Today (Sept. 24, 2008), our group visited Bar-Ilan University in Ramat-Gan, and had a hands-on workshop. We saw finds from the excavation projects conducted by Prof. A. Maeir and Prof. Avi Faust. Unlike the last two activities, the participants were only the members of our group, including Aren Maeir, Ami Mazar, Amir Fink, Marie-Henriette Gates, Sharon Zukerman, Assaf Yasur-Landau and myself.
We first went to the Tel ‘Eton lab where Avi Faust presented the results and finds from the two seasons of excavations. The site, which is located close to Tel Beit Mirsim, was partially excavated in the 70’s by the Tel Lachish excavation project. The current project begun with a site survey and mapping of the surrounding burial caves (almost all of them were robbed). Avi introduced the three main excavation areas: one on the top of the tell (Area A), one adjacent to the old excavation (Area B), and the third located in what is supposed to be the lower city (Area C). The dominant period that was uncovered is the Iron Age IIB, in both Area A and B. In Area A, a large building with quantity of pottery vessels was found, some of the vessels with botanic remains. We all agreed that the pottery assemblage that Avi showed us should be dated to the 8th century BCE. Avi also mentioned that in one square in Area B, Philistine bichrome ware was discovered. In addition, architecture and finds dating to the Persian period were also found. All in all, this project has only started, and undoubtedly will add more data on the Judean material culture.

On Tuesday, September 16, we traveled to Hazor, to visit the Hebrew University excavations at the Tel, and in particular the new excavations in the “lower city.” Our party included members of the IAS research group, as well as scholars from the Hebrew University. Participants included Amir Fink, Yossi Garfinkel, Itzik Shai, Ami Mazar, Aren Maeir, Nava Panitz, Talay Ornan, Marie-Henriette Gates, Ido Wachtel, and Laura Perry.
After an early departure from Jerusalem, we arrived at Hazor around 10am, and met Sharon Zukerman director of the excavations at the site, and a member in our IAS group. We have first visited the Bronze Age remains in the upper city. Out first stop were the rather mysterious remains of very large underground structures, possibly basement rooms dating to the later Middle Bronze Age or the early Late Bronze Age. We then visited the monumental structure of the Late Bronze Age, identified as either a temple, or a ceremonial palace. Around it, Middle Bronze Age massive foundations indicate that much building activity occurred on the acropolis during that era.
We then descended by car to the lower mound, were new excavations were underway in Yadin’s expedition Area 210, which was identified as a domestic area already in the 1950’s. The current excavations were preceded by a geophysical survey which suggested a well organized urban plan. So far, remains of several humble Late Bronze Age houses have been found, apparently abandoned rather destroyed.
The successful day was concluded in a humus lunch in the town of Rosh Pina.

Assaf

On Thursday, Sept. 11th, the group members visited the laboratory of the Khirbet Qeiyafa excavations, directed by Prof. Yossi Garfinkel (HU) and Sa’ar Ganor (IAA).

Although the visit was originally meant for the group members, some 30 other members of the archaeological community in Jerusalem came as well, and we had a very interesting visit.

Although I can’t say much since it has not been published in any manner, today, the excavators gave a preliminary “show and tell” presentation of the finds, including a brief description of the excavations, a view of the pottery, a preliminary description of the petrographic analysis (by D. Ben-Shlomo) and a first description of the the inscription that they found.

This absolutely fantastic, fortified Iron Age site (late Iron I/early Iron IIA) has a very nice assemblage of pottery, and what may be the most important Iron Age Semitic inscription found in Israel in the last decade! (to be published by Haggai Misgav of the Hebrew University)

Due to the fact that so far nothing has been published, not much can be said, save that this is going a VERY INTERESTING site with very interesting finds!!!!

Clearly, the site, its dating, the finds, and their significance, will be of paramount importance in the discussions of the Iron Age southern Levant, and just about anything connected to it, in the near
future.

Based on Yossi’s previous track record in publishing excavation results, publications should be appearing soon!

Aren

This blog has been opened to serve as a “clearing house” for the activities of the research group which was just convened at the Institute of Advanced Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and will be in “session” from September 1st until the end of February 2009.

The group, initiated by A. Maeir, A. Mazar and A. Yasur-Landau, which is entitled “Interconnections and Regional Narratives in Mediterranean Archaeology (ca. 1700-700 BCE)” aims to create a framework in which archaeological scholars working in different parts of the eastern Mediterranean during the 2nd-1st mill. BCE can get together and exchange ideas, information and methods.

The group will have activities approximately once a week, including seminars, field trips, and a full meeting in December.

As part of the activities, we have opened this blog, as manner to report on the group’s activities.

For a detailed description of the ideas behind the group, see below.

Aren, Ami and Assaf.

Interconnections and Regional Narratives in Mediterranean Archaeology (ca. 1700-700 BCE)

Research Group at the Institute of Advanced Studies,
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Academic Year 2008/2009

Initiators:
Prof. Aren Maeir, Institute of Archaeology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan
Prof. Amihai Mazar, Institute of Archaeology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Prof. Assaf Yasur-Landau, University of California, Santa Cruz

Confirmed participants:
Fulltime Fellows (4 months or more): A. Mazar, A. Maeir. A. Yasur-Landau, S. Zuckerman (HU), J. Rutter (Dartmouth), L. Hitchcock (Melbourne), M.-H. Gates (Bilkent), R. Schiestl (Berlin), A. Sumakai-Fink (Tel Aviv/Chicago), I. Shai (BIU)
Visiting Scholars (1-3 weeks): J. Papadopolous (UCLA), S. Morris (UCLA), J. Smith (Columbia), M. Bietak (Vienna)

The ideas behind the group:
The tension between pan-Mediterranean perspectives in history and archaeology, as opposed to perspectives more oriented to the uniqueness of each regional narrative, has seldom been discussed in relationship to the Bronze and Iron Age Eastern Mediterranean.
Following the advent of the New Archaeology, inclusive, Braudelian Mediterranean approaches were rejected in archaeology, in favor of studies of specific micro-regions. The result was a shuttered and fragmented picture of the Bronze and Iron Age Mediterranean, ignoring the deep impact inter-regional contacts had on almost every aspect of the societies studied.
The proposed research group composed of leading scholars in the archaeology of Israel, Egypt, Greece, and Anatolia wishes to explore a wide range of cultural phenomena in the eastern Mediterranean, ca. 1700-700 BCE, in a holistic and inter-connected manner. It will attempt to define similarities and differences in the patterns of inter – and intra-regional interaction and development of selected issues within this wide framework.
The following are examples of major issues to be discussed:
• Analyzing the dynamics of trade relations between various regions and countries.
• Discussing more complex cultural process, such as diffusion, acculturation, creolization, and emulation.
• Isolating and defining phenomena such as migration, colonization, itinerant artisans, etc., within a Mediterranean context