Evidence Of Worship In The Rock-Cut Rooms On The Eastern Slope Of The City Of David, Jerusalem,
2025
Ancient Jerusalem Research Center
Evidence Of Worship In The Rock-Cut Rooms On The Eastern Slope Of The City Of David, Jerusalem, Eli Shukron, Liora Freud, Helena Roth, Reli Avisar, Efrat Bocher
'Atiqot
This paper presents the finds retrieved from a unique series of rock-cut rooms found on the eastern slope of the City of David. These rock-cut rooms stand out in terms of their architectural features, as well as the artifacts discovered within them, all of which reflect on their function as a cultic complex, likely constructed in the Middle Bronze Age, with its final stage in Iron Age IIB. This complex offers profound evidence for the diversity of cultic practices in the capital of the Kingdom of Judah.
Figurines And Their Makers: A View From A Canaanite Cultic Enclosure At Tel Burna,
2025
Institute of Archaeology, Ariel University
Figurines And Their Makers: A View From A Canaanite Cultic Enclosure At Tel Burna, Jon Ross, Itzhaq Shai
'Atiqot
Plaque figurines are a well-established Canaanite tradition of the Late Bronze Age Southern Levant. In this paper, we go beyond typology to consider who made these ritual objects at Tel Burna, based on impressions of fingerprints from shaping these figurines using an open mold. The lack of care exhibited on the backs and sides of the plaques has enabled a fingerprint analysis using proven biometric methods to clarify the demographics of their producers and the division of labor. Such analyses, when possible, potentially add another dimension to existing debates over how these cultic objects functioned in society, who made them …
Go Figure: The Unique Trajectories Of Figurine Use And Religious Ideologies In The Middle- And Late-Bronze Age Southern Levant,
2025
Institute of Archaeology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Go Figure: The Unique Trajectories Of Figurine Use And Religious Ideologies In The Middle- And Late-Bronze Age Southern Levant, Matthew Susnow, Joe Uziel
'Atiqot
This article explores the differences between cultic practices and religious ideologies as expressed in the material culture of the Middle and Late Bronze Ages in the Southern Levant. Whereas the periods share much in common in terms of material culture and political organization, we suggest that the cultic practices in the earlier period were dictated by elite ideologies aiming at social inclusion, unity, integration and group cohesion, while the Late Bronze Age viewed the distribution of such paraphernalia, particularly ceramic female figurines, as domestic in nature.
The Emergence Of Worship And Religion In The Neolithic Period: Direct And Indirect Evidence From Moẓa (Motza),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
The Emergence Of Worship And Religion In The Neolithic Period: Direct And Indirect Evidence From Moẓa (Motza), Hamoudi Khalaily, Anna Eirikh-Rose, Ianir Milevski
'Atiqot
Evidence of worship and religion in the form of architectural remains is rather scanty before the shift in human behavior, from hunter-gatherers to sedentary communities, and the emergence of permanent settlements. Communal and ritual structures first appeared in the Natufian culture (12,500–9400 BCE) and expanded during the Neolithic period (9400–5300 BCE), alongside the treatment of burials linked to ritual related to ancestor worship. The excavations at Motza’s Final PPNB (7100–6700 BCE) layer exposed many non-residential structures, some presumably used for worship and ritual. Some burials, including the one interpreted here as a shaman burial, included objects of symbolic importance. Cultic …
Front Matter & Editorial,
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
The Coins From The ‘Sleepy Spring’ At Safed (Ẓefat),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
The Coins From The ‘Sleepy Spring’ At Safed (Ẓefat), Robert Kool
'Atiqot
Nine copper coins, eight of which were identified, were found in the Mamlūk–Ottoman-period building at Safed. The earliest specimen is a residual copper fals from the fifteenth century CE; the remaining specimens date to the late Ottoman period (second half of the nineteenth–twentieth centuries CE). The latest coin is a ‘Two Mils’ issued during the British Mandate of Palestine in 1942.
The Glass Finds From The ‘Sleepy Spring’ At Safed (Ẓefat),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
The Glass Finds From The ‘Sleepy Spring’ At Safed (Ẓefat), Natalya Katsnelson
'Atiqot
The excavation at Safed yielded a small assemblage of glass finds, including fragments of two beaker-shaped oil lamps, a small lid and two small cosmetic bottles of the Mamluk–Ottoman periods, as well as several beads, bracelets and glass vessels of the late Ottoman–British Mandate periods. This glass assemblage corresponds with the dating of the remains between the fifteenth and early twentieth centuries CE, comprising common locally produced artifacts of the Late Islamic period and items dating to the late Ottoman and British Mandate periods, some of which were imported.
A Mamluk-Period Mausoleum Near The ‘Sleepy Spring’ At Safed (Ẓefat),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
A Mamluk-Period Mausoleum Near The ‘Sleepy Spring’ At Safed (Ẓefat), Hervé Barbé
'Atiqot
A trial excavation near the ‘Sleepy Spring’ fountain in Safed revealed the remains of a mausoleum, which was built during the late Mamluk period and remained in use until the early twentieth century. Three late Ottoman-period tombs found within the vaulted structure, and Ottoman-period cist tombs adjacent to the building, attest to the burial function of the site. No pre-Mamluk-period finds were uncovered at the site, indicating that the earliest occupation in this part of the ancient town was in the Mamluk period. Based on archaeological excavations and textual sources, urbanization of Safed was intensified during the Mamluk period, possibly …
The Faunal Remains From Ramla,
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
The Faunal Remains From Ramla, Dana Shtainberg Finali, Ram Bouchnick
'Atiqot
The majority of the faunal remains from the excavation at Ramla were retrieved from Area A. The assemblage mostly comprises domestic livestock, including domestic fowl. It also includes a few remains of wild mammals, fish and songbirds. The very low numbers of pig bones at the site are characteristic of assemblages associated with cultures that imposed a taboo on eating pork, as Jewish and Muslim communities. The assemblage appears to represent refuse deposits, although their precise origin is unclear.
The Coins From Ramla,
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
The Coins From Ramla, Robert Kool
'Atiqot
The excavation at Ramla yielded 39 coins, 19 of which were identified. More than half of the coins were dated to the Umayyad and Abbasid periods. Two silver fractions minted during the Fatimid period are noteworthy, attesting that the circulation of fractional silver and billon was more widespread than previously thought. Three Mamluk-period copper coins were also found.
Early Islamic-Period Metal Artifacts From Ramla,
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
Early Islamic-Period Metal Artifacts From Ramla, Ayala Lester
'Atiqot
Twenty-one metal objects, most of which are made of brass, were discovered in the excavation at Ramla, including household vessels and personal belongings. The metalware was predominantly retrieved from Area A Strata III–II, dated to the late Abbasid–Fatimid periods, attesting to the presence of metalworking professionals at Ramla in the Early Islamic period.
Early Islamic-Period Glass Finds From Ramla,
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
Early Islamic-Period Glass Finds From Ramla, Tamar Winter
'Atiqot
The excavation at Ramla yielded a rich variety of glass finds, most of which were free-blown and decorated, and some production remains. Some of the finds are characteristic of the Umayyad period, while most date to the Abbasid–Fatimid periods, with some types continuing into the Mamluk period. The rich variety of the glass assemblage and sophisticated nature of the vessel types attest to the affluence of the population inhabiting this part of Ramla, and the familiarity of this population with contemporary trends of the glass industry.
Provenance Study Of A Double-Stamped Jar Handle Of The Early Islamic Period From Ramla,
2025
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem
Provenance Study Of A Double-Stamped Jar Handle Of The Early Islamic Period From Ramla, Nitzan Amitai-Preiss, Anat Cohen-Weinberger
'Atiqot
A zir-jar handle found on the surface in Area B of the excavation in Ramla exhibited two stamps of identical design and orientation. It seems to have been produced in a workshop in the vicinity of Jerusalem (Nebi Samwil?) during the Early Islamic period.
Pottery And Stone Objects From The Abbasid–Fatimid Periods At Ramla,
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
Pottery And Stone Objects From The Abbasid–Fatimid Periods At Ramla, Hagit Torgë
'Atiqot
The pottery assemblage from the excavation at Ramla comprises well-known vessel types of the late Abbasid–Fatimid periods, mostly dating between the ninth and eleventh centuries CE. Most of the vessels were locally made; however, fine-ware vessels imported from as far as Egypt and China, were also found. Other probably imported items from Egypt are a Shabti figurine and a fragment of green marble. These luxury finds indicate that the area was most likely part of the affluent neighborhood of Ramla uncovered south of the White Mosque in the Early Islamic period.
Remains Of Buildings And Installations From The Late Abbasid–Fatimid And Mamluk Periods In Ramla,
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
Remains Of Buildings And Installations From The Late Abbasid–Fatimid And Mamluk Periods In Ramla, Ron Toueg, Hagit Torgë
'Atiqot
Salvage excavation carried out at Ramla revealed three strata in Area A (Strata III–I), comprising remains of buildings, installations, water cisterns, channels and cesspits ascribed to the late Abbasid–Fatimid periods (second half of the ninth to the end of the eleventh centuries CE). The latest occupation phase in Area A (Stratum I) was a short-term secondary use of Fatimid-period structures by inhabitants of the Mamluk period (thirteenth–sixteenth centuries CE). These remains were part of a previously exposed affluent neighborhood. The high economic status of the inhabitants of this area was further indicated by luxury finds, such as imported pottery vessels, …
Remains Of A Rural Settlement From The Late Hellenistic–Early Roman Periods And A Hiding Complex From The Roman Period At Ḥorbat Mazruq Near Abu Ghosh (With A Contribution By Donald T. Ariel),
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
Remains Of A Rural Settlement From The Late Hellenistic–Early Roman Periods And A Hiding Complex From The Roman Period At Ḥorbat Mazruq Near Abu Ghosh (With A Contribution By Donald T. Ariel), Daniel Ein-Mor
'Atiqot
Three areas were excavated at Ḥorbat Mazruq (A1–A3), revealing two structures with shafts in their courtyards leading to underground chambers, and a water reservoir that was incorporated into a subterranean hiding complex. Four burial caves were surveyed northwest of Area A1, only one was fully plotted; they probably served the residents of the site. The ceramic and numismatic finds date the architectural remains to the end of the second century BCE until the first century CE. The ceramic material found within the hiding complex, which canceled the original use of the installations at the site, is typical of the first …
Early Bronze Age Fauna From Tel Lod,
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
Early Bronze Age Fauna From Tel Lod, Edward F. Maher Maher
'Atiqot
The excavations at Tel Lod yielded a small zooarchaeological assemblage, primarily dating to Early Bronze Age IB (Strata VII–IV); the material from the latest occupation (Strata III–II) dates to late EB IB or the EB IB/EB II transition. The fauna of both phases is dominated by domestic stock, comprising sheep, goats, cattle and pigs, which were used both for primary products, such as meat, and secondary products, such as dairy, wool, hair, traction and for breeding. Wild animals, such as boar, gazelle, deer and hare, were also occasionally exploited.
The Flint Assemblage From Tel Lod,
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
The Flint Assemblage From Tel Lod, Polina Spivak
'Atiqot
A total of 2258 flint items were unearthed during the excavation at Tel Lod, originating in five well-defined strata (VII–II) dated to EB IB and the EB IB/EB II transition. The assemblage comprises elements from two main flint industries: the Pottery Neolithic Lodian Culture and the Early Bronze Age Canaanean blade industry. The lithic assemblages from Tel Lod reflect the agricultural activities pursued by the inhabitants of this settlement during both the Late Neolithic and the Early Bronze periods.
Early Bronze Age Remains At Tel Lod,
2025
Israel Antiquities Authority
Early Bronze Age Remains At Tel Lod, Amir Golani
'Atiqot
A rescue excavation conducted in the southwestern part of the Early Bronze Age mound at Lod exposed an intensive settlement. The architectural remains of Strata VI–IV demonstrate the use of rounded exterior corners for domestic structures, characteristic of the end of EB I and the transition into EB II. The architectural remains associated with Strata IV–III include large, possibly public buildings dating to the end of EB IB. The ceramic assemblages from Strata VII–II are typical of late EB I in central and southern Israel. Two Carbon-14 dates from Stratum IV indicate a date at the beginning of EB IB …
Early Bronze Age Ia Settlement Remains At Ḥorbat Ḥammim (South), Near Modi‘In,
2025
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem
Early Bronze Age Ia Settlement Remains At Ḥorbat Ḥammim (South), Near Modi‘In, Edwin C.M. Van Den Brink, Liora Kolska Horwitz, Ofer Marder, Henk K. Mienis
'Atiqot
The excavation at Ḥorbat Ḥammim (South) yielded a rock-cut basin and a small cave within a limestone bedrock outcrop. The basin is similar to other rock-cut installations previously exposed in the area and dated to the Chalcolithic period.
The manmade rock-cut cave was entered through a shaft. The sediments from the shaft and the cave consisted of many potsherds, stone tools and animal bones, that may have been washed into the cave, or intentionally discarded in it. The cave may have been quarried as early as the Late Chalcolithic period, although the bulk of the pottery dates to EB IA, …
