Salvage Excavations at the Early Bronze Age Site of Qiryat Ata (IAA Reports) [n ed.] 9654061562, 9789654065573, 9789654061568

Citation preview

IAA Reports, No. 18

at

Salvage Excavations the Early Bronze Age Site of Qiryat Ata

Amir Golani

contributions by Bankirer, Raphael Greenberg, Liora K. Horwitz, Hamoudi Khalaily, David S. Reese, Yorke M. Rowan and Orit Shamir With

Rina Y.

ISRAEL ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY JERUSALEM 2003

IAA Reports

Publicationsof the Israel Antiquities Authority Editor­in­ Ch ief Zvi Gal Series Editor Ann Roshwalb Hurowitz Volume Editor

Ezra Marcus

Front Cover: Stratum I, EB II structure and Abydos jug (photographers: A. Golani and C. Amit) Back Cover: Reconstruction of Stratum III, EB IB buildings.

Typesetting, Layout and Production: Margalit Hayosh Illustrations: Natalia Zak Printing: Keterpress Enterprises, Jerusalem

Copyright © 2003, The Israel Antiquities Authority, Jerusalem POB 586, Jerusalem, 91004 ISBN 965­406­156­2 eISBN 9789654065573

‫ו‬

Dedicated to mylate father, Gideon S. Golany, whose love, valuesand perseverance will always guide me

Contents vi

ABBREVIATIONS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

vii

FOREWORD

CHAPTER

viii

1:

THE SITE

1

CHAPTER 2: THE EXCAVATION

9

CHAPTER 3 THE ARCHITECTURE

75

CHAPTER 4: THE POTTERY OF STRATA 111­1

81

:

CHAPTER 5: THE FLINT ASSEMBLAGE

Rina

Bankirer

171

CHAPTER 6: THE GROUNDSTONE ASSEMBLAGE

Yorke M. Rowan

183

Cylinder­Seal Impressions

Raphael Greenberg

203

Ceramic Figurines

Amir Golani

207

Spindle Whorls

Orit Shamir

209

Metal Objects

Amir Golani

215

Potter's Marks and Decorated Sherds

Amir Golani

217

Neolithic Pottery

Hamoudi Khalaily

220

Bone Objects

Amir Golani

222

Stone Beads

Amir Golani

223

Liora K. Horwitz

225

Y.

CHAPTER 7: THE SMALL FINDS

CHAPTER 8 EARLY BRONZE AGE ANIMAL EXPLOITATION AT QIRYAT ATA :

CHAPTER 9: THE EB 1­11 TRANSITION AND THE URBANIZATION PROCESS AT QIRYAT ATA

243

REFERENCES

249

APPENDIX

1:

MARINE AND FRESHWATER SHELLS

FROM QIRYAT ATA

David

S.

Reese

253

vi

Abbreviations

AAA

AnnalsofArchaeologyand Anthropology, Liverpool

ADAJ

Annualof the DepartmentofAntiquitiesofJordan

AJA

American Journalof Archaeology

ASOR

American Schoolsof Oriental Research

Atiqot (ES)

English Series

Atiqot (HS)

Hebrew Series

BABiblical

Archaeologist

BAIAS

Bulletinof the Anglo­Israel Archaeological Society

BAR Int. S.

British Archaeological Reports International Series

BASOR

Bulletinof the American Schoolsof Oriental Research

El

Eretz Israel

ESI

Excavations and Surveys

HAHadashot

in

Israel

Arkheologiyot

HA­ESI

Hadashot Arkheologiyot ­ Excavations and Surveys in Israel (from 1 999)

IAA Reports

Israel Antiquities Authority Reports

IEJ

Israel Exploration Journal

JPOS

Journalof the Palestine Oriental Society

NEAEHL

E. Stern and A.

OIP

Oriental Institute Publications

PEQ

Palestine Exploration Quarterly

RB

Revue Biblique

Lewinson­Gilboa eds. New EncyclopediaofArchaeological Excavations in theHoly Land. Jerusalem 1993

vii

Acknowledgements

The excavation results presented in this report were

made possible through the assistance of numerous individuals of whom only a few may be mentioned here. Supervision and recording in the field was aided by Eliot Braun, who co­directed the excavations in Area A, as well as by Anthony Brislin and Carmen Bayer, who volunteered their time. Supervision and recording in the ifeld were also assisted by Enno Bron (Area B), Yossi Salmon and Hedva Van Damm (Area D), Enno Bron (Area E), Alexander Fantalkin (Area F) and Smadar Peisik (Area G). In addition, numerous volunteers, aged 16 to 60, rfom Qiryat Ata and the surrounding area, helped in the excavations. The ifeldwork was also aided by district and regional archaeologists of the IAA: Shalom Yankelevitch, Tzach Horovitz, Doron Lipkonsky and Yossi Levy. Two generous ifnancial contributions from Mr. DavidRe 'em, then mayor of the Qiryat Ata municipality, enabled additional ifeldwork. All aspects of the ifeldwork received tremendous help from Rohi Lipshitz, the local antiquities' trustee who provided logistical assistance and encouragement all along the way. All technical assistance was supplied by employees of the Israel Antiquities Authority: pottery was restored by Elisheva Kamaisky, Ludmilla

Nashpitz, Michal Ben­Gal and Joseph Buckgenholtz; someof the photography in the field was done by Sando Mendrea and photographs of the finds were prepared by Clara Amit, Tsila Sagiv and Marina Salzberger; finds were drawn by Josephina Yuroshevitz, Luba Poliakov, Irena Lidsky, Carmen Hersch and Noga Zeevi; petrographic analyses were conducted by Nurit Shacharon and Dr. Yuval Goren; special artifacts were cleaned and conserved by Ella Altmark and Victoria Ladizhinskaya; surveying of the architecture and preparationof the ifnal plans were executed by Israel Vatkin, Vadim Essman, Pavel Gertopsky, Itzhak Stark, Viatcheslav Pirsky, Eliot Braun, Yael Artzi, Irina Berin, Natalia Zak, Elizabeth Belashov and Tania Kornfeld. Preparation of the material for publication was greatly assisted by Alexandra Drenka Sredojev. The research and publication were aided by Dr. Raphael Greenberg, who read portionsof the text and provided many helpful suggestions and insights. The author, however, takes full responsibility for his opinions and interpretations presented in this publication. My gratitude is expressed to all of the above and many others, including the workers, without whom the excavated remains and their subsequent publication would have never seen the light of day.

viii

Foreword

The Israel Antiquities Authority's salvage excavations at the Early Bronze Age site of Qiryat Ata took place from 1990 to 1994. Although an extensive Early Bronze Age site at this location has long been known, only with the establishment ofthe IAA in 1 990 were the ifrst archaeological excavations carried out at the site since its initial discovery under the British Mandate. The present excavations are thus of great importance as they provide the ifrst scientiifc investigations of the site, much of which has already been destroyed by modern development. Seven separate areas of the site were excavated by the author on behalf of the IAA.

Since then, additional areas have been examined by the IAA and other institutions. The cumulative large­ scale exposure gained from all these excavations and the tremendous amount of material remains that have been recovered enable an extensive study of the site's occupational history. It is hoped that this report, which includes a full publication of all the IAA excavations at the site from 1990 to 1994, will assist future investigations at the site and its vicinity and will add to the growing bodyof knowledge ofthe Early Bronze Age in the Southern Levant.

Chapter

1

The Site

THE ENVIRONMENT

The considerationof environmental data is an essential element for understanding the limitations within which a site existed. In order to understand the potential resources and subsistence patterns of the Qiryat Ata settlement in antiquity, a surveyof the current state of knowledge regarding the paleogeographyof the site's environs is presented below.

Located in the lower, western Galilee, to the eastof the modern industrial zone of Haifa, Qiryat Ata is situated at the southeastern fringes of the Zebulun Valley,1 near where this part of the coastal plain merges with the foothills of the Allonim­Shefar'am Hills (Fig. 1.1). These hills are composed of Eocene­Senonian chalk (Adler et al. 1985:9) and are drained by several seasonal streams and the perennial Nahal Qishon and Nahal Na'aman. To the south, the valley is bounded by the Carmel Mountains, composed of Cenomanian­ Turonian limestone (Adler et al. 1985:9). Between these two formations, a narrow corridor, through which Nahal Qishon flows, connects the Zebulun to the Jezreel Valley. Towards the sea, the Zebulun Valley gives way to a broad expanse of sandy coastline stretching from Haifa to 'Akko. The site itself is situated at the edge of an alluvial valley, upon a chalk ridgeof the Eocene peirod (Picard and Golani 1992). The present­day seashore is separated from the valley by an expanse of recent sand dunes 2­3 km wide, parallel to the coast. A chain of Early Bronze Age sites within the valley is found east of this sandy area, 4­5 km inland and parallel to the shore (see Fig. 1.1). This settlement pattern has been interpreted as delineating an ancient coastline (Thompson 1979:54; De Cree 1990:92). Recent paleogeographic research of the lower Nahal Qishon basin (Galantee 1990) also suggests that at the beginning of the Bronze 2

Age the shoreline was approximately 4 km east of its present location, and the mouth of Nahal Qishon is reconstructed as being several kilometers inland from its present position. An ancient transgressionof the sea during the Bronze Age is also suggested by a study of sea level fluctuations in the 'Akko Bay area (Inbar and Sivan 1983). _,

.,

Soils

The site itself is situated adjacent to the Zebulun Valley floor, which is covered by a thick accumulation of heavy, dark alluvium composed of terra rossa soils from the Carmel Mountains, dark rendzinas from the Allonim­Shefar'am Hills to the east, and a mixture of alluvial soils brought in by Nahal Qishon. Where the valley merges with the present­day coastline, the alluvium gives way to brown­red sandy soils and sandy dunes near the seashore (D. Amiran et al.1970:11/3). 3 The dark alluvium of the valley is well known for its fertility and high moisture­holding capacity. These characteristics make this soil especially suitable for dry farming, primarilyof cereals (Esse 1982:11, 24). This method is still practiced throughout the Levant.4 The abilityof the soil to retain quantities of moisture for extended periods of time allows crop growth well into the summer months when there is no rain.5 However, if the valley is not well drained, this same characteristic also enables the formation of extensive flooded areas for prolonged periods, thus resulting in the creation of swamplands.6 The numerous sites within and around the Zebulun Valley indicate that swamplands do not appear to have been a major problem in the Early Bronze Age, as the area was apparently well drained. nr

_.

Phyto­Geography The natural vegetation of the surroundings has been severely altered or destroyed by agricultural clearance, grazing and modern building. Deforestation and

2

AMIRGOLANI

^

^

^

I

f

y^

"

(

^ /

A^f^^ H^ ^^f/f/(

I

j

|§|I

11

3

o

^

1§

11

111

­^§^

|

1

§

^

0>

1

^

8

| Ii

|r,

11 1

^3

It­

//^

II

JQQjf

13

■=1y

fi

/

\

1 1

Qq

®

vf ^

.^S ■£^

@®

3

KJ­r

r^

­£<

od

cK

f*

|

o

?‫י‬ 8^ §

J CL

14

AMIR GOLANI

_rt

r^ ■r^ of poorly preserved architecture. Phases 2 and 3 were SiJSf^' * found better preserved with three or four nearly Wy^X^^^

f|£"*:>

Remains of this phase were found covered by anc^ within a 0.1­0.3 m layer of dark alluvial topsoil. lt is

^'"^^Mk

^‫י‬

/■.f

^'^^k^^'^^^^'^^^^'M^'S

'^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^i^'^&rZ

Area Phase 1 (General Site Stratum I)

and concentrations of associated pottery (Plans 2.2). In a few locations, two distinct stratigraphic­ architectural sub­phases were discerned. In most cases, the fragmentary natureof the remains Precruded any architectural or stratigraphic connection between them. They are assigned to Phase 1 on the basisof their relative stratigraphic position, associated ceramics and o r manner of construction.

­^::2 szYw vessels (Fig. 2.6) and a make­up (L31) in the northern partof the eastern apse complete basalt grinding slab. At least seven complete revealed that this floor (L4) is founded directly upon or nearly complete pithoi along with several complete the bedrock, which was very uneven and full of local holemouth jars of various sizes, amphoriskoi, basins, depressions and hollows (see Plan 2. 1 Section 3­3; Fig. bowls and other small vessels were recovered from this 2.4). A holemouth jar (see Fig. 4.5:6) was discovered building (Table 2.2). The majorityof the vessels were :

CHAPTER

2:

THE EXCAVATION

19

Table 2.2. Area A. Selected Pottery Vessels from Building 1 (L4, L10) Bowls

Kraters

Amphoriskoi

Pithoi

Holemouths

Other Small Vessels

Figs. 4.2:1, 25; 4.15:7, 13, 17

Figs. 4.3:7; 4.4:10; 4.16:2

Figs. 4.8:7, 8; 4.17:11

concentrated in the central, eastern partof the building. Most of the vessels show clear signs of burning. In the last stage of its occupational history, this building underwent a violent destruction. A small exposure on the outer side of W500, adj acent to its northeastern curvilinear corner (L23), revealed an associated beaten­earth surface (see Plan 2.3). This surface continues to the east (L44), where it overlay

W523ofSub­Phase

3B.^f"*?*

Building 2. This building, which is also reconstructed as elliptical in plan, was found to the south and downslope of Building 1 and is oriented roughly along the same axis. As in Building 1, only the northern and northeastern portions of the circumference wall were preserved (W501, W502); the restof the outer wall was mostly eroded away (see Plan 2.3; Fig. 2.7). The western apse of the building was not built but rather was hewn outof the bedrock (see Plan 2.1: Sections 1­1, 2­2, 5­5; and below, Fig. 2.12). An artificial cave lay underneath this apse (see Plan 2.1: Section 1­1), its entrance located mostly within the confines of the apse itself (see Fig. 2.12). Two inner dividing walls (W505 and W533), near the eastern and western ends of this structure, the apses from the central hall. In the eastern portion of the building, two occupational phases were discerned. The entire building was destroyed by a localized fire and subsequently abandoned. Petrographic ana1ys1s of

Figs. 4.6:7, 8;

Figs. 4.10:1, 2, 4;

4.17:1,2

4.11:1;4.12:13; 4.13:17; 4.18:2­5; 4.19:2

entire expanse within, crushing and sealing numerous ceramic vessels in situ on the floor (Figs. 2.9, 2.10; Tables 2.3­2.5).

JSI w*­

^^^^^^‫יץץ‬:‫^^^^^^^^^^^^י‬: *p|

^

**

^^^^^^i*^^*^'^';'^^^^^^ef^^^v'4}^>' * ^^^^M^^m&h

y"\w:l

v^ ?"*T^

*­

^ "~JjM^"1^ X^*

­^

J ■

^

■^

/

‫ל‬

r

*‫י‬:‫^'י‬:

~/
^x^^^^''^^

W^^^^^KKJKt^^

":,,

J|^^^^^^^HL^ ^^^^^^^^^^m^ l^^^H^HB^

^ ,

Jjjl^^^H^|^B ^^^^^^HbHL

^^^^^^^^Ht Fig. 2.10. Area A. Destruction debrison lfoor

■i

­'"

|^ ijef*

"­>

^^ (Lll)ofBuilding 2.

The Central Hall: The largest room of the house measures 4.5 x 10.0 m. The northern wall (W501) was built just above the bedrock and was preserved to a maximum of three courses (see Plan 2.1: Section 3­3). Only a small fragment of the southern, parallel counterpart to this wall was preserved in the southwest

Four, large, flat­topped stones that were embedded in the floor parallel to and slightly north of the central longitudinal axis of the building are interpreted as pillar bases (see Plan 2.1: Section 5­5). One large

and elongated stone, found in a tilted, semi­upright position, immediately to the east of the westernmost pillar base, may have served as a segment of a stone pillar. In the eastern area of the central hall were several large paving stones set into the floor; otherwise, mostof the floor was composedof beaten earth. In the western partof the hall, the floor was founded directly on the bedrock (see Plan 2. 1 Section 5­5). A thick layer of ceramics (Figs. 2.9, 2.10 and Table 2.3), mostly large storage vessels, lay on the floor of the central hall (Lll, L16, L42). They were sealed by 0.30­0.35 m of destruction debris composed of large amounts of ash, crumbling burnt mudbricks and mudbrick detritus. :

The Eastern Apse: The outer circumference wallof the eastern apse (W502) is a direct extension ofW501 (see Plan 2.3). Wall 502 was preserved two courses high; both were founded on a thin layer of earth covering the

CHAPTER 2: THE EXCAVATION

21

Table 2.3. Area A. Selected Pottery Vessels from the Central Hall of Building 2 (Lll, L16, L42) Kraters

Bowls Figs. 4.1:9, 22, 24; 4.2:10,

4.15:3, 5,6, 8, 12,

Holemouths

26;Figs.4.3:2; 4.15:16Figs.4.5:9; 4.16:6Figs.4.9:3;

17,

144.18:1;

^f^,^:l^^J^^^y ,­j^T\ W^^V'M^J lIllJ^pM.:■'

^^^^^■BIHP^^'PI^^^^^

:­

J

y5^Wi811iP■

"

.

.^?*?£>*Tj&Sj^­.''*'. S­':^V|^'­"''

^:"^

.7­/a '

,

.

Vv

5"!;.

■*

■

'xjjr:'

"^

■''

""

'

.':^ij^^^

■:\

/ "~'"\ ^S­^^P^

^ ^'■^,­''t

;^JiV': ||pf~

Other Small Vessels

Pithoi

I

and Subterranean Chamber: Wall

533, preserved two courses high, separates this apse from the central hall (Fig. 2.12). This wall was slightly eroded in its southern extremity, where it presumably would have linked up with the continuationof W520. The northern end 0fW533 wassquared­off 0.9 m from the inner face of the northern circumference wall of the building, which probably indicates the presence of an entranceway connecting the central hall and the western apse (see Plans 2.1: Section 2­2; 2.3). A floor with numerous ceramic remains ran up to the eastern and western facesof this wall(LI 6, L47). The outer circumference wall ofthe apse was not built but was rather hewn out ofthe bedrock in its northern half (see Plan 2.1: Sections 2­2, 5­5). The bedrock was leveled to create a floor within the confinesof this apse,

upon which was found the same concentrated pottery and mudbrick destruction debris layer as in the rest of the building (Table 2.5). No architectural remains were discovered on the hewn circumference ofthe apse; any such remains have probably eroded. In the southern area ofthe apse, the bedrock dropped off in an irregular, natural fissure (see Plans 2.1: Section 1­1; 2.3). This opening was full of stones and dark, loose soil, which was very different from the lighter colored mudbrick detritus and destruction debris that characterized the contents of the rest of the apse. A small hole near the center ofthe bedrock floor proved to be a natural, irregularly­shaped

22

AMIR GOLANI

Fig. 2.12. Area A. The western stone­hewn apseof Building 2. The blocked­up entrance to the cave is at lower right.

Metal Cache. A cacheof copper tools was found close to bedrock, near the lowest course of stones directly

Table 2.5. Area A. Selected Pottery Vessels from the Western Apseof Building 2 (L47> Bowls

I

A

puhoi

.Figs.4.1:3,5, 10;4.15:1, 4Figs4.13:15; 4.20:5 1

outside the upslope northern wall of Building 2 (see Plan 2.3). The cache consisted of a flat. semicircular 1 + *‫י‬ ,‫י‬ +. u. u .... plate of unclear function upon which was placed a thm, elongated,triangular­ shaped blade and a complete axehead (see Figs. 2.13, 7.6, 7.7). A copper chisel had been placed on either side of the axehead. This cache did not lie directly under W501, but approximately 5 cm to the north, near the bottom level of its lowest course. All the artifacts appear to have been purposefully arranged and set into place. No stratified remains of any earlier occupation were observed in the 1

I

opening which led into a small chamber hewn into the bedrock. Access to this cave was through the large natural aperture in the bedrock mentioned earlier. This cave, perhaps an enlargement of the natural fissures, was quarried from the rock and may have functioned as a storeroom associated with the occupation of the house. This 'cellar' is roughly rhomboidal in plan )see Plan 2.3) and measures 2.7 x 3.0 m with the ceiling approximately 1 .2 m above the floor (see Plan 2.1: Section 1­1). When excavated, the cave proved to be full of ceramic remains, all enclosed within a dark brown, loose matrix that appears to have been washed in. No traces of a burial were found and there were no clear signs of any stratigraphy. The variety of diagnostic ceramic material from the EB IB EB II periods suggests that the cave was accessible both during and after the building's construction and after its destruction. This assumption is strengmened by the fact that the distinctive pottery and mudbrick covered floor found in the northern part of the apse

'

­

:

'

'

■^4^^^^"''^^^

*^^fSt^m *­^^^"i||!JBM^J

­

■.imr^""^"­­^

­­vi'

.*'^*Hil^Hi

k^'' t

'

t

'^^^^^^^BBIB^B^KSt^^^

^|''':>;4QW718.C­)a^G­J il|_p W711

23.00

I

Phase 4 ­ Surface

22.00 |

Plan 2.5. Area

j

i_

I 1 Phase 1 [ | Phase 2 C.

Architectural Section 1­1

/7:^f

Phase 3

1

Phase 4

1

­

2

^m

~

24.00 II Upper

3

Composite planofArea Phases 1­3, Architectural Section 1­1 (Phases 1­4(.

CHAPTER

/^'Z^ ^M=^

^50

#^(D

21 50

C

^^

2:

:­^fj

Section 2 ­

29

THE EXCAVATION

^50

221

!^^^^

^^^^>^^^v|

"^"®"^

3­3

Section

50

L626/L627

Area C

Z^^W"■'

®

Dark brown topsoil, modern building debris

(4)

Light gray debris

©

Animal burrow intrusion

(2) (3)

Dark gray debris

©

Light brown debris

(f)

Dark brown alluvium upon bedrock

Medium gray debris

(6)

Gray debris build­up on surface

Plan 2.5. (cont.). Area

C.

Composite plan. Section 2­2 (west balk ofSq K3, Section 3­3 (east balk ofSq A:2j.

by a horizontal layer of small to medium­sized stones and dark brown alluvial topsoil.8 At the bottom of this layer were the stone foundations of a poorly preserved rectilinear structure (No. 1) along with several associated floors and stone pavements (Plan 2.6). All the building

J|

remains exhibit a slight tendency to slope southwards, in the general directionof the slope. The remains of a well­built flagstone pavement (P702; Plan 2.6; Fig. 2.16) were uncovered in the northern areaofthe excavation (Sq K3). This pavement

K

u

23.64

L

1

P702

^^^^^^3

I

AreaC

23^54

23

L^S^^

52

23

Structure

73/^"^^^r"\"0'5

7'7\

l^AA

23.41

J

23.93

1

23.73

91 47

15■lb

#

r^W)^

W

0

K

1

Plan 2.6. Area

C.

|

PlanofArea Phase 1.

2

1m

L1

1

30

AMIR GOLANI

was observed to continue into the northern balkof the square where it remains unexcavated. The central area of this pavement was slightly sunken in relation to its northern and southern extremities; the southern section abruptly ended above a wall (W704)of Phase 2.

Structure 1. Southwestof the flagstone pavement were several walls preserved to a maximum height of two courses (W701 upper,9 W700, Will, W711 upper; Plans 2.5: Section 1­1; 2.6). These walls delineate the remains of a rectilinear building that continues a Phase 2 structure and whose walls were elevated by a course of stones and with several new walls. The

^^^^^₪K₪S₪^g₪^^^^^^^C' ^U^^^^^KKttmMl^K^K^m^M^ ­'11$? mK^^^^^^Brf^ ^7r; '^"i^^F^^r

!!^■H^^Bi ^^^^B^^Pj*

1

function ofW714, a short wall fragment found within the confines of the structure, is unclear. Outside the structure, adjacent to its western and southern walls, were two beaten­earth surfaces (L615, L603). Eastof the structure were several concentrations of stones (W706, W720, W721) that appear to have been purposefully arranged. These may be the remnants of walls, but do not form a coherent plan.

^^jJJr**^ h ^W^MM '^k "\ M^ *jjM&Jf ^/JJf '|f|| v

J>$|

^^BBr "h'^^£^^^^­^^S^m) '^ *¥ J§§ ^HB^^J^^^^ ^^^^P; :^Ht '' W ;^ n|§ BBR^^^E^" /^ ^ '^M Jl jKj ~Jm Vjgj ^ ‫ י י‬.,;

**'*

HKr ^^\^W^!\ JJ^P ^^F^"^^iff Hfij ^;'^^^i'^S^^^? ^t^^V^^^^H EgjR^\l!K'­ W^Cj^ ^^^^'" ^^#4^T^^8 pliifkf^w^^^^m^^^P'^ ^­Jlk^^W

Area Phase 2 (General Site Stratum I) Elements of this phase were all discovered within a lighter colored brown matrix directly underlying the darker topsoil cover in which Phase 1 was uncovered. The Phase 2 (Plan 2.7) remains consist ofa complex of walls that delineates a rectilinear building (Structure 2) along with several installations and associated

mW^^d^m^^^^mM^m^Mfi^m ­

Fig. 2.16. Area

C.

Phase I paving stones P702. In the

background, 1710is nexttoW704.

i

J

[

Ave#*^?*: ­:':^"*i~

^^m

*^~~M^

The next east­west row of squares immediately to

||gef\7

intrusions and, except for the easternmost square (S2), was not excavated. Immediately to the north of these

^^^₪F^f\^^^^₪^^M, ^^ggi&M^^^^BBIB

opened adjacent to the foundations of the building

MBcf

occupation remains and no architecture. From all of the above, it may be concluded that Area D is either at the northern edgeof the main Early Bronze Ase settlement or that the architectural remains

~>

"­*

^H^", "ijf "

*.

.■

.

­r*PL

‫ך‬1^^■ jMp r;^^^^^H jjP^^T^^^^M JPlF

^'^^^^Er^^^B^^w^^^K^U

'

B^K

r

'' #^^^^­I3f ;

­

^'

^?~* ^:'*­

BhrT^^B

p|.

Jm

Jlil^^^l

BIBjBpl^ ^ u X^' ^^.^^M ^B■^^^' ^ \* ^^k:W|^^^^^H lfj^W^if^­ Jm^1^₪' ""li^^* "JIm| *

1­Ln

^HB

,

­

,

./3MBJcf^MbJjBL Jm^;^₪₪₪B

Mr

of previous surface surveys(01 ami and Gal 2003: " F\^ Site 50) and theauthor s own explorations, the former^­­■ ,

‫ ל‬2 ?AreaD. Phase 1 remains inSqQl. W1608is seen in ­■ H^ the foreground PavementPI 604 at center and W1607 at top.

.

supposition appears more likely.

Area Phase

1

■||^^^

(General Site Stratum I)

The architectureof Phase lay below the dark alluvial topsoil and rubble layer that covered most of the site. Several straight wall fragments were revealed, delineating one or two rectilinear structures of similar orientation(Plan 2.10). InSq Ql, the Phase 1 remains consistof two parallel wall segments (W1607, W1608) and part of a rough

­

1

t^^J­

­

^ ­^p

■

'/'r

'

".

!'^

' '

^^^^B^H^B 5^i^^^J ,

.­;.­

­

"

>"

­"^c^^^at

^^^^^P^^

^^^p^^^ ^^i^^^^^'^

"

^K^.

,j­tJk

'

:zs/m:£^^m■^^ ;

8^

^^^^P^

.^^^^F^^^^^^^

toFig.2.24.AreaD.Phase

the west (PI) was discovered, although no direct

­­

"^^ ^ '^S^^^^'

^?^^ ^k­1

*­r\:*

wall (W1606) that was partly exposed at that time. A short wall (W1613) in the adjoining square

^w^^^^ W!

'^^^ :,^^^^^B^^^H

.

'

*

' '

,

­

­

;iiptf

^^^F

^m^;;/i^Jf^AJf ;0M "~ A beaten­earth surface(LI03 8) discovered between g■^^^^^':^'' ^' '* "j^x V'l~ ',^r^^^^^^ :3m W402 and W4 12 may relate to this phase. ' ': < ' Two large flat stones embedded in the floor of ^^^^E'^; "r; ':* r ^ ' ': ^!;'H|.^'! ''tf^S?^^^kii' Building 2 along its longitudinal axis are interpretedSH^pf.*':/­ '‫י\יי‬/: "‫' י‬ ~^r' ^i^^^Wi'^^^^^k as pillar bases. In the southeastern area next t0 * n'S^­^^^­­Lj0ff £

[__

1

6

1

\

I

\

1

I 1

B

Plan 2.18. Area .F PlanofArea Phase

1

in central portionofarea.

Fig. 2.45. Area .F Rectilinear building in the central portionofexcavated area.

CI

1

59

CHAPTER 2: THE EXCAVATION

W464, was also erected in Phase 2; they continue into Phase 1 where only their upper course was in use. The Phase builders also modiifed the room by blocking up a Phase 2 entranceway that separated W464 and W465. Wall 459, which was preserved one course high in the southeastern corner of Sq Cl, indicates the presence of an adjacent building. A surface (L3020) in the area between W458 and W459 was strewn with large restorable pottery fragmentsof store jars (see Fig. 4.34:6). Additional architecture was found in the central portion of the excavated area, where only the topsoil matrix was removed in order to uncover architectural features close to the modern surface (Plan 2.18; Fig. ^ AC.A "_ ,/t., ot 2.45). All of the walls m this region were preserved two courses high and were exposed within the dark brown alluvial topsoil. In most cases, it is within this matrix that the bases of the walls were reached. Walls 478, 475, 469 and 473 delineate a rectilinear building. A small segment of a beaten­earth lfoor (L3071) with one lfagstone was discovered adjacent

to W475. Walls 468 and 470 may have also belonged to this building. The walls of this building were founded upon a loose, light gray layer of ifll or debris that covered

,

1

.

I

/

j

/

n.~ /r, , c.^ c* * r> /mo m) Area Phase 2 (General Site Stratum I) (Plan 2.19) A

.

A

I

the bedrock. The bedrock in this area was exposed at a relatively high level. Although no direct stratigraphic connection was established between these remains and those in the southern portionof the excavated area, this layer contained large amounts of pottery identical to that recovered throughout Phases 1­3. The inclusion of these remains in Phase 1 is based on their relative position close to the modern surface, though it may well be that they actually belong to Phase 2or 3.

The Phase 2 remains consist of a rectilinear room plan (W45 1 , W452, W465; Plan 2.19) that was followed in Phase 1 . Between these walls and at their base was a beaten­earth lfoor (L3002) and one paving stone near W451. The lfoor was covered with a thick

layer of destruction debris that included burnt, fallen

B

|

lJ

/x // 24.16

23.85rf

| |

| 5

||

rk**k.t "

^eft;/' ;".V

^''

^H^^B4'­:­

"

'

­

j^'

^^^^^^■>:

'

(;

"if

^

{§

||/;':


^

#J0W

;­^P h^^^^^M

'­''^#

^t­7^PQ0Q0

1

|(

1

1

"Gx7

l^^qjAM

/ \p^C/ 24.88 /V^/LJTV ­^y oT y 23.84 j\Ja^ ,^23 90

' 1 I |

23­87

!

CI

|

B

!

61

1

C1

I

J 1

PlanofArea Phase 3 in southern portionof area.

"TBBIIIWBWwlff

Fig. 2.49. Area .F W453ofPhase 3, at centerright, founded on bedrock. Note how this wall is overlaid by the Phase 2

architecture(W452and W451).

W481, was preserved one course high and used as a base for the construction of the Phase 2 wall above it )W452). The western wall, W453, was founded upon bedrock and was preserved to two courses (Fig. 2.49). A segmentof the eastern wall, W474, of which only one course was preserved, lay directly beneath the Phase 2

Fig. 2.50. Area .F Twoof the Phase3 pillar bases below //7^ bottomof the Phase 2 walls. W452 is at top cente.r

surface (L3026). A concentration of stones arranged in a rough line to the north of W474 may indicate the approximate locationof the northern wall, which was severely disturbed by modern intrusions. Three flat­topped stones within the building, all aligned just to the east of the central longitudinal axis, are interpreted as pillar bases (Fig. 2.50). Several other flat­topped stones were incorporated within the

62

AMIR GOLANI

floor as paving stones. The floor itself (L3053) was composedof beaten­earth and packed sherds. A small wall segment (W472) preserved one course high was revealed to the west. It abuts a second, upper course of W453 and represents a later architectural addition to the Phase 3 building. Beneath W472 was a beaten­earth floor (L3 041) with several large fragments of aholemouthjar (Fig. 2.51; and see Fig. 4.28:12, 13). The continuationof this floor (L3005) was revealed to the north, founded upon bedrock and extending up to

South of W481 (Sq Bl), a surface made of a thick layer of packed mudbrick detritus extends up to the baseof this wall. This same surface was revealed in the adjoining square to the west (Al), where it is associated with the baseof W461. In Sq Al, the continuation of this surface to the south (L3073) was made of beaten earth, small stones and sherds, and also extends UP t0

InSqAl,W476, W461and W467 form a semicircular structure whose walls were preserved to four courses and were built of small to medium­sized fieldstones (see Plan 2.20; Figs. 2.52, 2.53). A beaten­earth floor (L3025; Figs. 2.52, 2.55) was exposed within the i~

^v

M ^Si&f'M ^^^^^B^m,^^^­ .^^^^^^^g^^^^^^^^M "' ^*M*

"v

*

s'

'

­

;

*''­

l:­

;:*

|||^r ^ ££ V ^

^m"J­\^

v

' *­

,.,^'; ,

*

wm

^;'^^^^^^: al^^^^^^^P^^lf ^3 ^SeII^^

' y'/­'€"

wf

‫י‬

^

ft

■

^^^^w^" w ^ '^4,^^^(f^tf:^^^B^^^^'R

Fig. 2.51. Area .F W453 (at left) and W472 (at upper right) ofPhase 3. Note how the latter wall is built atop a surface )L3041) with vessels.

Fig. 2.53. Area .F The semicircular structureof Phase 3 atop W479ofPhase 4. At center right is the Phase 4 surface with a plaster installation (L3082).

Fig. 2.52. Area F The semicircular structureof Phase 3 with

Fig. 2.54. Area .F Phase 4 Surface L3066 below wallsof the Phase 3 semicircular structure.

associatedfloor (L3025).

.

| \

I

63

CHAPTER 2: THE EXCAVATION

The extension of Surface L3075 t0 the n0rth (L3082) was built similarly and included several paving stones, a possible pillar base, and two plaster sockets (see Fig.

Fig. 2.55. Area .F The stratigraphic sequenceof Phases 3 and 4 in SqAl. W461ofPhase 3 is at the top with alfat­topped stone at center left marking theL3025 lfoor levelof the semicircular structure. Below this wall, a lineofsherds indicates the Phase (L3066) surfacebuilt directly overthe bedrockatlower right,

^2

S3)

Part of Surface L3082 was covered by the same packed layer of mudbrick material associated with the base 0fW481 (Phase 3) in SqBl. In the northern part ofSqBl, removal ofa portionof this Phase 3 mudbrick layer next to W481 revealed the top of the lower half of an upright pithos (L3093; Fig. 2.56). This vessel was excavated and removed, but the floor or architecture to which it related was not exposed. In the southern portion of Sq Bl, another surface, L3077, was made of beaten earth and small stones­ Surface L3077 is assigned to Phase 4 due to its 1­elated ceramic material. The extensionof this surface to the east was dug as Surface L3088. This later surface includes several paving stones and is associated with W480.

confines of this structure, which was free standing andof unclear function. As it was not a tomb, the most logical explanation is that it was used for storage.

Area Phase 4 ­lmM

r

^

^■^p^

^%,/^H, >^O^ '*J'"­ /h: ) T­.­ , ­

^'­^^^^.^^^^

~~~^^^Z^^mZmmJ'­^ ­‫­י'י‬ ^^'w' ■­'­ ­'"*‫'­­"­'"י‬

■'

^^

‫ך‬

,

i­mi$£ " ­Me?' y

^ #*^

patches. On the lfoor (L3079) was the upper half of a crushed, red­slipped amphoriskos (see Fig. 4.8:5). Wall 484 appears to have buttressed this structure in the northeast; Wall 485 connects to it in the southeast. Adjacent to this structure and at the very limitof the excavation area were discerned the possible outlines of another circular construction (W483). v j

mm'^i^PwiMMIl­­^''­^­ ­ y­T^

/

^^?vWTi^ 24 X6

Fig. 2. 56. Area .F Lower halfof Phase 4 pithos. ^/ r/g/z/