- UCLA Dept. of Near Eastern Languages & Cultures
MC: 151105
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1511 - 310-206-7218
- University of California, Los Angeles, Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, Faculty Memberadd
- Levantine Archaeology, Ancient Warfare, Egyptian Archaeology, New Kingdom (Archaeology), Ancient Egyptian Art and Archaeology, Cypriot Archaeology, and 49 morePhoenicians, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Middle Bronze Age Syria, Late Bronze Age Syria, Early Bronze Age in the Southern Levant, Egyptian Art and Archaeology, Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Palestine (History and Archaeology), Syro-Palestinian archaeology, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Jaffa (Tel Yafo), Migration (Anthropology), Late Bronze Age Levant and new kingdom Egypt, Foreign relations during Ancient Egypt`s New Kingdom, New Kingdom Egyptian Warfare, Amorites, Archaeology of Mediterranean Trade, Refugees In Antiquity, Cyprus Studies, Jerusalem Archaeology, Ebla, Old Syrian, Old Babylonian period, Archaeology of Identity, Egypt and Canaan, OCHRE Database, Hellenism, History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Biblical Archaeology, Fortifications, Archaeology of Cyprus, Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project, Archaeology of Colonialism, Archaeology, Historical Archaeology, Isin-Larsa Period, Climate Change Adaptation, Bronze Age Collapse, Sea Peoples, Amorite Koiné, Old Babylonian/Mari, Ur III period, Philistines, Marzeah, Egyptian Execration texts, Ottoman Jaffa, Mercenaries, Hyksos, Pottery of New Kingdom Pdf, and Near Eastern Archaeologyedit
- Aaron A. Burke is Professor of the Archaeology of Ancient Israel and the Levant, and the Kershaw Chair in the Archaeo... moreAaron A. Burke is Professor of the Archaeology of Ancient Israel and the Levant, and the Kershaw Chair in the Archaeology of the Ancient Eastern Mediterranean in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He is a member of UCLA’s Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, serving as its editor-in-chief since 2016. His research addresses the Levant and Eastern Mediterranean during the Bronze and Iron Ages with a particular interest in social identity and contexts of cultural transformations including warfare, forced migration, and long-distance exchange. Since 2007, he directs The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project, leading excavations of a New Kingdom Egyptian fortress from 2011 to 2014 with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. In 2017, expanding upon this research, he inaugurated Turning Points, an initiative aimed at exploring the transition between the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age (ca. 1300–900 B.C.) in the southern Levant out of which ancient Israel emerged. He edits the Cambridge University Press Elements series on The Archaeology of Ancient Israel.edit
The archaeology of ancient Israel is among the oldest historical archaeologies in practice. Multi-disciplinary approaches that integrate improved readings of biblical texts, new recovery techniques, pioneering scientific analyses, and... more
The archaeology of ancient Israel is among the oldest historical archaeologies in practice. Multi-disciplinary approaches that integrate improved readings of biblical
texts, new recovery techniques, pioneering scientific analyses, and advances in identity
studies have dramatically changed the questions asked and the findings that follow. Elements in The Archaeology of Ancient Israel embodies these developments, providing readers with the most up-to-date assessments of a wide range of related subjects.
Series editor: Aaron A. Burke, University of California, Los Angeles
ISSN 2754-3013 (online)
ISSN 2754-3005 (print)
texts, new recovery techniques, pioneering scientific analyses, and advances in identity
studies have dramatically changed the questions asked and the findings that follow. Elements in The Archaeology of Ancient Israel embodies these developments, providing readers with the most up-to-date assessments of a wide range of related subjects.
Series editor: Aaron A. Burke, University of California, Los Angeles
ISSN 2754-3013 (online)
ISSN 2754-3005 (print)
Research Interests:
Publication series for excavations conducted in or by the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project and its affiliates. Edited by Aaron A. Burke and Martin Peilstöcker. JCHP 1 Peilstöcker, Martin, and A. A. Burke, eds. 2011. The History and... more
Publication series for excavations conducted in or by the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project and its affiliates. Edited by Aaron A. Burke and Martin Peilstöcker.
JCHP 1 Peilstöcker, Martin, and A. A. Burke, eds. 2011. The History and Archaeology of Jaffa 1. The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project 1. Monumenta Archaeologica 26. Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press, Los Angeles. [https://www.academia.edu/563828]
JCHP 2 Burke, A. A., Katherine S. Burke, and Martin Peilstöcker, eds. 2017. The History and Archaeology of Jaffa 2. The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project 2. Monumenta Archaeologica 41. Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press, Los Angeles, California. [https://www.academia.edu/34777975]
JCHP 3 Tsuf, Orit, ed. 2018. Ancient Jaffa from the Persian to the Byzantine Period: Kaplan Excavations. The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project 3. Ägypten und Altes Testament 89. Zaphon, Münster.
JCHP 4 Arbel, Yoav, ed. 2021. Excavations at the Ottoman Military Compound (Qishle) in Jaffa, 2007, 2009. The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project 4. Ägypten und Altes Testament 91. Zaphon, Münster.
JCHP 1 Peilstöcker, Martin, and A. A. Burke, eds. 2011. The History and Archaeology of Jaffa 1. The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project 1. Monumenta Archaeologica 26. Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press, Los Angeles. [https://www.academia.edu/563828]
JCHP 2 Burke, A. A., Katherine S. Burke, and Martin Peilstöcker, eds. 2017. The History and Archaeology of Jaffa 2. The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project 2. Monumenta Archaeologica 41. Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press, Los Angeles, California. [https://www.academia.edu/34777975]
JCHP 3 Tsuf, Orit, ed. 2018. Ancient Jaffa from the Persian to the Byzantine Period: Kaplan Excavations. The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project 3. Ägypten und Altes Testament 89. Zaphon, Münster.
JCHP 4 Arbel, Yoav, ed. 2021. Excavations at the Ottoman Military Compound (Qishle) in Jaffa, 2007, 2009. The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project 4. Ägypten und Altes Testament 91. Zaphon, Münster.
Research Interests:
In this book, Aaron A. Burke explores the evolution of Amorite identity in the Near East from ca. 2500–1500 BC. He sets the emergence of a collective identity for the Amorites, one of the most famous groups in Ancient Near Eastern... more
In this book, Aaron A. Burke explores the evolution of Amorite identity in the Near East from ca. 2500–1500 BC. He sets the emergence of a collective identity for the Amorites, one of the most famous groups in Ancient Near Eastern history, against the backdrop of both Akkadian imperial intervention and declining environmental conditions during this period. Tracing the migration of Amorite refugees from agropastoral communities into nearby regions, he shows how mercenarism in both Mesopotamia and Egypt played a central role in the acquisition of economic and political power between 2100 and 1900 BC. Burke also examines how the establishment of Amorite kingdoms throughout the Near East relied on traditional means of legitimation, and how trade, warfare, and the exchange of personnel contributed to the establishment of an Amorite koiné. Offering a fresh approach to identity at different levels of social hierarchy over time and space, this volume contributes to broader questions related to identity for other ancient societies.
Research Interests: Mesopotamian history, Ancient Near Eastern History, Ancient Near Eastern archaeology, Amorites, Early Bronze Age in the Southern Levant, and 12 moreHyksos Period, Archaeology of the southern Levant in the Bronze Age, Kültepe/Kanesh, Early Bronze Age in the Northern Levant, Amorite Koiné, Tell ed-Dab'a (Avaris), Mar-tu (Amorite), Amorite, amorite wall, Amorite Syria, Social identity in antiquity, and Middle Bronze Age in the Levant
Since 2007, the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project has endeavored to bring to light the vast archaeological and historical record of the site of Jaffa in Israel. Continuing the effort begun with The History and Archaeology of Jaffa 1, this... more
Since 2007, the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project has endeavored to bring to light the vast archaeological and historical record of the site of Jaffa in Israel. Continuing the effort begun with The History and Archaeology of Jaffa 1, this volume is a collection of independent studies and final reports on various excavations. These include: overviews of archaeological research in Jaffa, historical and archaeological studies of Medieval and Ottoman Jaffa, reports on excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority at both the Postal Compound between 2009 and 2011 and at the Armenian Compound in 2006 and 2007, and studies of the excavations of Jacob Kaplan and Haya Ritter-Kaplan in Jaffa on behalf of the Israel Department of Antiquities and Museums from 1955 to 1974.
Research Interests: Egyptian Archaeology, Cultural Heritage Management, New Kingdom (Archaeology), Jaffa (Tel Yafo), Ancient Harbors, and 11 moreLate Bronze Age Levant and new kingdom Egypt, Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project, Jaffa History, Tel Aviv Jaffa, Ottoman Jaffa, Harbor Archaeology, Jaffa - Pilgrims, Jaffa Sea wall, Jaffa and Jerusalem, Jaffa Qishle, and Egyptian fortifications
This catalog was published in connection with the exhibition “Jaffa: Tor zum Heiligen Land” (Gate to the Holy Land) at the Bibelhaus Museum in Frankfurt, Germany from September 27, 2013 to May 18, 2014. The volume consists of 21 articles... more
This catalog was published in connection with the exhibition “Jaffa: Tor zum Heiligen Land” (Gate to the Holy Land) at the Bibelhaus Museum in Frankfurt, Germany from September 27, 2013 to May 18, 2014. The volume consists of 21 articles spanning historical and archaeological subjects from the Late Bronze Age to the Ottoman Period (ca. 1500 B.C. to 1917). The volume includes a catalog describing the 135 items displayed in the exhibit from excavations in Jaffa by the late Jacob Kaplan, the Israel Antiquities Authority, and the most recent excavations by the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project, as well as a horde of gold Fatimid coins found in a Crusader contexts from Apollonia-Arsuf in 2012.
Research Interests: Cultural Heritage, Egyptian Archaeology, Ottoman Archaeology, Cultural Heritage Management, Late Bronze Age archaeology, and 15 moreEarly Islamic Archaeology, Fortifications, British Mandate, Palestine, Port cities, Book of Jonah, Jaffa (Tel Yafo), Ports, Late Bronze Age Levant and new kingdom Egypt, Exhibition Catalogue, Apollonia, Port Towns, Egyptian Imperialism, Bronze and Iron Age Levant, Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project, and Fatimid Coins
In 2007 the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project (JCHP) was established as a joint research endeavor of the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Among the project’s... more
In 2007 the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project (JCHP) was established as a joint research endeavor of the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Among the project’s diverse aims is the publication of numerous excavations conducted in Jaffa since 1948 under the auspices of various governmental and research institutions such as the Israel Department of Antiquities and Museums and its successor the Israel Antiquities Authority, as well as the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project. This, the first volume in the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project series, lays the groundwork for this initiative. Part I provides the historical, economic, and legal context for the JCHP’s development, while outlining its objectives and the unique opportunities that Jaffa offers researchers. The history of Jaffa and its region, and the major episodes of cultural change that affected the site and region are explored through a series of articles in Part II, including an illustrated discussion of historical maps of Jaffa from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Recent archaeological discoveries from Jaffa are included in Part III, while Part IV provides a first glimpse of the JCHP’s efforts to publish the Jacob Kaplan and Haya Ritter-Kaplan legacy from Jaffa. Together the twenty-five contributions to this work constitute the first major book-length publication to address the archaeology of Jaffa in more than sixty years since excavations were initiated at the site.
Research Interests: Cartography, Archaeology, Near Eastern Archaeology, Historical Archaeology, Jewish Studies, and 30 moreOttoman History, Islamic Archaeology, Cultural Heritage, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Levantine Archaeology, Cypriot Archaeology, Egyptian Archaeology, Cultural Heritage Conservation, Mamluk Studies, Archaeological GIS, Crusader Archaeology, Byzantine History, Cultural Heritage Management, Late Bronze Age archaeology, New Kingdom (Archaeology), Egypt and Canaan, Middle Bronze Age, Iron Age, History of Archaeology, Roman Period, Hellenistic period, Port cities, • The archaeology of Israel during the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine, 1) cultural interconnections and trade (Egypt and Levant), Jaffa (Tel Yafo), Hasmonean period, Tel Aviv, Historical Geography, Historical Cartography, Environmental History, Port Towns, and Jacob Kaplan (Jaffa excavator)
As the first comprehensive study of fortification systems and defensive strategies in the Levant during the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 1900 to 1500 B.C.E.), Walled up to Heaven is an indispensable contribution to the study of this period and... more
As the first comprehensive study of fortification systems and defensive strategies in the Levant during the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 1900 to 1500 B.C.E.), Walled up to Heaven is an indispensable contribution to the study of this period and of early warfare in the ancient Near East. Although archaeologists and ancient historians alike have discussed a variety of theories regarding the origin and cultural significance of the construction of earthen ramparts during the Middle Bronze Age, only this work addresses these questions in detail. In a tour de force, Burke traces the diachronic evolution and geographic distribution of the architectural features and settlement strategies connected with the emergence of Middle Bronze Age defenses in the Levant. By synthesizing historical and archaeological data from Mesopotamia and Egypt as well as the Levant, he reveals the interconnectedness of the Near Eastern world during the first half of the second millennium to an extent not recently considered. The result is a detailed employment of cognitive, social, and dirt archaeology to reconstruct the political, social, military, and cultural implications of the construction of monumental defenses and the development of defensive networks during the period of Amorite hegemony in the Levant.
Based on author's Ph.D. dissertation: The Architecture of Defense: Fortified Settlements of the Levant during the Middle Bronze Age (2004). Ph.D. Dissertation. Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, University of Chicago.
Based on author's Ph.D. dissertation: The Architecture of Defense: Fortified Settlements of the Levant during the Middle Bronze Age (2004). Ph.D. Dissertation. Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, University of Chicago.
Research Interests: Landscape Archaeology, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Levantine Archaeology, Fortified Settlements (Archaeology), Ancient Warfare, and 22 moreFortifications, Amorites, Ebla, Middle and Late Bronze Age, Jaffa (Tel Yafo), Middle Bronze Age Syria, Byblos, Complexity Theory (Politics), Jericho, Tell Hariri, Middle Bronze Age Lebanon, Fortified Architecture, Fortified Landscape, Middle Bronze Age Southern Levant, Alalakh/Tell Atchana, Middle Bronze Age Levant, Middle Bronze Age Jordan, Mari-Tell Hariri (Syria), Fosse Défensive, Hazor, Ashkelon, and Shechem (Tell El-Balatah)
IN THE BIBLE, THE AMORITES are frequently mentioned among Canaan' s original inhabitants, those who lived in the land before the Israelites. Yet the Amorites received a pointed condemnation unlike any reserved for another group. They are... more
IN THE BIBLE, THE AMORITES are frequently mentioned among Canaan' s original inhabitants, those who lived in the land before the Israelites. Yet the Amorites received a pointed condemnation unlike any reserved for another group. They are called out for their impure religious practices and deviant gods (e.g., Genesis 15:16; Joshua 24:15; 1 Kings 21:26). Who were these detested "Amorites, " and how did the biblical writers think about them? There is a legendary quality to Israelite memories of Canaan' s earliest inhabitants, including the Amalekites, Hittites, Jebusites, Canaanites, and Amorites (Numbers 13:29). The Israelite spies who first entered the land characterized them as "strong" and their towns as "fortified and very large" (Numbers 13:28, ESV). What is more, the biblical writers perceived all of these groups to have descended from antediluvian heroes and giants, namely the Nephilim (the legendary offspring of the "sons of God" and "daughters of man" from Genesis 6:4). This is revealed in Numbers 13 where each group is described as "the children of Anak, " the eponymous ancestor of the gigantic Anakim. The text then goes on to state that "the Anakim come from the Nephilim" (Numbers 13:33). Thus, in just a few short verses, the inhabitants of Canaan...
Research Interests:
By almost any metric, academic research publishing has exploded during the past 15 years, boasting a more diverse and accessible marketplace for ideas and research than ever before. The number of scientific papers alone is said to have... more
By almost any metric, academic research publishing has exploded during the past 15 years, boasting a more diverse and accessible marketplace for ideas and research than ever before. The number of scientific papers alone is said to have doubled between 2003 and 2016.2 New handbooks, encyclopedias, series, and journals have appeared at a breathtaking rate, while new online and open-access publications appear monthly, and datasets are now published on a wide array of digital platforms. Publications offer color printing, open access—even gold open access—double-blind peer review, promises of exceedingly brief turnarounds from submission to publication, and in-house alternatives should your article be rejected from your first-choice journal. On top of it all, publications are being made more accessible online by many traditional publishers, as well as through warehouses like eScholarship and for-profit services like
Academia.edu and Research Gate, in addition to pirate services like Library Genesis. Yet, despite so many mechanisms, sanctioned and unsanctioned, that aspire to level the playing field, why are many researchers increasingly speaking of the failure of peer review, a tendency toward overly narrow specialization in fields such as archaeology, and being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of research, much of it of low quality?
Academia.edu and Research Gate, in addition to pirate services like Library Genesis. Yet, despite so many mechanisms, sanctioned and unsanctioned, that aspire to level the playing field, why are many researchers increasingly speaking of the failure of peer review, a tendency toward overly narrow specialization in fields such as archaeology, and being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of research, much of it of low quality?
Research Interests:
Wachsmann, S., A. A. Burke, R. K. Dunn, et al., 2022. ‘He Went Down to Joppa and Found a Ship Going to Tarshish’ (Jonah 1:3): Landscape Reconstruction at Jaffa and a Potential Early Harbour. International Journal of Nautical Archaeology... more
Wachsmann, S., A. A. Burke, R. K. Dunn, et al., 2022. ‘He Went Down to Joppa and Found a Ship Going to Tarshish’ (Jonah 1:3): Landscape Reconstruction at Jaffa and a Potential Early Harbour. International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 51(2): 267-303. (DOI: 10.1080/10572414.2022.2148819).
Recent excavations of Tel Yafo (Jaffa), Israel, underscore its role as an historically important Mediterranean port. In 2014, the Ioppa Maritima Project conducted a geological investigation determining that from ca. 5000–2000 years BP, a small estuarine system existed east and north of Tel Yafo that could have served as a harbour. The marine reentrant formed through sea-level rise and flooding of a small valley, and the stream mouth was probably also partially blocked by coastal sands. Sediment aggradation, wetland development, and anthropogenic activity largely filled the embayment leaving only a depression east of Tel Yafo in the area of Bloomfield Stadium and Groningen Park.
Recent excavations of Tel Yafo (Jaffa), Israel, underscore its role as an historically important Mediterranean port. In 2014, the Ioppa Maritima Project conducted a geological investigation determining that from ca. 5000–2000 years BP, a small estuarine system existed east and north of Tel Yafo that could have served as a harbour. The marine reentrant formed through sea-level rise and flooding of a small valley, and the stream mouth was probably also partially blocked by coastal sands. Sediment aggradation, wetland development, and anthropogenic activity largely filled the embayment leaving only a depression east of Tel Yafo in the area of Bloomfield Stadium and Groningen Park.
Research Interests:
Burke, Aaron A. 2022. "New Kingdom Egypt and Early Israel: Entangled Identities." In The Ancient Israelite World, K. H. Keimer and G. A. Pierce, eds., pp. 537–548. Routledge, London.
Research Interests:
Burke, Aaron A. "Amorites and Canaanites: Memory, Tradition, and Legacy in Ancient Israel and Judah." In The Ancient Israelite World, K. H. Keimer and G. A. Pierce, eds., pp. 523–536. Routledge, London.
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Series Editors' foreword to JCHP volume 4. "The publication presented here is already the fourth volume in the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project (JCHP) series, which was inaugurated in 2011, less than ten years ago. At the same time, it is... more
Series Editors' foreword to JCHP volume 4.
"The publication presented here is already the fourth volume in the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project (JCHP) series, which was inaugurated in 2011, less than ten years ago. At the same time, it is the first volume dealing with the results of a salvage excavation carried out by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), one of the supporting organizations of the JCHP from 2007 until 2014. One of the central goals of the JCHP was to serve as an umbrella under which all research of the history and archaeology of Jaffa—in all premodern periods (i.e., before the end of World War I) could find research support, and to provide a platform for publication, something that was lacking in many earlier projects...."
"The publication presented here is already the fourth volume in the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project (JCHP) series, which was inaugurated in 2011, less than ten years ago. At the same time, it is the first volume dealing with the results of a salvage excavation carried out by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), one of the supporting organizations of the JCHP from 2007 until 2014. One of the central goals of the JCHP was to serve as an umbrella under which all research of the history and archaeology of Jaffa—in all premodern periods (i.e., before the end of World War I) could find research support, and to provide a platform for publication, something that was lacking in many earlier projects...."
Research Interests:
At least a dozen biblical toponyms for sites and landscape features in ancient Judah’s highlands bear divine name elements that were most common during the Middle and Late Bronze Ages. In light of archaeological evidence from many of... more
At least a dozen biblical toponyms for sites and landscape features in ancient Judah’s highlands bear divine name elements that were most common during the Middle and Late Bronze Ages. In light of archaeological evidence from many of these sites, it is suggested that they were first settled as part of a settlement influx in the highlands during the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 2000–1550 BCE), following a reemergence of urbanism and a return of economic development that occurred under Amorite aegis. The cultic orientation of these sites may be suggested by reference to ritual traditions at Mari during the Middle Bronze Age but especially Ugarit during the Late Bronze Age. Such evidence may also serve to elucidate the various enduring cultic associations that persisted in connection with these locations during the Iron Age, as preserved in various
biblical traditions.
biblical traditions.
Research Interests:
A contextual examination of the unpublished excavations from Area A in Jaffa, Israel has yielded important new insights into the phases of occupation at the site dating to the Persian and Hellenistic periods. The analysis of the... more
A contextual examination of the unpublished excavations from Area A in Jaffa, Israel has yielded important new insights into the phases of occupation at the site dating to the Persian and Hellenistic periods. The analysis of the stratigraphic sequence from the excavation records of Jacob Kaplan (1970–1974), combined with targeted new excavations and analysis by the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project (JCHP) (2014–2016) have revised the preliminary interpretations of Jacob Kaplan and yielded new insights into the Persian and Hellenistic-period phases of Area A at Jaffa. As such, four distinct phases can be elucidated, revealing patterns of domestic, economic and industrial activities within the area.
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Pp. 50–66. R. E. Averbeck, and Younger, K. L., eds. University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns.
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For several decades now, the presence of Asiatics in the eastern Nile Delta has been well established by means of excavations at Tell ed-Dabʿa. While discussion of the precise geographic affiliations of these Asiatics have centered... more
For several decades now, the presence of Asiatics in the eastern Nile Delta has been well established by means of excavations at Tell ed-Dabʿa. While discussion of the precise geographic affiliations of these Asiatics have centered principally on ceramics, small finds, burial types, dress and personal ornamentation, as well as domestic and cultic architecture with Levantine associations, the social identity of these Asiatics and the networks they represented have received less consideration. By employing the details of contemporaneous exchange networks as, for example, at the Old Assyrian karum at Kanesh, this study suggests that it is possible to understand the social entanglements of these networks, as well as to recognize that various foreign mercantile enclaves likely inhabited Avaris contemporaneously. Consequently, there is no reason to exclude the possibility that even small numbers of merchants from Mesopotamia, for example, may have been present occasionally as well at Avaris, alongside various competing Levantine Asiatic groups. Finally, I conclude that multiple Asiatic communities at Avaris can be distinguished by means of the evidence for distinct maritime and overland trade networks, which should not be assumed to have functioned in unison. Given the evidence for the social identity of Levantine merchants during the Middle Bronze Age, these networks, I conclude, most likely should also be identified as Amorite.
Research Interests:
Egyptian New Kingdom tombs preserve a wide range of scenes celebrating the lives of their occupants. Many of these are well known thanks to modern excavations, while others are only poorly known, having been excavated before the twentieth... more
Egyptian New Kingdom tombs preserve a wide range of scenes celebrating the lives of their occupants. Many of these are well known thanks to modern excavations, while others are only poorly known, having been excavated before the twentieth century or simply looted and recovered through antiquities acquisitions. Such is the case for the tomb of Djehuty, an Egyptian military commander who served during the late fifteenth century and is celebrated in the famous Tale of the Capture of Joppa. While the remains of his tomb are scattered among different collections, viewed in light of recent excavations in Jaffa and closer examination of this story, they provide interesting insights on military service in Canaan and the celebration of one of Egypt’s war heroes from New Kingdom Empire.
Research Interests:
The River Nile catchment is considered the major source of nutrient-rich freshwater and sediment draining into the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Thus, exceptional high-resolution record from the Nile Littoral Cell likely traces changes in... more
The River Nile catchment is considered the major source of nutrient-rich freshwater and sediment draining into the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Thus, exceptional high-resolution record from the Nile Littoral Cell likely traces changes in the Nile outflows related to climatic changes driven by the monsoonal system. This study used multi-proxy analyses combining sedimentological, geochemical and organic stable isotope data along with foraminiferal data in a southeastern Levantine inner shelf sedi-mentary sequence to understand Mid-to Late Holocene northeast African climate variability. The palynological record is used to reconstruct local scale changes in the regional vegetation related to the Mediterranean climate system. The analyzed records reveal multi-decadal to centennial pacing of paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic changes, with most prominent events recorded at 4.28, ~3.6 and at 2.9 kyr BP. These transitional periods characterized by simultaneous high d 15 N values and low total organic carbon (TOC) suggest drier climatic conditions, decrease in Nile discharge, leading to lower nutrient supply. A stable and arid climate during Mid-Late Holocene (~4.5e3.6 cal kyr BP) associated with a weaker monsoon system as well as with a weaker Mediterranean climate system is indicated based on high and constant sedimentation rates (~400 cm kyr À1), along with relatively stable values and only occasional weak fluctuations documented in all of the proxies. This climatic pattern is punctuated by a peak in maximum aridity at 4.28 kyr BP evidenced by low TOC value and low arboreal pollen (AP) and Artemisia/Chenopodiaceae (A/C) pollen ratios and the sharp decline in the abundance of benthic fora-minifera Cribroelphidium poeyanum and Valvulineria bradyana. This change corresponds with the well-studied 4.2 kyr BP drought event in the Middle East, Mesopotamia and south Asia. During the late Holocene (~3.6e2.8 cal. Kyr BP) the climate became unstable characterized by shifts between relatively wetter and drier conditions as evident in considerable fluctuations in all proxies. Maximum positive excursions of TOC values, C/N ratio along with high dominance of opportunistic foraminiferal species (e.g., Ammonia tepida) indicate northeast African wetter conditions and increased Nile discharge at 3.5, 3.3, 3.2 and 3.0 kyr BP. The distinct and abrupt transition from a stable to an unstable climate regime around 3.6 kyr BP may have been influenced by the Thera volcanic eruption. Thus, the sedimentary record investigated in this study may provide evidence for the impacts of this well-known volcanic eruption not just on the climate regime in the Levant but also on the ancient Near East and Egypt.
Research Interests:
The closing years of the New Kingdom Empire in Canaan reveal a stiffening of opposition to Egyptian rule. The destruction and abandonment of many sites in the lowlands of Canaan during the 12th century B.C. accompanied by the appearance... more
The closing years of the New Kingdom Empire in Canaan reveal a stiffening of opposition to Egyptian rule. The destruction and abandonment of many sites in the lowlands of Canaan during the 12th century B.C. accompanied by the appearance of dispersed settlements in the highlands suggest a period of turmoil that included the displacement of populations and their resettlement in the adjacent highlands. Nonetheless, many hallmarks of Canaanite communities during the 12th and 11th centuries reveal continuity and adaptation through this period of significant social transformation. Understanding these changes enables us to bridge the “dark age” between the decline of the Late Bronze Age and the emergence of early Iron Age states such as Israel.
Research Interests: Refugee Studies, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Forced Migration, Ancient Warfare, Early Iron Age, and 8 moreAncient Israel, Refugees and Forced Migration Studies, Ancient Weapons and Warfare, Archaeology of the Southern Levant, History and Archaeology of Canaan, Israelite Origins, Iron Age I Israel, and Archaeology of Refugees
General overview of the archaeology of refugees and forced migration in the Near East and Eastern Mediterranean in the Bronze and Iron Ages. “Refugees in the Near East and Eastern Mediterranean, Archaeology of”. In Encyclopedia of... more
General overview of the archaeology of refugees and forced migration in the Near East and Eastern Mediterranean in the Bronze and Iron Ages.
“Refugees in the Near East and Eastern Mediterranean, Archaeology of”. In Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology, edited by C. Smith, pp. 1–6. 2nd ed, Springer International Publishing, Cham.
“Refugees in the Near East and Eastern Mediterranean, Archaeology of”. In Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology, edited by C. Smith, pp. 1–6. 2nd ed, Springer International Publishing, Cham.
Research Interests:
Editors' preface to volume 3 in The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project series. Burke, Aaron A., and Martin Peilstöcker 2018 Editor’s Preface. In “Ancient Jaffa from the Persian to the Byzantine Period: Kaplan Excavations,” edited by O.... more
Editors' preface to volume 3 in The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project series.
Burke, Aaron A., and Martin Peilstöcker
2018 Editor’s Preface. In “Ancient Jaffa from the Persian to the Byzantine Period: Kaplan Excavations,” edited by O. Tsuf, pp. 1–4. The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project 3. Ägypten und Altes Testament 89, A. A. Burke and M. Peilstöcker, eds., Zaphon.
Burke, Aaron A., and Martin Peilstöcker
2018 Editor’s Preface. In “Ancient Jaffa from the Persian to the Byzantine Period: Kaplan Excavations,” edited by O. Tsuf, pp. 1–4. The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project 3. Ägypten und Altes Testament 89, A. A. Burke and M. Peilstöcker, eds., Zaphon.
Research Interests:
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The harbor town of Jaffa (Tel Yafo) was vital for the medieval Crusader States, functioning as a place where reinforcements, pilgrims, and communications entered the Latin East. An assemblage of five ship nails from Jaffa that were... more
The harbor town of Jaffa (Tel Yafo) was vital for the medieval Crusader States, functioning as a place where reinforcements, pilgrims, and communications entered the Latin East. An assemblage of five ship nails from Jaffa that were removed for reuse in the 13 th century AD are examined and shown to be informative for understanding Crusader iron production, economic sustainability in the Crusader States, and the connections between northern European and Mediterranean ship construction traditions. Archaeometallurgical analyses of these ship nails demonstrate the first metallographically documented examples of Crusader steel recovered from archaeological contexts, as well as rare evidence of uncorroded Crusader alloys (non-numismatic). The analysis also provides likely evidence for the use of iron hardware from the northern European tradition in the Crusader-period Levant.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Materials Science, Medieval History, Crusades, Archaeological Science, and 13 moreHistory of Science, Levantine Archaeology, Metallurgy, Medieval Archaeology, Archaeometry, Crusader Archaeology, Viking Age Archaeology, Materials Science and Engineering, Archaeometallurgy, Ancient Metallurgy, Metallography, Middle Ages, and Shipbuilding
Entry for the Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible.
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Revised overview article on The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project and archaeological research in Jaffa.
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Turning Points is a collaborative, multi-region, multidisciplinary, archaeological research program aimed at a broad-spectrum investigation of the transition between the Bronze and Iron Age (ca. 1200–1000 BCE) in the southern Levant. The... more
Turning Points is a collaborative, multi-region, multidisciplinary, archaeological research program aimed at a broad-spectrum investigation of the transition between the Bronze and Iron Age (ca. 1200–1000 BCE) in the southern Levant. The cultural transformations experienced in the region at this time, which are frequently discussed but not well understood, followed in the wake of the demise of Egyptian rule and ultimately witnessed the rise of Iron Age polities like Israel, as well as Phoenician, Aramean, and Transjordanian states. New archaeological fieldwork and collaborations with ongoing excavations are aimed at collecting a wide range of archaeological data such as radiocarbon, petrographic, residue, botanical, and faunal remains that enable a robust interrogation of the negotiations of identity among Canaan’s diverse populations during this pivotal moment in its history. The project is directed by Aaron Burke, University of California, Los Angeles (aaburke@ucla.edu) and David Ilan, Hebrew Union College, Jerusalem (dilanhuc@gmail.com).
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In July 1965, Jacob Kaplan carried out salvage excavations on the grounds of the Be’eri School about 400 m north of Tel Yafo. These excavations yielded a number of fragmentary installations, which were substantially damaged by bulldozer... more
In July 1965, Jacob Kaplan carried out salvage excavations on the grounds of the Be’eri School about 400 m north of Tel Yafo. These excavations yielded a number of fragmentary installations, which were substantially damaged by bulldozer work prior to the excavations. Nonetheless, the finds are in keeping with the location’s identification as an extension of the Hellenistic to Early Roman period cemetery extending from the Postal Compound at 6 Ben Shetah St., which is located to the west of the Be’eri School. Together, these areas support the identification of this area as a burial ground during these periods, with substantial disturbances in later periods.
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Burke, Aaron A., Shelley Wachsmann, Simona Avnaim-Katav, Richard K. Dunn, Krister Kowalski, George A. Pierce, and Martin Peilstöcker. 2017. Jaffa’s Ancient Inland Harbor: Historical, Cartographic, and Geomorphological Data. In The History... more
Burke, Aaron A., Shelley Wachsmann, Simona Avnaim-Katav, Richard K. Dunn, Krister Kowalski, George A. Pierce, and Martin Peilstöcker. 2017. Jaffa’s Ancient Inland Harbor: Historical, Cartographic, and Geomorphological Data. In The History and Archaeology of Jaffa 2, edited by A. A. Burke, K. S. Burke, and M. Peilstöcker, pp. 89–110. The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project 2. Monumenta Archaeologica 41, A. A. Burke and M. Peilstöcker, eds., Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press, Los Angeles, California.
This initial study in the Ioppa Maritima intiative, was conducted in connection with the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project in 2014. Through written, iconographic, and geomorphological sources it addresses the potential for identifying the Bronze and Iron Age anchorage to the east of Tel Yafo in Tel Aviv-Jaffa.
This initial study in the Ioppa Maritima intiative, was conducted in connection with the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project in 2014. Through written, iconographic, and geomorphological sources it addresses the potential for identifying the Bronze and Iron Age anchorage to the east of Tel Yafo in Tel Aviv-Jaffa.
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Burke, A. A., S. Wachsmann, S. Avnaim-Katav, R.K. Dunn, K. Kowalski, G.A. Pierce and M. Peilstöcker, 2017. Historical, Cartogaphic, and Geomorphological Data Concerning an Ancient Inland Harbor at Jaffa, Israel. In The History and... more
Burke, A. A., S. Wachsmann, S. Avnaim-Katav, R.K. Dunn, K. Kowalski, G.A. Pierce and M. Peilstöcker, 2017. Historical, Cartogaphic, and Geomorphological Data Concerning an Ancient Inland Harbor at Jaffa, Israel. In The History and Archaeology of Jaffa 2. A. A. Burke, K. S. Burke and M. Peilstöcker, eds. Los Angeles, Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press: 89-110.
Research Interests: Cartography, Archaeology, Maritime Archaeology, Geoarchaeology, Biblical Studies, and 12 morePaleoenvironment, Paleoenvironment (Archaeology), Biblical Archaeology, Nautical Archaeology, Coastal geoarchaeology, Geoarchaeology and Paleoenvironmental Reconstructions, Biblical Archeology, Ancient Harbors, Ancient Ports and Harbours, Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project, Ottoman Jaffa, and Harbor Archaeology
Preliminary report for the results of excavations by The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project in the Visitor's Center (Area C, 2008–2009) and the Ramesses Gate and Lion Temple (Area A, 2011–2014).
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Review of the research activities of The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project from 2007 to 2016.
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Introduction to The History and Archaeology of Jaffa 2 with reference to volume's contents and their place in addressing themes in the archaeology and history of Jaffa.
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The Amorites have occupied a central place among discussions of identity and ethnicity in the late third and early second millennia B.C. This contribution addresses the principal role that climate change played in altering trajectories in... more
The Amorites have occupied a central place among discussions of identity and ethnicity in the late third and early second millennia B.C. This contribution addresses the principal role that climate change played in altering trajectories in the development of Amorite identities in the ancient Near East during this period. To address this question this paper outlines a consensus position on the textual and archaeological evidence for Amorite identities prior to the aridification event ca. 2200 B.C. This is followed by an evaluation of the evidence for the effects of this climatic change on specific regions—from the Egyptian Delta to Northern Mesopotamia—and its implications for social interactions that resulted in varied, yet related trajectories in the development of Amorite identities. Risk mitigation strategies that were employed by the region’s populations are evaluated as a principal means of addressing how different populations sought to cope with the impact of climate change, alongside persistent cultural changes associated with anthropogenic phenomena. The author concludes that climatic change, while not solely responsible, did play a crucial role in shaping Amorite identities in the late third millennium.
Research Interests: Historical Demography, Social Identity, Refugee Studies, Climate Change Adaptation, Adaptation to Climate Change, and 21 moreMesopotamian Archaeology, Anthropology of Mobility, Mesopotamia History, Migration Studies, Climate Change Adaptation And Mitigation Strategies, Refugees, Amorites, Refugees and Forced Migration Studies, Early Bronze Age in the Southern Levant, Refugee and Migration Studies, Climate Change and Food Security, 4.2 ka BP event, Archaeology of Mobility, Refugees, migration and immigration, North Syrian archaeology, Northern Mesopotamia, Ancient Syria and Northern Mesopotamia, Northern Syrian Archaeology, Early Bronze Age in the Northern Levant, Social Change During the Early Bronze Age, and Amorite Koiné
Excavations of the Egyptian New Kingdom fortress in Jaffa (Tel Yafo, ancient Yapu), on the southern side of Tel Aviv, were renewed by the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project from 2011 to 2014. This work is an outgrowth of the project’s... more
Excavations of the Egyptian New Kingdom fortress in Jaffa (Tel Yafo, ancient Yapu), on the southern side of Tel Aviv, were renewed by the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project from 2011 to 2014. This work is an outgrowth of the project’s reappraisal of Jacob Kaplan’s excavations in the Ramesses Gate area from 1955 to 1962. As the Egyptian fortress in Jaffa is the only one excavated in Canaan, its archaeological record provides a unique perspective on resistance to Egyptian rule from ca. 1460 to 1125 B.C.E., but especially during the second half of the 12th century B.C.E., when Jaffa was twice destroyed. Radiocarbon dates from these two destructions are presented, and it is suggested that they offer the clearest basis thus far for proposing ca. 1125 B.C.E. as a terminus post quem for the end of Egyptian rule in Canaan. The archaeological evidence, taken together with textual sources, yields a picture of local resistance to the Egyptian military presence in Jaffa likely originating in Canaanite centers located throughout the coastal plain.
Research Interests: Egyptian Archaeology, Ramesses II, New Kingdom (Archaeology), Egyptian ceramics, Egypt and Canaan, and 29 moreNew Kingdom (Egyptology), Ancient Warfare, Ramesside Period, Philistines, Foreign relations during Ancient Egypt`s New Kingdom, Radiocarbon Dating (Archaeology), Mudbrick architecture, Jaffa (Tel Yafo), Egyptian Warfare, Ancient Weapons and Warfare, History and Archaeology of Canaan, Ramesses VI, Ramesses IV, Late Bronze Age Levant and new kingdom Egypt, Tel Aviv - Archaeology, Queen Tiye, Amenhotep III, Timber use in construction, Scarabs, New Kingdom Egyptian Warfare, Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project, Jaffa History, New Kingdom Egypt, Ancient Egyptian warfare, Cedar, Djehuty, Jacob Kaplan (Jaffa excavator), New Kingdom Egyptian Ceramics, and Egyptian fortifications
From 2011 to 2014, the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project excavated several phases of an Egyptian New Kingdom gate complex located in Jaffa, Israel. Excavations in 2013 revealed extensive remains of the Level IVB/Phase RG-4a gate, which was... more
From 2011 to 2014, the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project excavated several phases of an Egyptian New Kingdom gate complex located in Jaffa, Israel. Excavations in 2013 revealed extensive remains of the Level IVB/Phase RG-4a gate, which was destroyed in a major conflagration ca. 1135 B.C.E. In 2015, work began on a digital reconstruction of the gate's architecture and its environs. This reconstruction sheds new light on the gate complex and the interrelationships between its many architectural elements. The process has led to some suggestions as to how the extant remains might be reconstructed, but also illustrates how much has been lost and that such reconstructions are inherently dependent on excavated remains from other, sometimes quite distant, sites.
Research Interests: 3D Reconstruction, Ramesses II, 3D Modelling (Architecture), Egypt and Canaan, Ramesside Period, and 11 moreWarfare in ancient Egypt, 3d Reconstructions in Archaeology, Jaffa (Tel Yafo), Late Bronze Age Levant and new kingdom Egypt, Timber use in construction, Google SketchUp in Archaeology, New Kingdom Egyptian Warfare, Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project, Pottery of New Kingdom Pdf, New Kingdom Pottery, and New Kingdom Egyptian Ceramics
Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections 11 (Dec. 2016):8-10.
Research Interests: Foreign relations during Ancient Egypt`s New Kingdom, Foreigners, ethnicity and the problem of otherness in New Kingdom and Late Period Egypt, Jaffa (Tel Yafo), Late Bronze Age Levant and new kingdom Egypt, Middle Bronze Age Levant, and 2 moreJaffa Cultural Heritage Project and Late Bronze Age Levant
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Museum catalog entry for Ramesses II gateway facade from Jaffa, Israel
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In 2009 the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project undertook a pilot-project excavation within the soon-to-be-renovated visitor’s centre in Qedumim Square. These excavations were intended to clarify stratigraphic questions within area C of... more
In 2009 the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project undertook a pilot-project excavation within the soon-to-be-renovated visitor’s centre in Qedumim Square. These excavations were intended to clarify stratigraphic questions within area C of Jacob Kaplan’s excavations (1961, 1965) and to lay the groundwork for future excavations by the project which was founded in 2007 as a partnership between UCLA and the Israel Antiquities Authority. Along with achieving these goals, the excavations exposed one of the best preserved examples of Hellenistic architecture in the southern Levant and confirmed the employment of a Hippodamian-style town plan from as early as the late Persian period.
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After more than a century of scholarship on Amorites no real consensus has emerged on their origins, identity, and cultural legacy. It remains the case that little dialogue occurs across geocultural zones or between scholars working on... more
After more than a century of scholarship on Amorites no real consensus has emerged on their origins, identity, and cultural legacy. It remains the case that little dialogue occurs across geocultural zones or between scholars working on different historical periods. Furthermore, few efforts have been made to incorporate anthropological approaches, despite the fact that more than thirty years ago Kamp and Yoffee (1980) noted its conspicuous absence among prior methods. The only consensus that exists, therefore, is that there is no consensus, and many have resolved that the issue is intractable or represents a red herring as far as ethnic identifications are concerned. Recent scholarship in anthropology addressing the
archaeology of colonialism combined with other anthropological approaches, however, offer new opportunities for rethinking a social history of the Amorites and the development of Amorite societies from the late third millennium through the first half of the second millennium BC. This paper, which stems from in-progress research for a monograph exploring the negotiation of Amorite identiteis, explores the socioeconomic contexts that shaped both the ethnogenesis and development of Amorite societies from the mid-third through mid-second millennia B.C. Emphasis is placed on events, socioeconomic processes, and institutions that played a pivotal role in the evolving nature of Amorite identity during this period.
archaeology of colonialism combined with other anthropological approaches, however, offer new opportunities for rethinking a social history of the Amorites and the development of Amorite societies from the late third millennium through the first half of the second millennium BC. This paper, which stems from in-progress research for a monograph exploring the negotiation of Amorite identiteis, explores the socioeconomic contexts that shaped both the ethnogenesis and development of Amorite societies from the mid-third through mid-second millennia B.C. Emphasis is placed on events, socioeconomic processes, and institutions that played a pivotal role in the evolving nature of Amorite identity during this period.
Research Interests: Social Identity, Cultural Identity, Cultural Memory, Identity construction and cultural production, Amorites, and 10 moreClimate Refugees, Mercenaries, Entanglement, Northern Mesopotamia, Middle Bronze Age Southern Levant, Middle Bronze Age Levant, Pastoral nomadism, Environmental Refugees, Koineisation, and Amorite Koiné
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Research Interests: Egyptian Art and Archaeology, Levantine Archaeology, Egyptian Archaeology, Egyptian History, New Kingdom (Archaeology), and 8 moreCultural interrelations in the eastern Mediterranean from the BA to the EIA, Egypt and Canaan, Social History (Ancient Egypt), Foreign relations during Ancient Egypt`s New Kingdom, Jaffa (Tel Yafo), Late Bronze Age Levant and new kingdom Egypt, New Kingdom Egyptian Warfare, and Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project
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Crisis management in antiquity was a largely informal process. While ancient states could seek to mitigate crises, which they could foresee, such as preparing for war by storing supplies and weapons, training a standing, and meeting an... more
Crisis management in antiquity was a largely informal process. While ancient states could seek to mitigate crises, which they could foresee, such as preparing for war by storing supplies and weapons, training a standing, and meeting an opposing army in the field, there is no substantive evidence for the management of crises after their occurrence. Where states and even technological advances could seek to mitigate foreseeable crises, survival in the wake of crises appears largely the domain of individuals: priests supplicating on behalf of the state and individuals looking after their own households and relying on their own kinsmen. By its very nature, therefore, crisis management was in many respects the domain of choices made by individual households. Among the choices often facing individuals was moving to survive and thereby becoming refugees, individuals forced by circumstances to move to a new location whether for the short or long term. In this paper, I will suggest criteria for the identification of refugees in the ancient Near Eastern archaeological and historical record, the evidence for such population movements in the ancient Near East, and the emplacement strategies of refugees.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Refugee Studies, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Levantine Archaeology, Migration, and 14 moreIrregular Migration, Social Archaeology, Forced Migration, Migration Studies, Refugees, Ancient Warfare, Refugees and Forced Migration Studies, Asylum and refugees studies, migration and integration, Refugees, migration and immigration, Social and economic integration of immigrants, Asylum Seekers and Refugees, Refugees In Antiquity, Refugees Issues, and Ancient Economy and Society In the Levant
This article is one of several articles in this volume addressing preliminary results from efforts to publish Jacob Kaplans excavations in Jaffa. As such it addresses a particularly unique corpus of Egyptian vessels discovered in the... more
This article is one of several articles in this volume addressing preliminary results from efforts to publish Jacob Kaplans excavations in Jaffa. As such it addresses a particularly unique corpus of Egyptian vessels discovered in the earliest phase of the Late Bronze Age layers of Jaffa, which are associated with the Egyptian garrison’s food production facility or kitchen.
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This article is the introductory article to the volume edited by the authors. As such it makes reference to the contents of the volume, while providing an overview of the project, which was established in 2007, and outlining the... more
This article is the introductory article to the volume edited by the authors. As such it makes reference to the contents of the volume, while providing an overview of the project, which was established in 2007, and outlining the historical and archaeological problems that will be investigated, as well as the methods used and various other aspects inherent to an urban archaeological research project such as this.
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This article is the first in a series of articles on the history of Jaffa and deals with the earliest phase of settlement in Jaffa up through the end of the Achaemenid period. It incorporates both historical and archaeological evidence in... more
This article is the first in a series of articles on the history of Jaffa and deals with the earliest phase of settlement in Jaffa up through the end of the Achaemenid period. It incorporates both historical and archaeological evidence in an effort to provide a long overdue examination of Jaffa’s role within the study of the history and archaeology of these early periods.
Research Interests: Phoenicians, Egypt and Canaan, Persian Period, Middle and Late Bronze Age, Philistines, and 8 moreJaffa (Tel Yafo), Archaeology of the Southern Levant, Iron Age Levant, Late Bronze Age Levant and new kingdom Egypt, Archaeology of the Levant, Middle Bronze Age Southern Levant, Bronze and Iron Age Levant, and Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project
This is a short preliminary report on the findings of the 2007 excavations that I co-directed in Jaffa, Israel.
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This contribution is the first effort to publish the complete bibliographies of both Jacob and Haya Kaplan. This is important not only for the work being done by the new project in Jaffa, but also for the other 30 sites excavated by Jacob... more
This contribution is the first effort to publish the complete bibliographies of both Jacob and Haya Kaplan. This is important not only for the work being done by the new project in Jaffa, but also for the other 30 sites excavated by Jacob Kaplan in Israel, but especially around Tel Aviv.
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Sariel Shalev's study of Swords and Daggers in Late Bronze Age Canaan is an essential contribution to a growing number of studies that seek to elucidate the role and function of ancient tools and weapons in the Levant. 1 The... more
Sariel Shalev's study of Swords and Daggers in Late Bronze Age Canaan is an essential contribution to a growing number of studies that seek to elucidate the role and function of ancient tools and weapons in the Levant. 1 The volume represents the publication of ...
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All such observations aside, the volume pro-vides some important contributions to our under-standing of the Iron Age archaeology of Edom. Given the circumstances, Bienkowski's phasing of the site's stratigraphic remains... more
All such observations aside, the volume pro-vides some important contributions to our under-standing of the Iron Age archaeology of Edom. Given the circumstances, Bienkowski's phasing of the site's stratigraphic remains is probably the best that can be expected, short ...
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Paper presented at workshop on “The Archaeology of Forced Movement: Conflict-Induced Migration and Refugees in the Mediterranean at the end of the 13th c. B.C.” March 16–17, 2017. Louvain-la-Neuve. For publication by the same name, see... more
Paper presented at workshop on “The Archaeology of Forced Movement: Conflict-Induced Migration and Refugees in the Mediterranean at the end of the 13th c. B.C.” March 16–17, 2017. Louvain-la-Neuve. For publication by the same name, see the proceedings of this conference.
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Appearance on podcast Tides of History with Patrick Wyman. January 21, 2022. Available on Audible.com.
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Since 2007, the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project has sought to prepare the results of Jacob Kaplan’s excavations (1955-1974) for publication through an integration with renewed archaeological investigation. As the excavations in the... more
Since 2007, the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project has sought to prepare the results of Jacob Kaplan’s excavations (1955-1974) for publication through an integration with renewed archaeological investigation. As the excavations in the Ramesses Gate area near completion, new data sheds greater light on the terminal phases of Egyptian occupation at Jaffa, particularly in terms of social interaction with the local inhabitants, as well as radiocarbon dates for these terminal phases. Additional investigation by the JCHP into the Lion Temple area has focused upon the conspicuous Late Bronze and Persian and Hellenistic levels, seeking to better define and elucidate these phases. Following the preliminary excavations of this area in 2014, and following a productive study season in 2015, a more nuanced perspective of the Lion Temple area is emerging. These investigations by the JCHP have sought to combine Kaplan’s data in terms of daily plans, photographs and material culture with the JCHP’s renewed excavations and phasing schema. In this endeavor, the Persian and Hellenistic levels, in particular, have necessitated a revised interpretation that better accounts for the complex phases of habitation. This poster seeks then to portray a synopsis of the findings in the Ramesses Gate area, as well as new directions and preliminary findings in the Lion Temple area that are providing a more robust and nuanced perspective of the work that Jacob Kaplan began.
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An essential component of the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project (JCHP) is the analysis and subsequent publication of the materials excavated by Jacob Kaplan at Tel Yafo from 1955 to 1974. To further the study of ancient Jaffa, two... more
An essential component of the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project (JCHP) is the analysis and subsequent publication of the materials excavated by Jacob Kaplan at Tel Yafo from 1955 to 1974. To further the study of ancient Jaffa, two publications on the Bronze and Iron Ages are in preparation. A team from the JCHP, under the direction of Aaron Burke (UCLA) and Martin Peilstöcker (Mainz University), undertook studies of the previously unpublished materials from Tel Yafo during the summer of 2014. The primary focus of this season was to elucidate the connections between Kaplan’s excavations in Area A and the current excavations by the JCHP, with an emphasis on the Late Bronze Age (LB) Egyptian occupation of the area. In addition, this season focused on the later occupational phases that were removed by Kaplan and correlated them with architecture that remains in situ.
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In 2012 the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project, under the direction of Aaron A. Burke (UCLA) and Martin Peilstöcker (IAA), continued excavations in Area A at Tel Yafo (ancient Jaffa) in the second year of a 5-year project to investigate... more
In 2012 the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project, under the direction of Aaron A. Burke (UCLA) and Martin Peilstöcker (IAA), continued excavations in Area A at Tel Yafo (ancient Jaffa) in the second year of a 5-year project to investigate various aspects of the New Kingdom (Late Bronze Age) Egyptian fortress, first encountered by Jacob Kaplan. The excavations follow on five years of work on the Kaplan Publication Initiative, which seeks to fully publish Kaplan’s excavations of the Bronze and Iron Age, as well as late period archaeological remains, which were undertaken between 1955 and 1974. The 2012 excavation season report includes an overview of excavations in Area A seeking to clarify the development of the gate complex on the southern side of the Egyptian fortress. A status report on the Kaplan Publication Initiative will also be presented.
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Jaffa’s diversity of archaeological areas, and integration of data from both modern and previous excavations, both salvage and research well demonstrates the benefits of OCHRE’s flexible data model. This presentation will discuss the... more
Jaffa’s diversity of archaeological areas, and integration of data from both modern and previous excavations, both salvage and research well demonstrates the benefits of OCHRE’s flexible data model. This presentation will discuss the differing descriptive schemes used by the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project addressing OCHRE's Locations & Objects, and Taxonomy features.
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Since 2007 the JCHP’s preliminary investigations of Jacob Kaplan’s excavations (1955-1974) have focused on material culture dating to the Middle Bronze through the Iron Ages. The 2011-12 JCHP excavations have shed further light on... more
Since 2007 the JCHP’s preliminary investigations of Jacob Kaplan’s excavations (1955-1974) have focused on material culture dating to the Middle Bronze through the Iron Ages. The 2011-12 JCHP excavations have shed further light on materials excavated by Kaplan from the Egyptian gateway complex. Continued work on the Egyptian assemblage from the vicinity of the Egyptian gates in Area A excavated in the 1950s shows material culture key to understanding the current excavations, and vice versa. In addition, analysis of the MBA burials and associated materials was conducted for the 1960s excavations of Area Y, including a first look at the MBA burial assemblage. Finally, the Iron Age ceramics were evaluated in order to shed light on a period largely removed by Persian construction, containing a small but informative assemblage spanning the entire Iron Age. It includes a Philistine assemblage of the Iron I and IIA from multiple areas of the site.
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In 2011 the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project, under the direction of Aaron A. Burke (UCLA) and Martin Peilstöcker (IAA), resumed excavations in Area A at Tel Yafo (ancient Jaffa) as part of a 5-year project to investigate various aspects... more
In 2011 the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project, under the direction of Aaron A. Burke (UCLA) and Martin Peilstöcker (IAA), resumed excavations in Area A at Tel Yafo (ancient Jaffa) as part of a 5-year project to investigate various aspects of the New Kingdom (Late Bronze Age) Egyptian fortress, first encountered by Jacob Kaplan. The excavations follow on four years of preliminary work on the Kaplan Publication Initiative, which seeks to fully publish Kaplan’s excavations of the Bronze and Iron Age, as well as late period archaeological remains, which were undertaken between 1955 and 1974. The 2011 excavation season report includes an overview of preliminary GIS work and excavation soundings undertaken in Area A to clarify Kaplan’s stratigraphy and to lay the ground work for continued exploration of the Egyptian fortress using a wide array of sampling methods. A status report on the Kaplan Publication Initiative, including introductory work on the Lion Temple, will also be presented.
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The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project’s (JCHP) analysis of the excavations of Jacob Kaplan in Jaffa (1955–1974) continued in 2011. In addition to continued work on the Egyptian assemblage from the vicinity of the Egyptian gates (Area A)... more
The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project’s (JCHP) analysis of the excavations of Jacob Kaplan in Jaffa (1955–1974) continued in 2011. In addition to continued work on the Egyptian assemblage from the vicinity of the Egyptian gates (Area A) excavated in the 1950s, work began on the 1970s excavations of the Lion Temple, also in Area A. The extensive nature and Egyptian character of the LBA phases of these excavations is further evident. A part of this study also includes the first look at the faunal assemblage, which shows ties with both Egyptian and local cultures during the Bronze and Iron Ages. Important in the reanalysis of both areas is the identification of features and material culture that shed further light on the chronology of the early excavations. To this end, in 2011 the JCHP renewed excavations in the gate area improving our understandings of the reliability of Kaplan’s records.
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An integral part of the mandate of the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project, which was founded in early 2007 by Aaron Burke (UCLA) and Martin Peilstöcker (IAA), includes the publication of excavations undertaken at Tel Yafo by Jacob Kaplan... more
An integral part of the mandate of the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project, which was founded in early 2007 by Aaron Burke (UCLA) and Martin Peilstöcker (IAA), includes the publication of excavations undertaken at Tel Yafo by Jacob Kaplan from 1955 to 1974. In addition to a preliminary volume featuring some of the project’s early findings, two volumes addressing the Bronze and Iron Age remains from Kaplan’s excavations on the ancient tell are currently in preparation. The first volume will focus on the 1955 to 1969 excavation seasons in Area A and include the excavations of Areas B, D, G, F, and Y, while the second volume will treat the 1970 to 1974 excavations in Area A. These volumes are complimented by additional studies of Kaplan’s excavations including the Persian to Byzantine periods by Orit Tsuf and the Medieval ceramics by Katherine S. Burke. The Kaplan Publication Project is partly funded by the Shelby White-Leon Levy Program for Archaeological Publications.
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ASOR CONFERENCE (ATLANTA GEORGIA)
As John Keegan observes, warfare is deserving of study because it is by its nature a product of human culture. As such the manner in which it is practiced, differing widely from culture to culture, often reveals the values and ideological... more
As John Keegan observes, warfare is deserving of study because it is by its nature a product of human culture. As such the manner in which it is practiced, differing widely from culture to culture, often reveals the values and ideological commitments of its practitioners. Studies of warfare and empire have moved, therefore, beyond historical catalogs of battles and weaponry to broader considerations of the ideological notions underlying warfare and its impact on society, both tangible and psychological. This paper introduces this new session and identifies areas deserving of additional research in connection with the study of warfare and empire in the Ancient Near East.
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In July 2009, the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project carried out large-scale excavations within the Visitor’s Center within Qedumim Square in Jaffa. Under the co-direction of Aaron Burke (Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at the University of... more
In July 2009, the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project carried out large-scale excavations within the Visitor’s Center within Qedumim Square in Jaffa. Under the co-direction of Aaron Burke (Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at the University of California, Los Angeles) and Martin Peilstöcker (Israel Antiquities Authority), these excavations were intended to address a number of long-standing questions concerning this area of Jaffa, which was previously excavated by Jacob Kaplan in 1961 and 1965, and followed by the Israel Antiquities Authority excavations of Etty Brand in 1992. Among these questions were the date that should be assigned to the large, pre-Roman ashlar building complex encountered in the lowest levels by Kaplan, the relationship of this complex to the 1st century CE remains at the southern end of the area, and what evidence exists for pre-Hellenistic occupation in this area of the mound.
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The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project (JCHP) is the coordinating institution for archaeologists, researchers, and developers who share the goals of revealing, researching, preserving, and presenting Jaffa's cultural heritage. Since Jaffa is... more
The Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project (JCHP) is the coordinating institution for archaeologists, researchers, and developers who share the goals of revealing, researching, preserving, and presenting Jaffa's cultural heritage. Since Jaffa is a large archaeological site embedded within a living town with a diverse cultural heritage, the coordination of the project’s efforts and resources is a monumental task requiring the constant attention of its partner institutions. The project is designed to accommodate participation by any number of interested scholars and institutions, both public and private, whether they are driven by research or cultural development.
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SUMMARY: This post-excavation season report provides a brief, albeit more technical, summary of G. Mumford and A. Burke's excavation work and findings in an occupation area associated with a nearby New Kingdom fortress at Tell el-Borg... more
SUMMARY: This post-excavation season report provides a brief, albeit more technical, summary of G. Mumford and A. Burke's excavation work and findings in an occupation area associated with a nearby New Kingdom fortress at Tell el-Borg (Northwest Sinai) during 2001, provided to the Tell el-Borg project director (J. K. Hoffmeier), project team members, and project funders. the explorations consisted mainly of excavating a series of sloping layers beside a substantial, deep pit near an ex-situ, large granite block, a mud brick walling system, and a small rectilinear structure (dating to the New Kingdom and situated outside a New Kingdom fort). The publication of Field II and its more extensive remains will appear in a forthcoming publication of Tell el-Borg (volume 2; edited by J. K. Hoffmeier); G. Mumford has a summary power point of the overall findings from Field II placed in the "Talks" section of his academia profile page (i.e., presented at ARCE); for a more comprehensive overview and publication of the New Kingdom fortifications at Tell Borg, see the diverse and collaborative excavations and findings by multiple team members in the recent project volume by J. K. Hoffmeier (ed.), Excavations in North Sinai. Tell el-Borg I: The "Dwelling of the Lion" on the Ways of Horus (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 2014).