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The 2017 salvage excavation conducted at the site of Lajjun within Kibbutz Megiddo, Israel, revealed layers of refuse, primarily ceramics, constituting a household midden with finds indicating a 12th-century date and a Frankish cultural affinity. The midden can be associated with the occupation of the ancient settlement of Lajjun by Frankish settlers intermittently in the 12th and 13th centuries c.e. , representing a first archaeological window into the Frankish activity at the site and complementing the historical data on the village known from Crusader sources as Le Lyon (Lajjun). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following article considers the imperial as experienced through the daily lives of peasants in southern Syria during the early Ottoman period. Control of critical resources was a flashpoint in the relationship between the state and village communities; thus, it is through the lens of land use that peasant dependency and agency in the face of the Ottoman state can be best evaluated. Two archaeological sites in Jordan and Israel provide data for detailed investigation of patterns noted in the scholarly literature. After a critical assessment of the contributions of archaeology to the large field of (overwhelmingly text-dominated) Ottoman studies, I turn to three areas of peasants' lives that reflected, to different degrees, encounters with the imperial: land tenure and land use, household consumption, and material culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

This article represents the first section of the second part of the study Gods and Idols. Representations and Symbolizations of the Divinity in the Religions of Ancient Israel. The subjects addressed for analysis are idolatry and iconoclasm in the context of Levantine iconography, seen from the perspective of the biblical authors, a totally tendentious, aggressive and contrary vision, in particular, to the archaeological discoveries. The Hebrew lexical fund of the MT was very rich and, later, almost doubled by the Greek version of the Old Testament text translated into the LXX (Septuagint) translation, regarding the denomination of foreign gods, idols and other representations. However, the “de facto tradition” of the Israelites contained a plastic iconography, idolatry and iconoclasm being phenomena that appeared in the post-exile period and called by scientific research “programmatic tradition”. [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]

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]

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]

Copyright of Erciyes Akademi is the property of Erciyes Universitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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]

This study addresses the post-occupational history of Arsuf (Apollonia-Arsuf) on the Mediterranean coast of Israel. Archaeological excavations at the site have revealed its continuous occupation from the late sixth century BCE through to the mid-thirteenth century CE, when it was destroyed by the Mamluks and never properly resettled since. Although the site of Arsuf (Crusader Arsur) was razed to the ground and has remained a permanent ruin, human activity there is attested to in intermittent undertakings, such as scavenging for building materials and the encampment and training of British troops in WWI. The site's post-occupational biography forms a test case of archaeological investigation of sites whose history does not come to an end after they are no longer occupied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies demonstrate the effectiveness of integrated archaeo-geophysical tools in resolving various geological-environmental challenges. This involves combining geophysical methods in archaeological fieldwork or remote sensing methods for preliminary survey and analysis of archaeological sites, potentially enhanced by machine learning techniques to estimate object shapes and characteristics. This study highlights the potential of employing informational and probabilistic approaches as optimal tools for evaluating and integrating critical information for archaeological research. Our proposed procedure for assessing the reliability of tools or toolsets is based on improved methodologies utilizing conditional probability, which were suggested in previous authors' publications. We illustrate examples of combining remote sensing, known for its low cost, portability, and effectiveness in initial archaeological site identification, with machine learning methods to locate and discover new sites in archaeologically well-studied areas in Israel. Subsequently, we conduct an informational assessment of remote sensing data and propose steps to correlate this data with other geophysical information probabilistically. • Applying an information-probabilistic approach increases the quality, quantity, and associated parameters of geoscientific information. • Based on the information approach, Remote Sensing analysis can be numerically integrated with other geophysical and environmental studies. • Advanced Remote Sensing applications in Northern and Southern Israel enabled the discovery of earlier unknown archaeological targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty ceramic ring-shaped stands came to light during the archaeological excavation of Khirbet el-Maqatir in the central highlands of Israel. The ring stands functioned as pedestals for round or conical vessels. Four of the twenty stands remained mostly intact and contained inscriptions. One of these stands included an inscribed word, two stands preserved a letter of the Hebrew or Aramaic alphabet, and another stand featured an incision. The stands dated to the early Roman period. At that time, ritually observant Jews occupied Khirbet el-Maqatir, a fortified village 16 kilometers north of Jerusalem. Khirbet el-Maqatir fell to the Romans in approximately 69 CE, during the First Jewish Revolt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The open-air Middle Paleolithic site at Nesher Ramla, Israel, dated to the end of Marine Isotope Stage 6 and Marine Isotope Stage 5, is characterized by extensive use of the lateral tranchet blow technique. This technique consists of the removal of an elongated thin spall along the retouched edge of the blank. In Nesher Ramla, this technique is used for producing a specific tool kit component: unifacially retouched tools with a lateral tranchet blow (LTB). The tools with LTB were systematically produced throughout the 8-m-thick Middle Paleolithic sequence of Nesher Ramla representing the major typological category in some of the layers. Together with tools with LTB, the assemblages contain large numbers of LTB spalls. Here we present a detailed techno-morphological analysis of the tools and spalls from Nesher Ramla Unit III, one of the richest archaeological layers of the site. Our results suggest that the goal of the LTB technique at Nesher Ramla was to manufacture a tool with an edge that is partially retouched and partially sharp, i.e., shaped by LTB. The LTB technique employs a long knapping routine, including a series of compulsory and optional steps, implying non-opportunistic behavior. Although on-site use of the LTB technique is attested, the fact that these tools were also often introduced to the site as finished objects further emphasizes their importance and suggests that most of them were not produced on-site in response to an immediate need for sharp edges. This tool type represents a new, previously unreported component in the Levantine Middle Paleolithic toolkit. A comparison with other archaeological units along the 8-m-thick stratigraphy of Nesher Ramla suggests that the LTB technique was one of the major techniques for manufacturing tools at that site and that the tools with LTB represent a cultural marker for Nesher Ramla hominins and possibly a new cultural marker in the Levantine Middle Paleolithic. According to a comparison of tools shaped by LTB from other geographic and temporal contexts, most notably, the central European Keilmesser, the Nesher Ramla tools with LTB were likely designed and used by right-handed hominins in a longitudinal cutting motion. [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]

This essay examines the connection between politics, archaeology, and biblical historiography by focusing on a specific archaeological site, Tel Shiloh, centrally located in the West Bank. Tel Shiloh illustrates the popular conviction that the contested contemporary ethno-religious and socio-political situation of the West Bank originates from the Bible. The four excavations at Tel Shiloh have contributed in sometimes subtle but often in explicit ways to the massive effort of linking the biblical mention of Shiloh with today's geopolitical ambitions of the state of Israel in the militarily occupied West Bank. The most recent link includes ambitious plans for building Tel Shiloh into an enormous tourism attraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Espacio, Tiempo y Forma: Serie II, Historia Antigua is the property of Editorial UNED and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The collection of 3D point data is a common bottleneck for archaeological excavations despite an increasing range of powerful spatial data collection technologies. Total stations often require a dedicated operator, and they are optimal for excavation-level data collection over relatively short line-of-site distances. Precision Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) require reliable communication with constellations of distant satellites and may not be accurate enough for all data recording contexts. A new category of spatial data collection hardware, called Indoor Positioning Systems (IPS), or "indoor GPS," has the potential to provide a more cost-effective and efficient approach to the collection of point data during excavations by making 3D point data collection widely available and accessible. Additionally, such systems may allow greater detail in digital field data recording by enabling the collection of shape data via continuous recording. In this article, we present one such IPS system—the Marvelmind IPS—discuss its potential value and limitations, and provide a case study of a field test of the system at the Chalcolithic (4600–3600 BC) site of Horvat Duvshan, Israel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to show the lack of archaeological evidence that proves the power of religion in Israel and Judah. This lack is attested through local analysis (in situ), with bibliographical assistance, of the main archaeological sites of these two kingdoms: Megiddo, Hazor, Gezer, Dan, Samaria, Bethel, Silo, Jerusalem, Lachish and Arad. The conclusion is that in all these sites, the power of religion, with temples and great altars, was very strong until the end of the Late Bronze Age. In the transition from Bronze to Iron I, particularly to Iron II, when these cities become Israelite, evidences of the religion's power disappear. They only reappear in Judah at the end of the seventh century BCE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Early Epipaleolithic (EEP) of the Southern Levant, roughly dated to 25-18 ka BP, is characterized by microlithic industries with highly variable synchronic and geographic techno-typological characteristics, the chronology of which remains poorly understood. Here, we present the results from excavations at Idan VII, a well-preserved site amongst a cluster of newly discovered EEP occurrences in the hyper-arid Arava Valley, Israel. The finds are embedded within the Late Pleistocene Lisan Formation lacustrine sediments, an extensively studied paleo-hydroclimatic archive in the Rift Valley. This unique situation enables contextualization of the archaeological finds within the detailed paleo-climatic chronology. The data presented include the stratigraphy (geomorphology and micro-geoarchaeology), relative (related to paleo-lake curve) and absolute (radiocarbon and U–Th) chronology, and archaeological (lithics, faunal and botanical) remains. The results demonstrate that the Idan EEP occurrences are situated within a localized relatively short-lived paleo-wetland area adjacent to Lake Lisan, during or immediately after the extremely cool and locally dry Heinrich Event 2 (H2), ca. 24 ka BP. The results are critically examined with respect to available radiocarbon dates from EEP archaeological sites in the Southern Levant. These, together with the geomorphological evidence, indicate that the Idan VII assemblage, while superficially resembling the so-called 'Late Kebaran' industry, actually significantly predates its most pertinent techno-typological analogs, highlighting the necessity of re-evaluating the "Kebaran complex". Rather, it is coeval with the local, but unrelated 'Masraqan' and 'Nebekian' industries at the very onset of the EEP, demonstrating the high degree of Last Glacial Maximum hunter-gatherer cultural diversity then present in the Levant. In contextualizing the results within the Northern Hemisphere chrono-climatic framework, we conclude that within the Southern Levant, the H2 provides a solid chrono-climatic anchor for the appearance of fully-fledged backed bladelets microlithic industries, which probably reflects a technological change in composite projectile hunting gear that occurred during the EEP. • Newly discovered complex of prehistoric occurrences in the Arava Valley, Israel. • The occurrences embedded within the Late Pleistocene Lisan Formation lacustrine sediments. • Integrating the archaeological finds into the Northern Hemisphere chrono-climatic framework. • Backed bladelets industries appeared in the Levant immediately after Heinrich event 2 ca. 24 ka BP. • Demonstrating the coexistence of several lithic industries in the Levant at ca. 24-23 ky BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly discussed issue in the fields of Hebrew epigraphy and biblical research is the level of literacy in the Iron Age kingdoms of Israel and Judah (Rollston 2010 ; Davies and Römer 2013 ; Schmidt 2015). Treating this topic using biblical texts, for example, the references to scribes at the time of a given monarch, may lead to circular argumentation: The reality behind a given account may reflect the time of the authors, who could have lived centuries later and retrojected their own situation back onto earlier history. A preferable methodology is to consider the material evidence—the corpora of Iron Age Hebrew ostraca from archaeological excavations. The idea is to use algorithmic and forensic methods to distinguish between handwritings and thus the number of authors in a given corpus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

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 with mitigating geomorphic processes. However, their development rate has not been quantified. 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 Desert, Israel. The archaeological, which is dated to the 4th-7th 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. The BRC samples showed mild differences in the microbial community assemblages between the site and its surrounding, irrespective of lithology, and were dominated by Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria and Proteobacteria. We further measured the BRC thickness, valued at 0.1-0.6 mm thick BRC on the surface of 1700 years old building stone block of about 0.1 square metres. Therefore, a BRC growth rate was estimated, for the first time, to be 0.06-0.35 mm 1000 yr-1. 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 ancient city of Magdala, on the edge of the Sea of Galilee, represents the most significant archaeological site discovered in recent decades in Israel, mainly because it houses one of the few known synagogues from the period of the Second Temple of Jerusalem. The excavation of the site recently completed ten years and to find out about the scientific advances resulting from this work, we invited the expert responsible for the excavation, the archeologist Marcela Zapata-Meza, to this interview. The main objective of this interview is to present the alterations provided by Archeology after the contrast with known written records from Antiquity. It is hoped, with this, that it will be possible to know more about the challenges found in a Biblical Archeology work and that the knowledge about the context of formation of Judaism and Christianity will be expanded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

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Biased skeletal part representation is a key element for making inferences about transport decisions, carcass procurement, and use patterns in anthropogenic accumulations. In the absence of destructive taphonomic processes, it is often assumed that the abundance of different anatomical portions represents selective transport and discard patterns of human groups. Because body parts may be transported for specific products such as meat, marrow or grease, a pattern that usually attracts attention in many archaeological sites is the low proportions of appendicular epiphyses. Here we present the case of faunal assemblages from the lower stratigraphic sequence of Qesem Cave, Israel, dated to ca. 430 to 300 ka. All bone accumulations are characterized by a biased skeletal profile including mainly long-limb bones and a virtual absence of epiphyses. The assemblages also show density-mediated attrition not linked to fossil-diagenetic processes, a targeted specific destruction to the most greasy articular ends and an almost total absence of carnivore intervention. Our goal here is to explore the processes that entail the destruction of appendicular epiphyses at Qesem Cave, as well as propose viable hypotheses to explain their underrepresentation on-site. Our results shed light on the domestic activities linked to the processing of bones at the site and support the importance of animal grease in the caloric intake of Middle Pleistocene humans. • Bone grease production shapes human foraging evolution significantly. • Archaeologically identifying the grease extraction is complex due to equifinality. • One of the resulting signals of this activity is the low proportion of epiphyses. • Using a taphonomic approach we analyze different competing scenarios. • Bone grease processing offers a viable explanation for epiphyses absence at Qesem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detection of subsurface features using geophysical methods is an important component of archaeological research. Most geophysical methods suffer from loss of resolution with depth and are most successful when employed on hyper‐shallow targets. We present a novel imaging method that utilizes summation of diffracted seismic energy in the depth domain to image the subsurface and detect areas of material contrasts, which is especially useful for detecting subsurface voids. The diffraction imaging (DI) method was validated in a synthetic case and in two archaeological sites where known ancient tunnels exist and then employed in the ancient copper ore district of Timna Valley (southern Israel). The results demonstrate the feasibility of the DI method to detect ancient underground mining galleries that connected between (now blocked) mining shafts, which in turn constitutes a significant contribution to the study of ancient prospection and mining technologies and related social and historical aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Antiguo Oriente is the property of Pontificia Universidad Catolica Argentina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The area of Northern Israel has been a region of interest for archaeologists. Textual materials are various and useful to reconstruct the history of the region, as well as a lot of data coming from the material culture. This way, archaeologists may shed light on the complex framework of cultures that developed in this territory. In the period between the 1st century BCE and the 2nd century CE, the growing influence of the Romans generated a substantial integration of Galilee into a global context. Through the application of new types of analysis, it is possible to reconstruct cultural and commercial trades of the area. The application of network analysis to archaeological questions is a pivotal subject of scientific debate. In this work, we aim to reconstruct the dynamic connections between Jewish settlements in Galilee on the basis of consistent evidence, speculating on the presence of links whenever proof lacks. Data referring to many types of artefacts were derived from the analysis of scientific papers and archaeological excavation catalogues. This way we obtained a multiplex network in which the nodes are the sites and the links are given by the presence of the different artefacts. Here we present the first findings from an exploratory analysis. Visualization methods are exploited, such as multi-force embedding and multi-task network embedding algorithm. More specifically, the latter, which is based on link prediction, seems to be particularly suited for the data we are dealing with, in which the absence of a link could be due to missing data. Moreover, in order to consider how connections have changed over the reference period, a temporal approach is used. Multiplex network analysis can also be used to model dynamic networks where each layer corresponds to the network state at a given moment. [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]

In the 1999 season of excavation at Tel Qedesh, in northern Israel, a small, perfectly intact stamped bulla dating to the Persian period was found. The bulla originally sealed a papyrus document. Thanks to its excellent preservation, it is possible to identify a series of key aspects of the object: the motif and type of seal used to stamp it, the way the bulla was created, and even the way in which the original document was folded and tied. These details allow us to identify the probable origin and date of the seal and contextualize its associated bulla within the site of Qedesh. This evidence, in conjunction with information from the late 5th century b.c.e. Murašû archive in Nippur, allows us to suggest that the seal's user may have been a person with Tyrian ties—perhaps a member of the Tyrian diaspora—who acquired his seal in Nippur and traveled to Qedesh where he used it to seal a document. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large number of lmlk (57) and 'private' (18) Judahite stamp impressions have been unearthed at Tel Beth-Shemesh. All but one are of the early types dated to the late 8th century BCE. The site has not yielded any lmlk stamp impressions of the late types dated to the early 7th century BCE, concentric-circle incision types from the middle of the 7th century or rosette stamp impressions from the late 7th and early 6th century BCE. This information helps in the reconstruction of the history of this significant lowland center during the period of 'Pax-Assyriaca' in the southern Levant. [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 studies the archaeology of rise of ancient Israel and Israelites, discussing Iron I territorial formation in the area of Shechem and Shiloh, area of Northern Kingdom as core territory of Israel, and ideology of United Israel in the Northern Kingdom of the eighth century BCE.

Abstract The site of Skhul in Israel has featured prominently in discussions about the early presence of Homo sapiens outside of Africa since its excavation in the 1930s. Until now, attention has been primarily focused on the site's fossil hominins and evidence for symbolic behavior in the form of burials and rare artifacts such as pierced shells and pigment objects. We present here the results of renewed analysis of the lithic artifacts from Skhul drawn from archival collections in the United States, United Kingdom, and Israel. Although lithic artifacts form the majority of the archaeological record from the site, they have rarely been the subject of comprehensive study. Our analyses of raw material selection, use and transport combined with technological analyses of artifact production methods (1) indicate selective transport to the site of large flakes, retouched pieces, and particularly Levallois points from non-local sources, and (2) demonstrate substantial variability in raw material procurement that fails to indicate clear differences in landscape use between H. sapiens and Neanderthals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last 150 years, various archaeological excavations and surveys revealed approximately 900 rock-cut tombs in the extensive necropolis surrounding ancient Jerusalem, dated to the late Hellenistic and Early Roman periods. The research goals are to examine the spatial distribution of these tombs in relation to the lithological units and rock hardness and to examine the diverse methods by which the ancient masons solved various lithological defects they encountered during the tomb excavation. We used field observations and Schmidt hammer tests to determine the rock hardness and the lithological properties. Our study demonstrates that the substrate played a crucial role in the establishment of the city and residents’ living conditions and that the presence or absence of caves in certain areas can be explained lithologically. Most tombs found west of the city were excavated in the Weradim Formation (13.7%); those found north of the city were mainly hewn into the well-bedded Nezer Formation (20.7%); and the tombs hewn east or south of the ancient city mainly met the soft Menuḥa Formation (56%). Excavating in the hard limestone of the Shivta Formation required high levels of effort and funding and, therefore, the number of tombs is limited (3%). In some cases, owners of estates located in soft lithologies granted burial rights to additional families, as proved by the large number of tombs and the clusters of burial systems in the Menuḥa Formation. Rock surfaces are mostly decayed by chemical dissolution, enhanced by structural fissures in the rock. Condensation corrosion and excess moisture were observed on the ceilings of some structures, along with bio-erosion. Two types of defects are common in the local rock: (a) major defects, endangering the stability of the rock-cut chamber that required complementary building with ashlar stones and (b) superficial defects that required only aesthetic solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the excavations at the Tel Abel Beth Maacah archaeological site in Israel as of June 2018. Abel Beth Maacah is a biblical city which was identified by 19th century explorers Victor Guérin and Edward Robinson. The site was reportedly fortified by walls and a rampart and was inhabited during the Bronze and Iron Ages. Also discussed are the features of the site and significant finds during the excavations.