A Rock-Cut Burial Cave From The Early, Intermediate And Late Bronze Ages Near Ḥorbat Zelef (Pp. 1–46),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
A Rock-Cut Burial Cave From The Early, Intermediate And Late Bronze Ages Near Ḥorbat Zelef (Pp. 1–46), Karen Covello-Paran
'Atiqot
The burial cave is located in the modern village of Shibli, on the northeastern slope of Mount Tabor. In the cave, five burial levels were identified, dating to Early Bronze Age IIB (V), Early Bronze Age III (IV), the Intermediate Bronze Age (III), Late Bronze Age I (II) and Late Bronze Age II (I). The burial goods from the cave include various prestige items, such as an axe head from EB I; bronze, carnelian and alabaster objects, as well as imported pottery vessels and heirloom scarab seals from LB I; and imported Cypriot pottery and jewelry from LB II. The …
Scarabs From A Burial Cave Near Ḥorbat Zelef (Pp. 47–57),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
Scarabs From A Burial Cave Near Ḥorbat Zelef (Pp. 47–57), Othmar Keel, Stefan Münger
'Atiqot
Fourteen scarabs were retrieved from the Late Bronze Age I burial level at Ḥorbat Zelef. The assemblage is relatively homogeneous, mostly dating to the Middle Kingdom, some are imported from Egypt and some are local products. Their placement within a well-dated LB I burial context upholds that they were preserved for several generations as heirlooms, and finally used as a funerary deposit.
Settlement Remains From The Chalcolithic Period And Middle Bronze Age Ii At Naḥal Guvrin (Hebrew, Pp. 1*–32*; English Summary, Pp. 245–246),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
Settlement Remains From The Chalcolithic Period And Middle Bronze Age Ii At Naḥal Guvrin (Hebrew, Pp. 1*–32*; English Summary, Pp. 245–246), Pirhiya Nahshoni
'Atiqot
The Naḥal Guvrin site is located on a low hill along the western fringe of the southern Shephelah, c. 150 m south of the Naḥal Guvrin streambed. The excavation revealed the remains of a previously unknown Chalcolithic site of the Ghassulian-Be’er Sheva‘ Culture (Stratum II; Areas A1, A2) superposed by the remains of a Middle Bronze Age II village (Stratum I; Areas A2, B1, B2), identified in an earlier survey. The pottery from the Chalcolithic period comprises mainly storage vessels, probably attesting to the storage of agricultural products that were produced at the site. The pottery from the later stratum …
The Flint Assemblage From Naḥal Guvrin (Hebrew, Pp. 33*–36*; English Summary, P. 247),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
The Flint Assemblage From Naḥal Guvrin (Hebrew, Pp. 33*–36*; English Summary, P. 247), Hamoudi Khalaily
'Atiqot
The excavation at Naḥal Guvrin yielded 64 flint items, among them 10 tools, 5 from each layer. In addition, two ground-stone tools, made of flint pebbles, were recovered. Although only two strata, from the Chalcolithic period and the Middle Bronze Age, were identified in the excavation, the flint tools hint at the presence of a third occupation phase during the Early Bronze Age.
The Bone And Horn Industry In Late Ottoman Nazareth: The Evidence From Shihab Ad-Din (Pp. 61*–80*),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
The Bone And Horn Industry In Late Ottoman Nazareth: The Evidence From Shihab Ad-Din (Pp. 61*–80*), Noa Raban-Gerstel, Guy Bar-Oz, Yotam Tepper
'Atiqot
Animal bones recovered from excavations at Shihab ad-Din, Nazareth, provide an important source of knowledge about diet and subsistence practices in the past. The faunal remains presented in this report were retrieved from Crusader/Mamluk and Ottoman strata, and indicate bone-tool manufacturing at the site. The present study demonstrates that comprehensive analysis of such faunal assemblages can provide primary data on the diversity of the animals exploited, as well as on butchering and consumption patterns. Such studies can provide important information that eventually will enable us to evaluate issues of broader social importance.
A Soap-Production Factory From The Ottoman Period In Sūq Al-Fakhir, The Old City Of Jerusalem (Hebrew, Pp. 119–138; English Summary, Pp. 93*–94*),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
A Soap-Production Factory From The Ottoman Period In Sūq Al-Fakhir, The Old City Of Jerusalem (Hebrew, Pp. 119–138; English Summary, Pp. 93*–94*), Tawfiq Da'adli
'Atiqot
Sūq Khān al-Zayt, the central of three parallel markets, crosses Jerusalem’s Old City from north to south. A salvage excavation conducted in one of the market stores revealed four main phases (A–D). The hall where the excavations were carried out was established during Phase B. It comprises three pairs of parallel pillars, within which a series of installations were constructed. Some of the installations are coated with hydraulic plaster, others were identified as ovens. The installations were probably in thesoap industry, with ovens and vats used to boil oil as part of the productionprocess. These installationsmay have been part of …
Ottoman Clay Tobacco Pipes From Ramla (Pp. 43*–53*),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
Ottoman Clay Tobacco Pipes From Ramla (Pp. 43*–53*), Anna De Vincenz
'Atiqot
The pipes from the excavations at the Central Bus Station in Ramla are mostly early types dating to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. They seem to be of local manufacture, except for one, which may be an import from Turkey, as it bears a Turkish inscription. Only one fragment of a nineteenth-century pipe with a lily-shaped bowl was found in this assemblage. Thirty-three pipes are presented in the catalogue, including a detailed description of their designs.
Coins From The Mamluk And Ottoman Periods At Ramla (Pp. 55*–60*),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
Coins From The Mamluk And Ottoman Periods At Ramla (Pp. 55*–60*), Robert Kool, Ariel Berman
'Atiqot
The excavations at the Central Bus Station in Ramla brought to light 74 coins, of which 55 were identified. Except for five residual finds dating to the Byzantine period and one thirteenth-century Crusader copper, the coin finds can be dated securely to the mid-fourteenth to the seventeenth centuries CE. These are copper fulus that are regularly found in sites of the period.
Remains Of Buildings And Workshop Stores(?) From The Mamluk And Ottoman Periods On The Outskirts Of Ramla (Hebrew, Pp. 91–118; English Summary, Pp. 91*–92*),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
Remains Of Buildings And Workshop Stores(?) From The Mamluk And Ottoman Periods On The Outskirts Of Ramla (Hebrew, Pp. 91–118; English Summary, Pp. 91*–92*), Hagit Torge
'Atiqot
Excavations at the Ramla central bus station exposed remains from the Mamluk (late thirteenth–early fourteenth centuries CE) and Ottoman periods. In Area A, a cistern, dated to the Late Mamluk–Early Ottoman periods, was exposed. In Area B, ten phases were exposed, mostly represented by plaster floors; all dated to the Mamluk period. A large quantity of Mamluk-period pottery, including deformed and unfinished pots, was recovered from pits in this area; these appear to be debris from a pottery workshop. In Area C, seven phases were exposed, mainly comprising plaster floors dating from the Mamluk and Ottoman periods. The earliest remains …
Byzantine-Period And Later Remains At Ḥorbat Massah (Hebrew, Pp. 81–90; English Summary, Pp. 89*–90*),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
Byzantine-Period And Later Remains At Ḥorbat Massah (Hebrew, Pp. 81–90; English Summary, Pp. 89*–90*), Danny Syon
'Atiqot
A salvage excavation conducted near the cemetery of modern Kefar Tavor uncovered the remains of a large building from the Byzantine period, with evidence of a brief reuse during the Mamluk period. The finds included pottery dating to the Byzantine, Early Islamic (the majority), Crusader and Mamluk periods. Four coins were found, covering the Ptolemaic, Byzantine and Crusader–Ayyubid periods. Chronologically meaningful finds were a fragment of a limestone colonette bearing a cross, a marble slab with a decoration in relief and a small bronze hasp decorated with a cross. The items decorated with crosses suggest a Christian population, and the …
A Late Tenth-Century Fatimid Coin Purse From Bet She’An (Pp. 31*–41*),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
A Late Tenth-Century Fatimid Coin Purse From Bet She’An (Pp. 31*–41*), Robert Kool, Ariel Berman, Orit Shamir, Yotam Tepper
'Atiqot
During salvage excavations on the southern outskirts of Bet She’an, a hoard of Islamic silver currencies and one gold coin, dating to the end of the tenth century CE, was uncovered fused with textile fragments, which are probably the remains of a purse. A total of 131 cut silver dirham fragments were identified. The coin catalogue presents 20 cut dirham fractions, which bore inscriptions that facilitated their classification.
An Iron Age And Hellenistic-Period Site Near Be’Er Sheva‘ (With A Contribution By Moshe Sade) (Hebrew, Pp. 61–80; English Summary, P. 88*),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
An Iron Age And Hellenistic-Period Site Near Be’Er Sheva‘ (With A Contribution By Moshe Sade) (Hebrew, Pp. 61–80; English Summary, P. 88*), Yigal Israel, Oded Feder
'Atiqot
The site is located on the northern bank of Naḥal Be’er Sheva‘. The remains of two pits dated to Iron Age II were uncovered, as well as five subterranean complexes from the Hellenistic period. Some of the subterranean complexes continued in use as dwellings even after the collapse of their ceilings. A small number of pottery vessels from Iron Age II (seventh century BCE) were found. The finds from the Hellenistic period include pottery vessels, loomweights, a jar stopper, fragments of millstones and round pounding-stones, as well as animal bones. The subterranean architecture continues local traditions from the Chalcolithic period, …
The Rural Hinterland West Of Tel Hazor (Hebrew, Pp. 27–39; English Summary, Pp. 84*–85*),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
The Rural Hinterland West Of Tel Hazor (Hebrew, Pp. 27–39; English Summary, Pp. 84*–85*), Edna Amos, Nimrod Getzov
'Atiqot
Salvage excavations along the route of the Tel Hazor bypass road exposed a range of activities from many different periods, both from the time when Hazor was at the height of its prominence and during periods when the tell was abandoned. The evidence consisted of winepresses, shafts, quarries, cupmarks, caves and a curing installation(?). These findings shed light on the function and exploitation of the areas surrounding the ancient city of Hazor on the north and west, e.g., for wine production, burial grounds and as quarries, as early as the Middle Bronze Age and until the Byzantine period.
An Iron Age Ii Dwelling Cave On The Mount Of Olives, Jerusalem (Hebrew, Pp. 41–59; English Summary, Pp. 86*–87*),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
An Iron Age Ii Dwelling Cave On The Mount Of Olives, Jerusalem (Hebrew, Pp. 41–59; English Summary, Pp. 86*–87*), Nurit Feig
'Atiqot
Salvage excavations in the ash-Sheikh neighborhood, on the southern ridge of the Mount of Olives, uncovered the remains of a dwelling cave, a burial cave and an area of hewn rock. The dwelling cave’s opening was enclosed by stone-built walls and its beaten-earth floor contained pottery sherds. Two phases were uncovered in the cave, both from Iron Age II (eighth–seventh centuries BCE). Dwelling caves are a well-known phenomenon in the hill country and desert regions, serving populations living in remote areas. This cave was probably part of the late Iron Age II settlement network extending along the road from Jericho …
Seals And Figurines From The Beginning Of The Early Chalcolithic Period At Ha-Gosherim (Hebrew, Pp. 1–26; English Summary, Pp. 81*–83*),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
Seals And Figurines From The Beginning Of The Early Chalcolithic Period At Ha-Gosherim (Hebrew, Pp. 1–26; English Summary, Pp. 81*–83*), Nimrod Getzov
'Atiqot
Excavations at Ha-Gosherim yielded a rich and unique assemblage of artistic objects from the beginning of the Early Chalcolithic period (fifth millennium BCE): twenty-two stone stamp-seals and two bone female figurines. Made of local stone, most of the seals appear to have been manufactured on-site; however, a few seals were apparently made of chlorite and seem to have been brought to the site as finished artifacts. The designs on the seals vary and comprise geometric patterns alongside faunal and floral motifs, and even human faces or masks. This large assemblage of seals attests to the strong ties the Ha-Gosherim settlement …
Naḥal Yarmut: A Late Pottery Neolithic Site Of The Wadi Rabah Culture, South Of Naḥal Soreq (Pp. 1*–29*),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
Naḥal Yarmut: A Late Pottery Neolithic Site Of The Wadi Rabah Culture, South Of Naḥal Soreq (Pp. 1*–29*), Hamoudi Khalaily
'Atiqot
The Wadi Rabah site of Naḥal Yarmut is located on the southern bank of the Yarmut streambed, near Ramat Bet Shemesh Junction. The excavation unearthed a thick occupation layer rich in pottery and flint artifacts, all attributed to the Late Pottery Neolithic period. The architectural elements included pits and a rectangular structure. The flint assemblage was produced on-site from locally acquired material. This site provided valuable data concerning the presence of a Late Neolithic (Wadi Rabah) settlement in the Shephelah region.
The Pottery From Ḥorbat Gelilot (Hebrew, Pp. 63*–78*; English Summary, P. 158),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
The Pottery From Ḥorbat Gelilot (Hebrew, Pp. 63*–78*; English Summary, P. 158), Rivka Calderon
'Atiqot
The majority of the pottery finds from Ḥorbat Gelilot was retrieved from fills that covered the industrial installations. The finds range in date from the first to the seventh centuries CE and find parallels in the north of the country and along the coastal plain.
Two Lead Braziers From A Roman-Period Shipwreck Off The Ashqelon Coast (Hebrew, Pp. 79*–84*; English Summary, P. 159),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
Two Lead Braziers From A Roman-Period Shipwreck Off The Ashqelon Coast (Hebrew, Pp. 79*–84*; English Summary, P. 159), Ehud Galili, Baruch Rosen
'Atiqot
Two lead braziers were retrieved from the sea off the Ashqelon coast during an underwater survey. They were probably part of a ship's cargo dated to the first century BCE–third century CE. These finds shed light on the long debated subject of lighting fire abroad ships. An explanation as to how the objects were operated is offered, as well as a reconstruction of their use, either for cooking or for heating liquids.
Ḥorbat Gelilot (El-Jelil): Excavations On The Fringes Of A Roman–Byzantine Period Village In The Sharon Plain (Hebrew, Pp. 17*–61*; English Summary, Pp. 156–157),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
Ḥorbat Gelilot (El-Jelil): Excavations On The Fringes Of A Roman–Byzantine Period Village In The Sharon Plain (Hebrew, Pp. 17*–61*; English Summary, Pp. 156–157), Etan Ayalon, Yossi Levy
'Atiqot
At the site, located on the outskirts of Herzliyya, many industrial installations were discovered, including a bathhouse, a burial cave, a miqveh (ritual bath), pottery kilns, plastered pools and an olive press, dating to the Roman and Byzantine periods. These were most probably concentrated on the fringes of an ancient village, which was severely damaged in the past and very little is known of it. Historical sources, as well as some of the archaeological finds, probably point to a Samaritan ethnic identity for at least some of the settlement's inhabitants.
Crusader Remains In The Muristan, Old City Of Jerusalem: A Decade Of Archaeological Gleanings (Pp. 137–153),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
Crusader Remains In The Muristan, Old City Of Jerusalem: A Decade Of Archaeological Gleanings (Pp. 137–153), Amit Re’Em, Jon Seligman, Zubair Adawi, Rafeh Abu Raya
'Atiqot
The Muristan is located in the heart of the Christian quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. During the twelfth century CE the area was given to the Hospitaller Order of St. John, and it included the following major buildings: a hospital, ecclesiastical buildings and various large secular buildings. During excavations at the site, remains pertaining to these architectural units were discovered, including massive piers and ashlars, displaying typical Crusader diagonal tool marks, and stones bearing mason's marks. The meager finds from these excavations are an important contribution to the reconstruction of the Hospitaller Quarter of Jerusalem during the twelfth …
