- Dept of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology
Bar-Ilan University
Ramat-Gan 52900
ISRAEL - ++972-54-6205082
- Anthropology of Food, Quantitative Analysis (Archaeology), Building Materials (Archaeology), Experimental Archaeology, Ancient Near East (Archaeology), Household Archaeology, and 55 moreBiblical Archaeology, History (Archaeology), Biblical Studies, Historical Archaeology, Archaeological Method & Theory, Ancient economies (Archaeology), Levantine Archaeology, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Near Eastern Archaeology, Archaeology, Social and Cultural Anthropology, Classical Archaeology, Egyptology, Funerary Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Hebrew Bible, Egyptian Archaeology, Archaeological Theory, Pottery (Archaeology), Ancient Near Eastern History, Egyptian History, Neo-Assyrian studies, Nubia, History, Anthropology, Geography, Prehistoric Archaeology, Roman Archaeology, Papua New Guinea, feasting with Philistines, Melanesia (Anthropology), Melanesian studies, Melanesian Prehistory and History, Commensality, Ethnography, Race and Ethnicity, Identity (Culture), Identity politics, Cultural Identity, Ethnicity, Oceania (Anthropology), Archaeological Science, Archaeology of ethnicity, Archaeology of Identity, Social Identity, Archaeology and identity, Social Sciences, Ancient History, Landscape Archaeology, Archaeology of the Levant, Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Ancient Near Eastern Languages, History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, and Ancient Near Eastern Religionsedit
- Director, The Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project (gath.wordpress.com) Director, The Institute of Archaeology, B... moreDirector, The Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project (gath.wordpress.com)
Director, The Institute of Archaeology, Bar-Ilan University
Co-Director, Minerva Center for the Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times (aramisrael.org)
Co-Editor, Israel Exploration Journaledit
3rd volume of the final reports of the Tell es-Safi/Gath excavations, focusing on the Early Bronze Age. File includes front matter and introductory chapter
Research Interests:
Table of contents
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
2nd volume of the final reports on the excavations at Tell es-Safi/Gath
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Qamma 2 (2019). Publications of the Institute of Archaeology of Bar-Ilan University (Hebrew part)
Research Interests:
Qamma 2 (2019). Publications of the Institute of Archaeology of Bar-Ilan University (English part)
Research Interests:
A series which is connected to the "Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception (de Gruyeter, Berlin) in which studies on various issues relating the cultures and regions which influenced the biblical texts and cultures, from late... more
A series which is connected to the "Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception (de Gruyeter, Berlin) in which studies on various issues relating the cultures and regions which influenced the biblical texts and cultures, from late Prehistory to late Antiquity
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
"Research on Israel and Aram in Biblical Times" (RIAB), is a new sub-series of "Orientalische Religionen in der Antike/Oriental Religions in Antiquity" (ORA), published by Mohr Siebeck (Tuebingen), aims to publish volumes (monographs,... more
"Research on Israel and Aram in Biblical Times" (RIAB), is a new sub-series of "Orientalische Religionen in der Antike/Oriental Religions in Antiquity" (ORA), published by Mohr Siebeck (Tuebingen), aims to publish volumes (monographs, collections , proceedings, etc.) dealing with topics that are directly and indirectly connected to the activities of the Minerva Center for the Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times (RIAB), covering the entire spectrum of topics that relate to the RIAB Center's fields of interest. The editors of the series would be very happy to receive proposals for volumes to be published in the series-both by scholars affiliated with the center, as well as those who are not. This congress volume of the Minerva Center for the Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times combines theoretical approaches to historical research on autonomy or independence in ancient cultures and then presents articles which study the subject using Aram and Israel in antiquity as examples. These articles show clearly how strongly Syria and Palestine were linked to one another and how they constituted one single cultural region which was connected by its economy, politics, language, religion, and culture.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Chapter 6B in: Excavations at Tel Beth-Shean 1989-1996, Volum II: The Middle and Late ?Bronze Age Strata in Area R, eds. A.Mazar and R.A. Mullins.
Research Interests:
Publication of the excavations by R. Weill of Bronze and Iron Age tombs at the site of Tel Gezer, Israel, conducted in the early 20th cent CE.
Research Interests:
2nd special issue (of two) of Near Eastern Archaeology on the Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project
Research Interests:
First special issue (of two) of Near Eastern Archaeology on the Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project
Research Interests:
The area of the Judean Foothills—the biblical Shephelah—has in recent years become one of the most intensively excavated regions in the world. Numerous projects, at sites of different types and utilizing various methodological approaches,... more
The area of the Judean Foothills—the biblical Shephelah—has in recent years become one of the most intensively excavated regions in the world. Numerous projects, at sites of different types and utilizing various methodological approaches, are actively excavating
in this region. Of particular importance are the discoveries dating to the Iron Age, a period when this region was a transition zone between various cultures—Philistine, Canaanite, Judahite, and Israelite. The current volume includes reports from eight of the excavations
currently being conducted in the region (Azekah, Beth Shemesh, Gezer, Khirbet Qeiyafa, Tel Burna, Tel Halif, Tell es-Safi/Gath, and Tel Zayit), as well as a general study of the region by Ido Koch. The importance of this volume lies not only in the fact that it collects up-to-date reports on most of the current excavations in the region but also demonstrates the lively, at times even boisterous, scholarly discussions taking place on various issues relating to the archaeology and history of the Iron Age Shephelah and its immediate environs.
This volume serves as an excellent introduction to current research on the Iron Age in this crucial zone and also serves as a reflection of current trends, methodologies, and approaches in the archaeology of the Southern Levant.
in this region. Of particular importance are the discoveries dating to the Iron Age, a period when this region was a transition zone between various cultures—Philistine, Canaanite, Judahite, and Israelite. The current volume includes reports from eight of the excavations
currently being conducted in the region (Azekah, Beth Shemesh, Gezer, Khirbet Qeiyafa, Tel Burna, Tel Halif, Tell es-Safi/Gath, and Tel Zayit), as well as a general study of the region by Ido Koch. The importance of this volume lies not only in the fact that it collects up-to-date reports on most of the current excavations in the region but also demonstrates the lively, at times even boisterous, scholarly discussions taking place on various issues relating to the archaeology and history of the Iron Age Shephelah and its immediate environs.
This volume serves as an excellent introduction to current research on the Iron Age in this crucial zone and also serves as a reflection of current trends, methodologies, and approaches in the archaeology of the Southern Levant.
Research Interests:
The present volume contains the updated versions of the papers presented at the workshop “Wandering Arameans: Arameans Inside and Outside of Syria”, held at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Leipzig in October 2014. The... more
The present volume contains the updated versions of the papers presented at the workshop “Wandering Arameans: Arameans Inside and Outside of Syria”, held at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Leipzig in October 2014. The intention of the workshop was to explore Aramean cultures and their impact on their neighbors, including linguistic influences.
The division of the volume into the sections “Syria and Palestine” and “Mesopotamia and Egypt” reflects the areas in which the presence of Arameans or of their language, Aramaic, in the first millennium BCE is visible. Arameans (including the Aramaic languages) in Syria, Palestine, Mesopotamia, and Egypt cannot be treated as a single entity but have to be carefully distinguished. The contributions in this volume show that identifying “Arameans” and defining pertinent identity markers is a difficult task. Interactions between Arameans, including their languages, and their neighbors were complex and depended on specific cultural and historical circumstances.
The division of the volume into the sections “Syria and Palestine” and “Mesopotamia and Egypt” reflects the areas in which the presence of Arameans or of their language, Aramaic, in the first millennium BCE is visible. Arameans (including the Aramaic languages) in Syria, Palestine, Mesopotamia, and Egypt cannot be treated as a single entity but have to be carefully distinguished. The contributions in this volume show that identifying “Arameans” and defining pertinent identity markers is a difficult task. Interactions between Arameans, including their languages, and their neighbors were complex and depended on specific cultural and historical circumstances.
Research Interests: Religion, History, Ancient History, Archaeology, Egyptology, and 23 moreNear Eastern Archaeology, Anthropology, Social and Cultural Anthropology, Mesopotamian Archaeology, Hebrew Bible, Aramaic, Biblical Studies, Biblical Archaeology, Archaeology of ethnicity, Old Aramaic, Ancient Near East, Ancient Near Eastern Languages, Ethnicity, Late Iron Age (Archaeology), Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Ancient Near East (Archaeology), Bronze and Iron Ages in Eastern Mediterranean (Archaeology), Syria (Archaeology), Iron Age, Ancient Near Eastern History, History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Neo-Babylonian period, and Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
The area of the Judean Foothills – the biblical Shephelah – has in recent years become one of the most intensively excavated regions in the world. Numerous projects, at sites of different types and utilizing various methodological... more
The area of the Judean Foothills – the biblical Shephelah – has in recent years become one of the most intensively excavated regions in the world. Numerous projects, at sites of different types and utilizing various methodological approaches, are actively excavating in this region. Of particular importance are the discoveries dating to the Iron Age, a period when this region was a transition zone between various cultures—Philistine, Canaanite, Judahite, and Israelite. The current volume includes reports from eight of the excavations currently being conducted in the region (Azekah, Beth Shemesh, Gezer, Khirbet Qeiyafa, Tel Burna, Tel Halif, Tell es-Safi/Gath, and Tel Zayit), as well as a general study of the region by Ido Koch. The importance of this volume lies not only in the fact that it collects up-to-date reports on most of the current excavations in the region but also demonstrates the lively, at times even boisterous, scholarly discussions taking place on various issues relating to the archaeology and history of the Iron Age Shephelah and its immediate environs. This volume serves as an excellent introduction to current research on the Iron Age in this crucial zone and also serves as a reflection of current trends, methodologies, and approaches in the archaeology of the Southern Levant.
Research Interests: Ancient History, Archaeology, Anthropology, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Levantine Archaeology, and 21 moreHebrew Bible, Israel/Palestine, Biblical Studies, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Late Bronze Age archaeology, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Ancient Near East (Archaeology), Bronze And Iron Age In Mediterrarranean (Archaeology), Bronze and Iron Ages in Eastern Mediterranean (Archaeology), Iron Age, Ancient Near Eastern History, History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Late Bronze Age, Early Iron Age, the Sea Peoples, XIX - XX Dynasty in Egypt, the Hittites, the Late Bronze Age in the Eastern Medittaranean, Late Bronze Age, Philistines, Ancient Israel, Sea Peoples, Shephelah, and Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
The ancient site of Tel Gezer (Abū-Shûsheh/Tell Jezer/Tell el-Jazari) is located in Central Israel, approximately halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. It is situated in the northern section of the Judean foothills (Shephelah), not far... more
The ancient site of Tel Gezer (Abū-Shûsheh/Tell Jezer/Tell el-Jazari) is located in Central Israel, approximately halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. It is situated in the northern section of the Judean foothills (Shephelah), not far from the southernmost hills of south-western Samaria. Raymond-Charles Weill commenced his career in archaeology and Egyptology at a relatively late age. After receiving his training in Egyptology and archaeology in France, Baron Rothschild invited him to excavate in Jerusalem, on lands belonging to the Baron. These excavations were conducted both before (in 1913-1914) and after (in 1923-1924) the First World War, and were duly reported by Weill (1920; 1947). Apparently, ancient tombs had been revealed on the site by the settlers, and Weill, who by chance was excavating at the time for the Baron in Jerusalem, was called in to excavate at Gezer. Both seasons of Weill's excavations at Gezer (in 1914 and 1924) coincided with his work in Jerusalem. His results were never fully published, and this present volume represents the author’s long researches to make some of Weill’s discoveries more widely available. Following the introductory chapter, the author and various contributors discuss and analyze finds from the tombs. In Chapter 2, N. Panitz Cohen and the author discuss the pottery from the tomb. In the following chapter, Chapter 3, the same authors discuss the stone, faience, bone, and metal objects. In Chapter 4, D. Barag discusses the Egyptian 18th Dynasty glass vessel from the tombs, a unique vessel and one of the more important finds from the tombs. In Chapter 5, O. Keel discusses the glyptic finds from the tombs, which included three scaraboids and one stamp seal. In Chapter 6, N. Applebaum, who conducted radiographic analyses of a sample group of vessels from the tombs, discusses the technological conclusions reached from this analysis. Chapter 6 presents a summary discussion of all the various finds.
Research Interests:
"Tell Es-Safi/Gath is one of the largest pre-classical sites in the ancient Levant, continuously settled from the Protohis- toric periods until Modern times and is identified as ancient Canaanite and Philistine Gath (known from the el... more
"Tell Es-Safi/Gath is one of the largest pre-classical sites in the ancient Levant, continuously settled from the Protohis- toric periods until Modern times and is identified as ancient Canaanite and Philistine Gath (known from the el Amarna letters, Assyrian texts, and the Bible), Medieval Blanche Garde, and the modern Palestinian village of Tell es-Safi. Archaeologically, the site is of noteworthy importance in the study of the Bronze and Iron Age of the Levant, and in particular in relationship to the Canaanite, Philistine and Israelite cultures.
Since 1996, a long-term international project has been studying the cultural and environmental history of the site and its surroundings. The volume, edited by Aren Maeir, is the first of a planned series of final reports on the project and deals primarily with the results of the 1996 through 2005 seasons. Discussions include a general overview of the project up to 2010, and studies on the geography and the environment, the written sources relating to the different periods, the history of research, the architecture and stratigraphy of the various excavation areas, and assorted finds of various classes (such as pottery, stone and bone objects, glyptic, inscriptions, and ancient fauna and flora). In addition, there are studies on pottery provenience, the archaeological surface survey, ground penetrating radar results, data mining of pottery finds, and a general overview of the Early Bronze Age of the Judean Foothills (Shephelah)."
Since 1996, a long-term international project has been studying the cultural and environmental history of the site and its surroundings. The volume, edited by Aren Maeir, is the first of a planned series of final reports on the project and deals primarily with the results of the 1996 through 2005 seasons. Discussions include a general overview of the project up to 2010, and studies on the geography and the environment, the written sources relating to the different periods, the history of research, the architecture and stratigraphy of the various excavation areas, and assorted finds of various classes (such as pottery, stone and bone objects, glyptic, inscriptions, and ancient fauna and flora). In addition, there are studies on pottery provenience, the archaeological surface survey, ground penetrating radar results, data mining of pottery finds, and a general overview of the Early Bronze Age of the Judean Foothills (Shephelah)."
Research Interests:
This volume is a study of the archaeology and history of the Jordan Valley of the Southern Levant (from Dan in the north till the Dead Sea in the south) during the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 2000–1500 B.C.E). The study attempts to summarize a... more
This volume is a study of the archaeology and history of the Jordan Valley of the Southern Levant (from Dan in the north till the Dead Sea in the south) during the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 2000–1500 B.C.E). The study attempts to summarize a large body of relevant materials bringing together a variety of types of finds and approaches, to form a coherent picture on the role, and significance of this region during this period. Starting from a general regional overview (including an in-depth geographical, ecological and environmental summary), a critical review of the finds from the various sites in the region are presented, followed by a discussion of various aspects of the material culture (including a detailed discussion of the pottery of region throughout the various phases of this period), the historical sources, trade and chronology, and an attempt to synthesize the settlement pattern and processes, from the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age until the onset of the Late Bronze Age. While including traditional aspects of analysis such as comparative stratigraphy, pottery typology, and the discussion of the historical sources, this study also attempts to incorporate a wide range of other perspectives, including extensive pottery provenience studies (Neutron Activation Analysis), the study of settlement ecology and population dynamics, and attempts to classify the production patterns, and political and economic structures in these and adjacent regions during this time frame. In addition to dealing specifically with the finds from within the Jordan Valley, the ramifications of these finds on other regions (and issues) in the Middle Bronze Age, and vice-a-versa, influences of other regions and sites on the Jordan Valley. Thus, general questions such as the underlying mechanisms behind the beginning, development and end of the Middle Bronze Age are discusses, as well as controversial topics such as the chronology of the period and the role of the city of Hazor. The volume concludes with an appendix with a detailed list on all MB sites in the Jordan Valley, and a list and discussion of all 14C dates from the Jordan Valley (by Ezra Marcus). The volume should be of interest to scholars dealing the Bronze and Iron Ages of the Eastern Mediterranean, as those connected to the study of material culture, production, pottery provenience, chronology, trade, settlement patterns and cultural interactions, both in the ancient near east but in archaeology and ancient history in general as well.
The transition between the Late Bronze and Iron Age, often described as a collapse, is most often characterized by comparing the changes between these two periods. As trade and connectivity is one of the hallmarks of the Late Bronze Age,... more
The transition between the Late Bronze and Iron Age, often described as a collapse, is most often characterized by comparing the changes between these two periods. As trade and connectivity is one of the hallmarks of the Late Bronze Age, the lack of evidence for international trade during the early Iron Age is seen of evidence of the profound changes that occurred during this transition. In this paper, I will reassess the evidence for international trade during the early Iron Age in Philistia and neighboring regions, demonstrating that while there was a substantial degrading in the volume of international trade during this period, it did not cease completely. And based on this, what does this tell us about the processes and mechanisms occurring during the Late Bronze Age/Iron Age transition in the eastern Mediterranean.
Research Interests:
This paper presents a cache of 31 astragali from the site of Tel Nagila, dating to the Middle Bronze Age. This is the earliest known cache of astragali from the Southern Levant outside tombs, and may be the forebearer of the later caches... more
This paper presents a cache of 31 astragali from the site of Tel Nagila, dating to the Middle Bronze Age. This is the earliest known cache of astragali from the Southern Levant outside tombs, and may be the forebearer of the later caches found in cultic contexts in the Late Bronze and Iron Ages. This paper presents the context in which the cache was found, adjacent to a tower that functioned as part of the site's fortifications; the social mechanisms behind the use of astragali; their deposition in a cache; and how the cache may have related to the function of the context in which it was found.
Research Interests:
Thoughts and impressions after visiting several sites of the massacres carried out by HAMAS on Oct. 7th, 2023
Research Interests:
Recent archaeological finds and analyses have changed our understanding of the geographic horizons and margins of connectivity in the Bronze and Iron Age southern Levant. Evidence of trade in materials to and from faraway regions, way... more
Recent archaeological finds and analyses have changed our understanding of the geographic horizons and margins of connectivity in the Bronze and Iron Age southern Levant. Evidence of trade in materials to and from faraway regions, way beyond what was believed to be within the "worldview" of the ancient Levant, has implications for understanding issues relating to economy, connectivity, cultural influences, biodiversity , etc. This suggests that ancient Levantine and Mediterranean cultures had a significant role in "global scale" trade-more than often assumed. In addition, recent finds and analyses indicate that "exotic" organic materials-often not surviving in the archaeological record-played a central part in this trade; this, as opposed to common assumptions, which focused on highly visible (and better preserved) finds.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Late Antique and Byzantine Studies, Landscape Archaeology, Early Medieval Archaeology, Medieval Archaeology, Byzantine Studies, and 15 moreLate Antiquity, Byzantine Archaeology, Late Antique Art and Archaeology, Urban archaeology, Ancient Topography (Archaeology), Ancient Warfare, Jerusalem, Archaeological Excavation, Medieval Weapons and Equipment, Ancient Weapons and Warfare, Jerusalem Archaeology, Topografia, Early Medieval Swords, Swords, and Roman Archaeology
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
I am a professional archaeologist, specializing in the Bronze and Iron Age cultures of the ancient Near East. No, really. I've had the honor to direct a large-scale archaeological project in Israel, the Tell es-Safi/ Gath. I've excavated,... more
I am a professional archaeologist, specializing in the Bronze and Iron Age cultures of the ancient Near East. No, really. I've had the honor to direct a large-scale archaeological project in Israel, the Tell es-Safi/ Gath. I've excavated, researched, published, lectured, and presented on archaeology to scholarly and general audiences alike. After nearly 40 years of practicing archaeology, I believe I am (finally) in the proper position to accurately and fairly assess the work of my esteemed "colleague," the well-known archaeologist and adventurer, Dr. Henry Walton (Indiana) Jones, Jr., of Marshall and Barnett Colleges, USA. (I have yet to ascertain why he left Marshall for Barnett only to return to Marshall again-or why Marcus Brody was always present throughout. 1) In this chapter, I will summarize and assess Dr. Jones's contributions to our joint professional field, and do so by revisiting some of your favorite moments from the Indiana Jones films. Although Indy's archaeological techniques leave something to be desired, to say the least, I still think archaeologists owe him a debt of gratitude for popularizing our profession. Living in the Present, Remembering the Past When I started my archaeological career in the early 1980s, and would introduce myself as an archaeologist, I received such exclamations as, "Now that's a cool job!" My newly met acquaintances would often inquire whether what I do is at all similar to Dr. Jones's exploits. In fact, and often to my embarrassment, my own university's (Bar-Ilan University, in Ramat-Gan, Israel) public relations department more than once introduced me, as "our Indiana Jones." It seemed I had a lot to live up to. I didn't even own a bullwhip, let alone know how to use one.
Research Interests:
The Philistines have been the focus of considerable research over the last 150 years. For much of this time, until the most recent decades, the accepted explanation about the origins, arrival, and cultural development of this group was... more
The Philistines have been the focus of considerable research over the last 150 years. For much of this time, until the most recent decades, the accepted explanation about the origins, arrival, and cultural development of this group was that of a uniform migrating group, which arrived in the southern Levant just after 1200 BCE, captured the region of “Philistia,” and formed a unique culture, which slowly, throughout the Iron Age, intermixed with the local Levantine cultures. In recent decades, and in particular in the last 20 years, excavations at sites in Philistia produced rich finds that have been analyzed using a broad set of modern techniques and interpretative perspectives. The results led to major changes in the interpretation of the Philistines and their culture. In this article, I will review how the understanding of the Philistines and their culture has changed in light of recent research.
Research Interests:
The Hebrew Bible and other ancient Near Eastern texts describe Egyptian, Aramean, Assyrian, and Babylonian military campaigns to the Southern Levant during the 10th to sixth centuries BCE. Indeed, many destruction layers dated to this... more
The Hebrew Bible and other ancient Near Eastern texts describe Egyptian, Aramean, Assyrian, and Babylonian military campaigns to the Southern Levant during the 10th to sixth centuries BCE. Indeed, many destruction layers dated to this period have been unearthed in archaeological excavations. Several of these layers are securely linked to specific campaigns and are widely accepted as chronological anchors. However, the dating of many other destruction layers is often debated, challenging the ability to accurately reconstruct the different military campaigns and raising questions regarding the historicity of the biblical narrative. Here, we present a synchronization of the historically dated chronological anchors and other destruction layers and artifacts using the direction and/or intensity of the ancient geomagnetic field recorded in mud bricks from 20 burnt destruction layers and in two ceramic assemblages. During the period in question, the geomagnetic field in this region was ext...
Research Interests: History, Ancient History, Military History, Archaeology, Military Science, and 15 morePaleomagnetism, Archaeological Science, Levantine Archaeology, Biblical Studies, Geomagnetism, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Multidisciplinary, Mediterranean archaeology, Neo-Assyrian studies, Iron Age, Archaeomagnetic Dating, Archaeological Site Formation Processes, Chronology, and Geomagnetic field
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
In the last decade or so, new data and interpretations on the onomastics of Iron Age Philistia have appeared. In this article, we review, discuss, and suggest some insights regarding some of these Philistine personal names (e.g.,... more
In the last decade or so, new data and interpretations on the onomastics of Iron Age Philistia have appeared. In this article, we review, discuss, and suggest some insights regarding some of these Philistine personal names (e.g., Goliath), names of deities (e.g., PTGYH), and terms (e.g., seren). We assess them from linguistic, cultural, anthropological, and historical points of view. We then propose how they can be understood within the wider socio-cultural context(s) of Iron Age Philistia specifically and the wider eastern Mediterranean in general, and how they can be incorporated into efforts to understand the origins, development, and transformation of the Philistines and their culture(s).
Research Interests: History and Onomastics
ABSTRACT
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Most studies of ritual and symbolism in early complex societies of the Near East have focused on elite and/or public behavioural domains. However, the vast bulk of the population would not have been able to fully participate in such... more
Most studies of ritual and symbolism in early complex societies of the Near East have focused on elite and/or public behavioural domains. However, the vast bulk of the population would not have been able to fully participate in such public displays. This paper explores the zooarchaeological and associated archaeological evidence for household rituals in lower-stratum residences in the Early Bronze Age (EB) of the southern Levant. Data from the EB III (c. 2850–2550 BCE) deposits excavated at the site of Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath, Israel, are illustrative of the difficulty in identifying the nature of household rituals. An integrated analytical approach to the architecture, figurines, foundation deposits, and domestic donkey burials found in lower-stratum domestic residences provides insights into the nature of household rituals. This integrated contextual perspective allows the sacred and symbolic role(s) of each to be understood and their importance for EB urban society to be evaluated.
Research Interests:
The Philistines have been the focus of considerable research over the last 150 years. For much of this time, until the most recent decades, the accepted explanation about the origins, arrival, and cultural development of this group was... more
The Philistines have been the focus of considerable research over the last 150 years. For much of this time, until the most recent decades, the accepted explanation about the origins, arrival, and cultural development of this group was that of a uniform migrating group, which arrived in the southern Levant just after 1200 BCE, captured the region of “Philistia,” and formed a unique culture, which slowly, throughout the Iron Age, intermixed
with the local Levantine cultures. In recent decades, and in particular in the last 20 years, excavations at sites in Philistia produced rich finds that have been analyzed using a broad set of modern techniques and
interpretative perspectives. The results led to major changes in the interpretation of the Philistines and their culture. In this article, I will review how the understanding of the Philistines and their culture has changed in light of recent research.
with the local Levantine cultures. In recent decades, and in particular in the last 20 years, excavations at sites in Philistia produced rich finds that have been analyzed using a broad set of modern techniques and
interpretative perspectives. The results led to major changes in the interpretation of the Philistines and their culture. In this article, I will review how the understanding of the Philistines and their culture has changed in light of recent research.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The Hebrew Bible and other ancient Near Eastern texts describe Egyptian, Aramean, Assyrian, and Babylonian military campaigns to the Southern Levant during the 10th to sixth centuries BCE. Indeed, many destruction layers dated to this... more
The Hebrew Bible and other ancient Near Eastern texts describe Egyptian, Aramean, Assyrian, and Babylonian military campaigns to the Southern Levant during the 10th to sixth centuries BCE. Indeed, many destruction layers dated to this period have been unearthed in archaeological excavations. Several of these layers are securely linked to specific campaigns and are widely accepted as chronological anchors. However, the dating of many other destruction layers is often debated, challenging the ability to accurately reconstruct the different military campaigns and raising questions regarding the historicity of the biblical narrative. Here, we present a synchronization of the historically dated chronological anchors and other destruction layers and artifacts using the direction and/or intensity of the ancient geomagnetic field recorded in mud bricks from 20 burnt destruction layers and in two ceramic assemblages. During the period in question, the geomagnetic field in this region was extremely anomalous with rapid changes and high intensity values, including spikes of more than twice the intensity of today’s field. The data are useful in the effort to pinpoint these short-term variations on the timescale, and they resolve chronological debates regarding the campaigns against the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the relationship between the two kingdoms, and their administrations.
Research Interests: History, Ancient History, Military History, Archaeology, Military Science, and 12 morePaleomagnetism, Levantine Archaeology, Biblical Studies, Geomagnetism, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Mediterranean archaeology, Neo-Assyrian studies, Neo-Babylonian period, Chronology, Geomagnetic field, and Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
The Hebrew Bible and other ancient Near Eastern texts describe Egyptian, Aramean, Assyrian, and Babylonian military campaigns to the Southern Levant during the 10th to sixth centuries BCE. Indeed, many destruction layers dated to this... more
The Hebrew Bible and other ancient Near Eastern texts describe Egyptian, Aramean, Assyrian, and Babylonian military campaigns to the Southern Levant during the 10th to sixth centuries BCE. Indeed, many destruction layers dated to this period have been unearthed in archaeological excavations. Several of these layers are securely linked to specific campaigns and are widely accepted as chronological anchors. However, the dating of many other destruction layers is often debated, challenging the ability to accurately reconstruct the different military campaigns and raising questions regarding the historicity of the biblical narrative. Here, we present a synchronization of the historically dated chronological anchors and other destruction layers and artifacts using the direction and/or intensity of the ancient geomagnetic field recorded in mud bricks from 20 burnt destruction layers and in two ceramic assemblages. During the period in question, the geomagnetic field in this region was extremely anomalous with rapid changes and high intensity values, including spikes of more than twice the intensity of today’s field. The data are useful in the effort to pinpoint these short-term variations on the timescale, and they resolve chronological debates regarding the campaigns against the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the relationship between the two kingdoms, and their administrations.
Research Interests:
In this paper, we present the results of recent research on the potential movement of animals and other goods between Old Kingdom Egypt and the southern Levant during the Early Bronze III (c. 2850–2550 BCE). Several types of goods found... more
In this paper, we present the results of recent research on the potential movement of animals and other goods between Old Kingdom Egypt and the southern Levant during the Early Bronze III (c. 2850–2550 BCE). Several types of goods found at the site within a domestic residential neighbourhood (possibly of merchants) suggest that the inhabitants had extensive trade connections with the surrounding regions. A variety of durable goods derived from a variety of nonlocal sources, some of which are potentially located in Egypt. Other objects may have had a raw material origin in Egypt, but were modified in the northern Levant, and end up in the southern Levant. Scientific analysis of the normally assumed items, such as domestic livestock, demonstrate that donkey caravans were coming from Egypt during a period when trade supposedly has ceased between Egypt and the southern Levant. Isotopic analysis of donkey and other domestic animals are the first bioarchaeological evidence for the movement of livestock between the two regions – that the animals were born and raised in Egypt, brought to Canaan, and slaughtered soon after their arrival at the site. These results can challenge our traditional assumptions about evidence for direct trade between regions. We should be cautious in our labeling of raw material of artefacts that are non-local before a full scientific analysis is conducted.
Research Interests:
The paper presents the preliminary results of the analysis of the Iron Age finds from Tel Nagila. The excavations, which took place in the early 1960s under the direction of R. Amiran and A. Eitan, revealed three Iron Age strata. Through... more
The paper presents the preliminary results of the analysis of the Iron Age finds from Tel Nagila. The excavations, which took place in the early 1960s under the direction of R. Amiran and A. Eitan, revealed three Iron Age strata. Through the lens of these finds, we reflect on Tel Nagila as an Iron Age settlement on the border between Judah and Philistia, on the ethnic and political affiliations of its population, and how these affiliations may have changed over time.
Research Interests:
Most study of the definition of early Israel, from an archaeological perspective, is based on outdated views on the relationship between material culture and group identity, ignoring recent social theory on the relationship between the... more
Most study of the definition of early Israel, from an archaeological perspective, is based on outdated views on the relationship between material culture and group identity, ignoring recent social theory on the relationship between the archaeological finds and group identity. This has led to simplistic assumptions on defining and identifying the materials correlates – and the group identities – relevant for understanding the formation and development of early Israel. While critical of much
of the research, and aware of the limitations of the ability to interpret the archaeological remains, I suggest some paths how to move forward in defining – what is and what is not – early Israel, stressing the need to focus on a bottom-up approach, commencing with the study of small-scale communities of practice.
of the research, and aware of the limitations of the ability to interpret the archaeological remains, I suggest some paths how to move forward in defining – what is and what is not – early Israel, stressing the need to focus on a bottom-up approach, commencing with the study of small-scale communities of practice.
Research Interests:
Worldwide, human impact on natural landscapes has intensified since prehistoric times, and this is well documented in the global archaeological record. The period between the earliest hominids and the Industrial Revolution of the late... more
Worldwide, human impact on natural landscapes has intensified since prehistoric times, and this is well documented in the global archaeological record. The period between the earliest hominids and the Industrial Revolution of the late 18-19th centuries is known as the Paleo-Anthropocene. The current study reviews key geoarchaeological, floral and faunal factors of the Paleo-Anthropocene in Israel, an area that has undergone human activities in various intensities since prehistoric times. It discusses significant human imprints on these three features in the Israeli landscape, demonstrating that its current form is almost entirely anthropogenic. Moreover, some of the past physical changes still dynamically shape Israel’s zoological, archaeological and geomorphic landscape today. It is hoped that insights from this article might aid in guiding present-day management strategies of undeveloped areas through renewal of human activity guided by traditional knowledge.
Research Interests: History, Ancient History, Botany, Geography, Archaeology, and 15 moreAnthropology, Bioarchaeology, Geoarchaeology, Archaeobotany, Environmental Archaeology, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Cultural Landscapes, Culture, Ecology, Bronze Age Archaeology, Biological invasions, Ancient Near East, Anthropocene studies, Anthropocene, and Archaeology of the Southern Levant
Research Interests:
An iron and bronze workshop in the lower city of Tell es-Safi/Gath, dated to the mid-late Iron IIA, contributes new data on the chronology, organization, and practice of metal production in the urban Philistine setting. Analyses show that... more
An iron and bronze workshop in the lower city of Tell es-Safi/Gath, dated to the mid-late Iron IIA, contributes new data on the chronology, organization, and practice of metal production in the urban Philistine setting. Analyses show that iron objects were likely produced and maintained on a large scale, alongside bronze, employing regionally unique forms of crucibles and tuyères. The material culture of metalworking is discussed in relation to contemporaneous iron production sites in the region, building a more robust picture of the adoption of iron metallurgy in the Levant versus the status of bronze and iron.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Ancient fermented food has been studied based on recipes, residue analysis and ancient-DNA techniques and reconstructed using modern domesticated yeast. Here, we present a novel approach. We hypothesize that enriched yeast populations in... more
Ancient fermented food has been studied based on recipes, residue analysis and ancient-DNA techniques and reconstructed using modern domesticated yeast. Here, we present a novel approach. We hypothesize that enriched yeast populations in fermented beverages could have become the dominant species in storage vessels and the descendants of these yeast could be isolated and studied long after. To this end, using a pipeline of yeast isolation from clay vessels developed here, we screened for yeast cells in beverage-related and non-related ancient vessels and sediments, from several archeological sites. We found that yeast cells could be successfully isolated specifically from clay containers of fermented beverages. Genomic analysis revealed that these yeast are similar to those found in traditional African beverages. Phenotypically, they grow similar to modern-beer producing yeast. Both strongly suggesting that they are descendants of the original fermenting yeast. These findings provide...
Research Interests:
The widespread signs of destruction and fire seen at Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath in the upper and lower parts of the city (Namdar et al. 2011; Zukerman and Maeir 2012) include the charred skeletal remains of three women found in Area D, Stratum D3,... more
The widespread signs of destruction and fire seen at Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath in the upper and lower parts of the city (Namdar et al. 2011; Zukerman and Maeir 2012) include the charred skeletal remains of three women found in Area D, Stratum D3, and five individuals found in Area A, Stratum A3. All appear to have been victims of the same event, namely, the destruction of the city at the end of the ninth century B.C.E. by Hazael of Aram (Maeir 2012). We provide here a detailed description of these remains and the circumstances surrounding their deaths using standards published in Bass 1995 to determine their age and sex, and the Munsell color chart (Ellingham et al. 2015) to estimate the extent and pattern of burning on the bodies.
Research Interests:
Recent archaeological excavations at the early urban settlement of Tell es-Safi/Gath, Israel present the opportunity to reconstruct the life-history of basalt ground stone artefacts of an early urban domestic neighbourhood. Tell... more
Recent archaeological excavations at the early urban settlement of Tell es-Safi/Gath, Israel present the opportunity to reconstruct the life-history of basalt ground stone artefacts of an early urban domestic neighbourhood. Tell es-Safi/Gath is a multi-period site located on the border between the Judean foothills and the southern coastal plain of central Israel. Survey and excavations over the last two decades demonstrated that it was a major urban centre for the region during the Early Bronze Age (EBA) III. At the eastern end of the site, a neighbourhood of commoner residences (some perhaps associated with mercantile activities) have been exposed. This paper describes and analyses the basalt ground stone tools found in association with this domestic neighbourhood. It seeks to establish the nature of production, distribution, consumption, and discard associated with ground stone tools within a domestic context. The study involved several forms of analysis including typology, macros...
Research Interests:
The reliability of a radiocarbon date depends in part on the degree of precision and accuracy of the measurement. While analytical precision and accuracy can be improved by careful sample cleaning procedures and high laboratory standards,... more
The reliability of a radiocarbon date depends in part on the degree of precision and accuracy of the measurement. While analytical precision and accuracy can be improved by careful sample cleaning procedures and high laboratory standards, accuracy also depends upon the certainty to which the sample can be attributed to a specific material culture or event in the past. This might be questionable when based only on partial archaeological information. As a consequence, it is very difficult to date clear-cut chronological transitions within specific periods. This issue is particularly apparent in the case of Mediterranean Iron Age chronology, where 2 somewhat different perspectives are proposed, the “High Chronology” and the “Low Chronology,” which differ by ∼50 yr. Here, we present the preliminary results of an ongoing project that aims to characterize Iron Age archaeological contexts from the eastern Mediterranean, and to identify those contexts that are suitable for dating, in order ...
Research Interests:
Isotope data from a sacrificial ass and several ovicaprines (sheep/goat) from Early Bronze Age household deposits at Tell es-Safi/Gath, Israel provide direct evidence for the movement of domestic draught/draft and husbandry animals... more
Isotope data from a sacrificial ass and several ovicaprines (sheep/goat) from Early Bronze Age household deposits at Tell es-Safi/Gath, Israel provide direct evidence for the movement of domestic draught/draft and husbandry animals between Old Kingdom Egypt (during the time of the Pyramids) and Early Bronze Age III Canaan (ca. 2900-2500 BCE). Vacillating, bi-directional connections between Egypt and Canaan are known throughout the Early Bronze Age, but here we provide the first concrete evidence of early trade in animals from Egypt to Canaan.
Research Interests: Geography, Archaeology, Stable Isotopes, Egypt, Multidisciplinary, and 12 moreAncient Near East (Archaeology), History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Commerce, Carbon Isotopes, Early Bronze Age Archaeology, Animals, Mandible, PLoS one, Oxygen Isotopes, Tooth, Strontium Isotopes, and Isotope Labeling
Research Interests: Geography, Archaeology, Archaeobotany, Biology, Invasive species ecology, and 15 moreInternational Migration, Invasive Species, Egypt, Biological invasions, Biodiversity, Aegean Archaeology, Israel, Iron Age, Biodiversity Research, Human Migration, Invasion biology, Flowers, Archaeology of the Levant, Floral diversity, and Ecosystem
The appearance, definition and transformation of the Philistine culture of the Iron Age Southern Levant has been seen as part of the so-called “Sea Peoples” phenomenon of the transition between the Late Bronze and Iron Ages. In the past,... more
The appearance, definition and transformation of the Philistine culture of the Iron Age Southern Levant has been seen as part of the so-called “Sea Peoples” phenomenon of the transition between the Late Bronze and Iron Ages. In the past, most interpretative frameworks understood this culture as being a largely intrusive, migratory phenomenon, which when arriving, forcibly took over from the Canaanite culture which had been dominant in the region beforehand, and replaced it with a largely Aegean-oriented culture. According to this view, with time, the Philistine culture was more and more influenced by local Levantine cultural norms, ultimately leading to the later Iron Age Philistine culture becoming a much less foreign oriented culture. This latter process has by and large been interpreted either as processes of assimilation, acculturation, or creolization. Recent finds and new perspectives warrant a new understanding of the underlying mechanisms and processes relating to the Philistine culture – from its appearance in the 12th cent BCE until its ultimate demise in the late Iron Age, in the 7th cent. BCE. While it is evident that a major component of the Philistine culture is foreign, it is clear that these foreign facets are of a mixed nature – including features from the Aegean, Cyprus, Anatolia, SE Europe and beyond. Likewise, it is now clear that the Philistines did not capture and destroy the Late Bronze Age sites of the Canaanites, at most destroying elite zones in some of the sites. On the contrary it appears that from the very beginning of the Iron Age, the foreign components became entangled with local Canaanite elements. Thus, from the very early stages of its appearance, the Philistine culture was characterized by an ongoing negotiation between various cultural groups of local and foreign origin. As a result of such entanglements, the process of change of the Philistine culture should not be viewed through the lens of a simplistic process of cultural change. Here as well, multivalent patterns of identity negotiation can be seen between the various groups within Philistia (as evidenced in distinct material culture patterns at different sites within Philistia), and between these groups and surrounding polities and ethnicities, with influences going in both directions. While the Philistine culture did change drastically throughout the Iron Age, shedding many of their earlier, non-local attributes, other attributes which clearly were of importance in their ongoing group definition and identity continued to be used throughout the Iron Age. Thus, we suggest that a more complex, multivalent and multi-directional framework is needed for a more robust understanding of these processes. In our paper we will argue for a transcultural, entangled perspective – which we believe can provide a more nuanced framework for understanding the formation and transformation of Philistine identity.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Near Eastern wild boars possess a characteristic DNA signature. Unexpectedly, wild boars from Israel have the DNA sequences of European wild boars and domestic pigs. To understand how this anomaly evolved, we sequenced DNA from ancient... more
Near Eastern wild boars possess a characteristic DNA signature. Unexpectedly, wild boars from Israel have the DNA sequences of European wild boars and domestic pigs. To understand how this anomaly evolved, we sequenced DNA from ancient and modern pigs from Israel. Pigs from Late Bronze Age (until ca. 1150 BCE) in Israel shared haplotypes of modern and ancient Near Eastern pigs. European haplotypes became dominant only during the Iron Age (ca. 900 BCE). This raises the possibility that European pigs were brought to the region by the Sea Peoples who migrated to the Levant at that time. Then, a complete genetic turnover took place, most likely because of repeated admixture between local and introduced European domestic pigs that went feral. Severe population bottlenecks likely accelerated this process. Introductions by humans have strongly affected the phylogeography of wild animals, and interpretations of phylogeography based on modern DNA alone should be taken with caution.
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT Ancient cooking installations yield important evidence for cooking technology and human diet. A cooking installation termed the Philistine pebble hearth is associated with the arrival of the Philistines at the beginning of the... more
ABSTRACT Ancient cooking installations yield important evidence for cooking technology and human diet. A cooking installation termed the Philistine pebble hearth is associated with the arrival of the Philistines at the beginning of the Iron Age in the southern Levant (ca. early/mid-12th century B.C.). These installations have been studied using traditional methods, focusing on a description of form and style in relation to the pottery of the period. Here we present a study using an experimental approach. We prepared three sets of experimental pebble hearths to study the pebbles' thermal behavior in relation to their volume. The comparison of these results with observations of Iron Age I archaeological hearths reveals different patterns in pebble shattering and soot patterns, indicating that the archaeological hearths were used in a different manner than the experimental ones. The experiments highlight the utility of shattered pebbles as an indicator of the use of fire directly on Philistine hearths, even in the absence of ash and/or charcoal. They also demonstrate that these installations may have been used with open fire or live embers. The results are applicable to the study of hearths worldwide, with implications for appropriate excavation methods and basic identification of ancient pyrotechnologies.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Archaeology, Experimental Archaeology, Near Eastern Archaeology, Geochemistry, Ethnoarchaeology, and 10 moreArchaeological Science, Archaeological Soil Micromorphology, Phytolith Analysis, Taphonomy, Ancient Near East, Cooking and Food Preparation (archaeology), FTIR, Fuel, Archaeological Fire Structures Studies, and PSR
Hydraulic plasters or mortars prior to the Roman period are rare. Here, we report the identification and characterization of 3000 year old (Iron Age) hydraulic plaster surfaces from the site of Tell es-Safi/Gath. This site, located in... more
Hydraulic plasters or mortars prior to the Roman period are rare. Here, we report the identification and characterization of 3000 year old (Iron Age) hydraulic plaster surfaces from the site of Tell es-Safi/Gath. This site, located in central Israel, was occupied almost continuously from prehistoric through modern times, and is identified as the Canaanite and Philistine city of Gath. A
Research Interests: Archaeology, Geology, Geochemistry, Archaeological Science, Palestine, and 15 moreScanning Electron Microscopy, Aegean Archaeology, Israel, Iron Age, Composition, Analysis, Identification, Infrared spectroscopy, Philistines, Lime mortars and plasters, Infrared, Scanning Electron Microscope, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy, Hydraulic Plasters and Mortars, and Fourier transform infrared
Following the excavations at Tel Ashdod, a class of Iron Age II decorated pottery was identified that became known as 'Ashdod Ware." In the present study, this pottery is defined as Late Philistine Decorated Ware. Based on its... more
Following the excavations at Tel Ashdod, a class of Iron Age II decorated pottery was identified that became known as 'Ashdod Ware." In the present study, this pottery is defined as Late Philistine Decorated Ware. Based on its typology, decoration, distribu-tion, chronology, and ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Most study of the definition of early Israel, from an archaeological perspective, is based on outdated views on the relationship between material culture and group identity, ignoring recent social theory on the relationship between the... more
Most study of the definition of early Israel, from an archaeological perspective, is
based on outdated views on the relationship between material culture and group
identity, ignoring recent social theory on the relationship between the archaeological
finds and group identity. This has led to simplistic assumptions on defining
and identifying the materials correlates – and the group identities – relevant for
understanding the formation and development of early Israel. While critical of much
of the research, and aware of the limitations of the ability to interpret the archaeological
remains, I suggest some paths how to move forward in defining – what is
and what is not – early Israel, stressing the need to focus on a bottom-up approach,
commencing with the study of small-scale communities of practice.
based on outdated views on the relationship between material culture and group
identity, ignoring recent social theory on the relationship between the archaeological
finds and group identity. This has led to simplistic assumptions on defining
and identifying the materials correlates – and the group identities – relevant for
understanding the formation and development of early Israel. While critical of much
of the research, and aware of the limitations of the ability to interpret the archaeological
remains, I suggest some paths how to move forward in defining – what is
and what is not – early Israel, stressing the need to focus on a bottom-up approach,
commencing with the study of small-scale communities of practice.
Research Interests:
A letter to an imaginary colleague who didn't check in with me after the October 7th, 2023 massacres conducted by HAMAS.
Research Interests:
A personal testimonial about a visit to some of the sites of the massacres conducted by HAMAS on October 7th, 2023, and in particular, about the new subfield in archaeology - "the archaeology of terrorism" - which our brave colleagues... more
A personal testimonial about a visit to some of the sites of the massacres conducted by HAMAS on October 7th, 2023, and in particular, about the new subfield in archaeology - "the archaeology of terrorism" - which our brave colleagues from the Israel Antiquities have been, and are still carrying out, searching for remains of victims of the massacres.
Research Interests:
MOOC on the archaeology of Iron Age Israel and Judah on the edX.org website.
Research Interests: History, Ancient History, Archaeology, Anthropology, Humanities, and 15 moreSocial Sciences, Social and Cultural Anthropology, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Hebrew Bible, Biblical Studies, Jewish History, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Mediterranean archaeology, Bronze and Iron Ages in Eastern Mediterranean (Archaeology), Iron Age, Early Iron Age, Archaeology of the Levant, and Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
Discussion (in Hebrew) on how one can use the study of archaeological remains of food and eating habits among the Philistines to understand who the Philistines were and what were their relationship with neighboring cultures (such as the... more
Discussion (in Hebrew) on how one can use the study of archaeological remains of food and eating habits among the Philistines to understand who the Philistines were and what were their relationship with neighboring cultures (such as the Israelites and Judahites), and how food in general can be used to help understand issues relating to the definition of cultural and ethnic identities in the past.
Research Interests: Ancient History, Archaeology, Anthropology, Social Sciences, Social and Cultural Anthropology, and 23 moreArchaeology of Ancient Israel, Levantine Archaeology, Hebrew Bible, Israel/Palestine, Biblical Studies, Food History, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Late Bronze Age archaeology, Bible, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Ancient Near East (Archaeology), Iron Age, Ancient Near Eastern History, Early Iron Age, Classics: Ancient History and Archaeology, Feasting and Fasting, Early Iron Age Greece and Greek communities overseas, Ritual Feasting, Archaeology of the Southern Levant, Archaeology of the Levant, Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, and Archaeology and Feasting
Discussion of new perspectives, find and understandings on the Philistines and their relations with surrounding cultures, based primarily on the finds from Tell es-Safi/Gath. Lecture given at the College de France, Feb. 25th, 2015.
Research Interests:
Results and conclusions: Using domestic pigs as a local reference for isotope based mobility studies for ancient human populations is an potential alternative to small mammals or game, if those sample types are not available in... more
Results and conclusions: Using domestic pigs as a local reference for isotope based mobility studies for ancient human populations is an potential alternative to small mammals or game, if those sample types are not available in significant amounts. But since domestic animals are always dependent on human impact, cultural, economic and agricultural specifics must be reconsidered. Pig data can show a narrower distribution than humans. Still, it is hard to assess, if this reference range really represents the local human population as well. Pig isotopic ratios from Tel Nami might exceed the local distribution due to trading and extensive herding. Not only human, but also animal mobility seems to have taken place in Nami in high amounts (in the case of pigs not necessarily as living animals but possibly also as trading goods, like salted pork).
The strontium results hint at connections to the inland, more precisely Mount Carmel and the Jezreel valley etc. All strontium outliers can be explained with locations close to the investigated area, pointing inland to the Jordan valley or even the site Megiddo. The analyzed data further support the hypothesis that there was a close relation between Tel Nami and Megiddo. Even children and pregnant women seem to have been mobile in between those two settlements, which are less than a day-trip apart. Isotopic ratios which fall in between the two sites could be explained as mixtures, as the individuals were moving in between the two locations of Megiddo and Nami during their childhood.
The strontium results hint at connections to the inland, more precisely Mount Carmel and the Jezreel valley etc. All strontium outliers can be explained with locations close to the investigated area, pointing inland to the Jordan valley or even the site Megiddo. The analyzed data further support the hypothesis that there was a close relation between Tel Nami and Megiddo. Even children and pregnant women seem to have been mobile in between those two settlements, which are less than a day-trip apart. Isotopic ratios which fall in between the two sites could be explained as mixtures, as the individuals were moving in between the two locations of Megiddo and Nami during their childhood.
Research Interests: Ancient History, Archaeology, Anthropology, Social Sciences, Zooarchaeology, and 17 moreStable Isotope Analysis, Bioarchaeology, Geoarchaeology, Levantine Archaeology, Israel/Palestine, Aegean Bronze Age (Bronze Age Archaeology), Syro-Palestinian archaeology, Ancient Near East, Late Bronze Age archaeology, Aegean Archaeology, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Bronze and Iron Ages in Eastern Mediterranean (Archaeology), History of Palestine and Israel, Philistines, Sea Peoples, Archaezoology, and Biblical and Levantine History and Archaeology
Introduction: The recursive extent of influence between the Aegean influence and neighboring regions remains an area of investigation that continues to generate enthusiastic scholarly interest and lively debate. Here, we outline the... more
Introduction: The recursive extent of influence between the Aegean influence and neighboring regions remains an area of investigation that continues to generate enthusiastic scholarly interest and lively debate. Here, we outline the importance of current theoretical perspectives on Aegean interaction with the East (particularly Philistia and Cyprus), which may be conceptually helpful to the study of similar interactions with central and western Europe. The archaeological, historical, and anthropological approaches we touch upon include gift exchange, entanglement, transculturalism, transnationalism, and piracy as a model of limited migration. Gold Regalia from EM Mochlos Tombs (Photo: Hitchcock) Secondary State Forma7on: The Aegean was drawn within the Near Eastern sphere of influence in the late Early Bronze Age (ca. 2200 BCE) with the importation of raw materials from the Near East including copper, tin, gold, and ivory. Gold and exotic materials were used in the Aegean to manufacture items of elite regalia such as diadems, mace-heads, and other luxury items. Seafaring: Minoan acquisition of technology for constructing deep-hulled ships with masts enabled the Aegean to shrink maritime space (Broodbank 2002, 342-344, fig. 115) and create social networks throughout the Mediterranean. MM II sealing depicts deep-hulled ship with mast Conclusion: Our understanding of both the emergence of complexity in the Early Bronze Age and the collapse that took place in the Aegean ca. 1177 BCE (Cline 2014) has gone from simplistic models of colonization, migration, conquest, or mercantilism, to more sophisticated models of entanglement, transculturalism, transnational identity, limited migration, and piratical activity. It is our hope that such considerations offered by Phospheros provide useful insights to Hesperos.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Egyptology, Near Eastern Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Anthropology, and 25 moreSocial Sciences, Social and Cultural Anthropology, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Levantine Archaeology, Egyptian Archaeology, Israel/Palestine, Mediterranean Studies, Bronze Age Europe (Archaeology), Aegean Bronze Age (Bronze Age Archaeology), History of the Mediterranean, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Aegean Prehistory (Archaeology), Late Bronze Age archaeology, Aegean Archaeology, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Ancient Near East (Archaeology), Mediterranean archaeology, Iron Age, Early Iron Age, the Sea Peoples, XIX - XX Dynasty in Egypt, the Hittites, the Late Bronze Age in the Eastern Medittaranean, Late Bronze Age, Philistines, Early Iron Age Greece and Greek communities overseas, and Archaeology of the Levant
Conclusions •The soil erosion rate was relatively lower when the area was settled due to constant housing and field maintenance. •Small fields contributed to lower erosion intensity and higher plant biodiversity. •Traditional methods of... more
Conclusions
•The soil erosion rate was relatively lower when the area was settled due to constant housing and field
maintenance.
•Small fields contributed to lower erosion intensity and higher plant biodiversity.
•Traditional methods of land management (e.g., shallow plowing, terrace walls, grazing in forests) helped
sustain the Mediterranean landscape.
• Modern management of cultural and natural areas should rely on preservation of ancient remains as well as
the application of traditional practices.
•The soil erosion rate was relatively lower when the area was settled due to constant housing and field
maintenance.
•Small fields contributed to lower erosion intensity and higher plant biodiversity.
•Traditional methods of land management (e.g., shallow plowing, terrace walls, grazing in forests) helped
sustain the Mediterranean landscape.
• Modern management of cultural and natural areas should rely on preservation of ancient remains as well as
the application of traditional practices.
Research Interests: Landscape Ecology, Geography, Human Geography, Archaeology, Geomorphology, and 22 moreAnthropology, Climate Change, Cultural Heritage, Conservation Biology, Landscape Archaeology, Conservation, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Levantine Archaeology, Cultural Heritage Conservation, Cultural Landscapes, Heritage Conservation, Mediterranean Studies, Agriculture, Cultural Heritage Management, Mediterranean archaeology, Bronze and Iron Ages in Eastern Mediterranean (Archaeology), Anthropocene studies, Geosciences, Soil Erosion, Anthropocene, Archaeology of the Levant, and Traditional Agriculture
As they traveled, the Sea Peoples engaged in attacks in the Aegean and the East, they took on followers, formed new entangled identities, and some eventually migrated to, and settling in Anatolia, Cyprus, and the Levant (as the... more
As they traveled, the Sea Peoples engaged in attacks in the Aegean and the East, they took on followers, formed new entangled identities, and some eventually migrated to, and settling in Anatolia, Cyprus, and the Levant (as the Philistines). We believe that this was a more realistic means to account for migration than the traditional narrative around the Sea Peoples, which regards them as Mycenaean elites that violently plundered, then colonized various parts of the Mediterranean. Two articles investigating these topics have been written, while others are projected on geography, assemblages, and linguistic issues. Yo Ho, Yo Ho: A Philistine's Life For Me! Louise A. Hitchcock (lahi@unimelb.edu.au) and Aren M. Maeir (arenmaeir@gmail.com)
Research Interests: Archaeology, Egyptology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Anthropology, Social and Cultural Anthropology, and 10 moreArchaeology of Ancient Israel, Levantine Archaeology, Late Bronze Age archaeology, Mediterranean archaeology, Bronze and Iron Ages in Eastern Mediterranean (Archaeology), Iron Age, the Sea Peoples, XIX - XX Dynasty in Egypt, the Hittites, the Late Bronze Age in the Eastern Medittaranean, Philistines, Pirates, and Pre-Exilic Ancient Israel - Hebrew Bible and Archaeology; Phoenician-Punic language and epigraphy; Levantine Archaeology (espeically Biblical Archaeology)
Last call: PhD Stipends from the Minerva Center for Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times (RIAB) The Minerva Center for Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times (RIAB; aramisrael.org) is offering several stipends... more
Last call: PhD Stipends from the Minerva Center for Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times (RIAB)
The Minerva Center for Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times (RIAB; aramisrael.org) is offering several stipends for PhD candidates in fields related to the center’s topics. The stipends are meant for students with an excellent academic record who are interested in conducting PhD studies at Bar-Ilan University, under the supervision of one of the center’s members who are on the BIU faculty (aramisrael.org/center-members).
The stipends are based on the BIU “President’s Stipends” (graduate-school.biu.ac.il/files/gradschool/shared/b-ilan_mlga_167x254.pdf), which include: ca. $1000 per month for 4 years, travel to one international conference to present a paper related to the student’s PhD research, and full exemption from tuition.
PhD candidates associated with the center receive additions to the standard stipend, such as travel to academic conferences organized by the center (in Israel and Germany), and in some cases, additional monthly funding from a specific research project (such as the Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project; gath.wordpress.com).
Deadline for final submissions is May 30th, 2017.
If you are interested in submitting through the RIAB Center, please contact Prof. Aren M. Maeir (arenmaeir@gmail.com) in the next few days.
The Minerva Center for Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times (RIAB; aramisrael.org) is offering several stipends for PhD candidates in fields related to the center’s topics. The stipends are meant for students with an excellent academic record who are interested in conducting PhD studies at Bar-Ilan University, under the supervision of one of the center’s members who are on the BIU faculty (aramisrael.org/center-members).
The stipends are based on the BIU “President’s Stipends” (graduate-school.biu.ac.il/files/gradschool/shared/b-ilan_mlga_167x254.pdf), which include: ca. $1000 per month for 4 years, travel to one international conference to present a paper related to the student’s PhD research, and full exemption from tuition.
PhD candidates associated with the center receive additions to the standard stipend, such as travel to academic conferences organized by the center (in Israel and Germany), and in some cases, additional monthly funding from a specific research project (such as the Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project; gath.wordpress.com).
Deadline for final submissions is May 30th, 2017.
If you are interested in submitting through the RIAB Center, please contact Prof. Aren M. Maeir (arenmaeir@gmail.com) in the next few days.
Research Interests: History, Ancient History, Archaeology, Anthropology, Social and Cultural Anthropology, and 31 moreHebrew Bible, Aramaic, Biblical Studies, Syria, Biblical Archaeology, Old Aramaic, Ancient Near East, Ancient Near Eastern Languages, Late Bronze Age archaeology, Cultural Anthropology, Literary Approaches to Biblical Studies, Late Iron Age (Archaeology), Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Ancient Near East (Archaeology), Ancient Near Eastern Art, Bronze And Iron Age In Mediterrarranean (Archaeology), Bronze and Iron Ages in Eastern Mediterranean (Archaeology), Syria (Archaeology), Iron Age, Ancient Near Eastern History, History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Ancient Near Eastern Economy, Early Iron Age, Bronze and Iron Ages in the Near East and East Mediterranean, Ancient Near Eastern Religions, Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Cultural history of the Ancient world, Arameans, Biblical Aramaic, Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, and Bibical archaeology
“The Minerva Center for the Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times” is an international, inter-disciplinary, and inter-university center for the study of various aspects of the relations between the cultures of Israel and... more
“The Minerva Center for the Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times” is an international, inter-disciplinary, and inter-university center for the study of various aspects of the relations between the cultures of Israel and Aram – primarily in ancient periods – but in some cases, up until the modern period. The center is located at Bar-Ilan University (BIU), and collaborates with the University of Leipzig in Germany, as well as other academic institutions in Israel and the world. The center’s directors are Prof. Aren Maeir (BIU) and Prof. Angelika Berlejung (Leipzig), and the center members at BIU are Prof. Esther Eshel, Dr. Yigal Levin and Dr. Leeor Gottlieb.
As part of the center’s activities, we are calling for applications from suitable candidates, for stipends for doctoral studies at BIU, in topics related to the fields covered by the center, to be carried out in one of the following departments: Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology, Jewish History, and Bible (according to the topic to be researched, the advisor, and previous studies). For more details - see attached file
As part of the center’s activities, we are calling for applications from suitable candidates, for stipends for doctoral studies at BIU, in topics related to the fields covered by the center, to be carried out in one of the following departments: Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology, Jewish History, and Bible (according to the topic to be researched, the advisor, and previous studies). For more details - see attached file
Research Interests: Archaeology, Aramaic Dialectology, Hellenistic History, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Levantine Archaeology, and 27 moreAramaic, Deuteronomistic History, Prophets, Biblical Archaeology, Old Aramaic, Northwest Semitic Epigraphy, Biblical Interpretation, Bible, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Wisdom Literature, Biblical Hebrew (Languages And Linguistics), Hellenistic Judaism, Aramaic inscriptions, Iron Age, Biblical Hebrew, Dead Sea Scrolls, Paul, Pre-Exilic Ancient Israel - Hebrew Bible and Archaeology; Phoenician-Punic language and epigraphy; Levantine Archaeology (espeically Biblical Archaeology), Ot, Elephantine, Pentateuch, archaeology of Egypt, Syria and Persian Gulf (late Antiquity and mediaeval period) pottery in Egypt, Syria and Persia, Kingdom of Judah, Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, Pauline Letters, Aramaic and Targum, and NT
Please check out the trailer for my MOOC (massive open online course) "Biblical Archaeology: The archaeology of Ancient Israel and Judah," which will be online from early December 2018 on the EdX platform. The course will be a equivalent... more
Please check out the trailer for my MOOC (massive open online course) "Biblical Archaeology: The archaeology of Ancient Israel and Judah," which will be online from early December 2018 on the EdX platform. The course will be a equivalent of a semester long course on the archaeology of Iron Age Israel and Judah. The course is open to all - and for a fee, one can receive a certificate from EdX or academic credit from Bar-Ilan University.
Check it out - and pass the word on to friends, colleagues and students - to sign up for the course as soon as registration is open!
Here is the link:
https://youtu.be/lymUIdk6bEk
Check it out - and pass the word on to friends, colleagues and students - to sign up for the course as soon as registration is open!
Here is the link:
https://youtu.be/lymUIdk6bEk
Research Interests: History, Ancient History, Archaeology, Anthropology, Social Sciences, and 15 moreSocial and Cultural Anthropology, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Hebrew Bible, Israel/Palestine, Biblical Studies, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Biblical Hebrew (Languages And Linguistics), Bronze and Iron Ages in Eastern Mediterranean (Archaeology), Iron Age, Early Iron Age, Ancient Israelites, Kingdom of Judah, and Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
Research Interests: Cultural Studies, Aramaic Dialectology, Levantine Archaeology, Hebrew Bible, Aramaic, and 19 moreBiblical Studies, Second Temple Judaism, Personal and Moral Autonomy, Syriac Studies, Syria, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Late Iron Age (Archaeology), Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Bronze and Iron Ages in Eastern Mediterranean (Archaeology), Iron Age, Pre-Exilic Ancient Israel - Hebrew Bible and Archaeology; Phoenician-Punic language and epigraphy; Levantine Archaeology (espeically Biblical Archaeology), Ancient Israelites, Arameans, Kingdom of Judah, Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, Aramaeans, Aramaic and Targum, and Second Temple Judaism and Early Christianity
Research Interests:
Updated schedule of a workshop on the excavations at Abel Beth Maacha, to be held at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, April 26th, 2018, under the auspices of the RIAB Minerva Center
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The title of this workshop has a question mark. This question mark has proven to be justified, for I have not succeeded in finding clear evidence of masks in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. This, of course, does not mean that there were... more
The title of this workshop has a question mark. This question mark has proven to be justified, for I have not succeeded in finding clear evidence of masks in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. This, of course, does not mean that there were no masks in ancient Israel/Palestine, since we now have archaeological evidence of many things that are not mentioned in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. Masks (and protomes) of all sizes are well-documented in Israel/Palestine until the Roman Period.
When the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible does not speak of something for which there is clear archaeological evidence in Israel/Palestine (especially for the 1st millennium BCE), it can be asked why it is not mentioned. In the case of masks the question is: are masks censored, ignored or simply forgotten? Are they so important that they are intentionally erased, or so unimportant that they are not worth talking about? If it is true that masks are media through which their bearer can physically contact “the Other” (god/gods, ancestors, etc.), what are the alternatives in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible if there are really no masks? Or have masks remained hidden in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible without being discovered thus far?
The workshop takes as its starting point the different terms which have been discussed in past scholarship as possible evidence for masks. There will be an introduction into the different types and possible uses of masks which were not limited to be worn on human faces.
Following the lecture, there will be a hands-on discussion at which several examples of masks from archaeological contexts in Israel will be presented.
When the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible does not speak of something for which there is clear archaeological evidence in Israel/Palestine (especially for the 1st millennium BCE), it can be asked why it is not mentioned. In the case of masks the question is: are masks censored, ignored or simply forgotten? Are they so important that they are intentionally erased, or so unimportant that they are not worth talking about? If it is true that masks are media through which their bearer can physically contact “the Other” (god/gods, ancestors, etc.), what are the alternatives in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible if there are really no masks? Or have masks remained hidden in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible without being discovered thus far?
The workshop takes as its starting point the different terms which have been discussed in past scholarship as possible evidence for masks. There will be an introduction into the different types and possible uses of masks which were not limited to be worn on human faces.
Following the lecture, there will be a hands-on discussion at which several examples of masks from archaeological contexts in Israel will be presented.
Research Interests: Religion, History, Ancient History, Archaeology, Anthropology, and 15 moreSocial Sciences, Social and Cultural Anthropology, Levantine Archaeology, Hebrew Bible, Israel/Palestine, Biblical Studies, Ancient Mediterranean Religions, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Late Bronze Age archaeology, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Bronze and Iron Ages in Eastern Mediterranean (Archaeology), Iron Age, Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, and Anthropology of Religion
The Minerva Center for the Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times (RIAB) A Workshop: Five Seasons of Excavation at Tel Abel Beth Maacah: An Interim Assessment The Institute of Archaeology, The Hebrew University of... more
The Minerva Center for the Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times (RIAB)
A Workshop:
Five Seasons of Excavation at Tel Abel Beth Maacah: An Interim Assessment
The Institute of Archaeology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Thursday, April 26
Overview:
This workshop will present a summary of the stratigraphic and architectural contexts, as well as major material culture finds, uncovered during the course of five seasons of excavation. Focus will be on the Iron Age I and II, with highlights from the Middle and Late Bronze Age, as well as the Persian-early Hellenistic period, in order to better understand the occupation sequence.
Following this presentation, a discussion will take place on issues generated by the finds and the research questions that guide the project, particularly, how the archaeological data from Abel Beth Maacah illuminate cultural and historical developments in the Hula Valley, from the Late Bronze Age city state of Hazor to the Iron Age IIA territorial kingdoms of Israel and Aram-Damascus. A presentation of pottery and other finds from these periods will take place and serve as the basis for a chronological, contextual and cultural discussion.
Schedule:
15:00: Convening and refreshments
15:15-17:00: Presentation of the archaeological field and artefactual data
17:00-17:30: Break
17:30-19:00: Presentation of pottery and other finds and discussion
If you are interested in participating, please contact: panitz@mail.huji.ac.il
A Workshop:
Five Seasons of Excavation at Tel Abel Beth Maacah: An Interim Assessment
The Institute of Archaeology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Thursday, April 26
Overview:
This workshop will present a summary of the stratigraphic and architectural contexts, as well as major material culture finds, uncovered during the course of five seasons of excavation. Focus will be on the Iron Age I and II, with highlights from the Middle and Late Bronze Age, as well as the Persian-early Hellenistic period, in order to better understand the occupation sequence.
Following this presentation, a discussion will take place on issues generated by the finds and the research questions that guide the project, particularly, how the archaeological data from Abel Beth Maacah illuminate cultural and historical developments in the Hula Valley, from the Late Bronze Age city state of Hazor to the Iron Age IIA territorial kingdoms of Israel and Aram-Damascus. A presentation of pottery and other finds from these periods will take place and serve as the basis for a chronological, contextual and cultural discussion.
Schedule:
15:00: Convening and refreshments
15:15-17:00: Presentation of the archaeological field and artefactual data
17:00-17:30: Break
17:30-19:00: Presentation of pottery and other finds and discussion
If you are interested in participating, please contact: panitz@mail.huji.ac.il
Research Interests:
Research Colloquium of the RIAB Minerva Center (aramisrael.org):
"(Re)Constructing Identities in the Bronze and Iron Ages Levant", 14th November, 2017, Universität Leipzig
"(Re)Constructing Identities in the Bronze and Iron Ages Levant", 14th November, 2017, Universität Leipzig
Research Interests:
Schedule of the 2nd Annual Conference of the Minerva Center for the Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times (RIAB): Ramat-Gan/Jerusalem, March 1-3, 2017
Research Interests: History, Ancient History, Archaeology, Anthropology, Semitic languages, and 23 moreAramaic Dialectology, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Levantine Archaeology, Hebrew Bible, Aramaic, Israel/Palestine, Biblical Studies, Ancient Religion, Syriac Studies, Syria, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Ancient Near Eastern Languages, Syriac (Languages And Linguistics), Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Ancient Near East (Archaeology), Syria (Archaeology), Iron Age, Ancient Near Eastern History, History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Inscriptions, Arameans, and Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
Schedule of the RIAB Minerva Center (aramisrael.org) workshop on archaeological evidence of the Hazael Campaign to the South of the Land of Israel/Canaan, January 19, 2017, Bar-Ilan University
Research Interests: History, Ancient History, Archaeology, Levantine Archaeology, Hebrew Bible, and 14 moreAramaic, Biblical Studies, Syro-Palestinian archaeology, Biblical Archaeology, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Syria (Archaeology), Iron Age, Ancient Judaism, Philistines, Arameans, Archaeology of the Levant, Iron Age IIA (Levant), Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, and Hazael
Research Interests: History, Ancient History, Cultural Studies, Anthropology, Humanities, and 14 moreLanguages and Linguistics, Social Sciences, Social and Cultural Anthropology, Levantine Archaeology, Aramaic, Early Christianity, Biblical Studies, Old Testament, Autonomy, Syriac Studies, Syria, Biblical Archaeology, Judaism, and Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
Research Interests: History, Ancient History, Archaeology, Anthropology, Social Sciences, and 9 moreSocial and Cultural Anthropology, Levantine Archaeology, Aramaic, Biblical Studies, Syria, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Pre-Exilic Ancient Israel - Hebrew Bible and Archaeology; Phoenician-Punic language and epigraphy; Levantine Archaeology (espeically Biblical Archaeology), and Arameans
Detailed schedule of the 3rd workshop of the Minerva Center for the Relations Between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times (aramisrael.org), to be held in Leipzig, January 25-26, 2016
Research Interests: Archaeology, Near Eastern Archaeology, Anthropology, Ethnoarchaeology, Social and Cultural Anthropology, and 13 moreLevantine Archaeology, Anatolian Archaeology, Aramaic, Biblical Archaeology, Papua New Guinea, Late Iron Age (Archaeology), Melanesia (Anthropology), Syria (Archaeology), Iron Age, Ritual Feasting, Archaeology of the Levant, North Syrian archaeology, and Archaeology and Feasting
Invitation and details on the 2nd workshop of the Minerva Center for the Relations Between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times (aramisrael.org), Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel, Jan. 19, 2016
Research Interests: Hebrew Bible, Targum, Aramaic, Biblical Studies, Old Testament, and 22 moreBible Translation, History Of The Bible/Biblical Canon, History of Biblical Interpretation, Deuteronomistic History, Prophets, Biblical Archaeology, Biblical Interpretation, Bible, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Wisdom Literature, Biblical Hebrew (Languages And Linguistics), Biblical Exegesis, Dead Sea Scrolls, Paul, Bible Study, Ot, Pentateuch, Biblical Aramaic, Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, Pauline Letters, Aramaic and Targum, and NT
Initial details on the 1st International Conference of the Minerva Center for the Relations Between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times (aramisrael.org), to held in Leipzig, on June 5-9, 2016
Research Interests: Archaeology, Hebrew Bible, Aramaic, Biblical Studies, Syriac Studies, and 17 moreBiblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Ancient Near Eastern Languages, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Ancient Near East (Archaeology), Biblical Hebrew (Languages And Linguistics), Syria (Archaeology), Neo-Aramaic, Hellenistic Judaism, Iron Age, Ancient Near Eastern History, Ancient Near Eastern Religions, Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Pre-Exilic Ancient Israel - Hebrew Bible and Archaeology; Phoenician-Punic language and epigraphy; Levantine Archaeology (espeically Biblical Archaeology), Archaeology of the Levant, Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, and Aramaic and Targum
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Maeir, A. M. 2019. Anne-Maria Wittke (ed.), The Early Mediterranean World, 1200-600 BC. Brill's New Pauly. Supplements, 9. Leiden; Boston: Brill, 2018. Pp. xxi, 593. ISBN 9789004339323. BMCR 2019.11.46
Research Interests: History, Ancient History, Anthropology, Humanities, Social Sciences, and 9 moreMaritime History, Levantine Archaeology, Bronze Age Europe (Archaeology), Archaeology of pre-Roman Italy, Ancient Near East, Late Bronze Age archaeology, Mediterranean archaeology, Bronze and Iron Ages in Eastern Mediterranean (Archaeology), and Ancient Greece (History)
Research Interests:
Research Interests: History, Ancient History, Archaeology, Anthropology, Hebrew Bible, and 10 moreBiblical Studies, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Bible, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Ancient Near East (Archaeology), Iron Age, Ancient Near Eastern History, History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, and Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
Research Interests: History, Ancient History, Egyptology, Near Eastern Archaeology, Anthropology, and 19 moreNear Eastern Studies, Pottery (Archaeology), Aegean Bronze Age (Bronze Age Archaeology), Syria, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Late Bronze Age archaeology, Aegean Archaeology, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Ancient Near East (Archaeology), Bronze and Iron Ages in Eastern Mediterranean (Archaeology), Syria (Archaeology), Ancient Near Eastern History, History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Aegean Late Bronze Age, Early Iron Age, Philistines, Sea Peoples, and Late Helladic
Research Interests: History, Ancient History, Archaeology, Anthropology, Social Sciences, and 12 moreNew Testament, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Levantine Archaeology, Hebrew Bible, Biblical Studies, Old Testament, Second Temple Judaism, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Iron Age, and Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
Research Interests: Religion, History, Ancient History, Archaeology, Egyptology, and 16 moreNear Eastern Archaeology, Anthropology, Social Sciences, Levantine Archaeology, Egyptian Archaeology, Hebrew Bible, Biblical Studies, Egypt, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Aegean Archaeology, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Iron Age, Philistines, Sea Peoples, and Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Archaeology, Classical Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Anthropology, Pottery (Archaeology), and 9 moreArchaeology of Ancient Israel, Levantine Archaeology, Biblical Archaeology, Late Bronze Age archaeology, Ceramics (Archaeology), Bronze and Iron Ages in Eastern Mediterranean (Archaeology), Iron Age, Early Iron Age, Late Iron Age, Roman period, Late Antiquity, typology, chronology, distribution, function, fibulae, weapons, tools, harness, metal vessels, writing equipment, balances and weights, small finds, and Archaeology of the Levant
Research Interests: History, Ancient History, Archaeology, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Levantine Archaeology, and 13 moreHebrew Bible, Biblical Studies, History Of The Bible/Biblical Canon, Syro-Palestinian archaeology, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Bronze and Iron Ages in Eastern Mediterranean (Archaeology), Ancient Israel, History of Israel, Archaeology of the Levant, History of Ancient Israel, and Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
The Pyramid Texts are the oldest body of religious texts, and, in fact, literature in general, known from ancient Egypt. They are inscribed in the tombs of eleven kings and queens from the late Old Kingdom (mainly from the Fifth and Sixth... more
The Pyramid Texts are the oldest body of religious texts, and, in fact, literature in general, known from ancient Egypt. They are inscribed in the tombs of eleven kings and queens from the late Old Kingdom (mainly from the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties, but one also from the Eighth Dynasty), located in the royal necropolis of Saqqara. The first group of these texts (and, in fact, their majority) were discovered and published by Gaston Maspero in 1880, and subsequently, a concordance of these texts was published in 1908 by Kurt Sethe. Since then, the ongoing process of excavation, discovery, interpretation, and publication has continued. In fact, the last known text was discovered in 2010, but research on these texts still continues. James P. Allen, among the world's preeminent Egyptologists and currently the Wilbour Professor of Egyptology at Brown University, has long studied the Pyramid Texts, commencing with his 1984 PhD dissertation on the verbal system of these texts. The first edition of the volume under review appeared a decade ago (in 2005), and the many changes and understandings that can be seen between the two versions, result of slightly less than a decade of research, is telling evidence of the vibrant state of the research of the earliest known stage of the written ancient Egyptian language.
Research Interests: Religion, Ancient Egyptian Religion, Ancient History, Archaeology, Egyptology, and 14 moreEgyptian Art and Archaeology, History of Religion, Levantine Archaeology, Egyptian Archaeology, Ancient Religion, Egypt, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Ritual and Performance (Egyptology), Early Bronze Age (Archaeology), Ancient Egyptian History, Ancient Egyptian Art and Archaeology, Ancient Egypt, and Archaeology of the Levant
The volume under review, the most recent in several very interesting and important volumes that Edelman and Ben Zvi have edited (whether together or with others), is a collection of excellent and for the most part very sophisticated... more
The volume under review, the most recent in several very interesting and important volumes that Edelman and Ben Zvi have edited (whether together or with others), is a collection of excellent and for the most part very sophisticated studies dealing with conceptions of the other (and " Othering ") and the construction of identity in the Second Temple period. While most of the studies deal with the Persian and Hellenistic periods, the Roman period (through a discussion of Qumran) is represented as well, so the Early in the title is perhaps not needed.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Archaeology, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Levantine Archaeology, Israel/Palestine, Biblical Archaeology, and 4 moreBronze Age (Archaeology), Ancient Israel, Pre-Exilic Ancient Israel - Hebrew Bible and Archaeology; Phoenician-Punic language and epigraphy; Levantine Archaeology (espeically Biblical Archaeology), and Archaeology of the Levant
Research Interests: Religion, Archaeology, Anthropology, Social Sciences, History of Religion, and 11 moreLevantine Archaeology, Hebrew Bible, Biblical Studies, Ancient Religion, Biblical Archaeology, Household Archaeology, Late Iron Age (Archaeology), Iron Age, Archaeology of the Levant, Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, and Anthropology of Religion
Research Interests: Cultural Studies, Social Theory, Archaeology, Near Eastern Archaeology, Anthropology, and 16 moreSocial Sciences, Middle East Studies, Israel Studies, Social and Cultural Anthropology, Levantine Archaeology, Political Science, Israel/Palestine, Biblical Studies, Palestine, Syro-Palestinian archaeology, Biblical Archaeology, Israel, Orientalism, Palestinian Studies, Cultural and Social Anthropology, and Archaeology of the Levant
Research Interests: Religion, Ancient History, Cultural Studies, Archaeology, Anthropology, and 25 moreSocial Sciences, Theology, Social and Cultural Anthropology, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Levantine Archaeology, Hebrew Bible, Israel/Palestine, Biblical Studies, Old Testament, Ancient Religion, Biblical Theology, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Cultural Anthropology, Biblical Interpretation, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Mediterranean archaeology, Iron Age, Early Iron Age, Ancient Near Eastern Religions, Pre-Exilic Ancient Israel - Hebrew Bible and Archaeology; Phoenician-Punic language and epigraphy; Levantine Archaeology (espeically Biblical Archaeology), Cultural and Social Anthropology, Archaeology of the Southern Levant, Archaeology of the Levant, and Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
Research Interests: History, Ancient History, Archaeology, Egyptology, Hebrew Bible, and 25 moreAramaic, Early Christianity, History of Religions, Ancient Religion, Luwian, Syro-Palestinian archaeology, Syriac Studies, Syria, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Ancient Near Eastern Languages, Syriac (Languages And Linguistics), Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Ancient Near East (Archaeology), Syriac Christianity, Syria (Archaeology), Orthodox Christianity, Iron Age, Ancient Near Eastern History, History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Palestine (History and Archaeology), Ancient Near Eastern Religions, Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Pre-Exilic Ancient Israel - Hebrew Bible and Archaeology; Phoenician-Punic language and epigraphy; Levantine Archaeology (espeically Biblical Archaeology), and Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
Research Interests: Ancient History, New Testament, Dead Sea Scrolls (Religion), Identity (Culture), Early Christianity, and 12 moreHistorical memory, Old Testament, Synoptic Gospels, Second Temple Judaism, Memory Studies, Cultural Memory, Ancient Near East, Judaism, Josephus, Ancient Judaism, Ancient Judaism, Early Christianity, Hellenism, and Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
Worked stone in Philistia has been frequently limited to highly visible elements such as column bases, ritual features such as altars, and pavements. This poster presents a study of a selected group of Iron I monumental buildings in Areas... more
Worked stone in Philistia has been frequently limited to highly visible elements such as column bases, ritual
features such as altars, and pavements. This poster presents a study of a selected group of Iron I monumental
buildings in Areas A and C at the Philistine site of Tell es-Safi/Gath (Israel). These remains can be
potentially situated within the context of what is known about Sea Peoples’ architecture in the Mediterranean
as seen at 12th century “anaktoron” at Pantalica, Sicily. Stratigraphic excavations of the siege tower in the
lower city in Area C at Tell es-Safi/Gath indicate that the tower was built on the foundations of an Iron I
building. This earlier building is interpreted as a temple based on the ceramic and faunal remains associated
with it. The monumentality of the building is indicated by the size of the blocks, three of which were drawn
and cataloged by Hitchcock. Remains of a similarly monumental Iron I wall were uncovered and cataloged
in the final season conducted in Area A at Tell es-Safi/Gath. Although the Area A structure was not
completely excavated, it demonstrates that monumental architecture was more widespread in the early
Philistine period than originally thought.
During the same period (12th century BC) in Sardinia appeared cult buildings such as holy wells and
rectangular temples that had a wide diffusion and frequentation during the Late Bronze Age and the Early
Iron age. According to some scholars, this phenomenon could be linked to a climate change that, between
1550 and 550 a. C., gave rise to a period of drought. This situation, still to be verified about Nuragic
Sardinia, has been documented for the north-western area of the Mediterranean. However, the search for
water as a primary good seems to be the basis of holy well and water temples where the water itself became
the object of cult maybe to prevent a further decrease in water reserves.
The social changes that occurred during the Late Bronze Age led, in some cases, also to the transformation
of Nuraghi into places of cult. The monumentalization of the spring vein present inside the Nuraghe Nurdole
(Orani, NU) occurred during the Final Bronze Age is an example of this phenomenon. The monumentality of
the architectures, realized through the use of large blocks sometimes also carefully worked, continues to be a
peculiarity of the nuragic buildings that are distinguished for their specific physiognomy in the
Mediterranean panorama of the Bronze Age.
features such as altars, and pavements. This poster presents a study of a selected group of Iron I monumental
buildings in Areas A and C at the Philistine site of Tell es-Safi/Gath (Israel). These remains can be
potentially situated within the context of what is known about Sea Peoples’ architecture in the Mediterranean
as seen at 12th century “anaktoron” at Pantalica, Sicily. Stratigraphic excavations of the siege tower in the
lower city in Area C at Tell es-Safi/Gath indicate that the tower was built on the foundations of an Iron I
building. This earlier building is interpreted as a temple based on the ceramic and faunal remains associated
with it. The monumentality of the building is indicated by the size of the blocks, three of which were drawn
and cataloged by Hitchcock. Remains of a similarly monumental Iron I wall were uncovered and cataloged
in the final season conducted in Area A at Tell es-Safi/Gath. Although the Area A structure was not
completely excavated, it demonstrates that monumental architecture was more widespread in the early
Philistine period than originally thought.
During the same period (12th century BC) in Sardinia appeared cult buildings such as holy wells and
rectangular temples that had a wide diffusion and frequentation during the Late Bronze Age and the Early
Iron age. According to some scholars, this phenomenon could be linked to a climate change that, between
1550 and 550 a. C., gave rise to a period of drought. This situation, still to be verified about Nuragic
Sardinia, has been documented for the north-western area of the Mediterranean. However, the search for
water as a primary good seems to be the basis of holy well and water temples where the water itself became
the object of cult maybe to prevent a further decrease in water reserves.
The social changes that occurred during the Late Bronze Age led, in some cases, also to the transformation
of Nuraghi into places of cult. The monumentalization of the spring vein present inside the Nuraghe Nurdole
(Orani, NU) occurred during the Final Bronze Age is an example of this phenomenon. The monumentality of
the architectures, realized through the use of large blocks sometimes also carefully worked, continues to be a
peculiarity of the nuragic buildings that are distinguished for their specific physiognomy in the
Mediterranean panorama of the Bronze Age.
Research Interests:
Methods: In order to identify the presence of different breeds of sheep (and goats) at Tell es‐Safi/Gath, we chose to use 3D Geometric Morphometric (GMM) variation in the astragali. GMM is a far more detailed and precise technique to... more
Methods: In order to identify the presence of different breeds of sheep (and goats) at Tell es‐Safi/Gath, we chose to use 3D Geometric Morphometric (GMM) variation in the astragali. GMM is a far more detailed and precise technique to identify differences in the size and shape of bone elements to identify intra‐species variation (breed). It is a computer‐assisted system that measures distances between discrete anatomical landmarks. Photogrammetric modelling is used to create an accurate 3D digital model of each astragalus. A series of 250‐300 photographs are taken of each astragalus using fixed markers and a turntable to ensure accurate measurements (Fig. A). These are assembled in AgiSoft PhotoScan to form a point cloud (Fig. B) which reproduces the location of each portion of the astragalus and its associated markers in three dimensions. Once the point cloud is built, a mesh is overlaid in Photoscan and the distance between the centre of each marker to its fellow markers is recorded (Fig. C). Landmarks are determined with the use of a statistical program " R " using the GMM package 'geomorph' (Fig. D). The landmark measurements are analysed in multivariate statistical programs to determine differences in size and shape between populations (e.g. Cucchi 2008; Duval et al. 2015; Evin et al. 2013). Measurements obtained from these landmarks are normalized to the same axis of orientation and gross size through a General Procrustus Analysis (GPA) and the shape‐only geometry compared using Principal Components Analysis (PCA). Results: Given the small sample size from Safi, the astragali morphometrics (totality of all landmark measurements) are compared against those of other assemblages to determine the presence of breeds at the site. The initial results suggest that sheep from Safi form a distinct population from those of Titriş Höyük, and that there appear to be 'outlier' sheep present in the initial Safi sample, which may come from different populations to the main group of sheep present at the site. Goat populations do not appear to vary regionally, based upon these initial data. A much larger sample from Safi (currently under analysis) will eventually provide more detailed information about sheep and goat populations at the site. EB III neighbourhood with four houses divided by an alleyway Goal: To be able to determine if there are different sheep and/or goat breeds present at Tell es‐Safi/Gath during the (Early Bronze (EB) III (2850‐2500 BCE) occupation in order to provide insights into the animal husbandry strategies at Tell es‐ Safi/Gath. Will use the ovicaprine remains from the EB occupation at Tell es‐Safi/Gath, Israel. Data: The site of Tell es‐Safi, located in the Shephelah region in Israel, has yielded the remains of an EB neighbourhood with a rich assemblages of animal bones from several houses, courtyards and an adjacent alleyway. This neighbourhood is thought to be a merchant's quarter since it has evidence of extensive trade with the surrounding regions. Using ovicaprine astragali recovered from these deposits, geometric morphometric comparisons were conducted to determine the composition of and changes to sheep and goat breeds during this period. 3D Geometric Morphometrics and Sheep/Goat Breeds in the Early Bronze Age of Tell es‐Safi/Gath A: An example of one of the many photographs taken for photogrammetric modelling, B: The 3D point cloud built in PhotoScan from the series photographs taken. C: Mesh overlaid upon the 3D point cloud to form a model of the photographed astragalus. Measurements between the highlighted markers allow for the calculation of accurate scale (+/‐ 70 microns).
Research Interests:
The poster presents the results of a pilot study aimed at identifying techniques used to shape Early Bronze III holemouth jars and platters from Tell es-Safi/Gath, Israel. We propose an alternative analytical method for identifying... more
The poster presents the results of a pilot study aimed at identifying techniques used to shape Early Bronze III holemouth jars and platters from Tell es-Safi/Gath, Israel. We propose an alternative analytical method for identifying different procedures of vessel forming and manufacture at the mesoscopic scale. Ceramic thick sections are scanned onto a computer using a standard desktop printer scanner to create high-resolution digital images, which are viewed and enhanced using Macnification® software. We demonstrate how this "low-tech" method permits clear and rapid identification of the features indicative of different shaping techniques to complement conventional macroscopic (radiographic) and microscopic (thin section analyses) approaches. The mesoscopic signatures of shaping techniques provides an additional line of evidence to decipher steps in the production chain of hand-built holemouth vessels and platters. This is achieved through profiling the orientation, morphology, and distribution patterns of non-plastics and voids. The examples considered in this study revealed novel structural arrangements of features not previously discussed in the literature on preferred orientation — most of which is suited to radiography at the macroscopic scale of analysis. The results from this analysis evidence a surprising degree of technical diversity and this simple method was particularly effective on the coarse ware fabrics of the holemouths. The pilot study lays the foundation for characterising the technological traditions of ceramic production represented at Tell es-Safi/Gath.
Research Interests:
Area F at Tell es-Safi (Biblical Gath) is a controlled stratigraphic trench, excavated into the cliffside at the uppermost part of the tell, the ancient city's elite zone. The primary purpose of this excavation area is to determine the... more
Area F at Tell es-Safi (Biblical Gath) is a controlled stratigraphic trench, excavated into the cliffside at the uppermost part of the tell, the ancient city's elite zone. The primary purpose of this excavation area is to determine the history and sequence of the tell through all periods. While excavating by means of a stratigraphic trench is a well-known classical approach, the standard 10m wide trench offers only a narrow window through which to understand the material. To avoid sacrificing control in favor of a larger context, the decision was made in 2004 to establish Area F as a 20m wide by 40m long trench. Stretching from the Early Bronze III through the British Mandate period, the 18 distinct stratum in Area F represent the complete historical sequence of Gath and could not have been documented without the increase in the trench area. Indeed, many of the area's most compelling questions, including the Early Bronze fortifications, the complex terrace system, and the disruption caused by the erecting of the Crusader fortress would have remained a mystery. In extending the excavation area outwards, Area F provides Gath with a historical and cultural narrative spanning an unparalleled 5,000 years.
Research Interests:
Introduction: The recursive extent of influence between the Aegean influence and neighboring regions remains an area of investigation that continues to generate enthusiastic scholarly interest and lively debate. Here, we outline the... more
Introduction: The recursive extent of influence between the Aegean influence and neighboring regions remains an area of investigation that continues to generate enthusiastic scholarly interest and lively debate. Here, we outline the importance of current theoretical perspectives on Aegean interaction with the East (particularly Philistia and Cyprus), which may be conceptually helpful to the study of similar interactions with central and western Europe. The archaeological, historical, and anthropological approaches we touch upon include gift exchange, entanglement, transculturalism, transnationalism, and piracy as a model of limited migration. Gold Regalia from EM Mochlos Tombs (Photo: Hitchcock) Secondary State Forma7on: The Aegean was drawn within the Near Eastern sphere of influence in the late Early Bronze Age (ca. 2200 BCE) with the importation of raw materials from the Near East including copper, tin, gold, and ivory. Gold and exotic materials were used in the Aegean to manufacture items of elite regalia such as diadems, mace-heads, and other luxury items. Seafaring: Minoan acquisition of technology for constructing deep-hulled ships with masts enabled the Aegean to shrink maritime space (Broodbank 2002, 342-344, fig. 115) and create social networks throughout the Mediterranean. MM II sealing depicts deep-hulled ship with mast Conclusion: Our understanding of both the emergence of complexity in the Early Bronze Age and the collapse that took place in the Aegean ca. 1177 BCE (Cline 2014) has gone from simplistic models of colonization, migration, conquest, or mercantilism, to more sophisticated models of entanglement, transculturalism, transnational identity, limited migration, and piratical activity. It is our hope that such considerations offered by Phospheros provide useful insights to Hesperos.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
See my first hand video testimonial of my visit to the Kfar Aza Oct. 7th massacre, remembering Bialik's poem - "City of Slaughter". 6th of six clips of my visits there. Hard stuff...
Please share, far and wide!
Please share, far and wide!
Research Interests:
See my first hand video testimonial of my visit to the Oct. 7th massacre site at Be'eri, where a family was killed. 5th of six clips of my visits there. Hard stuff...
Please share, far and wide!
Please share, far and wide!
Research Interests:
See the 2nd video testimonial of my visit to the Oct. 7th massacre site at Nova music festival. 4th of six clips of my visits there. Hard stuff...
Please share, far and wide!
Please share, far and wide!
Research Interests:
See my first hand video testimonial of my visit to the Oct. 7th massacre site at Kfar Aza, where a family was killed. 3rd of six clips of my visits there. Hard stuff...
Please share, far and wide!
Please share, far and wide!
Research Interests:
See my first hand video testimonial of my visit to the Oct. 7th massacre site at Be'eri and the excavations of the remains. 2nd of six clips of my visits there. Hard stuff...
Please share, far and wide!
Please share, far and wide!
Research Interests:
See my first hand video testimonial of a visit to the Oct. 7th massacre site at the Nova Music festival. First of six clips of my visits there. Hard stuff...
Please pass on, far and wide!
Please pass on, far and wide!
Research Interests:
Personal testimonial of my visit to several of the October 7th, 2023 massacre sites, perpetrated by HAMAS, and how archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority helped to identify remains of the victims of these atrocities.
Research Interests:
Message to a colleague who didn't check in with me after the October 7th, 2023 massacres, and who didn't take a stand against the war crimes conducted by HAMAS against Israeli civilians.
Research Interests:
Hebrew article in the online paper NRG on ethnoarchaeological perspectives of a feast in Papua New Guinea
Research Interests:
Participants booklet with schedule, abstracts, venue maps and field trip materials for the participants of the 2nd annual conference (March 1-3, 2017) of the Minerva Center for the Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times... more
Participants booklet with schedule, abstracts, venue maps and field trip materials for the participants of the 2nd annual conference (March 1-3, 2017) of the Minerva Center for the Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times (aramisrael.org)
Research Interests: History, Ancient History, Archaeology, Near Eastern Archaeology, Anthropology, and 18 moreLanguages and Linguistics, New Testament, Hellenistic History, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Levantine Archaeology, Hebrew Bible, Aramaic, Biblical Studies, Old Testament, Paleography, Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Bronze and Iron Ages in Eastern Mediterranean (Archaeology), Inscriptions, Archaeology of the Levant, Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, and Aramaic and Targum
Burnt materials are very common in the archaeological record. Their identification and the reconstruction of their firing history are crucial for reliable archaeological interpretations. Commonly used methods are limited in their ability... more
Burnt materials are very common in the archaeological record. Their identification and the reconstruction of their firing history are crucial for reliable archaeological interpretations. Commonly used methods are limited in their ability to identify and estimate heating temperatures below ~500⁰C and cannot reconstruct the orientation in which these materials were burnt. Stepwise thermal demagnetization is widely used in archaeomagnetism, but its use for identifying burnt materials and reconstructing paleotemperatures requires further experimental verification. Here we present an experimental test that has indicated that this method is useful for identifying the firing of mud bricks to 190⁰C or higher. Application of the method to oriented samples also enables reconstruction of the position in which they cooled down. Our algorithm for interpreting thermal demagnetization results was tested on 49 miniature sun-dried “mud bricks”, 46 of which were heated to a range of temperatures between 100⁰C to 700⁰C under a controlled magnetic field and three “bricks” which were not heated and used as a control group. The results enabled distinguishing between unheated material and material heated to at least 190⁰C and accurately recovering the minimum heating temperature of the latter. Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) on the same materials demonstrated how the two methods complement each other. We implemented the thermal demagnetization method on burnt materials from an Iron Age structure at Tell es-Safi/Gath (central Israel), which led to a revision of the previously published understanding of this archaeological context. We demonstrated that the conflagration occurred within the structure, and not only in its vicinity as previously suggested. We also showed that a previously published hypothesis that bricks were fired in a kiln prior to construction is very unlikely. Finally, we conclude that the destruction of the structure occurred in a single event and not in stages over several decades.
Research Interests:
TOC and abstracts of articles in Israel Exploration Journal 69/2 (2019), eds. S. Ahituv, A. Maeir and Z. Safrai
Research Interests:
Worldwide, human impact on natural landscapes has intensified since prehistoric times, and this is well documented in the global archaeological record. The period between the earliest hominids and the Industrial Revolution of the late... more
Worldwide, human impact on natural landscapes has intensified since prehistoric times, and this is well documented in the global archaeological record. The period between the earliest hominids and the Industrial Revolution of the late 18-19 th centuries is known as the Paleo-Anthropocene. The current study reviews key geoarchaeological, floral and faunal factors of the Paleo-Anthropocene in Israel, an area that has undergone human activities in various intensities since prehistoric times. It discusses significant human imprints on these three features in the Israeli landscape, demonstrating that its current form is almost entirely anthropogenic. Moreover, some of the past physical changes still dynamically shape Israel's zoological, archaeological and geomorphic landscape today. It is hoped that insights from this article might aid in guiding present-day management strategies of undeveloped areas through renewal of human activity guided by traditional knowledge.
Research Interests:
Pebble stone installations are commonly found at various Early Bronze Age sites in the southern Levant. However, their function is often assumed or unknown. Thirteen circular pebble installations were found scattered throughout a... more
Pebble stone installations are commonly found at various Early Bronze Age sites in the southern Levant. However, their function is often assumed or unknown. Thirteen circular pebble installations were found scattered throughout a residential neighbourhood dating to the Early Bronze Age III at Tell es-Safi/Gath. Five such installations were recently studied by implementing an integrated micro-archaeological approach by which all micro-and macro-artefacts were analysed using various analytical techniques. Based on the analysis of ash-micro remains identified in the sediments, associated plant remains, flint and pottery, we suggest that these installations were used for food-processing, cooking and/or other domestic low-heat tasks. The installations first appear at Tell es-Safi/Gath during the Early Bronze Age III, and seem to disappear during later periods. The functional roles of these installations are discussed in comparison to finds from other Early Bronze Age sites, and of other food preparation traditions known from other periods and cultures.
Research Interests:
In this paper, we present an alternative approach for identifying pottery production groups by classifying shaping techniques on freshly cut thick sections. We expand existing identification criteria by piloting a new method for... more
In this paper, we present an alternative approach for identifying pottery production groups by classifying shaping techniques on freshly cut thick sections. We expand existing identification criteria by piloting a new method for characterising vessel structure. We demonstrate how this simple and low-cost method permits clear and rapid identification of the signatures indicative of shaping techniques to complement conventional macroscopic (radiographic) and microscopic (thin section analyses) approaches. Ceramic thick sections are scanned onto a computer using a desktop printer scanner to create high-resolution images, which are enhanced using Photoshop and Macnification® software. Material from Early Bronze Age houses at Tell es-Safi/Gath are used to demonstrate the utility of the method for understanding the domestic economy. We discovered that methods of vessel manufacture were far from homogenous. The paper discusses how shaping techniques intersect with the domestic repertoire to understand how an early urban neighbourhood was supplied with ceramic containers. We propose that this alternative approach has considerable analytic potential for addressing ‘producer specialisation’ at the spatial scale of the household.
Research Interests:
Substantial portions of the Hebrew Bible are devoted to the physical description of sacred objects and structures. These descriptions are the primary means by which the biblical authors, who do not tend towards abstract theological... more
Substantial portions of the Hebrew Bible are devoted to the physical description of sacred objects and structures. These descriptions are the primary means by which the biblical authors, who do not tend towards abstract theological discourse, express their views of the religious world of ancient Israel, and thus they constitute our most important window into this world. However, these texts are characterized by an abundance of specialized terms and linguistic conventions, mostly lost to us, that have rendered them enigmatic. Recent research has shown that material finds from ancient Egypt and elsewhere in the Near East can help us understand these texts. To fully exploit the explanatory potential of these data, our group will bring together scholars of biblical and cognate texts with those who specialize in material and pictorial remains from ancient Egypt, Israel, and neighboring areas.
Research Interests: Religion, Ancient Egyptian Religion, Egyptology, Near Eastern Archaeology, Egyptian Art and Archaeology, and 15 moreArchaeology of Ancient Israel, Hebrew Bible, Biblical Studies, Materiality (Anthropology), Biblical Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Israelite Religion, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Ancient Egyptian Iconography, ancient Israelite religion, Materiality, Ancient Near Eastern Religions, Ancient Israel, Material Culture & Materiality, and Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
Worked stone in Philistia has been frequently limited to highly visible elements such as column bases, ritual features such as altars, and pavements. This paper presents a study of a selected group of Iron Age I monumental buildings in... more
Worked stone in Philistia has been frequently limited to highly visible elements such as
column bases, ritual features such as altars, and pavements. This paper presents a study of
a selected group of Iron Age I monumental buildings in Areas A and C at Tell es-
Safi/Gath. These remains can be potentially situated within the context of what is known
about Sea Peoples’ architecture in the Mediterranean as seen at 12th-century “anaktoron”
at Pantalica, Sicily. Stratigraphic excavations of the Iron Age IIB siege tower in the lower
city in Area C at Tell es-Safi/Gath indicate that the tower was built on the foundations of
an earlier Iron Age I building. This earlier building is interpreted as a temple based on the
ceramic and faunal remains associated with it as well as its rectangular layout. The
monumentality of the building is indicated by the size of its blocks, three of which were
drawn and cataloged by Hitchcock. Remains of a similarly monumental Iron Age I wall
were uncovered and catalogued in the final season conducted in Area A at Tell es-
Safi/Gath. Although the Area A structure was not completely excavated, it demonstrates
that monumental architecture was more widespread at early Philistine Gath than
originally thought. In addition, we will argue in this paper that the tradition of worked
masonry survives the Late Bronze to Iron Age transition, and that it was more widespread
than originally thought, by recognizing the western Mediterranean component of the Sea
Peoples’ tradition.
column bases, ritual features such as altars, and pavements. This paper presents a study of
a selected group of Iron Age I monumental buildings in Areas A and C at Tell es-
Safi/Gath. These remains can be potentially situated within the context of what is known
about Sea Peoples’ architecture in the Mediterranean as seen at 12th-century “anaktoron”
at Pantalica, Sicily. Stratigraphic excavations of the Iron Age IIB siege tower in the lower
city in Area C at Tell es-Safi/Gath indicate that the tower was built on the foundations of
an earlier Iron Age I building. This earlier building is interpreted as a temple based on the
ceramic and faunal remains associated with it as well as its rectangular layout. The
monumentality of the building is indicated by the size of its blocks, three of which were
drawn and cataloged by Hitchcock. Remains of a similarly monumental Iron Age I wall
were uncovered and catalogued in the final season conducted in Area A at Tell es-
Safi/Gath. Although the Area A structure was not completely excavated, it demonstrates
that monumental architecture was more widespread at early Philistine Gath than
originally thought. In addition, we will argue in this paper that the tradition of worked
masonry survives the Late Bronze to Iron Age transition, and that it was more widespread
than originally thought, by recognizing the western Mediterranean component of the Sea
Peoples’ tradition.
Research Interests:
An iron and bronze workshop in the lower city of Tell es-Safi/Gath, dated to the mid-late Iron IIA, contributes new data on the chronology, organization, and practice of metal production in the urban Philistine setting. Analyses show that... more
An iron and bronze workshop in the lower city of Tell es-Safi/Gath, dated to the mid-late Iron IIA, contributes new data on the chronology, organization, and practice of metal production in the urban Philistine setting. Analyses show that iron objects were likely produced and maintained on a large scale, alongside bronze, employing regionally unique forms of crucibles and tuyères. The material culture of metalworking is discussed in relation to contemporaneous iron production sites in the region, building a more robust picture of the adoption of iron metallurgy in the Levant versus the status of bronze and iron.
Conclusive evidence has surfaced for the production of iron objects in urban workshops in the Southern Levant during the early Iron Age. While nearly a dozen sites with metallurgical debris and technical ceramics dating to the 10th-8th c.... more
Conclusive evidence has surfaced for the production of iron objects in urban workshops in the Southern Levant during the early Iron Age. While nearly a dozen sites with metallurgical debris and technical ceramics dating to the 10th-8th c. BCE have contributed to the visibility of the craft, in situ high-temperature installations remain enigmatic in the archaeological record. Our ability to reconstruct the chaîne opératoire of iron production processes within each working context is restricted by the lack of this critical data. In this study we employ methods of experimental archaeology in order to investigate and interpret an assemblage of vitrified technical ceramics found in an early Iron Age metal workshop at the site of Tell es-Safi/Gath situated on the border between the southern coastal plain and the Judean foothills of Israel. As part of a broader research framework, iron smelting experiments were carried out in a simple, clay-built bowl furnace. Materials analogous to the archaeological ceramics were employed to address high temperature alterations occurring in a single installation. Using structural mineralogical and chemical analyses (FTIR, pXRF and SEM-EDS) we characterize the experimental and archaeological technical ceramics to identify the processes that affect and transform these materials during iron production activities. Results were then utilized to interpret production processes and the implementation of technical ceramics in ironworking at Tell es-Safi/Gath. Based on our observations, we address the specialized preparation of technical ceramics in early ironworking, possible reasons for the alteration and preservation of metallurgical installations following their abandonment and attempt to improve the interpretation and classification of vitrified ceramic waste from ancient metallurgical contexts.
An imaginary letter I wrote to a colleague who didn't check in with me following the October 7th, 2023 massacres by HAMASisISIS
Research Interests:
Testimonial of my visit to several sites of the massacres conducted by HAMAS on Oct. 7th, 2023. Very hard experience - and not an easy read - but very important to understand the depravity and barbarity of these murderous rampages.
Research Interests:
Vaknin, Y., Shaar, R., Lipschits, O., Mazar, A., Maeir, A. M., Garfinkel, Y., Freud, L., Faust, A., Tappy, R. E., Kreimerman, I., Ganor, S., Covello-Paran, K., Sergi, O., Herzog, Z., Arav, R., Lederman, Z., Münger, S., Fantalkin, A.,... more
Vaknin, Y., Shaar, R., Lipschits, O., Mazar, A., Maeir, A. M., Garfinkel, Y., Freud, L., Faust, A., Tappy, R. E., Kreimerman, I., Ganor, S., Covello-Paran, K., Sergi, O., Herzog, Z., Arav, R., Lederman, Z., Münger, S., Fantalkin, A., Gitin, S., and Ben-Yosef, E. 2022. Reconstructing Biblical Military Campaigns Using Geomagnetic Field Data. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 119 (44): e2209117119.
Abstract:
The Hebrew Bible and other ancient Near Eastern texts describe Egyptian, Aramean, Assyrian, and Babylonian military campaigns to the Southern Levant during the 10th to sixth centuries BCE. Indeed, many destruction layers dated to this period have been unearthed in archaeological excavations. Several of these layers are securely linked to specific campaigns and are widely accepted as chronological anchors. However, the dating of many other destruction layers is often debated, challenging the ability to accurately reconstruct the different military campaigns and raising questions regarding the historicity of the biblical narrative. Here, we present a synchronization of the historically dated chronological anchors and other destruction layers and artifacts using the direction and/or intensity of the ancient geomagnetic field recorded in mud bricks from 20 burnt destruction layers and in two ceramic assemblages. During the period in question, the geomagnetic field in this region was extremely anomalous with rapid changes and high intensity values, including spikes of more than twice the intensity of today’s field. The data are useful in the effort to pinpoint these short-term variations on the timescale, and they resolve chronological debates regarding the campaigns against the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the relationship between the two kingdoms, and their administrations.
Abstract:
The Hebrew Bible and other ancient Near Eastern texts describe Egyptian, Aramean, Assyrian, and Babylonian military campaigns to the Southern Levant during the 10th to sixth centuries BCE. Indeed, many destruction layers dated to this period have been unearthed in archaeological excavations. Several of these layers are securely linked to specific campaigns and are widely accepted as chronological anchors. However, the dating of many other destruction layers is often debated, challenging the ability to accurately reconstruct the different military campaigns and raising questions regarding the historicity of the biblical narrative. Here, we present a synchronization of the historically dated chronological anchors and other destruction layers and artifacts using the direction and/or intensity of the ancient geomagnetic field recorded in mud bricks from 20 burnt destruction layers and in two ceramic assemblages. During the period in question, the geomagnetic field in this region was extremely anomalous with rapid changes and high intensity values, including spikes of more than twice the intensity of today’s field. The data are useful in the effort to pinpoint these short-term variations on the timescale, and they resolve chronological debates regarding the campaigns against the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the relationship between the two kingdoms, and their administrations.