Assaf Kleiman
Biographic Data
| ID | 3623906 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Assaf Kleiman |
| GIVEN NAMES | Assaf |
| FAMILY NAME | Kleiman |
| SIGNATURE | KLEIMAN A |
| AFFILIATIONS | Tel Aviv University |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-5267-7011 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 21 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 38 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 21 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2015 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Production of Basalt Vessels in the Iron Age Levant
This article presents an exceptionally rich assemblage of over one hundred basalt vessels documented at Tel Hadar, a small community on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. A detailed analysis of these vessels, including attention to their quantity, morphology, style, use-wear, and function, reveals high frequencies of specific vessel types, several unique items, and a few unfinished and experimental products. These findings indicate localise…
Israel, Judah, and Neighboring Groups in the Books of Samuel
The contributors to this volume investigate the portrayal of Israel's and Judah's relations with neighboring groups in the books of Samuel (including the Philistines, Amalekites, Edomites, Arameans, and Gibeonites) from both literary and historical perspectives. In doing so, they bring together multiple methodological approaches to the topic, including analyses of the structure, ideological content, and compositional development of the narrative …
Megiddo in the Age of Empires
Following the collapse of the Northern Kingdom in the late eighth century BCE, Megiddo became the capital of the Neo-Assyrian province of Magiddû. The University of Chicago excavations exposed the settlement’s distinct orthogonal layout and administrative quarter. And yet, many questions concerning its chronology, material culture, and population remained unsolved. In this article, the unique contributions of recent fieldwork conducted in the mou…
Before the Omrides
Excavations in the southeastern sector of Megiddo revealed important finds that illuminate the material culture and history of the site in particular and northern Israel in general during the early days of the Northern Kingdom (Israel). This includes the appearance of public architecture and the revival of the commercial networks in the eastern Mediterranean. SIDEBAR P. 197: Sheshonq I (Biblical Shishak) at Megiddo by Shirly Ben-Dor Evian SIDEBAR…
Crisis in motion
The destruction of Iron I Megiddo in the early 10th century BCE was a momentous event in the history of the southern Levant. It marked an abrupt break in the long cultural development of the Middle and Late Bronze Ages. Despite extensive field research, essential questions related to this event remain unanswered, especially regarding the processes that took place in the city immediately before its destruction. In this article, findings from recen…
Hamath and the Southern Levant in the Iron Age I/II Transition
Qlaʿ
Salvage excavations at Qlaʿ, a small fortified Iron IIB site in the southwestern Samaria Highlands, conducted in 1980, revealed several stone-built structures, numerous rock-cut olive-oil extracting installations and two large wine presses. In this article we present the main findings from this investigation, discuss technological and economic aspects of local production and evaluate the probability of royal ownership. In our opinion, the feature…
Qurayyah Painted Ware Outside the Hejaz
Qurayyah Painted Ware (QPW) is the most solid evidence of contacts between the Hejaz and the southern Levant in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages. However, even after decades of research, there is still much uncertainty regarding the chronology of these contacts and their nature. Here, we present an exceptionally rich collection of QPW fragments documented recently in the copper smelting sites of the Timna Valley. We argue that the distribution…
Beyond Israel and Aram
In this study, Assaf Kleiman discusses the settlement history and material culture of complex communities that flourished in the shadow of Israel and Aram-Damascus. A detailed examination of the finds from the Lebanese Beqaa, through the Sea of Galilee, to the Irbid Plateau, offers an exceptional portrayal of the developments experienced by these communities, before and after the emergence of the territorial kingdoms; these advances include the r…
Beyond Israel and Aram
Assaf Kleiman discusses the archaeology and history of local communities in the central Levant that flourished in the shadow of Israel and Aram-Damascus. The study offers a new and exciting way to look at the political relations and cultural exchange between the indigenous populations and the elite groups that ruled over them from the 10th to 8th centuries BCE.
Excavations at Kiriath-jearim, 2019
In this article we report the results of the second season of excavations at Kiriath-jearim (Deir el-ʿAzar). The following topics are emphasized: layout and date of the supposed monumental Iron IIB summit compound; nature of the Iron IIC settlement; date of the Hellenistic fortification; characteristics of the Early Roman period activity. An archaeo-historical analysis follows the presentation of the new data, including updates on past interpreta…
The cultural biography of two volute capitals at Iron Age Hazor
This article deals with two volute capitals discovered in secondary use at Hazor in the late 1950s and with their significance to the study of the conflicts between Israel and Aram-Damascus during the 9th and 8th centuries bce. A fresh look at the ‘cultural biography’ of these monumental artworks in light of the architectural and cultural development of the Iron Age city challenges the conventional explanation of their unique findspot as the resu…
The Date and Origin of Black-on-Red Ware
Our study of Black-on-Red sherds found in well-stratified Iron IIA contexts at Megiddo shows that the earliest examples of this ware appear in an early stage of the Late Iron IIA, radiocarbon dated to the late 10th to early ninth century B.C.E. An archaeometric analysis of 10 sherds reveals that they were manufactured in Cyprus, meaning that Black-on-Red vessels were produced on the island as early as ca. 900 B.C.E. This makes Gjerstad's theory r…
The Kingdom of Geshur and the Expansion of Aram-Damascus into the Northern Jordan Valley
Fragmented texts in the Hebrew Bible mention a kingdom named Geshur, usually in contexts that denote its independent existence and relations with King David's royal court (e.g., 2 Sam 3:3; 13:37–38; 14:32; 15:8). Scholars investigating the history of this kingdom have frequently commented on the ambiguous and non-informative nature of these verses, especially in regard to political history and foreign affairs. Others have emphasized the contribut…
A North Israelite Royal Administrative System and its Impact on Late-Monarchic Judah
In this article I present several pieces of evidence, which suggest the existence of a royal administrative system in the Northern kingdom. Archaeological data, especially concerning the so-called »hippo« storage jars, illustrate the various bureaucratic strategies that were employed by the North Israelite kings, including collaboration with local clans, and active involvement of royal officials in the manufacture and distribution of products. Is…
Metalworkers’ Material Culture in the Early Iron Age Levant
The article deals with a rich ceramic assemblage retrieved during the survey and excavations of Site 34 (Slaves’ Hill) in the Timna Valley. Two main aspects of the assemblage are discussed: (1) its contribution to determining the relative and absolute chronology of the copper production sites in the Timna Valley (e.g., Sites 2, 30 and 200); and (2) the daily life of metalworkers (copper smelters) in the early Iron Age as reflected in their materi…
Metalworking at Megiddo during the Late Bronze and Iron Ages
Previous articleNext article FreeMetalworking at Megiddo during the Late Bronze and Iron AgesNaama Yahalom-Mack, Adi Eliyahu-Behar, Mario A. S. Martin, Assaf Kleiman, Ruth Shahack-Gross, Robert S. Homsher, Yuval Gadot, and Israel FinkelsteinNaama Yahalom-MackThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem Search for more articles by this author , Adi Eliyahu-BeharBar-Ilan University Search for more articles by this author , Mario A. S. MartinTel Aviv Universi…
Social Stratification in the Late Bronze and E arly I ron A ges
The article presents an intra‐site investigation of the S trata VIIA and VIA faunal remains at M egiddo, I srael, which date to the LB III and late Iron I respectively. We examined social disparity between the populations of two areas of the city. Our finds indicate a difference in social status and division of labour: a dichotomy between producer‐consumers and consumers, who most probably interacted. Viewed in light of other types of remains at …
Feasting in Paradise
In 2008, a large number of vessels, animal bones, and figurines were uncovered in a Late Iron Age II deposit at Ramat Raḥel. The ceramic and faunal remains indicate the presence of a ritual deposit that was intentionally placed below the floor of the central courtyard of the palatial administrative structure. During Aharoni's excavations at the site (1954, 1959–1962), another ritual pit with even larger numbers of pottery vessels and figurines wa…
Geoarchaeological Investigation in a Domestic Iron Age Quarter, Tel Megiddo, Israel
During the ongoing excavations of Area Q at Tel Megiddo, a variety of on-site geoarchaeological analytical methods have been used in the study of Iron Age occupations dating to the Iron Age IIA. The aim of this approach is to optimally combine macroarchaeology with microarchaeology in order to reconstruct activities that were carried out within an Iron Age urban neighborhood. The macroscopic finds indicate that this area belonged to a quarter tha…
A Late Iron IIA Destruction Layer at Tel Aphek in the Sharon Plain
The article deals with a late Iron IIA destruction layer at Tel Aphek in the Sharon Plain. The remains, which were uncovered during Moshe Kochavi and Pirhiya Beck's excavations, have important implications for the history of the central Coastal Plain. The study of the finds suggests that during the late Iron IIA, Aphek increased in size, and that the ceramic tradition of the town exhibited similarities to that of the Northern Kingdom. This may be…
Social Stratification in the Late Bronze and E arly I ron A ges
The article presents an intra‐site investigation of the S trata VIIA and VIA faunal remains at M egiddo, I srael, which date to the LB III and late Iron I respectively. We examined social disparity between the populations of two areas of the city. Our finds indicate a difference in social status and division of labour: a dichotomy between producer‐consumers and consumers, who most probably interacted. Viewed in light of other types of remains at …
Metalworking at Megiddo during the Late Bronze and Iron Ages
Previous articleNext article FreeMetalworking at Megiddo during the Late Bronze and Iron AgesNaama Yahalom-Mack, Adi Eliyahu-Behar, Mario A. S. Martin, Assaf Kleiman, Ruth Shahack-Gross, Robert S. Homsher, Yuval Gadot, and Israel FinkelsteinNaama Yahalom-MackThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem Search for more articles by this author , Adi Eliyahu-BeharBar-Ilan University Search for more articles by this author , Mario A. S. MartinTel Aviv Universi…
The Date and Origin of Black-on-Red Ware
Our study of Black-on-Red sherds found in well-stratified Iron IIA contexts at Megiddo shows that the earliest examples of this ware appear in an early stage of the Late Iron IIA, radiocarbon dated to the late 10th to early ninth century B.C.E. An archaeometric analysis of 10 sherds reveals that they were manufactured in Cyprus, meaning that Black-on-Red vessels were produced on the island as early as ca. 900 B.C.E. This makes Gjerstad's theory r…
Metalworkers’ Material Culture in the Early Iron Age Levant
The article deals with a rich ceramic assemblage retrieved during the survey and excavations of Site 34 (Slaves’ Hill) in the Timna Valley. Two main aspects of the assemblage are discussed: (1) its contribution to determining the relative and absolute chronology of the copper production sites in the Timna Valley (e.g., Sites 2, 30 and 200); and (2) the daily life of metalworkers (copper smelters) in the early Iron Age as reflected in their materi…
The cultural biography of two volute capitals at Iron Age Hazor
This article deals with two volute capitals discovered in secondary use at Hazor in the late 1950s and with their significance to the study of the conflicts between Israel and Aram-Damascus during the 9th and 8th centuries bce. A fresh look at the ‘cultural biography’ of these monumental artworks in light of the architectural and cultural development of the Iron Age city challenges the conventional explanation of their unique findspot as the resu…
A Late Iron IIA Destruction Layer at Tel Aphek in the Sharon Plain
The article deals with a late Iron IIA destruction layer at Tel Aphek in the Sharon Plain. The remains, which were uncovered during Moshe Kochavi and Pirhiya Beck's excavations, have important implications for the history of the central Coastal Plain. The study of the finds suggests that during the late Iron IIA, Aphek increased in size, and that the ceramic tradition of the town exhibited similarities to that of the Northern Kingdom. This may be…
Qlaʿ
Salvage excavations at Qlaʿ, a small fortified Iron IIB site in the southwestern Samaria Highlands, conducted in 1980, revealed several stone-built structures, numerous rock-cut olive-oil extracting installations and two large wine presses. In this article we present the main findings from this investigation, discuss technological and economic aspects of local production and evaluate the probability of royal ownership. In our opinion, the feature…
Feasting in Paradise
In 2008, a large number of vessels, animal bones, and figurines were uncovered in a Late Iron Age II deposit at Ramat Raḥel. The ceramic and faunal remains indicate the presence of a ritual deposit that was intentionally placed below the floor of the central courtyard of the palatial administrative structure. During Aharoni's excavations at the site (1954, 1959–1962), another ritual pit with even larger numbers of pottery vessels and figurines wa…
Geoarchaeological Investigation in a Domestic Iron Age Quarter, Tel Megiddo, Israel
During the ongoing excavations of Area Q at Tel Megiddo, a variety of on-site geoarchaeological analytical methods have been used in the study of Iron Age occupations dating to the Iron Age IIA. The aim of this approach is to optimally combine macroarchaeology with microarchaeology in order to reconstruct activities that were carried out within an Iron Age urban neighborhood. The macroscopic finds indicate that this area belonged to a quarter tha…
A Late Iron IIA Destruction Layer at Tel Aphek in the Sharon Plain
The article deals with a late Iron IIA destruction layer at Tel Aphek in the Sharon Plain. The remains, which were uncovered during Moshe Kochavi and Pirhiya Beck's excavations, have important implications for the history of the central Coastal Plain. The study of the finds suggests that during the late Iron IIA, Aphek increased in size, and that the ceramic tradition of the town exhibited similarities to that of the Northern Kingdom. This may be…
Social Stratification in the Late Bronze and E arly I ron A ges
The article presents an intra‐site investigation of the S trata VIIA and VIA faunal remains at M egiddo, I srael, which date to the LB III and late Iron I respectively. We examined social disparity between the populations of two areas of the city. Our finds indicate a difference in social status and division of labour: a dichotomy between producer‐consumers and consumers, who most probably interacted. Viewed in light of other types of remains at …
A North Israelite Royal Administrative System and its Impact on Late-Monarchic Judah
In this article I present several pieces of evidence, which suggest the existence of a royal administrative system in the Northern kingdom. Archaeological data, especially concerning the so-called »hippo« storage jars, illustrate the various bureaucratic strategies that were employed by the North Israelite kings, including collaboration with local clans, and active involvement of royal officials in the manufacture and distribution of products. Is…
Metalworkers’ Material Culture in the Early Iron Age Levant
The article deals with a rich ceramic assemblage retrieved during the survey and excavations of Site 34 (Slaves’ Hill) in the Timna Valley. Two main aspects of the assemblage are discussed: (1) its contribution to determining the relative and absolute chronology of the copper production sites in the Timna Valley (e.g., Sites 2, 30 and 200); and (2) the daily life of metalworkers (copper smelters) in the early Iron Age as reflected in their materi…
Metalworking at Megiddo during the Late Bronze and Iron Ages
Previous articleNext article FreeMetalworking at Megiddo during the Late Bronze and Iron AgesNaama Yahalom-Mack, Adi Eliyahu-Behar, Mario A. S. Martin, Assaf Kleiman, Ruth Shahack-Gross, Robert S. Homsher, Yuval Gadot, and Israel FinkelsteinNaama Yahalom-MackThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem Search for more articles by this author , Adi Eliyahu-BeharBar-Ilan University Search for more articles by this author , Mario A. S. MartinTel Aviv Universi…
The Kingdom of Geshur and the Expansion of Aram-Damascus into the Northern Jordan Valley
Fragmented texts in the Hebrew Bible mention a kingdom named Geshur, usually in contexts that denote its independent existence and relations with King David's royal court (e.g., 2 Sam 3:3; 13:37–38; 14:32; 15:8). Scholars investigating the history of this kingdom have frequently commented on the ambiguous and non-informative nature of these verses, especially in regard to political history and foreign affairs. Others have emphasized the contribut…
The Date and Origin of Black-on-Red Ware
Our study of Black-on-Red sherds found in well-stratified Iron IIA contexts at Megiddo shows that the earliest examples of this ware appear in an early stage of the Late Iron IIA, radiocarbon dated to the late 10th to early ninth century B.C.E. An archaeometric analysis of 10 sherds reveals that they were manufactured in Cyprus, meaning that Black-on-Red vessels were produced on the island as early as ca. 900 B.C.E. This makes Gjerstad's theory r…
Excavations at Kiriath-jearim, 2019
In this article we report the results of the second season of excavations at Kiriath-jearim (Deir el-ʿAzar). The following topics are emphasized: layout and date of the supposed monumental Iron IIB summit compound; nature of the Iron IIC settlement; date of the Hellenistic fortification; characteristics of the Early Roman period activity. An archaeo-historical analysis follows the presentation of the new data, including updates on past interpreta…
The cultural biography of two volute capitals at Iron Age Hazor
This article deals with two volute capitals discovered in secondary use at Hazor in the late 1950s and with their significance to the study of the conflicts between Israel and Aram-Damascus during the 9th and 8th centuries bce. A fresh look at the ‘cultural biography’ of these monumental artworks in light of the architectural and cultural development of the Iron Age city challenges the conventional explanation of their unique findspot as the resu…
Beyond Israel and Aram
In this study, Assaf Kleiman discusses the settlement history and material culture of complex communities that flourished in the shadow of Israel and Aram-Damascus. A detailed examination of the finds from the Lebanese Beqaa, through the Sea of Galilee, to the Irbid Plateau, offers an exceptional portrayal of the developments experienced by these communities, before and after the emergence of the territorial kingdoms; these advances include the r…
Beyond Israel and Aram
Assaf Kleiman discusses the archaeology and history of local communities in the central Levant that flourished in the shadow of Israel and Aram-Damascus. The study offers a new and exciting way to look at the political relations and cultural exchange between the indigenous populations and the elite groups that ruled over them from the 10th to 8th centuries BCE.
Crisis in motion
The destruction of Iron I Megiddo in the early 10th century BCE was a momentous event in the history of the southern Levant. It marked an abrupt break in the long cultural development of the Middle and Late Bronze Ages. Despite extensive field research, essential questions related to this event remain unanswered, especially regarding the processes that took place in the city immediately before its destruction. In this article, findings from recen…
Hamath and the Southern Levant in the Iron Age I/II Transition
Qlaʿ
Salvage excavations at Qlaʿ, a small fortified Iron IIB site in the southwestern Samaria Highlands, conducted in 1980, revealed several stone-built structures, numerous rock-cut olive-oil extracting installations and two large wine presses. In this article we present the main findings from this investigation, discuss technological and economic aspects of local production and evaluate the probability of royal ownership. In our opinion, the feature…
Qurayyah Painted Ware Outside the Hejaz
Qurayyah Painted Ware (QPW) is the most solid evidence of contacts between the Hejaz and the southern Levant in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages. However, even after decades of research, there is still much uncertainty regarding the chronology of these contacts and their nature. Here, we present an exceptionally rich collection of QPW fragments documented recently in the copper smelting sites of the Timna Valley. We argue that the distribution…
Israel, Judah, and Neighboring Groups in the Books of Samuel
The contributors to this volume investigate the portrayal of Israel's and Judah's relations with neighboring groups in the books of Samuel (including the Philistines, Amalekites, Edomites, Arameans, and Gibeonites) from both literary and historical perspectives. In doing so, they bring together multiple methodological approaches to the topic, including analyses of the structure, ideological content, and compositional development of the narrative …
Megiddo in the Age of Empires
Following the collapse of the Northern Kingdom in the late eighth century BCE, Megiddo became the capital of the Neo-Assyrian province of Magiddû. The University of Chicago excavations exposed the settlement’s distinct orthogonal layout and administrative quarter. And yet, many questions concerning its chronology, material culture, and population remained unsolved. In this article, the unique contributions of recent fieldwork conducted in the mou…
Before the Omrides
Excavations in the southeastern sector of Megiddo revealed important finds that illuminate the material culture and history of the site in particular and northern Israel in general during the early days of the Northern Kingdom (Israel). This includes the appearance of public architecture and the revival of the commercial networks in the eastern Mediterranean. SIDEBAR P. 197: Sheshonq I (Biblical Shishak) at Megiddo by Shirly Ben-Dor Evian SIDEBAR…
Production of Basalt Vessels in the Iron Age Levant
This article presents an exceptionally rich assemblage of over one hundred basalt vessels documented at Tel Hadar, a small community on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. A detailed analysis of these vessels, including attention to their quantity, morphology, style, use-wear, and function, reveals high frequencies of specific vessel types, several unique items, and a few unfinished and experimental products. These findings indicate localise…
History (18 works) · Archaeology and Historical Studies (17 works) · Ancient history (15 works) · Archaeology (15 works) · Ancient Egypt and Archaeology (9 works) · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies (9 works) · History (9 works) · Iron Age (8 works) · Geography (7 works) · Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History (5 works)