Ḥamid, Tel
IDENTIFICATION
Tel
EXCAVATIONS
The site had been surveyed repeatedly in the past but never excavated until salvage excavations were conducted on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority by S. Wolff and A. Shavit in 1996 (areas A–C), and by Wolff in 1998 (areas D, E) and 2002 (area F). In 1995–1996, O. Tal excavated remains to the west of the tell, dating primarily to the Pottery Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods.
Areas A, B, and C are situated on the western edge of the tell, area D to the east of area A, area E on the far northwestern side, and area F some 200 m west of area C (west of the tell). The excavations yielded seven strata ranging from the Iron Age II (ninth century BCE) to the Byzantine period (sixth–seventh centuries CE). Ceramics were identified from the Middle and Late Bronze Ages, the Iron Age I, and the Hellenistic period, suggesting that these strata remain to be discovered upslope, towards the acropolis. Ottoman sherds were revealed in area C.
EXCAVATION RESULTS
STRATUM VII (THE NINTH CENTURY bce). Remains of stratum VII were found in the basal layers of areas A, C, and D. In area A, it was reached in selected soundings in area A, yielding one wall and several pebble pavements. More extensive yet enigmatic remains were revealed in area C, including substantial walls along with floors and installations, apparently situated beyond the confines of the city wall. In area D, pottery of this stratum was found in the lower layer of the fill south of the stratum VI wall, and also in probes beneath the lower stone pavement and the plaster floor, just above bedrock; architectural remains belonging to this stratum were not observed in this area. The pottery in all of these layers is characterized by dark red-slipped and horizontal hand-burnished bowls and kraters, and is worn, indicating that it lay exposed to the elements for some time before the structures of stratum VI were constructed. In area F, well-preserved remains of a double winepress (two pressing floors leading to two collecting vats) were exposed, built on virgin soil. Pottery found in the vats and on the pressing floors is attributed to stratum VII.
This stratum, dated by 14C, fills the gap of the “missing ninth century” in the south (using traditional chronology). Analysis of the pottery demonstrates that it is almost identical to tenth-century assemblages and thus shows continuity in material culture. The demise of stratum VII may be attributed to Hazael’s campaign, as has been suggested for nearby contemporary sites.
STRATUM VI (THE LATE NINTH CENTURY–FIRST THIRD OF EIGHTH CENTURY BCE). The most significant architectural finds attributable to stratum VI were revealed in areas A and D. In area A, a large building was found, portions of which functioned as a storeroom. Its total area is estimated at 200 sq m. Three pillar bases were preserved in it, providing evidence that it was at least partially roofed. The southern wall (width c. 1 m; preserved height 1.6 m) is exceptionally well built. In the southwestern corner is a narrow room (maximum width 1.5 m) with very thick walls (1 m) joined by two east–west partition walls. It is possible that this room contained a staircase leading to a second story or even to a watchtower facing northwest. To the north of the building a stone pavement was exposed. The building was filled with hundreds of fragments of hole-mouth jars. Its commercial character may be associated with Uzziah’s expansion into Philistia (sometime after 782 BCE; see 2 Chr. 26:6–8, 10).
Area D yielded a massive wall founded on bedrock. Downslope and to the north was a surface paved with stone slabs on its eastern part and plastered on its western; in a later phase a stone pavement was laid over the plaster. A series of earthen fills were deposited south of the massive wall. The 1 m-thick fill to the north of the wall, above the pavement, consisted of an accumulation of mud-brick detritus, suggesting the existence of a large structure with a mud-brick superstructure in the immediate vicinity. It is conceivable that these remains belong to a double-wall fortification system, the massive wall comprising the outer retaining wall, with an earthen fill between it and the main inner wall. If this conjecture is correct, then the inner wall should be sought on the incline of the slope, south of area D. It is possible that the pavement uncovered beyond the outer retaining wall formed part of a roadway leading to the city gate—perhaps located east of area D. Fortification systems of this type are known in contemporary levels at Tel Batash, Lachish, and Tel
The pottery assemblage of stratum VI is somewhat limited in its variety, and is dominated by thick-rimmed hole-mouth storage jars (“
STRATUM V (THE SECOND HALF OF THE EIGHTH CENTURY BCE). Stratum V was severely damaged due to both its proximity to the modern surface and Byzantine pitting. The remains of several architectural units were revealed in areas A and D. A deposit of iron slag and material associated with iron smithing (tuyere fragments, furnace lining) was found immediately below a floor dated to this stratum and above the remains of stratum VI. Micromagnetometry conducted prior to excavations yielded additional probable metallurgical foci that could not be exposed due to time constraints on the excavation. The pottery of this stratum included wheel-burnished red-slipped bowls; lamelekh storage jars are lacking. Among the special finds are a stone weight of 16 shekels (176 gm), several terracotta figurine fragments, and an iron knife. It is tempting to attribute the demise of stratum V to the invasions of Sargon II (712 BCE) or Sennacherib (701 BCE), but no absolute proof can be proffered.
STRATUM IV (THE PERSIAN PERIOD, FIFTH CENTURY BCE). Persian period remains include a circular installation and surrounding fill layers revealed in area B; three refuse pits dug into earlier strata in area D; and fill layers that exclusively characterize area E. The stratum yielded a typical coastal ceramic assemblage including mortaria, basket-handled amphoras, Chian amphoras, and sherds of Attic black glaze. One terracotta figurine head was found along with several bronze fibulae.
STRATUM III (THE EARLY ROMAN PERIOD). Sherds from the Early Roman period were revealed in area B, although lacking any architectural context.
STRATUM II (THE LATE ROMAN PERIOD). In area D, a plastered installation (a bath?) was uncovered, filled with storage jar sherds, fragments of glass vessels, a hopper-rubber basalt grinding stone, a fragment of a footed basalt vessel, oil-lamp sherds of the Beit Natif type, and a coin dating to 364–375 CE. Contemporary with this installation is a circular pottery kiln (outer diameter c. 5 m) discovered in area C. This kiln should be viewed in the context of another one found nearby in the excavations conducted by O. Tal.
STRATUM I (THE LATE BYZANTINE PERIOD, SIXTH–SEVENTH CENTURIES CE). Two elements of an oil press were exposed in area A: a weight with a central socket and two external mortises, and a central collecting vat. Nearby, and continuing to the western fringe of area D to the east, was a contemporary refuse dump consisting mainly of discarded pottery, especially bag-shaped storage jars. Some built installations of an unknown function were discovered in area B; they contained sherds of storage jars. The fill below consisted of a Byzantine period pottery dump. Its removal revealed a cave, 5 by 4 m, entered via a 2 m-wide “corridor” in the bedrock. The cave was also used as a refuse dump.
SAMUEL WOLFF, ALON SHAVIT
IDENTIFICATION
Tel
EXCAVATIONS
The site had been surveyed repeatedly in the past but never excavated until salvage excavations were conducted on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority by S. Wolff and A. Shavit in 1996 (areas A–C), and by Wolff in 1998 (areas D, E) and 2002 (area F). In 1995–1996, O. Tal excavated remains to the west of the tell, dating primarily to the Pottery Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods.