The eighth century BCE city at Tel 'Eton (Israel) was destroyed by the Assyrian army, pro... more The eighth century BCE city at Tel 'Eton (Israel) was destroyed by the Assyrian army, probably during Sennacherib's campaign of 701. Building 101, sealed within the heavy conflagration caused by this destruction, was uncovered almost in its entirety on the top of the mound. From the beginning, it was apparent that the structure had two major building phases, and while its initial construction was of high quality, later additions were much inferior. Analyses of mud-brick walls for firing temperatures, texture, carbonate content, color, and dimensions approved the observation regarding the differences between the two phases, but consistently pointed out that one wall, initially attributed to the first phase, was analytically different, comprising an intermediate phase. This conclusion not only altered our understanding of the building construction, adding heretofore unknown building phase, but also gave us insights into the pre-planning of Building 101, indicating that some rooms had originally two doorways. Such a configuration allowed easy subdivision of spaces according to needs, without harming the overall structural stability. Differences in inner division of similar Iron Age houses were identified in the past and were attributed to differences in the life cycles of families. The evidence from Tel 'Eton suggests that such future changes were taken into considerations when the structures were built.
Using a biographic-like approach, this article presents the initial results of the study of an el... more Using a biographic-like approach, this article presents the initial results of the study of an elite Iron Age house at Tel 'Eton, from its conception, through its birth and life, to its death and decomposition. Massive preparations preceded the construction of the house, and the latter incorporated continuous foundations, and quality building materials, including ashlar stones. The building was pre-planned, and some of the original rooms had two doorways leading to them, in order to enable easy future subdivision, without endangering the structure's physical integrity. The house evolved over the years, and its inner division changed overtime, reflecting the changes in the life-cycle of the extended family that lived in it. The house was destroyed in heavy conflagration in the late eighth century BCE, and hundreds of artifacts and complete vessels were unearthed below and within the debris, allowing for a detailed reconstruction of the use of space within the building on the eve of its destruction, and the processes that accompanied its destruction (perhaps even "execution"), and subsequent collapse.
Using a biographic-like approach, this article presents the initial results of the study of an el... more Using a biographic-like approach, this article presents the initial results of the study of an elite Iron Age house at Tel 'Eton, from its conception, through its birth and life, to its death and decomposition. Massive preparations preceded the construction of the house, and the latter incorporated continuous foundations, and quality building materials, including ashlar stones. The building was pre-planned, and some of the original rooms had two doorways leading to them, in order to enable easy future subdivision, without endangering the structure's physical integrity. The house evolved over the years, and its inner division changed overtime, reflecting the changes in the life-cycle of the extended family that lived in it. The house was destroyed in heavy conflagration in the late eighth century BCE, and hundreds of artifacts and complete vessels were unearthed below and within the debris, allowing for a detailed reconstruction of the use of space within the building on the eve of its destruction, and the processes that accompanied its destruction (perhaps even "execution"), and subsequent collapse.
New Studies in The Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region, 2016
An Arabic inscription bears witness to the fact that at least one of the names of the Dome of th... more An Arabic inscription bears witness to the fact that at least one of the names of the Dome of the Rock in the first centuries of Islam was “Bayt al-Maqdis” which preserves the Hebrew name “Beyt ha-Miqdash” (The Holy Temple).
Extravagance in the architectural style of Herodian palaces evidenced itself not only in frescoed... more Extravagance in the architectural style of Herodian palaces evidenced itself not only in frescoed walls, stucco decorations and fluted columns, but also in the choice of flooring. Not being satisfied with only the popular local mosaic floors, the latest fashion in flooring of Roman villas was also imported — colorful opus sectile floor tiles. This paper presents a discussion of the unique opus sectile floor uncovered in the excavations of E. Netzer and E. Damati in the caldarium of a Roman bathhouse on the Summit at Cypros, and a comprehensive catalogue of all the tiles and tile fragments recovered in this caldarium.
Recent arcaeological research has revealed a vast amount of data enabling a better undersanding o... more Recent arcaeological research has revealed a vast amount of data enabling a better undersanding of building of the Herodian period. It is possible to assume that Josephus' description (War V, V.2) may refer to a certain method of paving called Opus Sectile which was used on the Temple Mount at the end the first century BCE. This method is well known from numerous Herodian sites in this region, a paving tecnique practiced with multi-colored boards which were integrated together to form varied compositions.
The research traces the socio-economic and historical contexts in which terraces were constructed... more The research traces the socio-economic and historical contexts in which terraces were constructed in the rural periphery of Jerusalem, a thriving political, economic and religious center for four millennia, by using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of terraces fill in combination with careful analyses of related geomorphological and archaeological records.
A poster presented at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Schools of Oriental Research in San... more A poster presented at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Schools of Oriental Research in San Diego.
The poster presents the results of a study on Iron Age buildings at Tel 'Eton, in which we were able to identify constructional phases on the basis of an analytical study of the mud-bricks (firing temperatures, texture, carbonate content, color and dimensions). We therefore suggest that such a study can be carried out in any site in which mud-bricks were a common construction material, helping the archaeologists in identifying subtle architectural phases (which sometimes do not leave any other traces). Additionally, understanding the development of the house allowed us to gain some insights into the cognitive processes involved in planning it, and into the use of Iron Age four room houses in general. The full (and updated) paper is now online: Sapir Y, Avraham A, and Faust A, Mud-brick Composition, Archaeological Phasing and Pre-Planning in Iron Age Structures: Tel 'Eton (Israel) as a Test-Case. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. DOI: 10.1007/s12520-016-0350-z. link: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12520-016-0350-z
The eighth century BCE city at Tel 'Eton (Israel) was destroyed by the Assyrian army, pro... more The eighth century BCE city at Tel 'Eton (Israel) was destroyed by the Assyrian army, probably during Sennacherib's campaign of 701. Building 101, sealed within the heavy conflagration caused by this destruction, was uncovered almost in its entirety on the top of the mound. From the beginning, it was apparent that the structure had two major building phases, and while its initial construction was of high quality, later additions were much inferior. Analyses of mud-brick walls for firing temperatures, texture, carbonate content, color, and dimensions approved the observation regarding the differences between the two phases, but consistently pointed out that one wall, initially attributed to the first phase, was analytically different, comprising an intermediate phase. This conclusion not only altered our understanding of the building construction, adding heretofore unknown building phase, but also gave us insights into the pre-planning of Building 101, indicating that some rooms had originally two doorways. Such a configuration allowed easy subdivision of spaces according to needs, without harming the overall structural stability. Differences in inner division of similar Iron Age houses were identified in the past and were attributed to differences in the life cycles of families. The evidence from Tel 'Eton suggests that such future changes were taken into considerations when the structures were built.
Using a biographic-like approach, this article presents the initial results of the study of an el... more Using a biographic-like approach, this article presents the initial results of the study of an elite Iron Age house at Tel 'Eton, from its conception, through its birth and life, to its death and decomposition. Massive preparations preceded the construction of the house, and the latter incorporated continuous foundations, and quality building materials, including ashlar stones. The building was pre-planned, and some of the original rooms had two doorways leading to them, in order to enable easy future subdivision, without endangering the structure's physical integrity. The house evolved over the years, and its inner division changed overtime, reflecting the changes in the life-cycle of the extended family that lived in it. The house was destroyed in heavy conflagration in the late eighth century BCE, and hundreds of artifacts and complete vessels were unearthed below and within the debris, allowing for a detailed reconstruction of the use of space within the building on the eve of its destruction, and the processes that accompanied its destruction (perhaps even "execution"), and subsequent collapse.
Using a biographic-like approach, this article presents the initial results of the study of an el... more Using a biographic-like approach, this article presents the initial results of the study of an elite Iron Age house at Tel 'Eton, from its conception, through its birth and life, to its death and decomposition. Massive preparations preceded the construction of the house, and the latter incorporated continuous foundations, and quality building materials, including ashlar stones. The building was pre-planned, and some of the original rooms had two doorways leading to them, in order to enable easy future subdivision, without endangering the structure's physical integrity. The house evolved over the years, and its inner division changed overtime, reflecting the changes in the life-cycle of the extended family that lived in it. The house was destroyed in heavy conflagration in the late eighth century BCE, and hundreds of artifacts and complete vessels were unearthed below and within the debris, allowing for a detailed reconstruction of the use of space within the building on the eve of its destruction, and the processes that accompanied its destruction (perhaps even "execution"), and subsequent collapse.
New Studies in The Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region, 2016
An Arabic inscription bears witness to the fact that at least one of the names of the Dome of th... more An Arabic inscription bears witness to the fact that at least one of the names of the Dome of the Rock in the first centuries of Islam was “Bayt al-Maqdis” which preserves the Hebrew name “Beyt ha-Miqdash” (The Holy Temple).
Extravagance in the architectural style of Herodian palaces evidenced itself not only in frescoed... more Extravagance in the architectural style of Herodian palaces evidenced itself not only in frescoed walls, stucco decorations and fluted columns, but also in the choice of flooring. Not being satisfied with only the popular local mosaic floors, the latest fashion in flooring of Roman villas was also imported — colorful opus sectile floor tiles. This paper presents a discussion of the unique opus sectile floor uncovered in the excavations of E. Netzer and E. Damati in the caldarium of a Roman bathhouse on the Summit at Cypros, and a comprehensive catalogue of all the tiles and tile fragments recovered in this caldarium.
Recent arcaeological research has revealed a vast amount of data enabling a better undersanding o... more Recent arcaeological research has revealed a vast amount of data enabling a better undersanding of building of the Herodian period. It is possible to assume that Josephus' description (War V, V.2) may refer to a certain method of paving called Opus Sectile which was used on the Temple Mount at the end the first century BCE. This method is well known from numerous Herodian sites in this region, a paving tecnique practiced with multi-colored boards which were integrated together to form varied compositions.
The research traces the socio-economic and historical contexts in which terraces were constructed... more The research traces the socio-economic and historical contexts in which terraces were constructed in the rural periphery of Jerusalem, a thriving political, economic and religious center for four millennia, by using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of terraces fill in combination with careful analyses of related geomorphological and archaeological records.
A poster presented at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Schools of Oriental Research in San... more A poster presented at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Schools of Oriental Research in San Diego.
The poster presents the results of a study on Iron Age buildings at Tel 'Eton, in which we were able to identify constructional phases on the basis of an analytical study of the mud-bricks (firing temperatures, texture, carbonate content, color and dimensions). We therefore suggest that such a study can be carried out in any site in which mud-bricks were a common construction material, helping the archaeologists in identifying subtle architectural phases (which sometimes do not leave any other traces). Additionally, understanding the development of the house allowed us to gain some insights into the cognitive processes involved in planning it, and into the use of Iron Age four room houses in general. The full (and updated) paper is now online: Sapir Y, Avraham A, and Faust A, Mud-brick Composition, Archaeological Phasing and Pre-Planning in Iron Age Structures: Tel 'Eton (Israel) as a Test-Case. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. DOI: 10.1007/s12520-016-0350-z. link: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12520-016-0350-z
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Papers by Assaf Avraham
heavy conflagration in the late eighth century BCE, and hundreds of artifacts and complete vessels were unearthed below and within the debris, allowing for a detailed reconstruction of the use of space within the building on the eve of its destruction, and the processes that accompanied its destruction (perhaps even "execution"), and subsequent collapse.
Other by Assaf Avraham
The poster presents the results of a study on Iron Age buildings at Tel 'Eton, in which we were able to identify constructional phases on the basis of an analytical study of the mud-bricks (firing temperatures, texture, carbonate content, color and dimensions). We therefore suggest that such a study can be carried out in any site in which mud-bricks were a common construction material, helping the archaeologists in identifying subtle architectural phases (which sometimes do not leave any other traces). Additionally, understanding the development of the house allowed us to gain some insights into the cognitive processes involved in planning it, and into the use of Iron Age four room houses in general.
The full (and updated) paper is now online:
Sapir Y, Avraham A, and Faust A, Mud-brick Composition, Archaeological Phasing and Pre-Planning in Iron Age Structures: Tel 'Eton (Israel) as a Test-Case. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. DOI: 10.1007/s12520-016-0350-z.
link: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12520-016-0350-z
heavy conflagration in the late eighth century BCE, and hundreds of artifacts and complete vessels were unearthed below and within the debris, allowing for a detailed reconstruction of the use of space within the building on the eve of its destruction, and the processes that accompanied its destruction (perhaps even "execution"), and subsequent collapse.
The poster presents the results of a study on Iron Age buildings at Tel 'Eton, in which we were able to identify constructional phases on the basis of an analytical study of the mud-bricks (firing temperatures, texture, carbonate content, color and dimensions). We therefore suggest that such a study can be carried out in any site in which mud-bricks were a common construction material, helping the archaeologists in identifying subtle architectural phases (which sometimes do not leave any other traces). Additionally, understanding the development of the house allowed us to gain some insights into the cognitive processes involved in planning it, and into the use of Iron Age four room houses in general.
The full (and updated) paper is now online:
Sapir Y, Avraham A, and Faust A, Mud-brick Composition, Archaeological Phasing and Pre-Planning in Iron Age Structures: Tel 'Eton (Israel) as a Test-Case. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. DOI: 10.1007/s12520-016-0350-z.
link: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12520-016-0350-z