David Ben-Shlomo
Biographic Data
| ID | 94033 |
|---|---|
| NAME | David Ben-Shlomo |
| GIVEN NAMES | David |
| FAMILY NAME | Ben-Shlomo |
| SIGNATURE | BEN-SHLOMO D |
| AFFILIATIONS | Ariel University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-4769-9747 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 52 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 165 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 52 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2003 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 8 |
Portable OSL chrono-stratigraphic signatures at khirbet ‘Aujah el-Foqa
Khirbet ‘Aujah el-Foqa, located in the Jordan Valley, has been excavated since 2019. Excavations have revealed it is a fortified, multi-period site with remains from the Middle Bronze II, Iron Age II, and Ottoman Period. The formation of a hilltop desert khirbet, where pedosediment deposition and pre- to post-occupation processes differ from a settlement-layered tell, raises questions regarding stratigraphic structuring and chronological attribut…
Water as a Strategic Resource in the Western Samaria Region – The Unique Case of Deir Sam’an
Maintaining a proper water supply is a subject of constant concern in arid and semi-arid regions of the world, including the Mediterranean Basin and, more specifically, Western Samaria. Solutions such as cisterns, reservoirs, water tunnels, and springs were developed and perfected throughout history to enable a regular supply of water to the local population. The case of Deir Sam’an is particularly interesting, as it seems the site's water storag…
Industry and Cult in Philistia
Philistia during the Iron Age reflects a distinct material culture, as well as a special historical background related to biblical and other texts. The Philistines occupying this region may have been immigrants from the west (Cyprus and the Aegean), bringing elements of their motherland culture to the southern Levant. In the archeological records, cult-related materials can be linked with public-temple cults and religion or domestic cults. Anothe…
Strategic Water Management in the Fortified Monasteries of Western Samaria as a Tool for Controlling an Agricultural Region
Toward the end of the Roman and the beginning of the Byzantine periods, similar, impressive, fortified structures were built in Western Samaria. During the latter period, these structures began to function as fortified monasteries of martial character, all possessing highly sophisticated water systems that share a common construction plan. This article reviews the water systems of four sites—Deir Sam‘an, Deir Qal‘a, Deir Daqle and Deir el-‘Arab—a…
Late Bronze Age Burials between el-Jib/Giv‘on (Gibeon) and Nebi Samwil, Northwest of Jerusalem
The Late Bronze Age I burial cave excavated northwest of Jerusalem is an uncommon discovery in the central hill country, contributing to our understanding of population distribution patterns during this period.Unlike the coastal areas, which feature numerous large Late Bronze Age cemeteries, the mountainous regions, characterized by large cemeteries from the Middle Bronze Age, present only sporadic burial caves in Late Bronze Age I, each containi…
Compositional Analysis of Cultic Clay Objects from the Iron Age Southern Levant
Compositional analysis conducted on pottery and other ceramic items can shed light on their place of production and in certain cases, on technological aspects of the production sequence. The methods used, petrography and chemical analysis, can also be employed on cultic terracotta such as figurines, cult stands, models, or other clay objects. Several studies of such analyses of items from various periods in the Southern Levant have been published…
Production centers of cooking pots in Iron Age Judah
This paper will present and discuss a multifaceted research project dealing with the production of cooking pots during the Iron Age II (ca. 1,000–586 BCE) Judah (modern Israel). In particular the new compositional analysis of 541 cooking vessels from 11 sites in Iron Age Judah will be presented. The study employs petrographic and chemical (NAA) analysis. The results of this ongoing research have already produced interesting information about prod…
A "chaîne opératoire" perspective on Iron Age II Judean cooking pots
Neutron activation analysis in Mediterranean Archaeology
This paper, jointly written by participants of a workshop held in 2021, argues for an increased recognition and application of neutron activation analysis (NAA) in the archaeology of the ancient Mediterranean. Discussing the methodological strengths and challenges, it highlights the great potential NAA has for collecting proxy data from ceramics in order to develop progressive concepts of archaeological research within and beyond the Mediterranea…
Philistine Society as Revealed by Its Iconography and Figurative Material Culture
The article discusses Philistine iconography and figurative material culture in Philistia during the Iron Age. The primary archaeological evidence is surveyed, highlighting significant human, zoomorphic, and vegetative motifs. The different traditions and sources reflected by the figurative objects are also discussed. In addition, the archaeological contexts of these objects are surveyed, whether domestic, public, or related to temples or other c…
A stamped sealing from Middle Chalcolithic Tel Tsaf
This article describes and discusses a stamped sealing found at Middle Chalcolithic Tel Tsaf (5th millennium BCE). This is the earliest stamped sealing found in the southern Levant. The article describes the object, as well as its petrographic composition, find-spot and parallels. Furthermore, the artefact’s implications for the rise of administrative practices in the Levant during the protohistoric periods are discussed.
Judean Pillar Figurines and “Bed Models” from Tell en-Naṣbeh
This article discusses the Judean Pillar Figurines found in Tell en-Naṣbeh. The site yielded the highest number of these Iron Age II figurines after Jerusalem. Our study focuses on the significance of this distribution, the contexts in which the figurines were found at the site, as well as a compositional (petrographic) analysis of their clay. Fifteen anthropomorphic figurines as well as five “bed models” were analyzed by thin section petrography…
Back to Naṣbeh
Philistine Bichrome pottery is one of the most important, well‐known, and easily identifiable features of the Philistine material culture of the early Iron Age (ca. 1,200–1,000 BCE) in the southern Levant. The Philistines were probably a group of immigrants from the Aegean region and Cyprus arriving at several sites in the southern coastal plains of Palestine. More than 25 years ago, results from Neutron Activation of several Philistine Bichrome …
Architectural Models from Tel Tsaf, Central Jordan Valley, Israel
Three-dimensional models of buildings, made of clay or stone, are very rarely attested in the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, or Early Bronze Age southern Levant. The assemblage of nine clay models found at Tel Tsaf, radiometrically dated to 5200-4800 BC, is unique, helping to fill a gap in our understanding of this phenomenon in late prehistory. This paper presents the assemblage, discusses its symbolic value, and shows how it provides a glimpse of the…
The “Violin-Shaped” Figurines of Tel Tsaf
This paper presents a small assemblage of "violin-shaped" anthropomorphic figurines from Tel Tsaf, dated to the Middle Chalcolithic period (5300-4500 BC). Analysis of the technology, iconography and spatial context of the assemblage, as well as comparable figurines from other sites, helped in understanding the assemblage and its place within the evolutionary sequence of ancient Near Eastern artistic imagery. In addition, the possible use and symb…
The Kelenderis pottery workshop(s)
During the Persian (or Achaemenid) period, simply band-painted bowls, plates, jugs, table amphorae and hydriae are documented in the Levant — in particular in the coastal regions — as one of the most common groups of decorated ceramics. Vessels of this style — mostly drinking vessels — were recorded in significant quantities at most coastal sites in southern Turkey, Syria, Israel, Cyprus, and occasionally also in Egypt. The band-painted decoratio…
Technological Insights on Philistine Culture
More than a century of study of the Philistines has revealed abundant remains of their material culture. Concurrently, our understanding of the origins, developmental processes, and socio-political matrix of this fascinating culture has undergone major changes. Among other facets, Philistine technology has been discussed, but in our opinion, a broad view of its importance for understanding Philistine culture is still lacking. The more than twenty…
New Analysis of Cylindrical and Ovoid Jars (‘Archive Jars') From Southern Judea
This paper presents new compositional analysis of 26 fragments of the much‐debated cylindrical and ovoid jars, a vessel type first defined at Khirbet Qumran and associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls. The new samples include 15 examples from Tel Ḥevron, a site which yielded a pottery workshop and that carries certain similarities with Khirbet Qumran during the Early Roman period, as well as several examples from Jericho and Masada. According to the…
Philistine Cult and Religion According to Archaeological Evidence
The paper surveys and discusses the updated archaeological evidence for Philistine cult and religion, and cult and religion in Philistia during the Iron Age. The evidence can be related to public or official cult, represented in temple and shrine structures, and to that coming from households, representing possibly more popular religion. The evidence of public cult, so far mostly from peripheral sites, includes largely cultural elements linked wi…
Petrographic and Technological Analysis of the Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath Pottery
In archaeological research, pottery analysis is of importance for relative dating and reconstructing daily life, as well as for understanding trade patterns and cultural contacts. Trade patterns in table ware and commodities carried in pottery containers can help illuminate the economy and administration of an ancient society. The production technology of pottery, and especially its mode of production, can also reflect social, economic, and polit…
Cretan Pottery in the Levant in the Fifth and Fourth Centuries B.C.E. and Its Historical Implications
Among the painted pottery types in the Levant during the fifth and fourth centuries B.C.E., the “East Greek” class is especially conspicuous and usually assumed to have been produced in Ionia. This pottery is the subject of a comprehensive research project, examining it from typological, analytical, and other perspectives. Our conclusion is that the “East Greek” class comprises in fact several subgroups from various other parts of the Mediterrane…
Pottery production in Jerusalem during the Iron Age
This paper presents a first large‐scale compositional study of Iron Age pottery from Jerusalem, the capital of Judah during the Iron Age II ( ca . 1000–586 B.C.E.). A sizable group of pottery vessels was analyzed by petrography and neutron activation. The aims were to identify more clearly the compositional profile of the Jerusalem pottery products and attempt to reconstruct trade and taxation patterns during the Iron Age II in the days of the ki…
The Wedge-Impressed Bowl and the Assyrian Deportation
Large, deep bowls with wedge-shaped impressions have been discovered in excavations and surveys in the Samaria region and elsewhere in the southern Levant over the last 100 years. The bowls have typical Iron II forms, but the wedge-shaped incision is unique. These findings enable us to establish the chronology of the bowls, their geographic distribution and the nature of the sites in which they were found. In this article we show that most of the…
Interregional Trade and Exchange at Early Bronze Age Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath
Ceramic Vessel Production and Use at Early Bronze Age Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath
Large-scale storage of grain surplus in the sixth millennium BC
The authors report and describe the remarkable grain silos discovered at Tel Tsaf in the southern Levant. These tall, white, barrel-shaped towers seem to mark the first appearance of monuments of demonstrative surplus
Pottery production at Tell es-Safi/Gath
Cooking Identities
This study presents an analysis of various aspects relating to the changes in cooking vessels during the Iron Age in Philistia and the southern Levant, with particular emphasis on the morphology, manufacturing technology, and regional distribution of cooking jugs. We have combined archaeological data and petrographic analyses to evaluate the technological aspects of these vessels. It is argued that cooking jugs, while first appearing in Philistia…
Feasting between the Revolutions
Feasting has attracted much attention in archaeological research, both within the Near East and elsewhere in the world. Recent evidence of feasting includes occurrences in the Near East at prehistoric as well as Bronze and Iron Age sites, reflecting the diversity of types and functions of feasts. This article presents new evidence for feasting related to the intermediate protohistoric period in the southern Levant, coming from Middle Chalcolithic…
A provenance study of Mycenaean pottery from Northern Israel
Early Bronze Age Pottery Covered with Lime-Plaster
With the emergence of urban culture in the southern Levant in the Early Bronze Age, new types of pottery and ceramic techniques appeared, among them pottery (usually combed) coated with a white material. A selection of sherds from Early Bronze strata was studied in an attempt to analyze this material. Using microscopy and various other methods, the authors were able to determine that the white material was a lime-plaster applied to the vessels af…
Rethinking Canaanite Palaces? The Palatial Economy of Tel Kabri during the Middle Bronze Age
Here we explore aspects of Canaanite palatial economy through an analysis of finds from the Middle Bronze Age palace at Tel Kabri, a 34 ha site located in the western Galilee of modern day Israel. The palace was founded in the middle part of the MBA I period, and continued without interruption until an advanced part of the MBA II period. Despite the fact that the Kabri palace was vast (perhaps up to 6000 sq m), functioned as the center of a polit…
Transport Stirrup Jars from the Southern Levant
This article examines the issue of the distribution of transport stirrup jars found in the Late Bronze Age Levant. These vessels, representing long-range commodity exchange, are presumed to be largely of Cretan origin according to both their appearance and previous archaeometric analyses. However, determining whether non-Minoan sources of such vessels exist and identifying specific locales of production within Crete are ongoing foci of research. …
The Iron Age Sequence of Tel Ashdod
In a recent issue of Tel Aviv, Finkelstein and Singer-Avitz (2001) presented a revised interpretation of the Tel Ashdod excavation results. Several of their conclusions could have far-reaching implications, particularly with regard to chronology. However, these conclusions derive in many cases from either limited or negative data, and at times the archaeological facts are disregarded. The soon-to-be-published new data from Ashdod were also not ta…
The ‘Dor 2006’ Shipwreck
The ‘Dor 2006’ shipwreck was discovered in 2006 south of the Dor/Tantura lagoon, Israel. The hull remains are of a large ship that was unable to enter the shallow anchorage. Among the finds were 20 ceramic items, including bowls, cooking–pots, jugs, a juglet, lids and amphoras. The cargo has not yet been found. Pottery typology, coins and 14C tests of organic material date the shipwreck to between the second half of the 6th and the first quarter …
Neutron activation and petrographic analysis of selected Late Bronze and Iron Age pottery from Tell es-Safi/Gath, Israel
Technological Insights on Philistine Culture
More than a century of study of the Philistines has revealed abundant remains of their material culture. Concurrently, our understanding of the origins, developmental processes, and socio-political matrix of this fascinating culture has undergone major changes. Among other facets, Philistine technology has been discussed, but in our opinion, a broad view of its importance for understanding Philistine culture is still lacking. The more than twenty…
Mortaria as a Foreign Element in the Material Culture of the Southern Levant During the 8 th –7 th Centuries bce
The article examines an Iron Age II B–C ceramic form, the mortarium bowl, which is usually acknowledged as an imported type, but is not yet fully integrated into the study of east Mediterranean trade during this period. Several mortaria are examined by Thin Section Petrographic Analysis, and the previous studies of Iron Age II and Persian period mortaria are reviewed in light of its results. It is argued that Cyprus was the main production centre…
Pottery production in Jerusalem during the Iron Age
This paper presents a first large‐scale compositional study of Iron Age pottery from Jerusalem, the capital of Judah during the Iron Age II ( ca . 1000–586 B.C.E.). A sizable group of pottery vessels was analyzed by petrography and neutron activation. The aims were to identify more clearly the compositional profile of the Jerusalem pottery products and attempt to reconstruct trade and taxation patterns during the Iron Age II in the days of the ki…
The Wedge-Impressed Bowl and the Assyrian Deportation
Large, deep bowls with wedge-shaped impressions have been discovered in excavations and surveys in the Samaria region and elsewhere in the southern Levant over the last 100 years. The bowls have typical Iron II forms, but the wedge-shaped incision is unique. These findings enable us to establish the chronology of the bowls, their geographic distribution and the nature of the sites in which they were found. In this article we show that most of the…
A Study of the Production of Iron Age Clay Figurines from Jerusalem
The paper presents the results of a recent petrographic study that analyzed over 100 Iron II clay figurines found in and around the City of David, Jerusalem. The study was essentially the first archaeometrical analysis of the production mode of domestic cultic objects in the southern Levant. The paper also discusses the differences in production modes between household and temple cultic assemblages and assesses their importance in interpreting Ir…
Sha‘ar Hagolan and New Insights on Near Eastern Proto-Historic Urban Concepts
The new results from the Pottery Neolithic site of Sha‘ar Hagolan in Israel, dated to 6400–6000 BC (calibrated), reveal advanced notions of settlement planning, including the introduction of courtyard houses, a street system and infrastructure such as the construction of a water well. It is suggested, on the basis of the Near Eastern archaeological evidence from the eighth to sixth millennia BC, that early signs of urban concepts may be found at …
Coupling lead isotope analysis and petrography to characterize fabrics of storage and trade containers from H ala S ultan Tekke ( C yprus)
Lead isotopes, thin‐ and sherd‐section analyses are coupled on pottery‐vessel fragments excavated from the Late Bronze Age site of H ala S ultan Tekke (south‐east C yprus) and representing fabrics used for the production of storage and trade containers. The fabrics of the sherds are first described according to general macroscopic observations. Based on the different fabrics identified, a petrographic analysis is carried out on thin sections and …
Water as a Strategic Resource in the Western Samaria Region – The Unique Case of Deir Sam’an
Maintaining a proper water supply is a subject of constant concern in arid and semi-arid regions of the world, including the Mediterranean Basin and, more specifically, Western Samaria. Solutions such as cisterns, reservoirs, water tunnels, and springs were developed and perfected throughout history to enable a regular supply of water to the local population. The case of Deir Sam’an is particularly interesting, as it seems the site's water storag…
A "chaîne opératoire" perspective on Iron Age II Judean cooking pots
Neutron activation analysis in Mediterranean Archaeology
This paper, jointly written by participants of a workshop held in 2021, argues for an increased recognition and application of neutron activation analysis (NAA) in the archaeology of the ancient Mediterranean. Discussing the methodological strengths and challenges, it highlights the great potential NAA has for collecting proxy data from ceramics in order to develop progressive concepts of archaeological research within and beyond the Mediterranea…
Philistine Cult and Religion According to Archaeological Evidence
The paper surveys and discusses the updated archaeological evidence for Philistine cult and religion, and cult and religion in Philistia during the Iron Age. The evidence can be related to public or official cult, represented in temple and shrine structures, and to that coming from households, representing possibly more popular religion. The evidence of public cult, so far mostly from peripheral sites, includes largely cultural elements linked wi…
Production centers of cooking pots in Iron Age Judah
This paper will present and discuss a multifaceted research project dealing with the production of cooking pots during the Iron Age II (ca. 1,000–586 BCE) Judah (modern Israel). In particular the new compositional analysis of 541 cooking vessels from 11 sites in Iron Age Judah will be presented. The study employs petrographic and chemical (NAA) analysis. The results of this ongoing research have already produced interesting information about prod…
Back to Naṣbeh
Philistine Bichrome pottery is one of the most important, well‐known, and easily identifiable features of the Philistine material culture of the early Iron Age (ca. 1,200–1,000 BCE) in the southern Levant. The Philistines were probably a group of immigrants from the Aegean region and Cyprus arriving at several sites in the southern coastal plains of Palestine. More than 25 years ago, results from Neutron Activation of several Philistine Bichrome …
The “Violin-Shaped” Figurines of Tel Tsaf
This paper presents a small assemblage of "violin-shaped" anthropomorphic figurines from Tel Tsaf, dated to the Middle Chalcolithic period (5300-4500 BC). Analysis of the technology, iconography and spatial context of the assemblage, as well as comparable figurines from other sites, helped in understanding the assemblage and its place within the evolutionary sequence of ancient Near Eastern artistic imagery. In addition, the possible use and symb…
The Iron Age Sequence of Tel Ashdod
In a recent issue of Tel Aviv, Finkelstein and Singer-Avitz (2001) presented a revised interpretation of the Tel Ashdod excavation results. Several of their conclusions could have far-reaching implications, particularly with regard to chronology. However, these conclusions derive in many cases from either limited or negative data, and at times the archaeological facts are disregarded. The soon-to-be-published new data from Ashdod were also not ta…
The Iron Age Sequence of Tel Ashdod
In a recent issue of Tel Aviv, Finkelstein and Singer-Avitz (2001) presented a revised interpretation of the Tel Ashdod excavation results. Several of their conclusions could have far-reaching implications, particularly with regard to chronology. However, these conclusions derive in many cases from either limited or negative data, and at times the archaeological facts are disregarded. The soon-to-be-published new data from Ashdod were also not ta…
Late Philistine Decorated Ware ("Ashdod Ware")
Following the excavations at Tel Ashdod, a class of Iron Age II decorated pottery was identified that became known as "Ashdod Ware." In the present study, this pottery is defined as Late Philistine Decorated Ware. Based on its typology, decoration, distribution, chronology, and provenience, it is suggested that this class of vessels, which first appears in Iron IIA and continues through at least the Iron IIB period, is typical of Philistia and wa…
Ashdod VI
New Evidence of Seals and Sealings from Philistia
The article describes and discusses a group of previously unpublished clay sealings and seals from Tel Miqne-Ekron against the background of comparable evidence from other Philistine city sites. The character of the motifs on the seals and seal impressions as well as the nature and function of the clay sealings are examined. Most items date to the Iron Age I, which may indicate the existence of a recording system in Philistia during this period. …
New Evidence of Seals and Sealings from Philistia
The article describes and discusses a group of previously unpublished clay sealings and seals from Tel Miqne-Ekron against the background of comparable evidence from other Philistine city sites. The character of the motifs on the seals and seal impressions as well as the nature and function of the clay sealings are examined. Most items date to the Iron Age I, which may indicate the existence of a recording system in Philistia during this period. …
Neutron activation and petrographic analysis of selected Late Bronze and Iron Age pottery from Tell es-Safi/Gath, Israel
The Cemetery of Azor and Early Iron Age Burial Practices
A new examination of the results of the excavations by Moshe Dothan at the cemetery of Azor (1958, 1960) is presented, indicating a variability in burial practices in a relatively small area. The different types of burials are discussed as well as the finds from the graves, which date to the late Iron I and Iron IIA. The variability of burial customs is evaluated in relation to the quantity and character of burial goods, and possible cultural, et…
Cooking Identities
This study presents an analysis of various aspects relating to the changes in cooking vessels during the Iron Age in Philistia and the southern Levant, with particular emphasis on the morphology, manufacturing technology, and regional distribution of cooking jugs. We have combined archaeological data and petrographic analyses to evaluate the technological aspects of these vessels. It is argued that cooking jugs, while first appearing in Philistia…
A Reexamination of Aegean-Style Figurines in Light of New Evidence from Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Ekron
The article discusses terracotta figurines from Iron Age Philistia that are made in the form of Mycenaean figurines or illustrate Aegean iconographic elements. Together with new material published from Ashdod, previously unpublished examples from the new excavations at Tel Miqne-Ekron and Ashkelon call for a reexamination of the typology and function of this group of figurines. As these objects may reflect both cultic practices affiliated with th…
A provenance study of Mycenaean pottery from Northern Israel
Pottery production at Tell es-Safi/Gath
Sha‘ar Hagolan and New Insights on Near Eastern Proto-Historic Urban Concepts
The new results from the Pottery Neolithic site of Sha‘ar Hagolan in Israel, dated to 6400–6000 BC (calibrated), reveal advanced notions of settlement planning, including the introduction of courtyard houses, a street system and infrastructure such as the construction of a water well. It is suggested, on the basis of the Near Eastern archaeological evidence from the eighth to sixth millennia BC, that early signs of urban concepts may be found at …
Large-scale storage of grain surplus in the sixth millennium BC
The authors report and describe the remarkable grain silos discovered at Tel Tsaf in the southern Levant. These tall, white, barrel-shaped towers seem to mark the first appearance of monuments of demonstrative surplus
Feasting between the Revolutions
Feasting has attracted much attention in archaeological research, both within the Near East and elsewhere in the world. Recent evidence of feasting includes occurrences in the Near East at prehistoric as well as Bronze and Iron Age sites, reflecting the diversity of types and functions of feasts. This article presents new evidence for feasting related to the intermediate protohistoric period in the southern Levant, coming from Middle Chalcolithic…
Mortaria as a Foreign Element in the Material Culture of the Southern Levant During the 8 th –7 th Centuries bce
The article examines an Iron Age II B–C ceramic form, the mortarium bowl, which is usually acknowledged as an imported type, but is not yet fully integrated into the study of east Mediterranean trade during this period. Several mortaria are examined by Thin Section Petrographic Analysis, and the previous studies of Iron Age II and Persian period mortaria are reviewed in light of its results. It is argued that Cyprus was the main production centre…
Transport Stirrup Jars from the Southern Levant
This article examines the issue of the distribution of transport stirrup jars found in the Late Bronze Age Levant. These vessels, representing long-range commodity exchange, are presumed to be largely of Cretan origin according to both their appearance and previous archaeometric analyses. However, determining whether non-Minoan sources of such vessels exist and identifying specific locales of production within Crete are ongoing foci of research. …
The ‘Dor 2006’ Shipwreck
The ‘Dor 2006’ shipwreck was discovered in 2006 south of the Dor/Tantura lagoon, Israel. The hull remains are of a large ship that was unable to enter the shallow anchorage. Among the finds were 20 ceramic items, including bowls, cooking–pots, jugs, a juglet, lids and amphoras. The cargo has not yet been found. Pottery typology, coins and 14C tests of organic material date the shipwreck to between the second half of the 6th and the first quarter …
Tell Jemmeh, Philistia and the Neo-Assyrian Empire during the Late Iron Age
The site of Tell Jemmeh near Gaza has long been suggested as the location of an Assyrian administrative centre or even the seat of an Assyrian governor. This paper revisits this issue in the light of the more comprehensive evidence we now have on the site from Van Beek's excavations. Tell Jemmeh yielded both architectural features (in plans and building techniques) and Assyrian-style pottery that link it strongly to the Neo-Assyrian world. Whethe…
Family and Household Religion
This volume is the most recent collective contribution of a group of biblical scholars and archaeologists who are engaged in an ongoing debate about the nature of family and household religion in ancient Israel and its environment. It is intended to complement the volume Household and Family Religion in Antiquity , edited by John Bodel and Saul M. Olyan, which grew out of a conference held at Brown University in 2005 on household and family relig…
A Study of the Production of Iron Age Clay Figurines from Jerusalem
The paper presents the results of a recent petrographic study that analyzed over 100 Iron II clay figurines found in and around the City of David, Jerusalem. The study was essentially the first archaeometrical analysis of the production mode of domestic cultic objects in the southern Levant. The paper also discusses the differences in production modes between household and temple cultic assemblages and assesses their importance in interpreting Ir…
Coupling lead isotope analysis and petrography to characterize fabrics of storage and trade containers from H ala S ultan Tekke ( C yprus)
Lead isotopes, thin‐ and sherd‐section analyses are coupled on pottery‐vessel fragments excavated from the Late Bronze Age site of H ala S ultan Tekke (south‐east C yprus) and representing fabrics used for the production of storage and trade containers. The fabrics of the sherds are first described according to general macroscopic observations. Based on the different fabrics identified, a petrographic analysis is carried out on thin sections and …
Production and Distribution of Geometrical-Painted (HMGP) and Plain Hand-Made Wares of the Mamluk Period
A program of petrographic analysis of Mamluk-period Hand-Made Geometrically Painted Ware (HMGP), supplemented by hand-made plain vessels and cooking pots, was undertaken as an offshoot of a wider study of the hand-made pottery industries of the 12th–16th centuries in Bil?d al-Sh?m. The aims of the wider project were to establish a chronological framework for the development of HMGP, and to examine issues of production and distribution and their s…
Appendix 1. List of samples and their archaeological details, with petrographic attribution
Rethinking Canaanite Palaces? The Palatial Economy of Tel Kabri during the Middle Bronze Age
Here we explore aspects of Canaanite palatial economy through an analysis of finds from the Middle Bronze Age palace at Tel Kabri, a 34 ha site located in the western Galilee of modern day Israel. The palace was founded in the middle part of the MBA I period, and continued without interruption until an advanced part of the MBA II period. Despite the fact that the Kabri palace was vast (perhaps up to 6000 sq m), functioned as the center of a polit…
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