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While Early Bronze Age glyptic finds from the southern Levant as well as from Syria have received considerable attention in the scholarly literature, unfortunately the same cannot be said about the...

The interdisciplinary project “Between Land and Sea” combines geological, geomorphological and paleo-environmental approaches to identify archaeological remains of the Chekka region (Lebanon). In order to record the topography of this area, the first ever scientific airborne LiDAR data acquisition in Lebanon was conducted in autumn 2018. This work describes not only the acquisition and processing of the LiDAR data, but also the attempt to derive possible archaeological sites from the generated elevation model based on methods for spatial analysis. Using an “inverted mound” (iMound) algorithm, areas of possible settlement structures could be identified, which were classified regarding their probability of a possible ancient site using a deductive predictive model. A preliminary validation of some of the detected favoured areas using high-resolution aerial images has shown that the methods applied can provide hints to previously undiscovered sites. It was possible to identify probable ancient wall remains at several detected locations. In addition, least-cost path analyses were performed to reconstruct possible trade and transport routes from the Lebanon Mountains to the Mediterranean coast. The combination of the results of the iMound detection and classification as well as the calculated path system could point to the strategic location of the modern village of Kfar Hazir as a kind of traffic junction. Moreover, reconstructed main transport routes provide indications of heavily frequented roads and may form the basis for further investigations. To validate the results, upcoming field surveys will be realized on site.

In 2016 the Institute for Oriental and European Archaeology (OREA) and the Department for History and Archaeology at the American University of Beirut (AUB) launched a new archaeological project in the Chekka region in Lebanon. The Chekka region borders the shore of the Mediterranean and is situated between Batroun in the south and Tripoli in the north. At the northern end of the modern town of Chekka directly at the seashore one finds the remains of Tell Mirhan on the premises of a modern cement factory (Fig. 1). This tell and its hinterland have never been the subject of a thorough and systematic archaeological investigation. A survey conducted at Tell Mirhan in 2016 and an excavation in 2018 revealed an early Iron Age occupation (1200– 700BC) superimposing a massive rampart fortification of the Middle Bronze Age. Egyptian pottery from the Middle and New Kingdom as well as imports from Cyprus and Greece testify to the importance of this site as a harbour town during these periods. In order to investigate the site’s relation with its hinterland, a survey of the region from the coast into the foothills of Mount Lebanon was launched. To cope with a rather difficult terrain and intensive modern construction activities and changes of the ancient landscape, we conducted a LiDAR scan of the survey area in November of 2018.

Despite their relatively limited scale, the excavations conducted at the site of Tell Fadous Kfarabida on the Lebanese coast between 2004 and 2015 have provided a large and surprisingly varied assemblage of objects made out bone and related materials from the Early Bronze Age levels. In addition to large numbers of awls and spatulae, other objects are attested as well, such as spindle whorls, beads and pendants, decorated bone tubes, a scale beam and several cylinder seals made out of bone or hippopotamus ivory. This study will present a typological study of the material from the site, investigate the raw material used for the different types, and finally conclude with some thoughts on the use of some of the simpler types within the framework of a household archaeology approach.

Absolute dates for the end of the Early Bronze Age ancient Near East are of crucial importance for assessing the nature and extent of mid- to late 3rd millennium BC transitions in the Near East and their alleged link to the 4.2ka BP climatic event. This article presents a radiocarbon sequence for the Early Bronze Age site of Tell Fadous-Kfarabida (Lebanon) and argues that the end of the Early Bronze III period has to be dated considerably higher than previously estimated. There is no reason to assume that the 4.2ka BP event might have contributed to or even triggered the collapse of the first urban cities in the southern and central Levant. DOI: 10.2458/56.16932

The author reports an object of modest appearance but great significance — a small bone beam for weighing precious commodities. Weighing indicates the regulation of quantities for exchange or manufacture and is thus a key agent of social and economic complexity. Well-stratified and dated to the early third millennium BC, this find puts the people of the Levant among the earliest to quantify mass. We are rightly urged to inspect faunal assemblages for similarly subtle modifications of bones.

AMIRAN R., 1969, ANCIENT POTTERY HOLY; Artin G., 2005, B ARCHEOLOGIE ARCHIT, V9, P223; Artin G, 2010, NEAR EAST ARCHAEOL, V73, P74; Badreshany K, 2005, B ARCHEOLOGIE ARCHIT, V9, P5; Badreshany K, 2009, B AM SCH ORIENT RES, V355, P51; Beayno F., 2002, B ARCHEOLOGIE ARCHIT, V6, P135; Ben-Tor A., 1978, CYLINDER SEALS 3 MIL; Cole D. P., 1984, SHECHEM 1 MIDDLE BRO; Copeland L., 1966, MUSJ, V42, P1; Copeland L., 1965, MELANGES U SAINT JOS, V41, P29; Doumet-Serhal C., 2006, EARLY BRONZE AGE SID; Doumet-Serhal C., 2006, B ARCHEOLOGIE ARCHIT, V10, P131; Dunand M., 1973, FOUILLES BYBLOS, VV; Dunand M., 1945, BYBLIA GRAMMATA DOCU; Genz H., 2009, TEMPORA ANN HIST ARC, V18, P51; Genz H., 2008, BAALBEK HELIOPOLIS R, P127; Genz H, 2007, B ARCHEOLOGIE ARCHIT, V11, P7; Genz H., AGYPTEN LEVANTE, V20; Genz H., B ARCHEOLOGIE ARCHIT, V12; Lauffray J., 2008, FOUILLES BYBLOS, V6; Marfoe L., 1998, KAMID EL LOZ 14 SETT; Marfoe L., 1995, PREHISTORIC EARLY HI; Mazzoni S., 1985, STUDI ONORE EDDA BRE, P317; Montet P., 1928, BYBLOS EGYPTE QUATRE; Pedersen R., 2007, B ARCHEOLOGIE ARCHIT, V11, P17; Porat N., 1996, B AM SCH ORIENT RES, V301, P5; Saghieh M., 1983, BYBLOS 3 MILLENNIUM; Schwartz G. M., 1994, ARCHAEOLOGICAL VIEWS; Thalmann J.-P., 2009, INTERCONNECTIONS E M, P15; Thalmann JP, 2010, NEAR EAST ARCHAEOL, V73, P86; Thalmann J.-P., 2006, TELL ARQA 1 NIVEAUX; Thalmann J.-P., 2006, CR HEBD ACAD SCI, V150, P841

Lying on the Lebanese coast approximately 22 km north of Byblos (60 km north of Beirut), the Early Bronze Age site of Tell Fadous-Kfarabida was discovered in the spring of 2004. The recent extraction of large quantities of soil created extensive archaeological sections, which were the focus of "rescue" investigations conducted by the American University of Beirut (AUB) during two seasons in the summers of 2004 and 2005. Over 4,000 ceramic sherds collected during those seasons were published in detail. This paper examines the information gained from the petrographic analysis of a group of 27 sherds from this corpus, which defined and quantified their mineralogical components and investigated their microtopography. This information will be applied to better understand the provenience of the raw materials and its economic implications, as well as in considering the techniques associated with the production of the ceramic objects during this period.

A group of small bronze objects from Late Bronze Age Egypt and the Near East most likely functioned as stunning bolts for fowling. As many of these objects are found in elite tombs, they certainly were part of the equipment of high-ranking warriors. In the discussion of the socio-technological implications of bird hunting with bows and arrows it is suggested that this was not only a leisure activity for the upper class, but also served as a training exercise for chariot warriors.

Bogazkoy/Hattusa'da Buyukkaya sirti uzerinde yapilan kazilarda genis alana yayilmis bir Demir Cagi yerlesmesi bulunmustur. Bogazkoy'deki eski kazilardan bilinen "Frig" tabakalariyla cagdas olanlarin (burada Orta Demir Cagi) disinda daha eski, Erken Demir Cag'a ait tabakalar dikkati ceker. Erken Demir Cag'a ait buluntular, Hitit Imparatorluk Cagi'ni takip eden "Karanlik Cag" olarak adlandirilan doneme isik tutar. Orta Anadolu bolgesinin Erken Demir Cagda hemen hemen bos ve ancak gocebe topluluklarin gelip gectigi bir bolge oldugu sanilmaktaydi. Buyukkaya, Gordion. Kaman-Kalehoyuk gibi yerlesmelerden elde edilen sonuclar bu bolge icin dusunulen modelin yeniden elden gecirilmesi gerektigini gostermektedir. Bu yazida Buyukkaya Demir Cagi keramiginin bazi ogeleri uzerinde durulacak ve Orta Anadolu tarihi icindeki yeri analiz edilecektir.

Very often metallurgy has been assigned a central role for the emergence of urbanism during the Early Bronze Age in the Southern Levant. An investigation of the metallurgical remains, as well as the items produced, shows however tenuous causal connection between urban sites and metallurgical activities. Also prestige items in metal are generally lacking, indicating that the metal items which are mainly functional may have held no great social value during the Early Bronze Age., Très souvent on a voulu accorder à la métallurgie un rôle essentiel dans la naissance de l 'urbanisme à l 'âge du Bronze ancien en Palestine. Une analyse des restes métallurgiques de même que des objets finis montre, cependant, que presque aucune corrélation ne peut être faite entre sites urbains et activité métallurgique. En outre, l 'absence quasi-générale d 'objets de prestige indiquerait, que les objets en métal, qui sont en majorité fonctionnels n'avaient pas, au cours du Bronze ancien, de grande valeur de distinction sociale., Genz Hermann. The Organisation of Early Bronze Age Metalworking in the Southern Levant.. In: Paléorient, 2000, vol. 26, n°1. pp. 55-65.

From the Palaeolithic to the Pre-Modern Era, artefacts made out of materials of animal origin (bone, ivory, horn, antler, mollusc, shell, etc.) are commonly encountered on excavations in Southwest ...

The site of Wadi Fidan 4 can now be definitively dated as an extended village settlement of the Chalcolithic period. Excavation in Areas A, Band D as well as surface survey of the site indicate that the entire surface of the plateau was covered by buildings. At present no full botanical or faunal reports are available, and as a result little can be said about the subsistence economy. It is clear however from the metallurgical finds and mining picks found on the site, that this community was involved in the mining and smelting of copper. The extent of metal production is probably associated with small-scale domestic production (‘household’ or ‘cottage industry’), as has also been attested on a number of other Chalcolithic sites such as Shiqmim (Levy et al. 1987), Tell Magass (Khalil 1988) and Tell Abu Matar (Perrot 1955). Contrary to later periods, ore was not smelted directly at the mine, but was transported and processed inside the domestic settlements. This seems to be characteristic for metallu...

Outside of the Jordan Valley, the Early Bronze Age II of northern Jordan remains largely uninvestigated, though surveys have identified EB II sites throughout the region. Surface collections and test excavations at Tell es-Sukhne North in the central Zarqa Basin provide evidence of settlement and economic organization at a multi-component EB II site : identified extensive architectural remains, significant lithic and ceramic materials, including a cylinder seal impression. This paper presents an overview of the archaeological research at Tell es-Sukhne North within a general discussion of known Early Bronze Age II sites along the semi-arid ecotone of the central Zarqa Basin.

Die weit reichenden Arbeitsmarkt- und Sozialreformen haben zu einem grundlegenden Paradigmenwechsel gefuhrt, der komplexe rechtliche, organisatorische und fachliche Veranderungen in der Arbeitsforderung und Sozialpolitik mit sich gebracht hat.