Tiberias : excavations in the house of the bronzes : final report
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Publications of THE INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM
4
b
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QEDEM Monographs of the Institute of Archaeology THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM
48 Editorial Board
A. Belfer-Cohen, N. Goren-Inbar, S. Gorodetsky, E. Hovers, Z. Weiss, S. Zuckerman
2008
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Published with the assistance of
Les Amis Belges de l'Université Hébraïque de Jérusalem
Photographs: Gabi Laron Cover photographs: Gabi Laron
Plans: Maria Caplan, Alexander Pachuro Digital processing of plans: Dov Porotsky Drawings: Tania Gorenstein, Julia Rudman Book design: Noah Lichtinger
©
Copyright by the Institute of Archaeology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel ISSN 0333-5844
Printed by Old City Press, Jerusalem
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Yizhar Hirschfeld and Oren Gutfeld
TIBERIAS:
EXCAVATIONS IN THE HOUSE OF THE BRONZES Final Report, Volume I
Architecture, Stratigraphy and Small Finds
With contributions by
Ariel Berman, Gabriela Bijovsky, Shulamit Hadad, Elaine A. Myers, Matthew J. Ponting, Moshe Sade, Anna de Vincenz
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CONTENTS
List
of
Illustrations
Color
Preface
-
Yizhar
Plates
Hirschfeld
and
Oren
Gutfeld
Chapter 1. Stratigraphy and Architecture - Yizhar Hirschfeld and Oren Gutfeld
Chapter 2. The Scientific Analysis and Investigation of from
Chapter
3.
Tiberias
The
Coins
-
-
Gabriela
Appendix:
4.
Chapter
The
5.
Pottery
Glass
Bijovsky
J.
-
Ponting
Ariel
Berman
Analysis
Ponting
Assemblages
Vessels
J.
and
Chemical
Matthew
Chapter
Matthew
-
Anna
de
Shulamit
Vincenz
Hadad
Chapter 6. Bone, Metal, Stone and Glass Objects - Anna de Vincenz
Chapter
Chapter
7.
8.
Archaeozoological
Two
Shell
Finds
Finds
-
-
Moshe
Elaine
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A.
Sade
Myers
of
the
A
Yizhar Hirschfeld, 1950-2006
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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
COLOR PLATES
Fig. 1.23. The living quarters in the southern part of the
Pl. IA: The excavation site at the foot of Mt. Berenice,northern looking building, looking east (p. 20).
Fig. 1.24. Section C-C, looking south (p. 20).
southwest (p. XIII).
PL IB: The excavation, looking northwest (p. XIII). Fig. 1.25. The middle room and the courtyard, looking north
21). PL IIA: The House of the Bronzes, looking west (p. (p. XIV). PL IIB: Hoard A, looking east (p. XIV).
Fig. 1.26. The House of the Bronzes, looking west (p. 22).
Pl. IIC: Hoards B and C, looking west (p. XIV). Fig. 1.27. Section D-D, looking south (p. 23).
Pl. IIIA: Bronze vessels in Hoard B (p. XV).
Fig. 1 .28. Hoard A (L.525) as found in situ in the corner of the
looking east (p. 24). PL HIB: Removing bronze vessels from Hoard B (p.room, XV). PL UIC: Vessels from the hoard in the Institute ofFig. Archaeology 1.29. Section E-E, looking north (p. 24).
(p. XV).
Fig. 1.30. Section G-G, looking north (p. 25).
PL IVA: Byzantine coins from the hoard (p. XVI).
Fig. 1.31. Section F-F, looking north (p. 25).
PL IVB: Fragment of marvered glass bowl (No. 38) (p. XVI).
Fig. 1.32. Wall 67 containing two small storage jars, looking
PL IVC: Fragment of lustre-painted glass bowl (No. 39) (p. XVI).
north (p. 26).
Fig. 1.33. Hoard C (L.576) and the stone slab that covered it
PL IVD: Wheel-cut glass bottle (No. 97) (p. XVI).
when it was exposed (p. 26). Fig. 1.34. The smithy and the storage jar in which Hoard C
CHAPTER 1
was found, looking west (p. 27).
Fig. 1.35. Hoards C (above) and B (below), looking west (p. Fig. 1.2. General view of the site, looking south (p. 3). 27). Fig. 1.1. Map of ancient Tiberias (p. 2).
Fig. 1.3. Staff members of the excavation (p. 3).
Fig. 1 .36. The courtyard of the House of the Bronzes and Hoard
B (L.575), looking north (p. 27). Fig. 1 .4. General view of the site at the foot of Mount Berenice, looking west (p. 4).
Fig. 1.37. Hoard B at the time of its exposure (p. 28).
Fig. 1.38. Fig. 1.5. Schematic plan of the Early Islamic remains (p.The 5).removal of the bronze artifacts from Hoard B Fig. 1.6. General view of the remains, looking south (p. (p. 6).28).
Fig. 1.7. Section A-A, looking west (p. 7).
Fig. 1.39. Hoard B, view into the storage jar (p. 28).
Fig. 1.8. Detailed plan of the remains (p. 8).
Fig. 1.40. The courtyard in the south of the House of the
Bronzes, looking north (p. 29). Fig. 1.9. Walls and installations from the Umayyad-Abbasid
periods, looking east (p. 9).
Fig. 1.41. Plan and section of courtyard L.557 (p. 29).
Fig. 1.10. Installation L.567, looking south (p. 9). Fig. 1.42. Reconstruction of tabun in courtyard L.557, looking Fig. 1.11. The course of the street, looking southeast (p.north 10).(p. 29). Fig. 1.12. Channel L.537 below the course of the street, looking CHAPTER north. Visible in the top left part of the photograph is 2
ceramic pipe L. 1 16 (p. 11).
Fig. 2.1. Scatter-plot of zinc against tin by artifact type (p. 40).
Fig. 2.2. Scatter-plot of lead against tin by manufacturing Fig. 1.13. The remains to the west of the street, looking west
(p. 12).
technique (p. 42).
Fig. 1.14. The water tower, looking west (p. 12).
Fig. 1.15. Paving L.118 in the water tower, looking south
(p. 13).
Fig. 2.3. Scatter-plot of zinc against tin by manufacturing technique (p. 43). Fig. 2.4. Scatter-plot of antimony against cobalt by artifact
Fig. 1.16. The southern room of the northern building on the
upper terrace, looking north (p. 14).
Fig. 1.17. Section B-B, looking west (p. 15). Fig. 1.18. The Portico House, looking south (p. 15). Fig. 1.19. Staircase W.ll and stone floor L.131 to the left of
type (p. 45). Fig. 2.5. Scatter-plot of arsenic against antimony by artifact
type (p. 46). Fig. 2.6. Scatter-plot of the first two principal components using
minor and trace elements with the objects categorized according to cluster analysis (p. 46).
W.7, looking west (p. 17).
Fig. 1.20. Channel L.538, looking west (p. 17). Fig. 1.21. The remains to the east of the street, looking east
(p. 18).
Fig. 2.7. Back-scattered scanning electron micrograph of 575:71/1 (p. 47). Fig. 2.8. Secondary electron scanning electron micrograph of
Fig. 1.22. The northern building, looking south (p. 19).
SEM4 (p. 47). IX
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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Fig. 2.9. Copper-rich portion of the copper-tin phase PL 4.13. diagram Early Islamic pottery: buff ware water-jugs (p.
127).
(p. 48). Fig. 2. 10. Optical micrograph of SEM36 etched with alcoholic ferric chloride (p. 48). Fig. 2.11. Optical micrograph of SEM36 etched with alcoholic
PL 4.14. Early Islamic pottery: buff ware pitchers (p. 128).
PL 4.15. Early Islamic pottery: buff ware large vases (p. 129). PL 4.16. Early Islamic pottery: buff ware jugs (p. 129).
ferric chloride (p. 48) Fig. 2.12. Secondary electron micrograph of a portion of the
PL 4.17. Early Islamic pottery: buff ware storage jars (p. 130).
PL 4.18. Early Islamic pottery: buff ware handles and
turnings from 575:85 (p. 49).
Fig. 2.13. Pieces of scrap: a) bucket "folded packets" 99, 100
and 102; b) decorated piece 97 (p. 51).
Fig. 2.14. Scrap "folded packet" 103: a) folded; b) opened
decorations (p. 131). PL 4.19. Early Islamic pottery: miscellaneous buff ware items
(p. 133). PL 4.20. Early Islamic pottery: Coptic glazed bowls (p. 134).
out (p. 52).
Fig. 2.15. Drawing of tripod showing sample locations (p. 53).
PL 4.21 . Early Islamic pottery: two-color splashed-and-mottled
Fig. 2.16. Drawing of furniture leg showing sample locations
PL 4.22. Early Islamic pottery: polychrome splashed-and-
(p. 53).
bowls (p. 136). mottled bowls (p. 137).
Fig. 2.17. Box-and- whisker plot showing the relative cobalt concentrations in the artifacts that were sampled from
PL 4.23. Early Islamic pottery: polychrome splashed-andmottled bowl with sgraffito decoration (p. 139).
PL 4.24. Early Islamic pottery: monochrome glazed bowls,
several locations (p. 54) Fig. 2.18. Scatter-plot of zinc against tin by Arabic/Persian
yellow (p. 141). PL 4.25. Early Islamic pottery: monochrome glazed bowls,
alloy name (p. 57).
green (p. 142). CHAPTER 3
PL 4.26. Early Islamic pottery: monochrome glazed bowls with
PI. 3.1. Isolated coins (p. 64). PL 3.2. Coins from the hoard (p. 66).
sgraffito decoration (p. 142).
PL 4.27. Early Islamic pottery: green glazed pot (p. 143).
PI. 3.3. Coins from the hoard (p. 67).
PL 4.28. Early Islamic pottery: glazed jugs (p. 144).
PI. 3.4. Coins from the hoard (p. 68).
PL 4.29. Early Islamic pottery: purple alkaline glazed vessels
PI. 3.5. Coins from the hoard (p. 69).
(p. 144).
PI. 3.6. Coins from the hoard (p. 70).
PL 4.30. Early Islamic pottery: tin glazed bowls (p. 144).
PI. 3.7. Coins from the hoard (p. 71).
PL 4.31. Early Islamic pottery: imitation Chinese bowl (p. 145).
PI. 3.8. Coins from the hoard (p. 72).
PL 4.32. Early Islamic pottery: luster glazed bowls (p. 146). Fig. 3.1. Breakdown of the hoard according to numismatic PL 4.33. Early Islamic pottery: slip-painted and glazed bowls
groups (p. 73). Fig. 3.2. Scatter-plot of zinc against tin (p. 104).
(p. 147).
Fig. 3.3. Scatter-plot of arsenic against cobalt (p. 104).
PL 4.34. Early Islamic pottery: imported glazed bowls (p. 148).
CHAPTER 4
PL 4.35. Early Islamic pottery: glazed cooking pots (p. 151).
PI. 4.1. Roman pottery (p. 108).
PL 4.36. Early Islamic pottery: black burnished bowl and
Kerbschnitt bowl (p. 151). PI. 4.2. Byzantine pottery: African Red Slip Ware (p. 109).
PL110). 4.37. Early Islamic pottery: sphero-conical objects (p. PI. 4.3. Byzantine pottery: Late Roman C Ware (p. 152). PI. 4.4. Byzantine pottery: Cypriot Red Slip Ware (p. 111). PI. 4.5. Byzantine pottery (p. 115).
PL 4.38. Early Islamic pottery: lamps (p. 155).
PI. 4.6. Byzantine lamps (p. 116).
PL 4.38. Early Islamic pottery: lamps (cont.) (p. 157).
PL 4.38. Early Islamic pottery: lamps (cont.) (p. 158). PI. 4.7. Early Islamic pottery: coarse ware bowls (p. 117).
4.39. Miscellaneous ceramic object (p. 161). PI. 4.8. Early Islamic pottery: coarse ware pithoi PL and basins
(p. 119).
PL 4.40. The pithoi of the metalware hoard (p. 162).
PL 4.9. Early Islamic pottery: gray ware pithoi and basins
Fig. 4. 1 . Polychrome splashed-and-mottled bowl with sgraffito
decoration (PL 4.23:1) (p. 140).
(p. 120). PL 4.10. Early Islamic pottery: coarse ware storage jars (p. 123).
Fig. 4.2. Polychrome splashed-and-mottled bowl with sgraffito
PL 4.11. Early Islamic pottery: buff ware bowls and basins
Fig. 4.3. Base of luster glazed bowl (PL 4.32:3) (p. 146).
Fig. 4.4. Large lamp (PL 4.38:22) (p. 159).
(p. 125). PL 4.12. Early Islamic pottery: buff ware small vases and juglets (p. 126).
decoration (PL 4.23:4) (p. 140).
Fig. 4.5. Miniature lamp (PL 4.38:23) (p. 159).
Fig. 4.6. Stamp (PL 4.39:5) (p. 161).
X
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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Fig. 4.7. Incised sherd (PL 4.39:6) (p. 161).
Fig. 5.4. Mold-blown bottle (No. 93) (p. 171).
CHAPTER 5
Fig. 5.6. Bottle 97 as found in situ, within a bucket inside a
Fig. 5.5. Wheel-cut bottle (No. 97) (p. 173).
PL PL PL PL
5.1. 5.2. 5.3. 5.4.
Nos. Nos. Nos. Nos.
1-13 (p. 182). 14-24 (p. 183). 25-39 (p. 184). 40-61 (p. 185).
PL PL PL PL
5.5. 5.6. 5.7. 5.8.
Nos. Nos. Nos. Nos.
62-84 (p. 186). 85-102 (p. 187). 103-118 (p. 188). 119-134 (p. 189).
cooking pot, in the hoard of metal vessels (p. 173).
Fig. 5.7. Decoration? (No. 135) (p. 175). CHAPTER 6
PL 6.1. Bone and metal objects (p. 193). PL 6.2. Stone objects (p. 194). PL 6.3. Stone objects and beads (p. 195). PL 6.4. Architectural fragments (p. 196).
Fig. 5.1. Marvered bowl (No. 38) (p. 169). Fig. 5.2. Lustre-painted bowl (No. 39) (p. 169).
CHAPTER 8
Fig. 5.3. Plain bottle (No. 45) (p. 170).
Fig. 8.1. Shells A, B (p. 201).
XI
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Pl. IA: The excavation site at the foot of Mt. Berenice, looking southwest.
PI. IB: The excavation, looking northwest.
XIII
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Pl. IIA: The House of the Bronzes, looking west.
PI. IIB: Hoard A, looking east.
Pl. IIC: Hoards B and C, looking west.
XIV
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PL IIIA: Bronze vessels in Hoard B.
PL HIB: Removing bronze vessels from Hoard B.
PL UIC: Vessels from the hoard in the Institute of Archaeology.
XV
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Pl. IVA: Byzantine coins from the hoard.
Pl. IVB: Fragment of marvered glass bowl (No. 38).
Pl. IVC: Fragment of lustre-painted glass bowl (No. 39).
Pl. IVD: Wheel-cut glass bottle (No. 97).
XVI
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PREFACE
This volume is the first of the two-volume
Berman. Matthew J. Ponting studied the chemical
final report of the excavations of the House of theof metalwork hoard and the anonymous follis coins. The pottery and miscellaneous small finds the Bronzes. The current volume presents the architecture and stratigraphy, as well as a scientific were studied by Anna de Vincenz. The glass objects
analysis of the Fatimid metalwork hoard discovered were studied by Shulamit Hadad. The animal in the excavations and studies of the other finds. The were studied by Moshe Sade. Finally, two remains
shells were studied by Elaine A. Myers. metalwork hoard itself will be published by Elias Khamis in the near future as Volume II.
The salvage excavation was conducted in
The conservation, X-ray photography and cleaning of the artifacts were performed by
the southern part of the sewage plant in Tiberias the Conservation Laboratory of the Institute of in order to free the area for the construction of
Archaeology under the directorship of Miriam
a modern sewage plant. The excavation was Lavi
and with the aid of Claudia Shenkar and
conducted on behalf of the Institute of Archaeology Ravit Lin. Some of the artifacts were cleaned in
of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem under thethe laboratories of the Israel Museum and by Orna direction of the present authors, and was financedCohen, to whom we are indebted. The drawings by the Tiberias municipality. The area supervisors of the artifacts are by Tania Gorenstein and Julia were Tomer Goldstein, Roni Amir and MenachemRudman.
Rogel. The measurements and drawings are the We would like to thank the translators of much work of Maria Caplan and Alexander Pachuro.of this report, Robert Amoils, Hani Davis, Rachel The digital processing of the plans was carried outLaureys-Chachy and especially Viviana Moscovich,
by Dov Porotsky. The photographs were taken bywho was intensively involved in the completion of
Gabi Laron. The finds were recorded by Rachelthe catalogue of the metalwork hoard. Our sincere Merchav. The excavation's administrator was
thanks to Sue Gorodetsky, who edited and produced this volume. Moshe Gur-Arieh. Special thanks are due to David
We wish to thank the Institute of Archaeology Yaluz, director of the water and sewage department
the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the in the Tiberias municipality, for his greatly of valued assistance.
Israel Exploration Society for their support and
We are grateful to several people who contributedassistance. to this report. The study and publication of the metal
artifacts were carried out by Elias Khamis with the aid of Roni Amir and Viviana Moscovich. The coins
were identified by Gabriela Bijovsky and Ariel
Yizhar Hirschfeld and Oren Gutfeld Summer 2004
XVII
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CHAPTER ONE
STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE
Yizhar Hirschfeld and Oren Gutfeld
INTRODUCTION
the end of the Fatimid period. The alluvial soil above these remains has accumulated since this part of the
city was abandoned in the twelfth century. The archaeological excavation was conducted in
the southern part of the sewage treatment plant located within the ancient city of Tiberias during
STRATIGRAPHY
the fall of 1998 (Figs. 1.1-1.3). The site lies ca. 300 m west of the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee at the Although the excavation area was fairly limited in
foot of Mount Berenice, at an elevation size of 185 m (roughly 500 m2), four archaeological strata distinguished (Figs. 1.5,1 .6). They are briefly below modern sea level (Israel Grid map were reference characterized here in the order of excavation, i.e., 242440/201075). The excavation site is close to the center of
from top to bottom.
the Roman, Byzantine and Early Islamic city of Tiberias. Some 250 m to its south is the Roman
STRATUM I
The surface stratum is dated to the medieval period theater, and ca. 200 m to its southeast the public (twelfth-fourteenth centuries CE). Meager finds, bathhouse. Next to the bathhouse are a large pottery sherds, of this period were revealed. public building (probably a mosque) and part mainly of From these we learn that the area had effectively the main colonnaded street {cardo) that passed
been abandoned by that time. through the city from south to north (Hirschfeld
1993: 1464-1470). The southern continuation of STRATUM II the street was discovered during the exposure of the
The stratum containing the principal finds is dated to city's southern gate, ca. 600 m south of the sewage
plant (Foerster 1993: 1470-1473). To the west the of Fatimid period (tenth-eleventh centuries CE). In the site is Mount Berenice, on whose summit are it were revealed the remains of structures arranged along both sides of a street that cuts through the area fortifications of the Byzantine period and a church
on a northwest-southeast axis. Below the street we dating from the reign of Justinian (527-565 CE) discovered water systems: a drainage channel (see (Hirschfeld 2004). Between the mountain and the below, L. 1 35) and a ceramic pipe leading water from excavation area passes the aqueduct that conveyed northwest to southeast. On the west side of the street water to the city's reservoir, known as "the Dona
Gracia pool" (Winogradov 2002: 295-304).
were a square structure interpreted as a water tower,
Because of the site's location at the foot of Mount a courtyard, the "Portico House" and living quarters. Another building, comprising a courtyard and three Berenice, the ground surface slopes naturally from west to east. The soil is alluvial and mixed with talus rooms that served as living quarters, was partially revealed to the east of the street. To the south of this deposited at the foot of the mountain (Fig. 1 .4). Some
0.5 m below the surface level were found stratified courtyard house we exposed a building containing a courtyard, a room and a storeroom. In this structure remains dating from the Roman-Byzantine period to i
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CHAPTER ONE
Fig. 1.1. Map of ancient Tiberias.
we found three pithoi containing a hoard of Towards more than the
end of the Fatimid period
a thousand bronze items. Consequently, residential we called structures were destroyed and the
the structure the House of the Bronzes* (Hirschfeld was completely abandoned. From the large p
and Gutfeld 1999: 102-107).
of rubble covering the courtyards of the ho and their rooms, we believe that the destruc
Strictly speaking, the material from which wasthese caused items by
an earthquake. Another indica
were made should be referred to as "copper of this is alloy." the fissures in the walls of the water This type of metal is traditionally referred to other in the tower and structures. After the destruction
archaeological literature as "bronze," and we have
of the buildings, the place remained desolate
retained this term in general references to the hoard. In
and the years fact, almost all of these objects turned out toover be made of brass. The chemical composition of the
below in Chapter 2.
the structures were covered
by dark alluvial soil mixed with fieldstones hoard is discussed (Fig. 1.7).
2
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STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE
Fig. 1.2. General view of the site, looking south.
Fig. 1.3. Staff members of the excavation: from left to right, Rachel Merchav, Tomer Goldstein, Oren Gut Amir, Moshe Gur-Arieh. 3
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CHAPTER ONE
Fig. 1.4. General view of the site at the foot of Mount Berenice, looking west.
STRATUM III
DESCRIPTION OF THE REMAINS
Below the walls of the Stratum II structures
were found walls from the Umayyad-Abbasid The following section contains a detailed description, periods (ca. eighth-tenth centuries CE). There in order from early to late, of the architectural remains is no significant hiatus between this stratum and found in the excavation.
the Fatimid stratum, and the walls of the private STRATUM IV: THE ROMAN-BYZANTINE
domiciles and the streets continued to exist from
one to the other. The finds of this period includedPERIOD (Fig. 1.8)
many pottery vessels, glass vessels and coins.
Remains belonging to a period earlier than the Islamic period were found only in two places. While
STRATUM IV
their precise dating is unclear, they are sealed by
Below the remains of Strata II and III wasfills a very of the Early Islamic period and thus probably thick (ca. 3 m) layer of debris and alluvium, belong beneath to the Roman or Byzantine period. which were revealed a few remains of the Roman-
In Square D/5, the top of W.26 was revealed
Byzantine period. Only a small part of the walls some 4 m below the surface at an elevation of was exposed, and it is therefore difficult to assess -191.76. This wall runs from northwest to southeast their character. Pottery vessels and coins from theand has an orientation similar to that of the wall period were also retrieved. These finds are of greatabove it (W. 1). It is built of two courses of boulders
significance, since they demonstrate that Roman- (0.5 X 0.4 m in size) and is preserved to a height of Byzantine Tiberias extended westward as far as the0.8 m. It is probably the foundation of a wall that foot of Mount Berenice.
has not survived. This particular wall was dated by
4
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STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE
Fig. 1 .5. Schematic plan of the Early Islamic remains. The Umayyad-Abbasid remains are cross-hatch remains are in solid black.
5
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CHAPTER ONE
Fig. 1.6. General view of the remains, looking south.
centuries the fill next to it (L. 170), which was dated fromCE), the were revealed beneath the remain
from first century BCE to the sixth century CE.the Fatimid period (Fig. 1.9). The remains o In Square F/5, an installation (L. 155) thismeasuring stratum were exposed in the area to the east
therevealed street, mainly below the Stratum II L.560, th 1 X 0.75 m, which was not completely and
courtyard of the house to the north of the House of t whose purpose is unclear, was exposed. It consists
at anatelevation of -189.80 (L.533, 534). of two thin walls at right angles to Bronzes, one another an elevation of -189.48. The walls are ca. 0.2 m
thick and built of two courses of fieldstones. Their
In Squares D-E/6-7, we exposed three wall
that are notably thicker than the walls from th
orientation differs from that of the wall above them, Fatimid period, ranging in thickness from 0.8 m and they apparently form a corner of an installation. to 1 m. These walls are well built of small and The fill removed from the installation dates from
medium-sized fieldstones bonded by hard gray
the first century BCE to the fifth century CE.
mortar. Some of the stones facing the outside are dressed. W.72 runs east-west and abuts W.55 on
STRATUM III: THE UMAYYAD-ABBASID
the south. Two courses are preserved to a height of
PERIODS (Fig. 1.8)
0.5 m. The wall is 1 m thick and 3 m long. W.75
in a north-south direction. Four courses are A number of walls and installations, whichruns cannot be
linked up to form a defined structure andpreserved are datedto a height of 0.8 m. The wall is 0.8 m
thick and 2.5 m long. W.78 runs in a north-south to the Umayyad-Abbasid periods (ca. eighth-tenth 6
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STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE
Fig. 1.7. Section A-A, looking west. 7
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CHAPTER ONE
Fig. 1.8. Detailed plan of the remains.
8
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STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE
Two parallel north-south walls, W.61 and W.68, were revealed to the north of and at right angles to
W.72. They are built of two courses of mediumsized fieldstones measuring 0.2 x 0. 1 m. These walls
are 0.55 m thick and approximately 1 m long.
Installation L.567, which is circular and built of medium-sized fieldstones, was revealed to the south of W.72. Its internal diameter is 1.15 m and
its depth ca. 1.8 m, the base being at an elevation
of -192.03. This installation is unplastered and apparently served for storage (Fig. 1.10). The top of W.73 was exposed in the southern part of Square D/7, at an elevation of -190.12. The wall runs in an east-west direction and is built of
Fig. 1.9. Walls and installations from the Umayyadsmall and medium-sized fieldstones. Only two
Abbasid periods, looking east.
courses are preserved. A column drum 0.4 m in diameter, standing on its base, was revealed at the wall's western end.
The few architectural remains exposed do not provide an architectural picture of the area in the
Umayyad-Abbasid periods; Nevertheless, they seem to be sections of structures with courtyards
and various installations that served mainly as domiciles.
STRATUM II: THE FATIMID PERIOD (Fig. 1.8)
Fig. 1.10. Installation L.567, looking south.
The main street
The street extends across Squares D-E/F-5 and is bounded on the west by W.52, W.16 and W.l,
direction and abuts W.62 to its west. The wall isand 0.85on the east by W.50 and W.51 (Fig. 1.11). The
street is 3-5 m wide and ca. 20 m long. Although m thick and 1.5 m long. On its southern part stands the a column with a diameter of 0.31 m; however, width the varies in accordance with the location the houses, the course of the street is generally column appears to postdate the wall and toof derive
uniform from the courtyard-house phase, which is dated to and uninterrupted, apparently testifying
to the existence of a municipal authority. The
the Fatimid period. Installation L.562 was revealed to the east of
course of the street, which runs from northwest to
W.78, at an elevation of -190.00. Most of it remains southeast, corresponds to the general orientation
of is Mount Berenice. Along the street, close to its hidden in the northern baulk of Square D/7. This a circular installation built of small fieldstones and
western side (at the foot of W.52 and W.l), we
coated with gray hydraulic plaster. It is ca. 1 .5 m in revealed a ceramic pipe (L. 116) that led water from
diameter and approximately 0.5 m deep, the base the northwest (elevation -187.36) to the southeast being at an elevation of -190.46. This installation is(elevation - 1 88.5 1 ). These elevations, sloping from possibly a basin. A jug dated to the Abbasid period north to south, apparently represent the level of
(Reg. No. 5458) was found in it.
the street, which has not been preserved here. The 9
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CHAPTER ONE
crumbling light gray plaster containing small grits.
Four of the covering stone slabs are preserved above
the southern part of the channel. They measure 0
X 0.6 m and are 0. 12 m thick. The channel's internal
width is ca. 0.4 m, its overall width is ca. 1 m an
its height is 0.4 m; the slope is from north (-189.60)
to south (-190.00). This channel, which apparent drained rainwater, testifies that the location of t
street took into account the city's need for drainage
This is particularly important in Tiberias becau
of the steep topography of Mount Berenice and t
sudden downpours that occur in the area The draina
channel is another indication of urban continuity fro
the Roman-Byzantine period through the less we
known Umayyad-Abbasid and Fatimid periods.
Construction methods in the Fatimid period Most of the walls of the Fatimid period are built
a similar manner, with their outer faces being built
of large fieldstones (0.3 x 0.3 x 0.25 m) and the
inner faces consisting of small fieldstones (0.15
0.15 x 0.1 m). The walls are generally 0.5 m thick
The wall foundations, built of large fieldstones, a
0.8-1 m thick. Depending on the topography, the
Fig. 1.11. The course of the street, looking southeast.
foundations may be as deep as 2 m. The doorjamb
are built from dressed stones. While most of the pipe is built of segments covered by gray hydraulic
rooms arepipe roughly square in plan, the walls are plaster containing small stones and gravel. The usually not exactly at right angles to one another. probably conveyed drinking water from the water floors are generally made of tower to its north (see below). A system The of structures' pipes beaten earth and are not well preserved. We found supplying water would have called for constant only one plaster maintenance, attesting to the efficient functioning of floor (L. 1 34), of poor quality. More
durableperiod. stone paving, consisting of small pebbles the municipal authority during the Fatimid (L. 1 3 1 along and L.534) or polygonal stone slabs (L. 158), In L. 113 and L.114, which were excavated was revealed in the courtyards. Only one pavement the course of the street, we found coins dating from
consisting of rectangular, well-dressed stone slabs the mid-third century CE (Reg. No. 208), the late (0.55 and x 0.4 the m) was encountered. It belonged to the fourth century CE (Reg. Nos. 179 and 120), early fifth century CE (Reg. No. 211). water tower and perhaps reflects public construction standards. The Portico House, to the south of the water Two staircases, tower, abuts it in a way that causes a broadening of the first (W. 1 1 ) to the south of the Portico House and the second descending from the the street. The broadened area (L.145) is bounded
entrance in W.5 1 to the courtyard of the House of by W.16 on the west and W.2 on the north. the Bronzes, On the eastern side of the street's southern part, were revealed. The stairs were built on a core ofover fieldstones and cement. The treads, 0.8 m parallel to W.51, a channel (L.537) preserved are built from well-dressed basalt stones; each a length of 7.75 m was exposed (Fig.wide, 1.12). This
is 0.2 m channel runs parallel to the street andstair is built ofhigh and 0.28 m deep, measurements enable easy two rows of medium-sized fieldstones that bonded by ascent. The existence of the staircase 10
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STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE
Fig. 1.12. Channel L.537 below the course of the street, looking north. Visible in the top left part of
is ceramic pipe L.116.
designated W.ll indicates that at least some tower ofisthe bounded by W.l on the east, W.2 on the domestic structures were two stories high. south, W.l 7 and W.22 on the west, and W.l 2 on the north. The water installations exposed during theW.l and W.2 are 0.7-0.8 m thick and
are built of ashlars on their outer face. Projecting excavation are channels covered by stone slabs from the of W.l is a square pillar (0.75 x (L.163) and possibly also beneath paving L.145, center a gutter (L. 1 35) connected with a water channel, 0.55 m), and probably a built to counter the pressure of
the earth to the west of the wall (Fig. 1.14). The segmented ceramic pipe (L. 116). The light-colored, friable plaster used for the water installations high standard is of of construction is an indication of
the structure's public character. W.2 consists of six
poor quality.
courses of dressed basalt stones (0.15 x 0.1 m), The remains to the west of the street (Fig. 1.13)
interspersed with small fieldstones. The interior of the tower is divided into four
The water tower
rooms by two walls, W.6 and W.8. These walls, of
In its northern section, the street is bounded
which only the foundations are generally preserved,
by the eastern wall (W.l) of a square structure are built of small fieldstones (0.15 x 0.1 m). Only measuring 7 x 7 m, located in Squares E-D/4-5. in the northeastern room (L. 1 1 8), measuring 2.25 This structure, identified by us as a water tower, x 1 .4 m, is the floor preserved, at an elevation of was apparently the first to be erected in the area -185.71. On the floor, built of basalt stone slabs of and preceded the street, since the walls bounding excellent quality (Fig. 1.15), a decorated cornice the latter relate to those of the tower. The water
(Reg. No. 1412) was found. The level of floor 11
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CHAPTER ONE
Fig. 1.13. The remains to the west of the street, looking west.
L.118 is 1.6 m higher than the conjectured lev
of the street that passed to its east. The fill (L.15
beneath floor L.118 is dated to the Fatimid perio
The floors in the other rooms of the tower, whi
have not survived, were probably made of beate
earth. The structure stood on a slope and the wa
in its eastern part served as retaining walls for t fill below its floors.
A channel (L.135) leading out of the structure
through W.l was revealed below the floor level the northeastern room. The channel, 0.15 m wid
has a plastered base sloping downward to the eas
The channel may connect with pipe L. 1 1 6 or other
channels that supplied water to the area. If this
was a system supplying drinking water, it probably
originated from the Berenice aqueduct that passe
ca. 10 m to the west, at a level higher than t
plane of excavation. Other evidence supporti
this assumption was found in the structure to th
west of the water tower, where a channel led wat
from the west (-184.91) to the east (-185.37; s
below). A water tower ( castellum aquae) is rarel ' Fig. 1.14. The water tower, looking west.
encountered and is indicative of a well-organize
12
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STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE
Fig. 1.15. Paving L. 118 in the water tower, looking south.
erected to relieve the earth pressure from municipal authority. The channels and ceramic apparently pipes the west, like the pillar revealed on W. 1 (see above). that possibly led water to the municipal fountains support our interpretation of the structure.
The southern room (L. 165) is bounded on the north by W. 19, on the east by W. 17, on the south by W. 1 8,
and on the west by W.13; it measures 3.25 x 2.3 m The structure to the west of the water tower To the west of the water tower the excavations
(internal measurements) (Fig. 1.16). Floor L.165,
revealed the foundations of another structure, which runs up to W. 19 from the south, was revealed in on the northern part of the room, at an elevation of bounded by W. 12 on the north, W. 17 and W.22 -184.47, ca. 1.25 m above the floor levels in the the east, W.18 on the south, and W.13 and W.23
water tower. On this floor, made of red beaten on the west. The structure, which measures 6.75
X 4 m, is divided into two rooms by W.19. earth, The was found a complete cooking pot dated to the Fatimid period (Reg. No. 1202). northern room (L.161), bounded by W.12 on the north, W.22 on the east, W.19 on the south, andOnly the western face of W.17 was exposed, W.23 on the west, is a corridor of some kind, 1 .4abutting m floor L.165. The wall is preserved to a
wide and ca. 2.5 m long (internal measurements). height of 2.65 m. Its upper part consists of two and below them are six courses of the W.12 is built of large fieldstones (0.6 x 0.4 m);courses its foundation widens on the north. W.22, which runs foundation, which project ca. 0.2-0.25 m from the
in a northwest-southeast direction, is possibly wall the itself. W. 1 8 joins the southern end of this wall continuation of W.17. It is built of fieldstones and
at a right angle. The top of W. 1 8, at an elevation incorporates well-dressed stones laid as headersof -185.30, is lower than the level of floor L.165
and stretchers. Projecting eastward from the wall (-184.47); it appears to be the broad foundation of
is a pillar (0.6 x 0.6 m) built of fieldstones. It wasa wall that joined up with W.17. 13
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CHAPTER ONE
Fig. 1.16. The southern room of the northern building on the upper terrace, looking north.
the water tower and to the west of the street. During the excavation of the fill of (L.137 and L. 1 44) to the south of floor L. 1 65 , it became evident Since the courtyard's level (-188.83) corresponds that the foundations of the structure's western to thewalls conjectured street level, we may assume
the courtyard was entered from the street via a (W.13 and W.23) reach a depth of 2 m that below the
doorway, possibly located within the unexcavated floor level, a depth apparently dictated by the site's baulk. The orientation of this structure differs steep topography. A coin dated to the mid-eighth century CE (Reg. No. 262) was found inslightly fill L. from 137, that of the water tower. It abuts the
tower at an acute angle on the south (W.16) while fill L. 144 yielded a coin dated towater 39 CE (Reg.
No. 1395). in a way that causes a widening of the street to its Part of a water channel (L.163) was revealed east (Squares E/4-5). The widened area (L. 145) is W.2 on the north (the southern wall of to the north of the structure, parallel bounded to W.12byand 0.75 m from it. The flow of water in the channel
the water tower) and W.16 on the west. W.16 runs
was from west (elevation - 1 84.9 1 ) to east (elevationfrom northwest to southeast and is 0.5 m thick;
-185.37). The channel is 0.15 m wide and ca. 0.2 seven courses of basalt stones are preserved. The wall's eastern face is built of large stones (0.5 x 0.2 m high; its base and walls are built of fieldstones
X 0.25 m), while the western one contains fairly bonded by friable plaster, and it is covered by small stones (0.15x0.1x0.1 m). This area, located
fieldstone slabs.
in front of the courtyard of the Portico House, has
The Portico House
a coarse stone paving (L.145) at an elevation of
-187.99, which incorporates slabs that possibly The Portico House (Figs. 1.17, 1.18), a large cover a water channel. domicile built next to a courtyard paved with stone
slabs (L. 158), was partially uncovered to the southThe Portico House is located in Squares 14
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STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE
Fig. 1.17. Section B-B, looking west.
Fig. 1.18. The Portico House, looking south. 15
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CHAPTER ONE
stones, while E-G/4-5. Since its exposure was not completed, itits western face is built of fieldstones. is difficult to assess the structure's measurements.
The core of the wall is missing. The large pile of
The area excavated by us measures 11.5 x 9 m. rubble found on the courtyard's paving (L.158) This area is bounded by W.2 on the north, W.16 provides further evidence that the Portico House and W.52 on the east, W.7 on the south, and W.21 had a second story, ascent to which was perhaps by on the west. W.52 is probably the continuation ofmeans of the staircase (W. 11) built against W.7, the structure's rear wall (see below). A coin dated to
W.16 to its north. It runs in a northwest-southeast
direction and consists of a single course of partiallythe mid-eighth century was found in L.157 of the
dressed basalt stones, large ones (0.55 x 0.3 x 0.2 portico (Reg. No. 1525). m) on the eastern face and small ones (0.25 x 0.25 x 0.2 m) on the western face.
The rooms to the south of the portico: To the south of the portico we discovered two fairly
Three different components of the building were large rooms that served as living quarters (each
exposed: a courtyard, an portico and rooms servingwith an area of approximately 10 m2); next to them
as living quarters:
was a third room that was only partially exposed.
The courtyard: The courtyard (L.158) is
The rooms' doorways face north, i.e., toward the
located in the northern part of the structure. Its portico. north-south extent is ca. 4 m, but its east-west The eastern room (L.134) is bounded by W.3 extent is unknown since the excavation was not on the north, W.52 on the east, W.7 on the south,
completed. The western excavated part of and theW.4 on the west. Its internal measurements are 3.35 x 3 m and the walls do not meet at exact courtyard is paved with thin basalt slabs of good
right angles. A doorway with well-built jambs was quality. The slabs, which are polygonal in shape revealed in W.3. The threshold, at an elevation and vary in size, are at an elevation of -188.04. The of -188.14, is formed from two stones. The wall courtyard was apparently used for domestic tasks, consists of three courses of partially dressed basalt such as cooking and laundry. A clay oven {tabun), stones and four foundation courses. It was dated 0.6 m in diameter (L. 167), was found in the eastern
part of the courtyard adjacent to W.16. Insideto it the Fatimid period on the basis of sherds from
the wall's foundation trench (L.160). W.7 runs was a large concentration of ash. This tabun was undoubtedly used for the baking of bread and from the northeast to southwest. It is ca. 8 m long, 0.5
m thick, and preserved to a height of 2 m. Five
cooking of food.
The portico: The portico (L. 157) is a semi-open courses of partially dressed basalt stones measuring
0.4 x 0.2 x 0.2 m are preserved. A section of a space in the front of the house, in which various poor-quality plaster floor (L.134) has survived in household activities were focused in antiquity. the room's northwestern corner, at an elevation of This architectural space, 2.4 m deep, had a roof, -188.53. The floor adjoins W.4, the room's western supported by three rectangular pillars on roughly
wall. This wall, running in a northwest-southeast the same axis, which presumably formed the floor
direction, is built of three courses of coarsely of a balcony on the second story. One pillar (W.5) dressed basalt stones and fieldstones. It is 0.5 m is engaged in the eastern wall (W.52) and measures 1 x 0.5 m. The central pillar (W.25), measuring thick and preserved to a height of 0.8 m. 1 x 0.5 m, consists of two courses of roughly The room exposed to the west of the eastern dressed basalt stones measuring 0.45 x 0.25room x (L.168) is bounded on the north by W.320, 0.25 m. Another pillar was probably engagedoninthe east by W.4, on the south by W.7, and on the the structure's western wall. At some stage in the west by W.21. Its internal measurements are 3.9 x 2.9 m, and its walls too do not meet exactly at right building's lifetime, W.24 was built in the western
although the deviation is small. A doorway part of the portico. It probably served as a angles, low 1.3 m wide, with well-built jambs, was revealed in partition/bench or even as a manger. The eastern face of this wall is built of well-dressed basalt
the northern wall (W.20); the threshold is missing.
16
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STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE
A poor-quality earth floor (L.168) was exposed in the room's eastern part, at an elevation of -188.39. In the southern part of the room there are three small
walls at right angles to the southern wall (W.7), which probably formed installations. The area to the west of the portico: To the west of room L. 168 we found walls of another structure
or a room belonging to the Portico House. The most
notable remnant of this structure is W.10, which abuts W.21 on the west. This wall is built of small
fieldstones (0.15 x 0.15 x 0.1 m) and preserved to a height of 1.4 m. Its orientation differs from that
of the southern wall (W.7) of the Portico House, and it is apparently later (at least technically) than
W.21. Although the structure's floor is missing, it was apparently at a higher level than the floor of
the Portico House. Since Squares F-G/3 were not excavated, the western continuation of this structure was not unearthed. The staircase: To the south of W.7 of the Portico
House, in Square G/5, we exposed a staircase (W.ll) ascending from east to west (Fig. 1.19). It is 0.8 m wide and excellently constructed. Only its lowermost two steps are preserved, as well as the core of fieldstones held together by hard, gray Fig. 1.19. Staircase W.ll and stone floor L.131 to the binding material. A coin dated to the sixth century
left of W.7, looking west.
CE (Reg. No. 174) was found on the stone floor (L.131, elevation 188.83) at the bottom of the bronze artifacts opposite the entrance of the House staircase, but cannot be related stratigraphically of the Bronzes from the street raises the question of to the staircase. This floor probably belongs to a whether there is a connection between the houses courtyard bounded by W.7 on the north and W. 19 on either side of the street. The Portico House is well constructed. The on the east. Since the staircase is attached to W.7,
it possibly served as an external staircase leading functional division into a courtyard, a roofed up to the second story of the Portico House or of the structure to its south.
To the west of the staircase is a small, narrow room bounded by W.7 on the north, W.52 on the east, and W.9 on the west. It is ca. 1.3 m wide and more than 3.5 m long. This room was not excavated
and is located under the baulk. It was drained by a
channel (L.538) ca. 0.2 m wide that runs beneath W.52 to the southern end of the main street (Fig.
1.20). Hidden in the channel were four bronze weights (Reg. No. 5093), other pieces of metal, and
a coin dated to the mid-eighth century (Reg. No. 5286). The location of the channel containing the Fig. 1.20. Channel L.538, looking west. 17
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CHAPTER ONE
Fig. 1.21. The remains to the east of the street, looking east.
foundations ca. 10 cm from the wall's width portico and rooms used as living quarters points project to on its western side. W.51, located to the south of a developed housing culture that is in keeping with
the archaeological baulk, is ca. 11.5 m long and the organized urban character of the remains. 0.6 m wide. It is built of small and medium-sized The remains to the east of the street
fieldstones bound by small stones and earth. Large,
partially dressed fieldstones were placed in the The remains of two structures (Fig. 1.21) were upper part of the walls. partially revealed in the area to the east of the street: the structure in which the bronze hoards were found
(the House of the Bronzes) and a courtyard houseThe northern courtyard house The northern courtyard house is located in Squares to its north. These two structures are separated from
D-E/6-7 (Fig. 1.22). It consists of a courtyard, one another by a continuous east-west wall (W.67) in which no doorways were found. It thus seemspaved with plaster and pebbles, and three rooms that the buildings were not connected, although thisthat served as living quarters to its south; a small
is not entirely certain since a baulk ca. 2 m widepart of another room was revealed to the northwest remained unexcavated between these structures.
of the courtyard.
Both structures are bounded on the southwest by the The courtyard (L.560, L.554): The courtyard
is defined by W.55 and W.62 on the north and by continuous wall (W.50 and W.51) that runs along on the south. The walls do not meet at right the street. W.50 was exposed over a length of 6 W.57 m; giving the courtyard an irregular shape. The it is 0.9 m wide and preserved to a height of 1.9 angles, m. The wall is built of large fieldstones, dressed on thecourtyard's bedding, which was not fully excavated,
consists of small fieldstones held together by outer face and bound by small stones and earth. Its 18
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STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE
Fig. 1.22. The northern building, looking south.
plaster. The floor level is not uniform: the elevation part of the courtyard, adjacent to the corner formed
in the western L.554 is -189.60, and in the eastern by W.55 and W.62.
L.560 it ranges from -189.74 to -189.77.
The living quarters: Three rooms that served
Imbedded in the courtyard's floor were a number as living quarters, entered from the courtyard via
of coins from the Umayyad and Abbasid periods doorways in W.57, were revealed to the south of (Reg. Nos. 5333, 5214, 5252). This courtyard may the courtyard (Fig. 1.23). On the south these rooms have originated in the Umayyad-Abbasid periods are probably closed off by W.67, which partly lies and continued in use in the structure of the Fatimid beneath the baulk separating the northern building from the House of the Bronzes. No floors were period. It appears to have been unroofed. The east-west W.55 is built on top of the Stratum found in these rooms (Fig. 1.24). III W.61, W.68, W.72 and W.78. It consists of two The western room (L.533) was only partly
faces of medium-sized fieldstones (0.35 x 0.3 x exposed. Its walls are not at right angles to one 0.15 m), with earth mixed with gravel and many another, giving it a trapezoid shape. Its width ranges
pebbles between them. The wall is 4.85 m from long 2.35 m to 1.6 m, and its estimated length is ca.are 3.5 m. The room's western wall (W.50) is the and 0.6 m thick, and its eight to nine courses preserved to a height of 1.5 m. In contrast to W.57, eastern boundary of the street that crosses the area.
no doorways leading into the courtyard were found A doorway in W.56 connects the western room and in it. At its eastern end, W.55 turns northward and the middle room (L.559). The wall is built of large
is designated W.62.
and medium-sized fieldstones bonded by pebbles,
A column was discovered in secondary small use, stones and earth. Five courses of the wall standing on the Stratum III W.78, in the northern and two courses of its foundation are preserved to 19
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CHAPTER ONE
a height of 1.8 m. Another doorway was reveale in the room's northern wall (W.57). Both thresho
are built of small fieldstones and pebbles, packe close together and leveled. No floor was found the room. The fill excavated here contained a coin
dated to the second half of the fourth century CE.
The middle room (L.559) is 3.75 m long (between
W.57 and W.67) and 2.2 m wide (Fig. 1.25). The northern part of W.60 was revealed between W.56
and W.58. This wall (W.60) consists of only two courses and postdates the original construction of the
rooms in the house; it possibly belongs to Stratum
I. In the room's northern wall (W.57 is a doorway connecting it with the courtyard. The doorway has a
long, narrow threshold (lx 0.25 m). This room too lacked a clear floor and the fill in it yielded two coins:
one of Anastasius I from the early sixth century CE (Reg. No. 5480) and the other, a half follis, also from
the sixth century (Reg. No. 5443). Of the eastern room (L.555), only the northern
(W.57) and the western wall (W.58) were revealed. W.58, consisting of six courses of medium-sized fieldstones (0.4 x 0.25 m), is preserved to a height
of ca. 2 m. In the northern wall (W.57) there is a wide doorway with a long, narrow threshold (0.65 Fig. 1.23. The living quarters in the southern part of the northern building, looking east.
x 0.15 m).
The House of the Bronzes The remains of the House of the Bronzes (Squares
F-G/6-7) include a triangular, two-roomed unit (L.535, L.566), a courtyard (L.569, L.572), and a unit (L.557), probably another courtyard, to its south (Figs. 1 .26, 1 .27). The House of the Bronzes
was only partially excavated and extends beyond
the eastern limit of the excavation (Squares F-G/8). The courtyard was entered from the street via a doorway in W.5 1 . Because of the topography
here, the level of the threshold (-191.15) is 1.9 m higher than that of the courtyard (-189.21). This difference in height is overcome by a flight of six stairs, 0.8-1 m wide. The staircase is bounded on
the north by W.66, the southern wall of the main
room, and on the south by two column drums in secondary use. The walls of the structure are built
of undressed basalt stones and are preserved to a Fig. 1.24. Section C-C, looking south.
height of at least 2 m. From the courtyard, located
20
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STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE
Fig. 1.25. The middle room and the courtyard, looking north.
structure's southwestern wall (W.51) and its in the eastern part of the structure, onethe turns westward to the main room, to the rear (west) of wall (W.67), a large pithos (L.525) was northern which is a storeroom.
found in situ (Figs. 1.28-1.30). The pithos, with a
of 0.85 m and a height of 1 . 1 m, contained A triangular unit consisted of two rooms, diameter a
storeroom (L.535) in the rear and a room (L.566) some 350 bronze artifacts (Hoard A). The pithos that we termed the "smithy." The storeroom, locatedwas found intact, standing on the beaten-earth floor in the northwest corner of the House of the Bronzes, and supported by a low curving wall (W.70) that had has an area of 4 m2. It was entered from L.566 to
been built specially for this purpose. W.70 is 1.9 m
its east via a doorway 0.55 m wide and 0.9 m high, long, 0.5 m wide, and preserved to a height of 0.6 which is fully preserved, in W.54. One had to stoopm. It is built of small and medium-sized fieldstones
to pass through the low doorway. W.54 runs in a (0.16 x 0.12 m). Two coins were found in L.535: north-south direction and is very well preserved toone, a Byzantine- Arabic anonymous follis, is dated a height of 2 m. It consists of two faces: the interior to 650-680 CE (Reg. No. 5056), while the other
(east) face is built of dressed stones measuring 0.2 is Umayyad (pre-reform) and is dated to the late X 0.5 m, while the exterior (west) face is made up seventh century CE (Reg. No. 5336).
of medium-sized fieldstones (0.3 x 0.2 m). The
The smithy (L.566): This trapezoid room has
dressed stones are laid in organized courses, andan area of ca. 7 m2. On its floor, made of beaten
between them is a binding material composed earth (L.566), were found a bronze ingot and seven of earth mixed with pebbles and gravel. At thelarge handles of bronze bowls (at an elevation of storeroom's western end, in the corner formed by -191.20). Patches of mud plaster were discerned 21
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CHAPTER ONE
Fig. 1.26. The House of the Bronzes, looking west.
southern wall (W.66). This wall is built of medium on its northern wall (W.67). After the plaster was
sized (0.26 X 0.24 m) and small (0.12 x 0.1 m) removed, two intact storage jars were revealed, which had been inserted in the wall fieldstones during its held together by earth and small stones. construction. Within one of them (L.574) werewas discerned in the inner (wester A collapse
found many pieces of bronze (Reg. part No. of 5624), the wall.
In the center of the room, below the floor in while the other storage jar was empty (Figs. 1.31,
we revealed a basalt slab (at an elevatio 1.32). W.67 is built of two rows of L.570, large and
medium-sized fieldstones, the outer faces whichthat covered the mouth of a storage j of of -191.72)
are roughly dressed. Since a large part of in this situ wall (L.576). This storage jar had a diameter o is located within the baulk separating the ofa height of 0.7 m (Figs. 1.33-1.35). 0.5 House m and
the Bronzes from the courtyard house to its north, contained some 20 bronze vessels including jugs
it was not fully exposed.
two oil lamps, ca. 250 kilograms of bronze scra
A doorway 0.8 m wide leads into the and courtyard some 57 anonymous folles among other coi
to the east through the eastern wall (W.65). (Hoard C). Another anonymous follis (Reg. N This north-south wall is built of variously sized 5627) was found in the fill around the storage fieldstones and many dressed stones (L.577). measuring
0.62 X 1.24 m. Its southern part abuts the The room's courtyard (L.569 and L.572): The house 22
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STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE
Fig. 1.27. Section D-D, looking south. 23
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CHAPTER ONE
below a baulk in this area, on the west by the easte
wall of the smithy (W.65), and on the south by W.6
and W.69. The latter walls are in fact a single w
forming an angle. The walls are built of medium
sized fieldstones and dressed stones, mainly
the side facing north. The walls are preserved to height of ca. 1.5 m.
Much bronze scrap was found on the courtyard
beaten floor, at an elevation of -191.15. Below th
floor, close to the doorway providing access to t
main room, we uncovered the top of a large stora
jar (L.575) at an elevation of - 1 9 1 .40. Its mouth w
covered by a flat basalt stone. This storage jar, 0.
m in diameter and 0.9 m high, contained hundre
of different bronze artifacts (Hoard B) (Fig 1.36-1.39). Its top had been broken deliberate to enable the insertion of the bronze artifacts.
Among the objects crammed into the storage jar was a pottery jug full of bronze scrap and a bronze cooking pot, heavily soot-marked, which contained
an intact glass bottle.
After the fill around the pithos (L.572) had been excavated and the vessel had been removed, a complete very large pottery lamp (Reg. No. 5623) Fig. 1 .28. Hoard A (L.525) as found in situ in the corner of the room, looking east.
was found beneath it (see Chapter 4).
The courtyard to the south of the House of courtyard, which is located in the eastern the Bronzes part of(Figs. 1.40-1.41). To the south of remains described above, a structure (L.557), the structure, is irregular in shape. It the is probably bounded on the north by W.67, whichprobably is hidden a courtyard, was partially exposed. The
Fig. 1.29. Section E-E, looking north. 24
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STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE
Fig. 1.30. Section G-G, looking north.
with plaster at an elevation of -190.43. A tabun, 0.5
m in diameter, was built into the northern part of
the floor (Fig. 1.42). Its base is at an elevation of - 1 9 1 .25 . A plastered ledge, W.7 1 , presumably used as
a work surface, was revealed in front of W.5 1 on the
southwest. It is 2.7 m long and ca. 1 .2 m wide. SUMMARY
The excavations carried out in Tiberias to date have yielded five hoards, all of them dated to the Fatimid
period. The excavations conducted by Gideon Foerster in 1973-1975 in the southern part of the city revealed a pithos containing a hoard of gold jewelry and coins from the tenth-eleventh centuries
CE (Foerster 1977: 87-91). The pithos was found Fig. 1.31. Section F-F, looking north.
beneath the floor of a domicile containing dyeing installations. Two further hoards were found in
1989 during the excavations of Alexander Onn in part of the city (Onn 1992: 166-167; courtyard is bounded in its northern part the by northern the
Brosh southern walls of the courtyard of the House of 1998: 1-9), when two pithoi containing the Bronzes (W.63 and W.69), on the southwest silver by and gold coins and rich, stylish gold jewelry found under the floors during the excavation W.51, and on the south by W.74. L.557 iswere paved 25
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CHAPTER ONE
Fig. 1.32. Wall 67 containing two small storage jars, looking north.
Fig. 1.33. Hoard C (L.576) and the stone slab that covered it when it was exposed. 26
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STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE
Fig. 1.34. The smithy and the storage jar in which Hoard C was found, looking west.
Fig. 1.36. The courtyard of the House of the Bronzes and west. Hoard B (L.575), looking north. Fig. 1.35. Hoards C (above) and B (below), looking 27
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CHAPTER ONE
Fig. 1.37. Hoard B at the time of its exposure.
Fig. 1.38. The removal of the bronze artifacts Hoard B.
Fig. 1.39. Hoard B, view into the storage jar. 28
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STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE
Fig. 1.40. The courtyard in the south of the House of the Bronzes, looking north.
Fig. 1.42. Reconstruction of tabun in courtyard L.557, looking north.
of a domicile. The fourth hoard was discovered in
the excavations of Yizhar Hirschfeld at the sewage
plant in 1989-1990, ca. 80 m to the north of the present excavation (Hirschfeld 1989/90: 107-108); bronze artifacts similar to those in our hoard were
Fig. 1.41. Plan and section of courtyard L.557. found in a water cistern. 29
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CHAPTER ONE
collection It thus seems that the Fatimid period was one ofof bronze artifacts remains an open instability, and that poor security induced question. several We are probably dealing with a prosperous craftsman who was engaged in both processing and people to conceal their possessions. The hoards' trading of metal artifacts. From an analysis of the owners were prevented from returning to reclaim
styles of the artifacts and their sources, we learn their treasures, perhaps by hostile acts that led to their of the hoard owner's international commercial death and those of their relatives. Another possibility
is that the hoards were buried when an earthquake connections. The finding of indubitably Byzantine coinsby bearing destroyed the buildings, as may be indicated the the figure of Jesus, which were about
to beof melted large piles of rubble covering the courtyards the down with much scrap bronze, may houses and their rooms and the fissures in the walls
also reflect links between the Christian community
of the water tower and other structures.
and the hoard's owner, and suggest that he himself
The richness of the hoards, particularly the was not a Christian and did not attribute religious amazing collection of bronze artifacts revealed in our importance to these coins. The excavations excavations, reflects the prosperity of Tiberias during conducted on the summit of Mount Berenice the Fatimid period. This conclusion is in accord with
revealed a large Byzantine church that was erected
the architectural remains from this period, which in the sixth century and continued in existence up point to orderly urban planning and a high standard
to the Crusader period (Hirschfeld 2004). The finds
of living. The residential structures revealed in our on Mount Berenice illustrate the strength of the
excavations, as well as in those mentioned above,
Christian community in Tiberias under Islamic rule.
testify to a period of economic prosperity. Tiberias,
In any event, it is clear that the owner of the hoard
which was the capital of the northern province of hid his merchandise with the intention of returning
the Land of Israel {J und al-Urdunn), is described and reclaiming it. However, this intention was never as a fortified city. Travelers who reached the area, realized. From the date of the latest coins found in
such as the Muslim geographer Nāsir Khusraw in
the hoard, it seems likely that the craftsman hid the
1047, describe the markets of Tiberias, its numerous
bronze artifacts in advance of the Seljuq invasion
domiciles and its entertainment facilities along the in 1077. Thus the hoard remained concealed for another millennium until it was uncovered in our
shore of the Sea of Galilee.
The identity of the person who concealed the
excavations.
REFERENCES
in the Holy Land, Vol. 4. Jerusalem: 1464-1470. Brosh, N. 1998. Two Jewelry Hoards from Tiberias. Hirschfeld, Y. 2004. Excavations at Tiberias, 1989-1994 'Atiqot 36: 1-9. Foerster, G. 1977. The Excavations at Tiberias. (IAA Reports 22). Jerusalem. Hirschfeld, Y. and Gutfeld, O. 1999. Discovery of a Qadmoniot 38-39: 87-91 (Hebrew). Foerster, G. 1993. Tiberias. In: E. Stern (ed.). The New
Fatimid Period Bronze Vessel Hoard at Tiberias.
Qadmoniot 118: 102-107 (Hebrew). Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Onn, A. 1992. Tiberias. Excavations and Surveys in Holy Land, Vol. 4. Jerusalem: 1470-1473. Israel 10: 166-167. Hirschfeld, Y. 1989/90. Tiberias. Excavations and Winogradov, Z. S. 2002. The Aqueduct of Tiberias. In: Surveys in Israel 9: 107-108. D. Amit, J. Patrich and Y. Hirschfeld (eds.). The Hirschfeld, Y. 1993. Tiberias. In: E. Stern (ed.). The Aqueducts of Israel. Portsmouth, RI: 295-304. New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations
30
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STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE
INDEX OF LOCI
Locus
Square
Stratum
Elevation
(below
sea
level)
Description
of
Locus
101
102
F/5
103
G/4
104
I
G/5
105
I
E-D/5
106
II
F/5
107
F/5
108
F/5
109
E/4
110
G/4
111
F/4
112
I
I
D/4
113
D/5
114
E/5
115
I
II
II
D/4
116
I
D-F/5
117
D/4
118
119
D/4
G/5
120
II
II
II
II
F-G/5
I
121
122
G/3
123
I
F/3
124
G/4
125
II
D-E/4
II
126
127
G/4-5
128
II
E/3
I
129
130
D/5
II
131
132
G/5
133
E/5
134
135
F-G/5
D/4
136
I
I
D-E/4
137
E/3
138
E/4
II
II
II
II
II
139
E/4
140
D/3
II
II
141
142
F-G/5
143
II
F/5
144
E/3
145
146
E-F/4
147
G/4
I
II
148
G/4-5
149
D-E/4
150
151
F/4
G/4
II
II
II
|ll
31
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CHAPTER ONE
Locus
Square
152
Stratum
D/4
153
D/3
154
F/5
D/3
157
F/4
158
sea
level)
Description
I
IV
156
159
(below
185.71-187.01
II
F/3
155
Elevation
1Ī
II
II
F/4
G/3
II
II
160
161
D/3
162
D/5
163
D/3
164
II
D-E/3
165
166
D-E/3
F/5
167
II
G/4-5
F-G/4
170
D/5
171
F/5
172
IV
II
F/3
500
II
II
G/3
173
II
II
E/4
168
169
II
IV
II
II
G/6
I
501
502
E/6
503
D/6
II
504
D/7
II
505
506
F/6
F/6
II
507
D/6
508
G/6
II
509
G/6
II
510
F/6
II
II
511
512
513
F/7
D/7
II
514
515
D/6
516
G/6
517
II
II
F/6
518
519
520
F/6
II
E/6
II
E/6
521
522
F/6
523
E/7
524
525
G/7
F/6
II
II
526
F/6
II
527
F/6
II
528
529
F/6
[F/6
32
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of
Locus
STRATIGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURE
Locus
Square
530
Stratum
E/6-7
Elevation
531
G/7
II
532
G/7
II
533
D/7
534
535
F/6
536
F/6
539
541
G/7
542
D/6
546
D/6
II
D/6
II
II
E/7
II
II
F-G/6
F/7
F/6
553
III
II
II
E/7
554
II
D-E/7
552
II
D-E/6
II
555
E/7
II
556
F/7
II
557
G/7
II
558
D/6-7
559
E/6-7
560
D/7
561
562
D/7
II
III
F/7
II
D-E/6
565
566
II
II
F/6
563
564
II
II
G/7
551
II
II
544
550
III
II
545
549
Locus
II
G/7
G/7
547
of
II
F/7
548
Description
II
G/6-7
540
543
level)
II
F-G/6
538
sea
III
D/6
F-G/6
537
(below
II
III
F/7
F/7
567
D-E/6
568
D/6
569
III
III
G/7
570
F/7
II
571
F/7
II
II
572
573
574
575
576
577
F/7
F/7
F/7
F/7
33
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CHAPTER TWO
THE SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS AND INVESTIGATION OF
A SELECTION OF THE COPPER-ALLOY METALWORK FROM TIBERIAS
Matthew J. Ponting
Craddock (1979) published "The Copper-alloys The assemblage of metalwork from the three pottery of the Medieval Islamicthe World," based on an storage vessels found at Tiberias represents undisclosed number of analyses of British Museum largest single find of Fatimid-period metalwork pieces; these have more recently been incorporated from anywhere in the world. Consequently, it also
into a larger (149 objects) work of synthesis by represents the single most comprehensive potential
Hook and LaNiece (Craddock et al. repository of information aboutCraddock, eleventh-century 1998). Bothtechniques. these works are unfortunately limited Islamic metalworking technology and bymedieval the scope of the British Museum holdings, which The scientific examination of early Islamic tend to concentrate on "art" pieces from the twelfth metalwork has attracted comparatively little interest
century and later. Nevertheless, the later work when compared to earlier archaeological periods, remains the largest analytical overview of Islamic which is strange considering the cultural importance of Islam as the successor to the classical tradition copper alloys published to date. Other contributions
in the Near East (Craddock 1979). Furthermore,to the field include the analyses of 18 pieces in the the first Islamic dynasties to establish themselves Freer Gallery, Washington, spanning eight hundred within the borders of the previously Greco-Romanyears, published by Atil, Chase and Jett (Atil et al.
world brought with them ideas and influences at 1985) and occasional piecemeal analyses that have every cultural level, which they "welded" to the appeared in other papers dealing primarily with traditions that they found already deeply rooted art-historical topics (such as those in Melikian-
in the conquered areas to produce something Chirvani 1974). Access to suitable material has also presented problems; the holdings of western unique. Studies of Islamic metalwork that contain a
museums (such as the Ashmolean Museum, British
Museum and Freer Gallery) are limited and often significant scientific component are few; the most
biased towards "art" pieces. Excavation of wellnotable is Persian Metal Technology, 700-1300 AD (Allan 1979), which presents the mostdated and provenanced material in the countries of origin has, in the last fifty years or so, been comprehensive and scholarly overview to date. problematic, and is becoming increasingly so. This work is based primarily on the interpretation of contemporary texts, but also draws on over sixty Thus the Tiberias discovery represents an important opportunity to investigate early medieval chemical analyses and numerous observations. Islamic metalwork from a specific location at a However, this study is also geographically limited
time. The study provides an insight into to early medieval Persia, and consequently therespecific is the everyday metalworking practices of a workshop no way of knowing if the findings are applicable
towards the end of the eleventh century in an elsewhere in the Islamic world. In the same year, 35
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CHAPTER TWO
important cultural center that we already know from several was locations, but the statistical analyses
home to Arabs, Christians and Jews (Runciman reported here were carried out using the mean value 1951: 304). The strongly Islamic nature of these of this data, thus yielding only one set of results for hoard is clearly indicated by the Kufic inscriptions each object. The site that was sampled was chosen
on some of the pieces (see above). However, to test hypotheses
regarding fabrication, whether the
Byzantine coins, types that bear a portrait object of Christ was cast in one piece or constructed from two
and a clearly Christian inscription, also or formed more separate a castings. The thin-walled vessels were sometimes too thin for the extraction of drilled
part of the hoard.
In the period between the completion samples, of the and in these cases a cut section was taken study that forms the basis of this paper using anda its fine jeweler's saw. This yielded a piece of metal, part publication, further analyses were conducted on of which, once cleaned of corrosion, be dissolved for ICP-AES. The remainder objects from Tiberias and from othercould Fatimid copper-alloy pieces from assemblages was found thenin mounted in resin and polished to allow optical microscopy and SEM-EDS analyses. Denia (southeast Spain) and from the Serçe Liman
shipwreck (Turkey) as part of a separate project The sample preparation methodology used (Ponting 2004). Reference has been madefor to the thisICP-AES analysis was essentially that subsequent work where appropriate, butdiscussed a certain by Hughes et al. (1976). Approx. 25 mg amount of duplication has been retainedof inthe some drilled (or cut) sample was weighed into pre- weighed sample tubes, 2 ml of aqua regia (1:3) of the general discussions on Islamic metallurgy
where this is important background forwere the added, full and the tube was gently heated to a understanding of the results.
temperature of no higher than 60°C (to prevent loss
of tin). When the sample was completely dissolved,
THE OBJECTS ANALYZED AND
TECHNIQUES USED
the liquid was made up to an approximate volume of
25 ml, and the entire tube and contents reweighed. An accurate dilution factor could then be calculated
the set of weights recorded for each sample. This chapter presents the results of the analysis from of
This was later used to calculate weight percent 103 artifacts from the hoard (a sample of approx. values from the concentration figures measured by 10%), which are listed in Table 2.1. The objects the ICP-AES instrument. were selected to represent as broad as possible a spectrum of artifact types, whilst including The ICP-AES used was a Perkin Elmer Plasma
400 instrument, calibrated using a mixed multiitems of particular art-historical or archaeological element standard that was matrix-matched. Quality interest. The bulk chemical analysis was conducted
control solutions (in conjunction with the quality by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission control software "QC Expert") and Standard spectrometry (ICP-AES) and additional imaging
Reference Materials (SRM) were run every and micro-analyses were performed by scanning ten samples to monitor accuracy and precision. electron microscopy in conjunction with energy Accuracy, based on multiple analyses of the two dispersive analysis (SEM-EDS). X-ray fluorescence SRMs used spread across all analyses, is better than (XRF-EDS) was used for the semi-quantitative analysis of the samples of scrap metal.
8% for all major and minor elements, with the lower
figures generally corresponding to the lower levels Samples for ICP-AES were taken by drilling into
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