. The impressions are delicate, featuring very thin warp threads, 12 per cm; the weft is somewhat thicker, with 15 threads per cm. The threads are S-spun, tabby weave, of very good quality.
http://www.atiqot.org.il/ArticleList.aspx?id=1040

This article will discuss the findspots of cotton textiles and the location of their manufacture, questioning the origin of these different cotton fabrics, their provenance, and the route they took to their new owners.
Through the duration of the Byzantine period, in the 5th-6th c. CE, cotton remained rather rare in Palestine. It continued to be infrequent during the Islamic period, leading to very few discoveries on selected sites. At least one of these location shows that cotton was also a foreign product coming mainly through importation networks with India. Such commerce has left a strong imprint on the textile landscape of ancient Palestine. The caravan town of Nahal ‘Omer has left us a rich textile assemblage of good quality pieces where cotton was predominant, attesting the prosperity of the site’s inhabitants and the travellers who frequented it. These finds contrast sharply with the textiles characterizing nearby sites of the same period. In most of Palestine except for Nahal ‘Omer, wool was still the fibre of choice during the Early Islamic Period (7th-8th c. CE) in sites such as Nahal Shahaq, ‘En Evrona, ‘En Marzev (Yahav), and Yotvata.
The exceptional quantities of silk and cotton fabrics discovered at Nahal ‘Omer testifies to textile encounters with faraway lands. This distinct foreign character of cotton textiles continued to be relevant during the Later Islamic period, at Qasr el-Yahud for example, where cotton textiles are associated to Nubians and South Egyptians pilgrims. Nonetheless, local cotton production continued to be slowly developed through the medieval period, until the fibre became quite prevalent and even replaced linen.
https://journals.openedition.org/ethnoecologie/4176

We studied and catalogued 251 textile fragments from Nahal Omer(Baginski and Shamir 1995). Many of the pieces—discarded cut and torn—appear to have come from garments. The composition of the Nahal ‘Omer assemblage is remarkable for its high proportion of cotton textiles—153 of the 251 items—as cotton textiles are rarely found at sites from this period. Three textiles are made of silk, the only silk textiles dating to this period discovered in Israel. The other textiles are made of wool or linen (Baginski and Shamir 1995; Shamir and Baginski 2014). The textiles included a tunic (IAA No. 2003-9109; Fig. 1), which has not been published since it underwent conservation (by Raisa Vinitsky). The tunic is cut-to-shape, i.e., cut into shape and tailored. It has one triangular gore on each side of the central panel, forming a rectangular-shaped tunic.

Jewish law forbids Sha’atnez – wearing mixed wool and linen together was forbidden for the Jewish population. The article will first explain the meaning and acronym of sha’atnez, and then review the sha’atnez textiles which were found in the Land of Israel. The possible reasons for the prohibition of sha’atnez will be presented and remarks on observance and enforcement of the law in Orthodox Jewish communities today will be made according to ethnographic investigation.

The High Priest (in Hebrew kohen gadol) was the chief official of the religion practiced by the Jewish people until the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. According to the Hebrew Bible, the High Priest was required to wear garments of mixed wool and linen, sha’atnez, while serving in the Jerusalem Temple. However, sha’atnez was forbidden for the remainder of the Jewish population. The present article will explain the concept of sha’atnez, and review the sha’atnez textiles that have been recovered in the Land of Israel (Eretz Israel, a biblical term, mentioned in the Bible e.g. 1 Samuel 13:19). Afterwards, I will compare them to the High Priest’s sha’atnez garments.

‘En Tamar is a Nabatean desert oasis southwest of the Dead Sea. It is located ca. 10 km from Meẓad Tamar, which was one of the way stations on the road to Petra. Excavations at the site uncovered a burial cave dated to the first–third centuries CE  or late second–early third centuries CE.
The finds – pottery, glass, silver jewelry, carnelian and gold-plated beads, the leather sole of a sandal with bronze nails of the caliga type and wooden artifacts and
textiles – reflect the wealth of the family whose members were buried in the burial cave. Several hundred artifacts made of organic materials – textiles, basketry, cordage, leather and wood – were discovered with the burials, as well as short date-palm cords, fruits and seeds of date palms, nuts, olives and Egyptian balsam
(Balanites aegyptiaca).
The linen textiles, some of them decorated with wool bands, do not display any stitching or signs of reuse and were in primary use as shrouds, another indication of the high economic status of the deceased.

Thousands of textiles from the Roman period have been discovered in the Judean Desert from Qumran, Masada, ‘En Gedi, the Cave of Letters, Cave of the Treasure, the Christmas Cave, Wadi Murabba‘at, caves around Jericho, such as the Avior Cave, and in the Negev and ‘Arava at sites on the Spice Routes connecting Petra and Gaza: Mo‘a, Sha‘ar Ramon, En Rahel and Qasra. The arid climate in modern southern Israel helped the preservation of these textiles: they allow us to obtain a broad picture of the textile industry in Palestine during the Roman period.
This article deals with the place of manufacture of the textiles and the route they took to their new owners. Unlike pottery production centres, textile production centres almost never leave diagnostic debris in the archaeological record. Thus, how can we determine where textiles were made? Textile scholars use the following approaches to answer the question:
1. Places with concentrations of textiles give indications concerning the
dominant material, spin direction, weaving techniques, etc.
2. The location of the earliest known examples of a certain kind of technique.
3. Historical sources.
4. Other archaeological finds.
In this article I  compare the features of these textiles including their materials, spin direction, weaving techniques, dyes and garments to the historical sources such as the Talmudic literature and other ancient written sources.

Silk has been discovered in Israel from sites dating to the Byzantine period (fifth century CE) such as  Nessana (Baginski and Sheffer 2004; Bellinger 1962) and ‛Avdat (Baginski and Tidhar 1978) and onwards from the early Islamic period at Nahal ‘Omer (Baginski and Shamir 1995) and 'En Marzev with a late seventh–ninth centuries CE textile decorated with silk threads wrapped with silver strips (Shamir 2016a).
Medieval silk textiles were found at Caesarea (Baginski 1996), Wadi Murabba'at (Crowfoot and Crowfoot 1961:60-61) and the Coral Island (Jeziret Fara'un) in the Red Sea, nowadays in Egypt, thirteenth century CE (Baginski and Shamir 1998). 
The most important and significant silk textiles assemblage was found at a cave near Jericho (Qarantal Cave 38) dated to the Medieval period, ninth through thirteenth centuries CE (Shamir and Baginski 2013).
A great deal can be learned from these discarded fragments about the shapes and materials of garments and other textiles in daily use in the fifth through thirteenth centuries CE.

During excavations at ‘En Marzev in 1977–1978, 61 textile fragments
and 10 small bundles of woolen fibers were uncovered. They were found in an archaeological context dated to the Early Islamic period
(seventh–ninth centuries CE), a date confirmed by Carbon-14 analysis (787–896 CE).
One textile is white cotton, decorated with red cotton bands
alternating with shiny silk, S-spun threads wound with metal strips—
silver (examined by Naama Yahalom) that disintegrated.

Between 1973 and 1990, five seasons of excavations were carried out at ‘En ‘Avrona in the ‘Arava under the direction of Yosef Porath and Uzi
Avner. Fragments of textile, cordage and fleece were retrieved from
Building B. Most of the material was found in an archaeological context dated to the Early Islamic period (seventh–ninth centuries CE).
Two threads, which originated in a collapse above one of the building’s floors (L60, B251) were dated by Carbon-14 to the Ottoman period
(1520–1666 CE).

Three linen textiles discovered in the Ramon I rock shelter, in the Makhtesh Ramon, date from c. 3000 BCE, the Early Bronze Age II, based on direct dating of the textiles and their excavation contexts. In addition to adding important
and rare technological data on early textile manufacture, the contexts, in a rock shelter used for animal stabling, indicate long-distance trade in linen, penetrating
into the pastoral societies of the Negev.

Qasr al-Yahud, situated on the west bank of the Jordan River, 5 miles north of the Dead Sea and east of Jericho, features the Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, believed to be the traditional site of the Baptism of Jesus1 and has a centuries-long tradition of ‘washing of the lepers’. Byzantine and Medieval authors attributed
the waters of the Jordan river a special power to heal lepers who bathed in them,
especially at the spot where Jesus was baptized. One piece of evidence for this comes
from Gregory of Tour, who visited the site in the sixth century CE.
After the site became sacred, traditions developed that were associated with the holy  eatures of the water and its curative properties. When the emperor Constantius became ill, he asked to bath in the Jordan. The pilgrim Felix Fabri, from the end of the fifteenth century, described the prayers conducted by pilgrims on the banks of the river, dipped in the waters dressed in special clothing brought particularly for this purpose. Today ceremonies attended by thousands of people are
Performed.
In 1983 a rescue excavation was carried out at Qasr al-Yahud by the anthropologist Joe Zias.
A mass grave of around 300 men, women and children was discovered at the site, 90% of which had been destroyed by road construction: thirty-four skeletons, however, were retrieved, probably representing a hospital population with cases of tuberculosis, leprosy and facial disfigurement. Such individuals travelled enormous distances, attracted to the site in the hope of washing away their illness. 
Anthropological evidence indicates that the individuals were probably Egyptian in origin, while structural analysis of the skulls proved that some were Nubian. They were buried in a Christian manner, lying on their backs, facing the rising sun.
Some of the burial customs at this site, such as placing seeds from the Egyptian Balsam tree (Balanites Aegyptiaca) in the hands of the deceased, conform to Egyptian traditions.
The arid climate of the Judean Desert helped to preserve 250 textiles and a few cords, among them many examples comprising two different textiles or more sewn together or patched one on another. The preservation of the material is fairly good, though some was damaged by bodily fluids. Radiocarbon dating of the textiles
placed the date in the eighth to ninth centuries (787–877 CE).       
The textiles are made of linen and cotton, sometimes decorated with wool tapestry, brocade and selfbands. They include many cut-to-shape tunics except one which is woven-to-shape, head coverings, bandages and shrouds.
This research combines historic sources, anthropological and botanic evidence, burial practices with the textiles.
The material is of great importance because it gives us idea about the burial costumes used by Christians at the late Islamic period. In addition, those are the only textiles from this period found in Israel.

This article presents a survey of the textiles from the Chalcolithic period in the southern Levant and discusses it in light of contemporary material from other regions. The textiles will be discussed in comparison to the early and middle
Bronze Age textiles.
Textiles, basketry and other organic artefacts dating
to the late Chalcolithic period have also been found,
especially in the c. 400 natural caves in the Judaean
Desert in Israel. The Chalcolithic textiles found in the Judaean Desert
offer exceptional insights into early textile production,
which entailed a long series of processes from the
production of fibres – requiring knowledge of the area’s
agriculture – to the processing of fibres – involving
specialised knowledge of fibre properties and textile
production.

The organic materials presented below were discovered during excavations conducted in 2003 at the Mikveh Cave in Nahal David on behalf of Haifa University under the direction of H. Cohen. Twenty nine textile fragments were studied and registered. Five are from the Chalcolithic Period made of linen and eight from the Roman Period made of wool. One textile  is made of wool in the warp and goat hair fibers in the weft.

The textiles excavated at Nahal 'Omer in Israel’s `Aravah Valley display a remarkable variety of materials, techniques and dyes, suggesting diverse geographical origins. Most significant are a number of cotton fragments decorated in the warp-ikat technique, which constitute the earliest documented occurrence of this type of textile anywhere in the world.
The one-dunam (0.1 ha) site is situated on the eastern bank of Nahal 'Omer, and includes remains of 17 rectangular units of dwelling and a mosque occupied during the Early Islamic Period (between 650 and 810 CE). The date of this material, provided by its archaeological context, has been confirmed by carbon-14 analysis.

Thousands of Roman textiles were discovered in the Land of Israel. However none of the textiles studied from Jewish sites show specifically Jewish characteristics.
The basic items of clothing worn by Jews did not differ significantly from those worn by other inhabitants of the Graeco-Roman world. Although the basic items of clothing are the same, there are two traditions in Jewish garments that are distinctive:
a. The laws of sha’atnez – wearing garments of mixed wool and linen.
b Tzitzit – tassels at each corner of the mantle.

The natural caves located on the margin of the
Jordan Valley have been key repositories for organic
artifacts for thousands of years. The massive geological
fault of the Jordan Valley created high cliffs
with caves, while the hills around Jerusalem acted
as rain shadow, forming a region with extremely
low rainfall and low relative humidity. Such inhospitable
conditions meant that the area lacked extensive
human occupation in all but a few periods, the
Chalcolithic and Roman chief among them. In those
rare periods the caves were used mainly for refuge.
Because of their exquisite preservation, Chalcolithic
textiles allow all facets of weaving and basketry to
be examined, allowing the modern researcher to pinpoint
precisely where the period falls in the history
of textile technology. Without the excavations and
surveys in Judean Desert caves, our understanding
of the use of linen textiles in the region, for instance, would begin some four thousand years later.

The article presents the silk textiles which had been discovered in Israel from sites dating to the Byzantine period (5th century CE) till the Medieval period, 13th century CE. The most important and significant silk textiles assemblage was found at Qarantal Cave 38 near Jericho dated to the Medieval period, 9th through 13th centuries CE.
About eight hundred textile fragments were discovered there. They display a remarkable variety of materials (silk, cotton, linen, wool and goat-hair) and techniques suggesting their diverse  geographical origins. Most significant are the silk fragments made in various techniques, some of them requiring sophisticated looms.
We will discuss the reason why was such a large quantity of used and reused textiles stored in the cave [1].
A few other medieval textile assemblages from the Land of Israel have been discovered – for example, at ‘Avdat [2], at Kasr el-Yahud [3], Judean Desert caves [4], and at Caesarea [5]. However, none of these assemblages is as rich and diverse as the one in Cave 38 and none of them have silk textiles except Caesarea with one silk textile.

Flax (Linum usitatissimum, 2n = 30) is considered as the first fiber and oil crop of Neolithic Near Eastern agriculture and is often mentioned as one of the Near Eastern Neolithic “founder crops” assemblage. Wild flax fibers were recovered from a 30,000-year-old Upper Paleolithic site in Georgia, suggesting that the utilization of wild flax by Old World hunter–gatherer societies pre-dates the Neolithic agricultural revolution. We examined the potential of a wild flax species (L. pubescens, 2n = 18), an abundant element in open plant formations in Israel, as a source of fibers. Whole plants were pulled by hand in two sites in the eastern Galilee, Israel, during May 2006 and May 2007. The roots, stems and inflorescences of the collected plants were separated, dried and weighed. Fibers were extracted by retting and hammering the stems, dried, weighed and yarn was spun. Because Linum pubescens is not the wild progenitor of domesticated flax but rather a distantly related wild relative, the results of our experimental flax harvest are discussed in the context of both Levantine hunter–gatherers’ subsistence and the Neolithic recruitment of species as potential candidates for domestication.

Ten loomweights and five whorls, indicating textile
production, were found at the Courthouse Site, dating
to the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
One (No. 9) has two holes. Their weights are 113.7 and
217.8 g.
Interpretations of the function of two-holed disk
loomweights are numerous and often conflicting, e.g.,
as indicators of fiscal tax or of religious or apotropaic
functions

The theme of ICR’s 2015 Conference in Jerusalem, Israel was “Forging Identity in a Multi-Cultural Society". The nations of the twenty-first century world are progressively developing into multi-ethnic and multi-cultural societies. Whether or not these nations are seen or see themselves as being developed or developing countries, they all must address the need to provide museological platforms for their citizens that can satisfy a growing desire for multiple and varied identities. One of the principal tools in catering for such diverse desires and needs is the local platform represented by the regional museum.
Museum professionals, students and academic researchers presented their views on this theme and explored examples of how such views have been implemented in exhibitions, activities and alliances with other institutions. As can be seen in the present publication, great interest was shown in contributing papers on this theme.

Through the last 20 years the National Treasures Department of the Israel Antiquities Authority organized different short and long term exhibitions around the world. Our exhibitions broach different historical periods and apply to the various aspects of archaeology.
The IAA also collaborates with the foreign museums and universities in their own projects, giving on loan artifacts from the collections of the National Treasures for their own exhibitions and studying collections.  These loans can include just one piece or a large variety of the different artifacts. The artifacts can be loaned for short terms (a month) or even for 10 years.

During our previous meetings in China and Norway I presented archaeological exhibitions at regional museums and exhibits outside museums such as in visitor centers, national parks, educational and public institutions. They included the presentation of food preparation and installations such as grinding, oil olive presses, wine presses, and ceramic vessels for wine and beer.
This paper will present two exhibitions. Old Jaffa Museum of Antiquities, located in the old governmental Ottoman house, is unique complex, historically and architecturally. “Jaffa Tales” in Old Jaffa is a new Visitor’s Center. As the site advertisement states: “Jaffa Tales” is a Magical and Exciting Multi-Sensory Experience.
The Eretz Israel Museum in Tel Aviv shows another food exhibition called “The Last Supper at Apollonia - The final days of the crusader fortress in Herzlia” on the Mediterranean Sea. This exhibition presented food. The exhibition is a result of very good cooperation between the curator Dr. Irit Ziffer, the excavator Director of the Excavation, Prof. Oren Tal from Tel-Aviv University, and the designer “Design Mill”.

In Israel there are about 250 archaeological museums and exhibits around the country, some of which are decades old. About 100 of these exhibits are local and regional. Since the establishment of the State of Israel 65 years ago, regional archaeological museums and exhibits have become very popular. Public interest in archeology led to the creation of large collections, some of which are presented in museums. Many of the exhibits are held in open gardens with architectural items, agricultural installations and mosaics. Sometimes the exhibits are held in enclosed spaces, displayed in show cases containing small artifacts such as candles and coins.

רשות העתיקות משאילה פריטים ארכאולוגיים,
ומעודדת את הקמתן של תצוגות ארכאולוגיות
ברחבי הארץ: במוזיאונים, במוסדות ציבור,
במוסדות עירוניים, במוסדות מחקר, במוסדות
חינוך, בגנים לאומיים, במרכזי מבקרים,
ביישובים ובבתי ספר. על אוצרי התצוגות
הללו מוטלת אחריות כבדה להנגיש את
הארכאולוגיה לקהל הרחב בצורה שתמשוך
את העין. האוצר הוא החוליה המתווכת בין
הצופים לבין הפריטים.
בטבריה הוקמו בשנים האחרונות תצוגות
אחדות של פריטים אדריכליים שנמצאו
ברחבי העיר במשך השנים, חלקם בחפירות
ארכאולוגיות.

In Israel there are c. 250 archaeological museums, exhibitions and outdoor exhibits around the country, some of which are decades old. About 100 of these can be described as local and regional. Since the establishment of the State of Israel 67 years ago regional archaeological museums and exhibitions have become very popular. Public interest in archaeology led to the creation of large collections, some of which are presented in museums. 
Exhibits in local and regional councils' premises allow residents to recognize the remains of the cultural heritage of their surroundings. Exhibits in schools often supplement the textbook material. Construction of visitor centres at cultural heritage sites and national parks complements the visitor experience such as at the Masada Museum. Many of the exhibits are held in open gardens and include architectural items, agricultural installations and mosaics. Sometimes the exhibits are held in enclosed spaces, displayed in showcases containing small artefacts such as candles and coins. Over the years awareness to these exhibits has grown.

בישראל כ- 250 מוזיאונים ותצוגות ארכאולוגיות, 55 מהם בדרום הארץ.
בדרום הארץ 21 תצוגות ואוספים בקיבוצים ובמושבים. רבות מהתצוגות קמו בעקבות יוזמה מקומית ובתקציבים מקומיים. גרעינן של התצוגות הן העתיקות שמצאו חובבי ארכאולוגיה וידיעת הארץ בסביבה הקרובה, ואשר אוחסנו בחדרי אוספים. תופעה זו של הקמת אוספים בקיבוצים אופיינית לתקופה שלאחר קום המדינה, עד שנות ה-60 למאה הכ'. החפצים והכלים הרבים שנמצאו באדמה בעת העבודות החקלאיות שימשו הוכחה לצדקת היותנו במקום, כמיהה ל'שורשים' וביטוי מוחשי לקשר עם העבר. "המוזיאונים והאוספים יצאו נשכרים מהדבקות בעבודת האדמה, והמחרשות הניבו גם חרסים" (ענבר 20:1995).

Two spindle whorls and one loomweight
were discovered in scattered fills during
the excavation of H. ‘Avot. They
probably represent evidence for household
textile production at the site, rather than a
textile industry, possibly in more than one period.