The ancient southern Levantine city of Gezer is well-known from Egyptian, Biblical and Assyrian s... more The ancient southern Levantine city of Gezer is well-known from Egyptian, Biblical and Assyrian sources, associated with power struggles, conquests, and intriguing tales involving figures such as Milkilu and Amenhotep III, Merneptah, the Philistines, Solomon and his unidentified pharaonic father-in-law, and Shishak / Sheshonq I. Since the identity of Gezer with "Tell Jezer" is quite literally 'set in stone' by some dozen boundary inscriptions, along with impressive Bronze and Iron Age remains, research at this site provides a unique opportunity to compare text and archaeology, as well as bring to light the undocumented everyday lives of the city's inhabitants. In this endeavour, independent scientific dating is crucial for anchoring the remains chronologically. This paper presents the first substantial radiocarbon dataset and Bayesian chronological analysis for Gezer spanning the last part of the Late Bronze Age (LBA; LB IIB) through Iron Age II. The dataset derives from an essentially continuous stratigraphic sequence exposed in recent years by the Tandy expedition along the central-southern edge of the site. The results allow us for the first time to independently determine the site chronology, test the viability (from a chronological perspective) of proposed historical correlations, and contribute to debates on Philistine and Iron Age chronology.
This article presents a case study in how archaeological data assists in biblical interpretation.... more This article presents a case study in how archaeological data assists in biblical interpretation. The author uses the recent excavations of Tel Gezer, along with recent archaeological research on the Shephelah in the eighth century BCE to reconstruct the political and historical period of Uzziah. The first part of the article reviews the current excavations of Beth Shemesh and Tel es-Safi along with recent articles on the eighth-century destructions in the Shephelah. An overview of city-planning in the eighth century is provided. The second part of the article is a presentation of the results of the recently renewed excavations of Gezer (2006–2009). The author proposes that Judah experienced greater city-planning and regional development under King Uzziah than the latter period of Hezekiah.
Recent excavations at Tel Gezer have systematically revealed a broad exposure west of the Iron Ag... more Recent excavations at Tel Gezer have systematically revealed a broad exposure west of the Iron Age gate complex (popularly referred to as the “Solomonic Gate”). This report focuses on the occupation layers of the 10th century BCE (our Strata 8 and 7, dated by 14C and ceramic analyses). Stratum 8 represents a unique period of Gezer’s history when the city experienced a major shift in urban planning, as evidenced by a monumental administrative building and casemate fortifications that are associated with the Iron Age gate. This city was intensely destroyed, probably as a result of Sheshonq’s campaign. Stratum 7, which was also destroyed, exhibits a major shift to domestic quarters.
Tel Burna is located in the southern Shephelah in modern-day southern Israel. Work at the site ha... more Tel Burna is located in the southern Shephelah in modern-day southern Israel. Work at the site has revealed remains dating to the Late Bronze II through the Persian period with peaks of activity during the Late Bronze and Iron Age IIA–B. Occupation reached its apex at the site during the Late Bronze Age, when both the summit and the lower plateau were inhabited. An impressive cultic enclosure, with numerous items related to ritual activities, dating to the Late Bronze was excavated in Area B1, on the lower platform. Excavations of the summit have exposed a well-fortified casemate wall (70 × 70 m) dating to the Iron II. This occupation is clearly related to the kingdom of Judah and it appears that Tel Burna was built as a border site between the largest cities in the region, namely, Philistine Gath and Judahite Lachish.
An assessment of R. A. S. Macalister’s work at Tel Gezer, his most ambitious project undertaken i... more An assessment of R. A. S. Macalister’s work at Tel Gezer, his most ambitious project undertaken in the country, can be viewed on many different levels. For example, one can compare his results to those of the Hebrew Union College excavations that took place from 1965 through 1973. This topic is dealt with in W. G. Dever’s and J. D. Seger’s articles in this volume. Likewise, one can compliment him for conducting the first survey of the hinterland of a major biblical-period site. This topic, however, is dealt with by E. Mitchell in this volume. One can discuss the value of the finds that his excavation yielded and which were published in his Gezer reports; for this see B. Brandl and R. Reich in this volume. In this chapter, we, representatives of the Tandy Institute of Archaeology expedition, the third in line of major excavations at the site (after Macalister and the Hebrew Union College teams), wish to discuss the influence of Macalister’s reportage in The Excavations of Gezer (1912...
New Evidence for the 10th Century BCE at Tel Gezer, in A. Faust, Y. Garfinkel and M. Mumcuoglu (eds.) State Formation Processes in the 10th Century BCE Levant (Jerusalem Journal of Archaeology 1): 221–240., 2021
Recent excavations at Tel Gezer under the auspices of the Tandy Institute for Archaeology have sy... more Recent excavations at Tel Gezer under the auspices of the Tandy Institute for Archaeology have systematically revealed a broad exposure west of the Iron Age gate complex (popularly referred to as the "Solomonic Gate"). This report focuses on the occupation layers of the 10th century BCE (our Strata 8 and 7, dated by 14C and ceramic analyses). Stratum 8 represents a unique period of Gezer's history when the city experienced a major shift in urban planning, as evidenced by a monumental administrative building and casemate fortifications that are associated with the Iron Age gate. This city was intensely destroyed, probably as a result of Sheshonq's campaign. Stratum 7, which was also destroyed, exhibits a major shift to domestic quarters.
Ashdod Ware" from Ekron Stratum IV: Degenerated and Late Philistine Decorated Ware
Material Culture Matters Material Culture Matters Material Culture Matters Essays on the Archaeology of the Southern Levant in Honor of Seymour Gitin, 2004
Methodological comments on the Low Chronology: A reply to Ernst Axel Knauf
Biblische Notizen, 2002
Expose d'une controverse methodologique au sujet de la datation de l'Age du Fer dans la z... more Expose d'une controverse methodologique au sujet de la datation de l'Age du Fer dans la zone d'implantation des Philistins au sud de Canaan. En effet, une nouvelle theorie apparue en 1995 (la low Chronology), s'appuyant sur l'etude des ceramiques, soutient une datation plus recente d'une centaine d'annee (IXe siecle avant J.-C. au lieu du Xe siecle). L'apparition d'une monarchie unifiee dans cette region semble etre alors plus tardive que ce que l'on pensait jusqu'ici, ce qui nous oblige a revoir notre conception de l'histoire de la Palestine.
The ancient southern Levantine city of Gezer is well-known from Egyptian, Biblical and Assyrian s... more The ancient southern Levantine city of Gezer is well-known from Egyptian, Biblical and Assyrian sources, associated with power struggles, conquests, and intriguing tales involving figures such as Milkilu and Amenhotep III, Merneptah, the Philistines, Solomon and his unidentified pharaonic father-in-law, and Shishak / Sheshonq I. Since the identity of Gezer with "Tell Jezer" is quite literally 'set in stone' by some dozen boundary inscriptions, along with impressive Bronze and Iron Age remains, research at this site provides a unique opportunity to compare text and archaeology, as well as bring to light the undocumented everyday lives of the city's inhabitants. In this endeavour, independent scientific dating is crucial for anchoring the remains chronologically. This paper presents the first substantial radiocarbon dataset and Bayesian chronological analysis for Gezer spanning the last part of the Late Bronze Age (LBA; LB IIB) through Iron Age II. The dataset derives from an essentially continuous stratigraphic sequence exposed in recent years by the Tandy expedition along the central-southern edge of the site. The results allow us for the first time to independently determine the site chronology, test the viability (from a chronological perspective) of proposed historical correlations, and contribute to debates on Philistine and Iron Age chronology.
This article presents a case study in how archaeological data assists in biblical interpretation.... more This article presents a case study in how archaeological data assists in biblical interpretation. The author uses the recent excavations of Tel Gezer, along with recent archaeological research on the Shephelah in the eighth century BCE to reconstruct the political and historical period of Uzziah. The first part of the article reviews the current excavations of Beth Shemesh and Tel es-Safi along with recent articles on the eighth-century destructions in the Shephelah. An overview of city-planning in the eighth century is provided. The second part of the article is a presentation of the results of the recently renewed excavations of Gezer (2006–2009). The author proposes that Judah experienced greater city-planning and regional development under King Uzziah than the latter period of Hezekiah.
Recent excavations at Tel Gezer have systematically revealed a broad exposure west of the Iron Ag... more Recent excavations at Tel Gezer have systematically revealed a broad exposure west of the Iron Age gate complex (popularly referred to as the “Solomonic Gate”). This report focuses on the occupation layers of the 10th century BCE (our Strata 8 and 7, dated by 14C and ceramic analyses). Stratum 8 represents a unique period of Gezer’s history when the city experienced a major shift in urban planning, as evidenced by a monumental administrative building and casemate fortifications that are associated with the Iron Age gate. This city was intensely destroyed, probably as a result of Sheshonq’s campaign. Stratum 7, which was also destroyed, exhibits a major shift to domestic quarters.
Tel Burna is located in the southern Shephelah in modern-day southern Israel. Work at the site ha... more Tel Burna is located in the southern Shephelah in modern-day southern Israel. Work at the site has revealed remains dating to the Late Bronze II through the Persian period with peaks of activity during the Late Bronze and Iron Age IIA–B. Occupation reached its apex at the site during the Late Bronze Age, when both the summit and the lower plateau were inhabited. An impressive cultic enclosure, with numerous items related to ritual activities, dating to the Late Bronze was excavated in Area B1, on the lower platform. Excavations of the summit have exposed a well-fortified casemate wall (70 × 70 m) dating to the Iron II. This occupation is clearly related to the kingdom of Judah and it appears that Tel Burna was built as a border site between the largest cities in the region, namely, Philistine Gath and Judahite Lachish.
An assessment of R. A. S. Macalister’s work at Tel Gezer, his most ambitious project undertaken i... more An assessment of R. A. S. Macalister’s work at Tel Gezer, his most ambitious project undertaken in the country, can be viewed on many different levels. For example, one can compare his results to those of the Hebrew Union College excavations that took place from 1965 through 1973. This topic is dealt with in W. G. Dever’s and J. D. Seger’s articles in this volume. Likewise, one can compliment him for conducting the first survey of the hinterland of a major biblical-period site. This topic, however, is dealt with by E. Mitchell in this volume. One can discuss the value of the finds that his excavation yielded and which were published in his Gezer reports; for this see B. Brandl and R. Reich in this volume. In this chapter, we, representatives of the Tandy Institute of Archaeology expedition, the third in line of major excavations at the site (after Macalister and the Hebrew Union College teams), wish to discuss the influence of Macalister’s reportage in The Excavations of Gezer (1912...
New Evidence for the 10th Century BCE at Tel Gezer, in A. Faust, Y. Garfinkel and M. Mumcuoglu (eds.) State Formation Processes in the 10th Century BCE Levant (Jerusalem Journal of Archaeology 1): 221–240., 2021
Recent excavations at Tel Gezer under the auspices of the Tandy Institute for Archaeology have sy... more Recent excavations at Tel Gezer under the auspices of the Tandy Institute for Archaeology have systematically revealed a broad exposure west of the Iron Age gate complex (popularly referred to as the "Solomonic Gate"). This report focuses on the occupation layers of the 10th century BCE (our Strata 8 and 7, dated by 14C and ceramic analyses). Stratum 8 represents a unique period of Gezer's history when the city experienced a major shift in urban planning, as evidenced by a monumental administrative building and casemate fortifications that are associated with the Iron Age gate. This city was intensely destroyed, probably as a result of Sheshonq's campaign. Stratum 7, which was also destroyed, exhibits a major shift to domestic quarters.
Ashdod Ware" from Ekron Stratum IV: Degenerated and Late Philistine Decorated Ware
Material Culture Matters Material Culture Matters Material Culture Matters Essays on the Archaeology of the Southern Levant in Honor of Seymour Gitin, 2004
Methodological comments on the Low Chronology: A reply to Ernst Axel Knauf
Biblische Notizen, 2002
Expose d'une controverse methodologique au sujet de la datation de l'Age du Fer dans la z... more Expose d'une controverse methodologique au sujet de la datation de l'Age du Fer dans la zone d'implantation des Philistins au sud de Canaan. En effet, une nouvelle theorie apparue en 1995 (la low Chronology), s'appuyant sur l'etude des ceramiques, soutient une datation plus recente d'une centaine d'annee (IXe siecle avant J.-C. au lieu du Xe siecle). L'apparition d'une monarchie unifiee dans cette region semble etre alors plus tardive que ce que l'on pensait jusqu'ici, ce qui nous oblige a revoir notre conception de l'histoire de la Palestine.
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