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The investigation of submerged archaeological sites faces numerous logistical challenges in the recovery of stratigraphic sequences and, as a result, is often restricted to surface deposits limiting the application of geoarchaeology. This paper outlines a new integrated field and microanalytical methodological protocol to investigate deep stratigraphic sequences (up to 2 m) within the submerged Pre‐Pottery Neolithic (PPN) site of Atlit‐Yam (9267–7970 cal. B.P. [calibrated years before the present]). A new coring method for the extraction of deep underwater stratigraphy was developed to extract three cores: two between architectural remains within the site and one outside the site. The cores were analysed using Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, phytolith and pollen analysis and archaeological micromorphology to detect anthropogenic signals and undertake paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Our results indicate anthropogenic evidence at 95 cm depth based on the presence of heat‐altered sediments, high phytolith concentrations and micromorphological observations of archaeological remains. Radiocarbon analysis indicates the oldest anthropogenic layers date to the Mid Pre‐Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB) and Late PPNB (9859–9323 cal. B.P.), bearing implications for reassessing the emergence of the first coastal Neolithic villages in the Mediterranean. Our integrated field and multiproxy micro‐geoarchaeological protocol offers a new approach to detecting and studying submerged archaeological sites worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was always clear that for practical reasons any new region-based study of the Roman and Byzantine periods in north-western Jordan would have to rely on existing evidence from archaeological surveys and excavations. The concentration of previous archaeological survey work in parts of the region of West Irbid in Jordan, and especially the surveys made by N. Glueck in the 1940s and S. Mittmann in the 1960s, made this area especially attractive for archaeologists. In this paper, the aim was to analyze the results of the West Irbid survey, particularly of the Roman and Byzantine periods, made during September 2005. The information gathered was of great help, enabling the classifi cation of sites into groups according to the nature of occupation, and analyzing the discovered architectural remains to provide a broader context for interpretation of the nature of Roman and Byzantine settlements in the surveyed region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a study of the cultural and economic changes from a longue durée perspective as reflected in the animal remains from a nearly continuous occupation spanning the early Iron Age through the Roman period at Tel Dor, a harbor town on Israel's Carmel coast. Such long-term zooarchaeological analyses are currently rare. Focusing on the choice of food, as well as on animal exploitation methods/strategies, the paper asks whether changes through time can be explained in economic or cultural terms, whether they can be correlated with changes in the site's material culture, whether they reflect some change in the site's population, or should be explained in terms of the adoption of new cultural norms. The results demonstrate that during a millennium and a half of Dor's existence, there was very little change in most patterns of animal exploitation and consumption. The only apparent change was in the increase in pig remains between the early Iron Age and the Hellenistic and Roman periods. In view of the constancy in all other exploitation characteristics, and in light of other data from Dor, the paper suggests that this change does not reflect a change in the site's population but rather the adoption of new norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological documentation of imports in a given region can contribute to our knowledge about ancient economy and society. This paper deals with imported fine ware between the fourth and seventh centuries in northern Israel, later known as Palaestina Secunda. Samples of imports from two field surveys covering dozens of rural sites in the region are presented and compared with published assemblages from excavated sites. An analysis of these findings indicates that such vessels were first imported to the region in the fourth century from North Africa and Cyprus and were followed by imports from Asia Minor from the fifth century on. The quantities of imported wares, found at sites ranging from large poleis to the smallest and most remote villages, indicate that these vessels were not limited to the higher social strata but were common and widely accessible. Contrary to previous opinions, the findings show that Jews did not avoid using imported pottery during this period. It seems, however, that Samaritans avoided using these imports, probably due to their stringent purity laws. The paper concludes with a discussion of the economic implications that may be drawn from this phenomenon of abundant imports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Khirbet Qeiyafa is a small, fortified, early Iron Age site in the Judaean Shephelah, situated on a low hill overlooking the Elah Valley, at approximately the place described in 1 Samuel 17 as the site of the duel between David and Goliath. The main phase of occupation seems to have extended for only a short time during the Iron I/Iron IIA transition. Various scholars have suggested different identifications, most notably Shaaraim and Netaim. This paper refutes previous suggestions while proposing that this site be identified with the ma'gāl, Saul's fortified camp at which David leaves his pack in I Sam 17:20, and reaffirming that the real value of the site is not its biblical identity but its position, on both the geographic frontier between Iron Age Judah and Philistia and the chronological transition from Iron Age I to Iron Age IIA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excavations of R. Amiran and A. Eitan at the site of Tel Nagila are best known for the Middle Bronze Age remains exposed at the site. Yet Early Bronze remains were sporadically excavated in restricted locations where the excavators deepened their investigations below Middle Bronze strata. As such, a study of the albeit limited EB remains furnishes us with an opportunity to provide a more complete settlement history of the site, as well as a limited view of ceramic tradition that was common at the site. The following paper will present the stratigraphic and ceramic information available, and suggests a rather early date within Early Bronze III of the remains, as well as evidence for Early Bronze Age I occupation of the site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological excavations have been conducted at Tel 'En Gev, Israel, by three archaeological missions: a group of Israeli archaeologists headed by B. Mazar (1961), the Japanese Archaeological Project in the Biblical Land (1990-2004), and Keio University, Japan (2009-2011). Mazar and others detected five Iron Age strata in the 'lower city' and four in the 'upper city'. On the other hand, the Japanese mission found only two strata from the Iron Age and one each for Persian, Hellenistic, and Early Roman periods, while Keio University uncovered three Iron Age strata and one Persian-Hellenistic stratum. Therefore, until date, no coherent timeframe has been established for the site. In this paper, the evidence gathered by the three groups will be examined and compared to reconstruct a coherent picture of the historical development of Tel 'En Gev. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The archaeological record indicates that elephants must have played a significant role in early human diet and culture during Palaeolithic times in the Old World. However, the nature of interactions between early humans and elephants is still under discussion. Elephant remains are found in Palaeolithic sites, both open-air and cave sites, in Europe, Asia, the Levant, and Africa. In some cases elephant and mammoth remains indicate evidence for butchering and marrow extraction performed by humans. Revadim Quarry (Israel) is a Late Acheulian site where elephant remains were found in association with characteristic Lower Palaeolithic flint tools. In this paper we present results regarding the use of Palaeolithic tools in processing animal carcasses and rare identification of fat residue preserved on Lower Palaeolithic tools. Our results shed new light on the use of Palaeolithic stone tools and provide, for the first time, direct evidence (residue) of animal exploitation through the use of an Acheulian biface and a scraper. The association of an elephant rib bearing cut marks with these tools may reinforce the view suggesting the use of Palaeolithic stone tools in the consumption of large game. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses token molds and lead tokens retrieved during controlled archaeological excavations at the site of Arsur (Apollonia-Arsūf) during excavations over the past two decades. It promulgates the idea that locally struck unofficial lead money formed an integral part of the 'cash' used by Frankish settlers in the lordship of Arsur, like in many of the cities, towns and rural estates in the Latin East during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Megiddo pottery assemblages of the Iron Age I, IIA, and IIB periods are well known, but those of the Iron IIC have received little attention. In this paper, the Iron IIC pottery assemblages o f Strata III and II are presented and discussed. Based on this analysis, it follows that this period can be divided into two phases: the Early Iron IIC and Late Iron IIC. In light of this proposed subdivision, Megiddo and other key sites in northern Israel are analyzed and chronological and historical implications evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The earthquake of 363 CE is mentioned in several contemporary sources; it struck 22 towns and the scale of damage varied considerably from town to town. Caesarea Maritima appears on the list of sites that were hit; however the only archaeological evidence for the earthquake is a large hoard of 3,700 copper coins found in the excavations of the synagogue. The latest coins recovered date to 361 CE and suggest the synagogue was destroyed by the 363 CE earthquake. This paper presents a thorough numismatic analysis and catalogue of the hoard and examines the active geological faults in the region of Caesarea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excavation at Tel Nagila uncovered a series of domestic structures dating to the Middle Bronze Age II. In the following paper, a division of the finds in the various structures is undertaken, in order to further our understanding of the use of space at the site. Within the domestic structures, many miniature vessels were found. We suggest that these were not votive offerings, rather attest to the presence of children in the various rooms of the homes. The role of children and the ability to identify them in the archaeological record is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the preliminary results of the analysis of the Iron Age finds from Tel Nagila. The excavations, which took place in the early 1960s under the direction of R. Amiran and A. Eitan, revealed three Iron Age strata. Through the lens of these finds, we reflect on Tel Nagila as an Iron Age settlement on the border between Judah and Philistia, on the ethnic and political affiliations of its population, and how these affiliations may have changed over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the seismic response of the underground water storage cavern at the archaeological site of Tel Beer Sheva, excavated about 3,000 years ago in a highly jointed chalk region in the Negev Desert, in Israel. By using the distinct element method and the UDEC code, the stability conditions of the cavern are analysed. Close attention is given during rock mass modelling to the presence of discontinuities including horizontal bedding and a vertical joint set. The results of the static analyses performed confirm, as illustrated with archaeological researches, that the cavern roof had collapsed, probably during the time of construction, when a massive support pillar in the centre of the opening was constructed to support the remaining roof. The results of the dynamic analyses, which considered the recorded accelerations of the 1995 Nuweiba earthquake, demonstrate that the cavern in its present configuration, with the massive pillar in its centre, did not undergo any significant damage throughout the years, even when subjected to seismic events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tel Hashash is located within the boundaries of modern Tel Aviv. Surveys and excavations carried out in the site by the late J. Kaplan and H. Ritter-Kaplan during the 1960s and 1980s revealed remains and finds dated mainly to the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods. The present paper includes the presentation and analysis of these yet unpublished remains, and a revision of the excavators' conclusions about the function and history of the site in classical times and Late Antiquity, in light of the archaeology and history of the lower Yarqon river and the central coastal plain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A long series of excavations has been carried out since 1967 by Israeli archaeologists in 'unified' Jerusalem. Proponents have characterised this work as revolutionary and inspired by 'a free academic spirit'; critics have viewed it as part of the 'Jewish-colonial-nationalist project'. The truth of these views, which are not mutually exclusive, lies very much in the eye of the beholder. Despite the unified legal framework governing the excavation of Jerusalem, there is neither a single outlook nor an overarching plan in its conduct. Different excavators — and perhaps more significantly, different development agencies — have worked to different ends in Jerusalem, using a wide variety of means. Three stages may be discerned in the conduct of archaeological work in Jerusalem since 1967. The first two, spanning the first three decades or so of Israeli presence in East Jerusalem, may be characterised, by and large, as 'official' in outlook, i.e., governed by concerns of the central government and by the municipal leadership; the third, spanning the recent decade, is highly factional in outlook, i.e., governed by the pressures exerted on an increasingly decentralised authority by special interest groups, primarily those of the ideological-religious right. The conclusion of this paper puts forward some ideas for alternative action by archaeologists in Jerusalem, based on current concepts of best archaeological practice and on a proactive stance on archaeological ethics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a late Iron Age I/early Iron Age II Old Canaanite inscription from Tell eṣ - Ṥâfī /Gath is presented and discussed. The inscription derives from a clear archaeological context and is written on a fragment of a chronologically indicative, red-slipped and hand-burnished ceramic bowl. We suggest reading the inscription as two personal names, 'alwt and wlt[…], which we believe are Philistine names of Greek or Anatolian origin. The significance of this inscription is discussed with several points in mind, including the ramifications for dating the typological development and sequence of the alphabet during the early Iron Age; the implications for understanding the origin and development of the Philistine culture; and the problem of the relationship of the personal names in question to the onomasticon of the biblical Philistines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most parts of Israel were excavated intensively, and most of the country was also covered by surveys. Our knowledge of settlement patterns and distribution during the various periods is very comprehensive — probably more so than in any other region in the world. Using data from the numerous excavations and from the detailed surveys, many studies have made use of various and sundry methods, in order to learn about the settlements and the population of the country, about changes in settlement patterns and distribution, and about periods of crises, decline, or growth. Past studies, however, have ignored an entire array of findings that could have improved, refined, and even changed the familiar picture of the settlement history of ancient Israel. Thousands of salvage excavations ('rescue digs') were carried out over the years, and especially in the last decade, but these have not been dealt with systematically. These excavations provide comprehensive and reliable information, which is likely to change the picture of the history of settlement in some periods. While a comprehensive project of collecting and analysing the published data on these excavations is now in progress, the present article aims at drawing attention to this neglected source of information. We will demonstrate the advantages of this analysis as compared to other sources of information, and will show how this information, when combined with other sources of information, is changing our understanding of the settlement history of certain periods, including the transition from the Iron Age I–II and the formation of the Israelite monarchy, the nature of the Neo-Babylonian period, and the outcomes of the Jewish revolts against the Romans. The paper ends with a discussion of the advantages and limitations of the various sources of information, i.e., planned excavations, surveys, and salvage excavations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to provide more information on the socioeconomic organization of mobile pastoralists in the Early Bronze Age and Early Bronze Age IV/Middle Bronze Age I (EB IV/MB I) periods, excavations were conducted at the site of Rekhes Nafha 396 in the Negev Highlands, Israel. The fieldwork was carried out in 1993, 1994, and 1995. This project's methodological and theoretical approaches for excavating a pastoral habitation site are outlined at the beginning of this paper, followed by a report of the excavations carried out in architectural Units i through 3. The fieldwork identified occupations at the site in the Early Bronze Age, the EB IV/MB I, and Early Islamic periods. The excavations of Rekhes Nafha 396 reveal a complex pastoral nomadic system linking animal husbandry with small craft production in the Early Bronze Age. A working hypothesis is that inhabitants of this site engaged in a trinket trade with the population of Tel Arad. There is no evidence to suggest that Rekhes Nafha 396's inhabitants participated in the Early Bronze Age copper trade between Tel Arad and southern Sinai. The petrographic study of the EB IV/MB I pottery, combined with the settlement pattern in the Hat Nafha survey map, provide potential evidence of seasonal occupations in this part of the Negev Highlands. The find of a copper ingot fragment, together with the results of the petrographic analysis of the pottery, attest that the inhabitants of Rekhes Nafha 396 participated in a regional economy that operated throughout the southern Levant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses whether or not there should be an end to unnecessary archeological excavations in Israel. Concerns that the sites may not last very long; Disconnect between the increase in excavations and the lag in their publication; Role of and conflicts of interests facing the Israel Antiquities Authority.

This paper summarizes the results of recent excavations (1982-90) at the Middle Paleolithic site of Kebara Cave. Work at the cave by earlier excavators is also discussed. Although analysis of the Kebara materials is still far from completed, an overview of the current stage of the investigations includes (1) a synthesis of the site's complex stratigraphy and dating; (2) a description of the spatial patterning of hearths, ash lenses, and bone and artifact concentrations, (3) results of in situ mineralogical studies of cave sediments to determine whether the observed spatial distribution of fossil animal bones is an accurate reflection of past human and/or scavenger activities in the cave or an artifact of differential postdepositional bone loss through groundwater dissolution; (4) a synthesis of the Mousterian stone tool assemblages focusing on the technology of tool production as reflected in chaines opératoires (a brief summary of the site's Upper Paleolithic assemblages is also provided); (5) an in-depth taphonomic analysis of the Middle and Upper Paleolithic mammalian fauna looking specifically at the ungulates; and (6) an inventory of the Middle Paleolithic human remains recovered to date, as well as information concerning the deliberate burial of a nearly complete adult man. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides the final assessment of a large-scale optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating project of water installations in the arid Negev Highlands, southern Israel. Results from five open reservoirs and five rock-cut cisterns are reported. By sampling spoil piles, feeding channels, and accumulation of sediments within reservoirs and cisterns, their construction and phases of maintenance and abandonment are dated. Conventional wisdom argued for progress from simpler open reservoirs in the Bronze or Iron Ages to the more sophisticated rock-cut cisterns of the Nabatean–Byzantine periods. It is shown that open reservoirs were dug throughout the history of the region, likely from the Early or Intermediate Bronze Ages until the medieval period, including periods with no stone-built remains in the region. The construction of subterranean cisterns, which calls for more resources and skill, characterize the Late Roman/Byzantine to Early Islamic period. The significance of these results for reconstructing the history of human activity in the region is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographic information systems (GIS) methods, combined with airborne remote sensing, enable collection of complex spatial datasets across broad regional areas. This article explores the use of GIS techniques for fast collection, processing and analysis of pedestrian survey data. This approach is used at Tell Abu Shusha, a multiperiod site in the Jezreel Valley of northern Israel. Surface survey of this tell and the surrounding region, conducted by the Jezreel Valley Regional Project during 2017, documented extensive visible remains of settlement features as well as the ruins of the Ottoman era village of Abu Shusha. Using this data, the potential for existing spatial analytical techniques to be modified and improved through modern processing capabilities is shown. Kolmogorov–Smirnov nonparametric tests, pure locational (k‐means) and unconstrained clustering methods were applied to the field walking survey data, showing evidence of feature clustering at multiple scales as well as environmental patterning in where features are located. Results demonstrate that these approaches increase the speed and accuracy of pedestrian survey data collection and that the modification of these analytical techniques makes them more robust than before, allowing for the identification of meaningful large‐scale spatial patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of more-than-human agency maintains that objects, animals and plants can act as agents with various effects on people and that trees specifically may play a role in shaping and changing spaces (hence constituting a 'planty agency'). Also, trees usually outlive several human generations and can therefore be termed 'historical trees.' Although this issue is especially relevant for the discipline of landscape archaeology, no systematic methodology has been developed as to how to integrate historical trees in the archaeological documentation of sites and landscapes. Furthermore, there is no scholarly consensus about acknowledging historical trees as legitimate targets for archaeological research from the outset. In this study it is claimed that historical planted (and sometimes wild) trees form relics of intra- and (mainly) inter-settlement cultural landscapes of the recent past. Hence, historical trees can be treated as arboreal evidence that should be interpreted alongside the cultural/material evidence. The great potential of historical trees for archaeological and historical research is demonstrated by seven case studies from Israel's coastal region which represent various spatial and functional contexts dated to the late medieval, Ottoman and British Mandate periods. Based on these examples a basic methodology for the documentation of historical trees is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the seventh excavation season in 2019 at Tel Abel Beth Maacah, located in northern Israel, part of a well-constructed building was revealed just below topsoil in Area K. One partially excavated room in this building was found to contain at least five smashed storage jars in situ. Restoration showed that the jars are all of the same type and mode of manufacture, and one of them, with a marked handle, bears a one-word ink inscription. The standardization of the jars, the marked handle, and the inscription, indicate the existence of a local, centralized administrative system. The typology and surface treatment of the jars point to a date in the 9th century or at the latest, the beginning of the 8th century bce, a date corroborated by the palaeography of the inscription and by other pottery in the building. The inscription itself consists of a Hebrew personal name (as it has a Yahwistic theophoric ending) written in the Old Hebrew script. The name and its archaeological and regional context add information concerning the possible cultural and political affiliation of the site at this time, a debated issue in light of its location in the border region between the kingdoms of Israel and Aram Damascus, and within the sphere of the Phoenician polities of Tyre and Sidon to the west. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-potential (SP) method is one of the most non-expensive and unsophisticated geophysical methods. However, its application limits absence of reliable interpreting methodology, first for the complex geological–environmental conditions. The typical disturbances appearing in the SP method and ways for their removing (elimination) are discussed. Some brief review of the available interpretation methods indicates their insufficient effectivity, especially for the complex environments. For the magnetic method of geophysical prospecting, special quantitative procedures applicable under non-trivial environments (oblique polarization, rugged relief and unknown level of the normal field) have been recently developed. Performed analysis allowed to revealing some essential common peculiarities between the magnetic and SP fields. These common aspects make it possible to apply the advanced procedures developed in magnetic prospecting to SP method. Besides the reliable determination of the depth of anomalous target, these methodologies enable to calculate the polarization effect and corrections for the non-horizontal SP observations. For classification of SP anomalies is supposed to employ a new parameter—'self-potential moment'. These procedures (improved modifications of characteristic point and tangent techniques) have been successfully tested on SP models and employed in the real situations in various archaeological sites in Israel. The present paper generalizes the earlier performed studies. The obtained results indicate the practical importance of the developed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the potential of oxygen stable isotope composition of Sparidae (sea-bream) tooth enamel phosphate (δ 18 O P ) as an indicator of the habitat in which the fish were captured. The isotopic compositions of Sparidae molariform teeth recovered from the coastal site of Tel Dor (northern coast of Israel), from a sequence dated to the 12th–7th centuries BCE and from modern samples were studied. The δ 18 O P values of the archaeological specimens exhibited a wide range of values, varying between 21.3 and 25.2 ± 0.2‰. While δ 18 O P values from the teeth dated to the 12th–9th centuries BCE resembled typical East Mediterranean coastal water, some of the later teeth, dated to the 9th–7th centuries BCE, exhibited higher values. The later values indicate tooth enamel deposition in a hyper-saline environment similar to δ 18 O P values of Sparidae observed at Bardawil Lagoon (Southeastern Mediterranean coast, east of the Suez Canal, Egypt). Prior to this study all Sparidae fish recovered at Tel Dor were regarded as evidence of local fishing activity. The current results exhibit, for the first time, that some of the Sparids may have been exported from the Bardawil Lagoon. We discuss, however, an alternative scenario, namely, the possible existence of saline lagoons near Tel Dor in antiquity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hebrew Bible and other ancient Near Eastern texts describe Egyptian, Aramean, Assyrian, and Babylonian military campaigns to the Southern Levant during the 10th to sixth centuries BCE. Indeed, many destruction layers dated to this period have been unearthed in archaeological excavations. Several of these layers are securely linked to specific campaigns and are widely accepted as chronological anchors. However, the dating of many other destruction layers is often debated, challenging the ability to accurately reconstruct the different military campaigns and raising questions regarding the historicity of the biblical narrative. Here, we present a synchronization of the historically dated chronological anchors and other destruction layers and artifacts using the direction and/or intensity of the ancient geomagnetic field recorded in mud bricks from 20 burnt destruction layers and in two ceramic assemblages. During the period in question, the geomagnetic field in this region was extremely anomalous with rapid changes and high-intensity values, including spikes of more than twice the intensity of today's field. The data are useful in the effort to pinpoint these short-term variations on the timescale, and they resolve chronological debates regarding the campaigns against the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the relationship between the two kingdoms, and their administrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological excavations in the village of Silwan, southeast of the Old City of Jerusalem, began more than 150 years ago and have revealed multiple layers of civilizations dating from as early as the fifth millennium BCE until modern times. The site was identified by some European and Israeli archaeologists as the biblical "King David's city" of about three thousand years ago, yet no significant remains from this period were unearthed. Since the occupation of Jerusalem in 1967, Israel has implemented policies aimed at imposing a Jewish demographic majority and strengthening its control over the city. Since the early 1990s, the Israeli authorities, and their satellite right-wing settler organizations, have been immersed in a large-scale project in Silwan: the establishment of a Jewish colony with a biblical-archaeological theme park for tourism in the heart of the village. The strategy to achieve this project is twofold: to carry out extensive archaeological excavations in order to uncover structures and artifacts that are related to "biblical" times, particularly from King David's reign; and to appropriate and demolish hundreds of homes, forcibly displace their Palestinian residents, and replace them with Jewish settlers. This article focuses on how Israel weaponizes archaeology to create an invented "biblical" narrative centered on the so-called "City of David" to justify its settler-colonial project in Silwan. This contradicts the ethics of accepted archaeological practice and presents a biased narrative of the site as "biblical" and "Jewish," while ignoring its diverse multi-faceted history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Unprecedentedly large archaeological datasets on the Southern Levant. • Revealing drastic changes in burial practices throughout the millennia. • Original methodology for a quantitative study of archaeological data and phenomena. The southern Levant is probably the most excavated and surveyed part of the world. While many past studies have attempted to use this wealth of information, they usually focused on certain phenomena and, moreover, the data was not systematically quantified. This study presents a new, quantitative, approach to the data. We rely on two datasets: (1) the published results of salvage excavations, carried out mainly in small sites; (2) the excavations published in the New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land , which includes mainly central sites. These databases not only cover both large-scale excavations of major sites and salvage excavations in the countryside, but also enable a quantitative analysis which has a potential to transform our understanding of past social and demographic phenomena. To exemplify this potential, we study the proportion of burials within the different sub-sets of the databases. This broad overview reveals some drastic changes over time, including periods from which very few burials were identified (Early Bronze Age II-III, Iron Age, Middle Ages), and others in which burials comprised around half of the finds (Intermediate Bronze Age, Roman period). The paper analyzes these phenomena and highlights the potential of the data to illuminate other questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the results of a mineralogical analyses on a group of unique vessels found during excavations at the site of Hagoshrim in Israel. During the course of the study, the vessels were analyzed for mineralogical composition using polarizing and binocular microscopes as well as x-ray diffraction (XRD) to identify the rock from its original structure. It indicates that material culture evidence of the Late Neolithic/Early Chalcolithic in the southern Levant suggests that communities had contacts with the northern parts of the Fertile Crescent.

The article discusses about rural settlements in Israel during the Iron Age. It focuses on the break in rural settlements during transition from Iron I to Iron II, what has traditionally been called the tenth century bce. It mentions that most of the archaeological studies concentrated on the excavation of major rural sites with historical or biblical importance. Most of the excavated Iron I rural sites in the highlands did not continue to exist as villages in the Iron II. The excavated Iron II rural sites were established during the later periods of Iron II and there were almost no rural settlements in the tenth century. It also confutes the criticism of the archaeologist, Israel Finkelstein, on reconstruction.

Discusses whether or not there should be an end to unnecessary archeological excavations in Israel. Disconnection between the increase in excavations and the lag in their publication; Factors blamed for the lag; Uniqueness of the archeological endeavor; Suggested remedies and questions.

Biological rock crusts (BRCs) are ubiquitous features of rock surfaces in drylands composed of slow-growing microbial assemblages. BRC presence is often correlated with rock weathering, soiling effect or mitigating geomorphic processes. However, their development rate is still unknown. In this work, we characterised and dated BRCs in an arid environment, under natural conditions, by integrating archaeological, microbiological and geological methods. To this end, we sampled rocks from a well-documented Byzantine archaeological site and the surrounding area located in the central Negev, Israel. The archaeological site, which is dated to the fourth to seventh centuries CE, was constructed from two lithologies, limestone and chalk. BRC started developing on the rocks after being carved, and its age should match that of the site. Using stable carbon and oxygen isotope ratios, we confirmed the biogenic nature of the crusts. The BRC samples showed mild differences in the microbial community assemblages between the site and its surroundings, irrespective of lithology, confirming the dominance of aeolian inoculation sources. All BRCs were dominated by Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria and Proteobacteria. We further measured the BRC thickness on 1700-year-old building stone blocks and determined it to be 0.1–0.6 mm thick. Therefore, a BRC growth rate was estimated, for the first time, to be 0.06–0.35 mm kyr -1. Our dating method was then validated on a similar archaeological site located ca. 20 km away, giving comparable values. We propose that BRC growth rates could be used as an affordable yet robust dating tool in archaeological sites in arid environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a response by the author to several comments on his report "The Excavations in Kebara Cave, Mt. Carmel," that appear in the December 1992 issue of the journal "Current Anthropology." He said that there is no doubt that the KMH 2 burial, found in the excavation of Kebara Cave in Israel, was in a pit, least 20-30 cm deep. According to him, the phylogenetic relationship among the various Near Eastern hominids is a hotly debated issue.

Tsunami events in antiquity had a profound influence on coastal societies. Six thousand years of historical records and geological data show that tsunamis are a common phenomenon affecting the eastern Mediterranean coastline. However, the possible impact of older tsunamis on prehistoric societies has not been investigated. Here we report, based on optically stimulated luminescence chronology, the earliest documented Holocene tsunami event, between 9.91 to 9.29 ka (kilo-annum), from the eastern Mediterranean at Dor, Israel. Tsunami debris from the early Neolithic is composed of marine sand embedded within fresh-brackish wetland deposits. Global and local sea-level curves for the period, 9.91–9.29 ka, as well as surface elevation reconstructions, show that the tsunami had a run-up of at least ~16 m and traveled between 3.5 to 1.5 km inland from the palaeo-coastline. Submerged slump scars on the continental slope, 16 km west of Dor, point to the nearby "Dor-complex" as a likely cause. The near absence of Pre-Pottery Neolithic A-B archaeological sites (11.70–9.80 cal. ka) suggest these sites were removed by the tsunami, whereas younger, late Pre-Pottery Neolithic B-C (9.25–8.35 cal. ka) and later Pottery-Neolithic sites (8.25–7.80 cal. ka) indicate resettlement following the event. The large run-up of this event highlights the disruptive impact of tsunamis on past societies along the Levantine coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strontium isotope ratios (87 Sr / 86 Sr) of biogenic material such as bones and teeth reflect the local sources of strontium ingested as food and drink during their formation. This has led to the use of strontium isotope ratios as a geochemical tracer in a wide range of fields including archaeology, ecology, food studies and forensic sciences. In order to utilise strontium as a geochemical tracer, baseline data of bioavailable 87 Sr / 86 Sr in the region of interest are required, and a growing number of studies have developed reference maps for this purpose in various geographic regions, and over varying scales. This study presents a new data set of bioavailable strontium isotope ratios from rock and soil samples across Israel, as well as from sediment layers from seven key archaeological sites. This data set may be viewed and accessed both in an Open Science Framework repository (10.17605/OSF.IO/XKJ5Y, Moffat et al., 2020) or via the IRHUM (Isotopic Reconstruction of Human Migration) database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the results of underwater archaeological investigations at the submerged Neolithic settlement of Tel Hreiz (7500 – 7000 BP), off the Carmel coast of Israel. The underwater archaeological site has yielded well-preserved architectural, artefactual, faunal and human remains. We examine and discuss the notable recent discovery of a linear, boulder-built feature >100m long, located seaward of the settlement. Based on archaeological context, mode of construction and radiometric dating, we demonstrate the feature was contemporary with the inundated Neolithic settlement and conclude that it served as a seawall, built to protect the village against Mediterranean Sea-level rise. The seawall is unique for the period and is the oldest known coastal defence worldwide. Its length, use of large non-local boulders and specific arrangement in the landscape reflect the extensive effort invested by the Neolithic villagers in its conception, organisation and construction. However, this distinct social action and display of resilience proved a temporary solution and ultimately the village was inundated and abandoned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a quick and effective way to archive the different stages of an excavation - notably to prepare the post-excavation phase and to document the production methods – photogrammetry has become an indispensable tool. Indeed, it offers a valid scientific model, usable by any member of the team and at any moment, without the need to return to the excavation site. Photogrammetry can also complement other archaeological tools such as manual surveys. The interaction between the complementary approach of the interpretative drawing measurements (IDM) and the photogrammetric model measurements (PMM) enables us to apprehend the error rate of the interpretative measurements in situ. It appears thus that the measurements taken flat have an error rate inferior to 2% whereas the distances that are either too long or taken on a three-dimensional support have an error rate that can exceed 10%. The input of photogrammetry is therefore an added value whether it be during the excavation phase or during the post-excavation studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the author's opinion on the report "The Excavations in Kebara Cave, Mt. Carmel," that appear in the December 1992 issue of the journal "Current Anthropology." According to her, the identification of the differential distribution of bone concentrations throughout Kebara Cave in Israel is an excellent example of the interaction of geology and archaeology. She said that the report is an excellent contribution to one's understanding of Mousterian behavior.

The article reports on new evidence of burial patterns from the central coastal plain discovered from an archaeological excavation carried out northeast of Kibbutz Palmahim, Israel. It offers an overview of the remains of the previously unknown Chalcolithic Cemetery at Palmahim, such as the state of preservation and the archaeological remains that date from Neolithic to the Persian periods. Description of the burial structures, which are based on shape, size, and attributes, are given.

The territories of the former kingdom of Judah were only sparsely settled during the Persian period, as exemplified by the extreme rarity of domestic structures unearthed in excavations. Viewed against this background, the large number of excavated forts and isolated administrative buildings from this period is remarkable, and they apparently outnumber the period's excavated dwellings. Not only is this an extremely unlikely situation, but various lines of evidence, pertaining to specific sites as well as to the phenomenon as a whole, render the possibility that all these structures were forts or administrative buildings extremely implausible. Consequently, this article re-examines the phenomenon within the social landscape of the region in particular, and of the Achaemenid empire in general, in an attempt to embed those unique buildings within the broader demographic and political reality of this time. Given the location of many of the sites and the finds unearthed in them, and in light of the demographic reality in the region and of the broader Achaemenid imperial policy, the article suggests that most of the so-called forts were estates, created in the process of the resettlement of this previously devastated region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1899, Bliss and Macalister launched a brief but intensive campaign of excavation at the site of Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath and uncovered evidence for a large-scale fortification system and thick deposits from various time periods. While they argued that the majority of remains, including the fortifications, were of Iron Age or later origin, some Early Bronze Age remains also appeared in their reports and collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qesem Cave is a Middle Pleistocene site in Israel occupied between 420 and 200 ka. Excavations have revealed a wealth of innovative behaviors most likely practiced by a new hominin lineage. These include early evidence for the habitual and continuous use of fire, the repeated use of a central hearth, systematic flint and bone recycling, early blade production technologies, social hunting strategies and meat-sharing practices, and more. Fire was used throughout the 200,000 years of human occupation of the cave primarily for meat roasting and cooking. Roasting and cooking, we argue, had an important role in providing the necessary caloric intake of the cave's inhabitants. We see fire as an essential element of the new post-Acheulian human adaptation in the Levant. The ample recurring evidence for focused and repeated use of fire for dietary purposes suggests that fire production, control, use, and maintenance were habitually practiced by the cave's inhabitants and that fire-induced calories became central for their survival. We present an integrative view regarding the use of fire at Qesem Cave and discuss the role of fire within the framework of the significant cultural and biological transformations that took shape in the post-Acheulian Levant during the Middle Pleistocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distinction between clean and unclean, often associated with bodily functions, is a common feature of human societies. Consequently, diverse groups developed different ways of maintaining separation between the realms. Despite its prominence in many ethnographies and in anthropology at large, and although the spatial expression of this separation is susceptible to archaeological enquiry, the concept of purity had received less attention by archaeologists. The completion of the excavation of a large house at Tel 'Eton supplied us with detailed information on household life and practices in Iron Age Israel. The finds from this house, along with a very large archaeological dataset about Iron Age Israelite society at large and the wealth of textual data from this period, give us insights into the practices associated with purity/impurity. The article reconstructs how Iron Age Israelite society coped with the implications of impurity (mainly women during menstruation) in its daily life, how impurity was contained, and offers a reconstruction of the ritual that accompanied the change of status from impure to pure. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses the discovery of ancient pottery and glassware in Yafo, Israel. It highlights the uncovering of pottery at Jerusalem Boulevard in Yafo where porcelain vessels, bowls, plates and glass bracelets were retrieved in an excavation site in the said area which dates back during the Ottoman period.