Book Chapters by Ariel shatil
Dear Friends and Colleagues, On the morning of October 7, ca. 2000 HAMAS terrorists launched a br... more Dear Friends and Colleagues, On the morning of October 7, ca. 2000 HAMAS terrorists launched a brutal attack on civilians in Israeli kibbutzim, moshavim and towns adjacent to the Gaza Strip. They went from house to house to burn, torture, mutilate, and kill Jewish families. They gunned down hundreds of young people at an outdoor music festival that turned into a scene of rape and massacre. Not only did they kill parents in front of children, raped women and children, murdered children and soldiers still asleep in their beds, but also beheaded babies that were sleeping in their cribs.
Ashqelon Barne'a: the Early Bronze Age site. Volume 2, The finds., 2022
The excavations at Ashqelon Barne‘a yielded 24 bone artifacts, comprising 22 finished tools and t... more The excavations at Ashqelon Barne‘a yielded 24 bone artifacts, comprising 22 finished tools and two pieces of production waste. The bone tools from Barne‘a represent a simple, relatively poor assemblage but it displays some significant characteristics such as a high frequency of heavy pointed tools, probably the result of a specific task that required sturdy tools. Other characteristics of the assemblage include the choice of fast, simple modes of production, such as abrasion, and the exploitation of the marine environment for raw materials.
Tell Reḥov, A Bronze and Iron Age City in the Beth-Shean Valley. Volum V: Various Objects and Natural Science Studies, 2020
This chapter deals with the osseous objects (bone, antler and ivory) unearthed at Tel Re¢ov, disc... more This chapter deals with the osseous objects (bone, antler and ivory) unearthed at Tel Re¢ov, discussing their chronology, provenance and raw materials, as well as technological aspects of their production. A catalogue of 54 bone and ivory objects is presented;
Tell Reḥov, A Bronze and Iron Age City in the Beth-Shean Valley. Volum IV: Pottery Studies, Inscriptions, and Figurative Art. , 2020
Excavations in the Tyropoeon Valley (Givati Parking Lot) Volume II. The Byzantine and Early Islamic Periods, Part 3: Complementary Studies of Various Finds, 2020
The chapter discusses 197 bone objects found in the Byzantine and Early Islamic strata at the Giv... more The chapter discusses 197 bone objects found in the Byzantine and Early Islamic strata at the Givati Parking Lot site during the 2008–2012 excavation seasons. The analysis emphasizes the technological aspects of the objects, such as
the choice of raw material, the carving methods and the traces of carving and use marks. Excluding a number of objects made from fish vertebrae and horn all the bone objects were crafted from mammalian bones, usually the thick cortical diaphyses of long bones, most notably the metapodials. Some were made from flat bones such as scapulae and ribs. There are no ivory or antler objects in the assemblage. Most objects were handmade, some exhibit the use of a lathe. All were smoothed or polished to varying degrees, some exhibiting a masterly craftsmanship in their finishing touches. A number were decorated with incised geometric patterns, lathe turned and drilled decorations, artistic carvings, ajouré (open-work) or paint.
Excavations in the Tyropoeon Valley (Givati Parking Lot) Volume II. The Byzantine and Early Islamic Periods, Part 2: Strata IV–I: The Early Islamic Period, 2020
Alongside the dozens of finished bone objects the Givati Parking Lot excavations also yielded evi... more Alongside the dozens of finished bone objects the Givati Parking Lot excavations also yielded evidence that the production of bone tools and artifacts took place at the site––including objects in primary and advanced stages of production (blanks, preforms) and several hundred waste pieces. Analysis of these objects revealed an almost complete production sequence, which finds parallels at only a few other archaeological sites in the Levant and Egypt. As evidence for the production of bone objects is rarely addressed in archaeological publications of the Levant, this discussion describes the methodological, technological and theoretical aspects of these finds from Givati.
Excavations in the Tyropoeon Valley (Givati Parking Lot), Vol. I. IAA Reports 52., Dec 2013
Articles and Papers by Ariel shatil
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region / חידושים בארכיאולוגיה של ירושלים וסביבותיה, 2023
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region / חידושים בארכיאולוגיה של ירושלים וסביבותיה , 2023
בחפירות ברחבת הכותל המערבי נחפרות בשנים האחרונות שכבות המתוארכות לתקופה האסלאמית הקדומה. אחד הממצ... more בחפירות ברחבת הכותל המערבי נחפרות בשנים האחרונות שכבות המתוארכות לתקופה האסלאמית הקדומה. אחד הממצאים המעניינים שהתגלה בשכבות אלה הוא מתקן זעיר מגולף מעצם, המשמש לשקילת מטבעות. תפקידם של מאזני מטבעות מסוג זה אינו למדוד את משקלו המדויק של המטבע, אלא לבחון אם המטבע עומד בסטנדרט משקל קבוע וידוע מראש. מדובר בממצא נדיר למדי. בארץ ישראל ובסביבתה מוכרות מקבילות בודדות בלבד. מתקנים דומים העשויים בעיקר מברונזה, אך גם מעצם ומעץ, מוכרים מאזורים שונים באירופה, בעיקר מאנגליה וממערב אירופה במאות ה-13 עד ה-15, מערבות אירואסיה מהמאה ה-14 וה-15, ומטורקיה העות'מאנית. במאמר זה ננסה להתחקות אחר עקרונות הפעולה של מאזני מטבעות, וכן לעמוד על תיארוכם של המאזניים מירושלים, על בעליהם ועל אופן השימוש בהם. ננסה להבין את פשר הופעתו של מכשיר מדידה כזה בירושלים המוסלמית ולהסביר את הצורך בו.
During excavations in the Western Wall plaza in recent years, layers dating back to the early Islamic period have been excavated. One of the interesting findings discovered in these layers is a tiny device carved in bone, used for weighing coins. The function of this type of coin balance is not to measure the exact weight of the coin, but to examine whether the coin meets a fixed weight standard known in advance. This is a rather rare find. Only a few parallels are recognized in the Land of Israel and its surroundings. Similar installations made mainly of bronze, but also of bone and wood, are known from various regions of Europe, mainly from England and Western Europe in the 13th to 15th centuries, from Western Eurasia from the 14th and 15th centuries, and from Ottoman Turkey. In this article we will try to trace the principles of operation of coin balances, as well as to reach a dating of the balances from Jerusalem, identify their owners and how they were used. We will try to understand the meaning of the appearance of such a measuring device in Muslim Jerusalem and explain the need for .it
حجر الزاوية - مدينة يڤنه "يبنا" الأثرية المنطقة الصناعية والمقابر حول التل القديم, 2023
حجر الزاوية - مدينة يڤنه "يبنا" الأثرية المنطقة الصناعية والمقابر حول التل القديم , 2023
![Research paper thumbnail of The Buck Stops Here: Deer Antlers in Iron Age I Cultic Contexts at Tel Abel Beth Maacah and Their Implications (WITH FIXED FONT [p. 96])](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/94828856/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Pages 79-108 in “Now These Records are Ancient”. Studies in Ancient Near Eastern and Biblical History, Language and Culture in Honor of K. Lawson Younger, Jr. Edited by James K. Hoffmeier, Richard E. Averbeck, J. Caleb Howard and Wolfgang Zwickel., 2022
This article focuses on two deer antlers recovered from Iron Age IB cultic contexts in Area A tha... more This article focuses on two deer antlers recovered from Iron Age IB cultic contexts in Area A that date to the 11th and early 10th centuries B.C.E, and the possible implications they have for understanding cult and ritual related to the human-deer relationship in antiquity. We will first describe the find contexts of the antlers, then identify their osteological characteristics and the ensuing archaeological implications, and finally touch upon their possible significance from an ancient Near Eastern historical, cultural, and ritual perspective. We are honored to offer our contribution to this well-deserved Festschrift to honor Prof. Lawson K. Younger. His encouragement to undertake the excavations at Tel Abel Beth Maacah, as well as his excel- lent scholarship, serve as a guiding light and inspiration to us all.
Yavne and Its Secrets - Collected Papers, 2022
In the present paper, we will describe the small assemblage of bone tools made from shoulder blad... more In the present paper, we will describe the small assemblage of bone tools made from shoulder blades found at Tel Yavne and present a possible new type of tool. In addition, we seek to understand how these tools were created, how they were used, and for what purpose. We are basing this on experimental archaeology and Infrared spectroscopy (IR) analysis of traces of a plaster-like substance found on the working edge of two tools.
Yavne and Its Secrets Collected Papers, 2022
An article about a Middle Bronze IIB burial in Area B at Tel Abel Beth Maacah, published in the f... more An article about a Middle Bronze IIB burial in Area B at Tel Abel Beth Maacah, published in the festschrift in honor of Prof. Aren Maier: "Tell It in Gath -Essays in Honor of Aren M. Maeir on the Occasion of his Sixtieth Birthday Zaphon". The article describes the burial and its goods, which included a bronze ring with a scarab related to the Hyksos style. This prompts a discussion of the Hyksos phenomenon in the far north of Canaan.
Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology, 2021
Astragali, the knuckle or ankle bones of mammals, have been collected, used and modified by human... more Astragali, the knuckle or ankle bones of mammals, have been collected, used and modified by humans in different parts of the world for millennia. Large hoards dating from Iron Age IIA (tenth–ninth centuries bc) are attested at a number of sites in the southern Levant, and a recently discovered hoard of 406 astragali at Tel Abel Beth Maacah in northern Israel presents an opportunity to investigate this phenomenon, shedding light on the function of these bones and why they bore special status and meaning that crossed cultural and temporal boundaries. In this study, the zooarchaeological analysis of the astragali provides the basis for an extensive discussion of the hoard’s formation process and function that explores ethnographic literature, archaeological data and ancient Near Eastern and classical documentary sources. The findings of this study demonstrate that while the individual bones had many different functions, once deposited together the astragali took on a new meaning, possibly related to divinatory practices.
The Mega Project at Motza (Moẓa): The Neolithic and Later Occupations up to the 20th Century: New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and Its Region. Supplementary Volume, 2020
Excavations on the slopes of Tel Motza during 2017–2019 unearthed three Bronze Age occupation per... more Excavations on the slopes of Tel Motza during 2017–2019 unearthed three Bronze Age occupation periods––the Early, Intermediate and Middle Bronze Ages. The Early Bronze Age I settlement, the main topic of this paper, was markedly different from the two later periods in the exclusive use of curvilinear architecture. Excavations revealed the remains of at least 16 EB I curvilinear structures suggesting that this was the most intensive and widespread occupation during the Bronze Age.
Selena Vitezović (ed), Close to the Bone: current studies in bone technologies, Oct 2016
In the Early Islamic period (7th–11th century CE) a new type of figurine appears in the archaeolo... more In the Early Islamic period (7th–11th century CE) a new type of figurine appears in the archaeological record: small, crudely crafted human figures made of bone. Some researchers see them as toys meant to prepare girls for motherhood; others see them as fertility figurines. Although there is no archaeological evidence that they existed in pre Islamic Egypt and Palestine, nor any evidence connecting them solely to any Christian population in the Islamic period, they are mostly referred to as early Christian or “Coptic dolls”. In Egypt and Palestine they seem to appear suddenly at the end of the 7th century, coinciding with the Arab conquests, but they might have existed earlier in Iran and Mesopotamia. With the new Muslim empire bridging former Byzantine and Sassanian lands, these dolls found their way to Egypt and Palestine where they were reproduced in huge numbers becoming popular in all levels of society of the 8th and 9th century. By the end of the 11th century they disappeared as quickly as they appeared, probably because of restrictions placed on their production by Islamic laws.
In 2011 during excavations in the Givati parking lot a sewer pipe manufactured in Swadlincote, En... more In 2011 during excavations in the Givati parking lot a sewer pipe manufactured in Swadlincote, England, was exposed about 1.5 meters below ground. Following this find a research into the recent history of Jerusalem in the British mandate commenced. Other British finds from that period, such as ceramics, utensils and porcelain service sets were also found. These finds, and the short study below, shed new light on the Tyropoeon Valley area, south of the Temple Mount, during the British mandate.
Excavation reports by Ariel shatil
חדשות ארכיאולוגיות ESI 135, 2023
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Book Chapters by Ariel shatil
the choice of raw material, the carving methods and the traces of carving and use marks. Excluding a number of objects made from fish vertebrae and horn all the bone objects were crafted from mammalian bones, usually the thick cortical diaphyses of long bones, most notably the metapodials. Some were made from flat bones such as scapulae and ribs. There are no ivory or antler objects in the assemblage. Most objects were handmade, some exhibit the use of a lathe. All were smoothed or polished to varying degrees, some exhibiting a masterly craftsmanship in their finishing touches. A number were decorated with incised geometric patterns, lathe turned and drilled decorations, artistic carvings, ajouré (open-work) or paint.
Articles and Papers by Ariel shatil
During excavations in the Western Wall plaza in recent years, layers dating back to the early Islamic period have been excavated. One of the interesting findings discovered in these layers is a tiny device carved in bone, used for weighing coins. The function of this type of coin balance is not to measure the exact weight of the coin, but to examine whether the coin meets a fixed weight standard known in advance. This is a rather rare find. Only a few parallels are recognized in the Land of Israel and its surroundings. Similar installations made mainly of bronze, but also of bone and wood, are known from various regions of Europe, mainly from England and Western Europe in the 13th to 15th centuries, from Western Eurasia from the 14th and 15th centuries, and from Ottoman Turkey. In this article we will try to trace the principles of operation of coin balances, as well as to reach a dating of the balances from Jerusalem, identify their owners and how they were used. We will try to understand the meaning of the appearance of such a measuring device in Muslim Jerusalem and explain the need for .it
Excavation reports by Ariel shatil
the choice of raw material, the carving methods and the traces of carving and use marks. Excluding a number of objects made from fish vertebrae and horn all the bone objects were crafted from mammalian bones, usually the thick cortical diaphyses of long bones, most notably the metapodials. Some were made from flat bones such as scapulae and ribs. There are no ivory or antler objects in the assemblage. Most objects were handmade, some exhibit the use of a lathe. All were smoothed or polished to varying degrees, some exhibiting a masterly craftsmanship in their finishing touches. A number were decorated with incised geometric patterns, lathe turned and drilled decorations, artistic carvings, ajouré (open-work) or paint.
During excavations in the Western Wall plaza in recent years, layers dating back to the early Islamic period have been excavated. One of the interesting findings discovered in these layers is a tiny device carved in bone, used for weighing coins. The function of this type of coin balance is not to measure the exact weight of the coin, but to examine whether the coin meets a fixed weight standard known in advance. This is a rather rare find. Only a few parallels are recognized in the Land of Israel and its surroundings. Similar installations made mainly of bronze, but also of bone and wood, are known from various regions of Europe, mainly from England and Western Europe in the 13th to 15th centuries, from Western Eurasia from the 14th and 15th centuries, and from Ottoman Turkey. In this article we will try to trace the principles of operation of coin balances, as well as to reach a dating of the balances from Jerusalem, identify their owners and how they were used. We will try to understand the meaning of the appearance of such a measuring device in Muslim Jerusalem and explain the need for .it