Materiality of Religion in Judean Households: A Contextual Analysis of Ritual Objects from Iron II Tell en-Naṣbeh

Posted on December 17, 2018 by Marta Ostovich

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Materiality of Religion in Judean Households: A Contextual Analysis of Ritual Objects from Iron II Tell en-Naṣbeh

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Available until December 21, 2018[/vc_column_text][mk_divider][vc_column_text]Near Eastern Archaeology, September 2018, “Materiality of Religion in Judean Households: A Contextual Analysis of Ritual Objects from Iron II Tell en-Naṣbeh” by Aaron Brody (Badè Museum at Pacific School of Religion)

The author highlights household religion through a direct, contextual presentation of ritual artifacts from one Judean household compound at Tell en-Naṣbeh in their original contexts. The compound is made of five conjoined pillared houses that constitute the living space of one extended family. The author takes a gendered approach to the artifacts, which include female pillar figurines, animal figurines, horse-and-rider figurines, incense stands, and zoomorphic vessels. Ritualized utilitarian objects are also taken into account. This approach to ritual at the site adds to our understanding of the religious culture of women, men, children, families, and households at Naṣbeh. Most notably the author proposes that the concentration of ritual objects near the two kitchen spaces in the compound suggests that the female head of household who provided sustenance for the extended family and its dependents also presided over the religious health of the household.

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Household Rituals and Sacrificial Donkeys: Why Are There So Many Domestic Donkeys Buried in an Early Bronze Age Neighborhood at Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath?

Posted on December 7, 2018 by Marta Ostovich

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Household Rituals and Sacrificial Donkeys: Why Are There So Many Domestic Donkeys Buried in an Early Bronze Age Neighborhood at Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath?

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Available until December 14, 2018[/vc_column_text][mk_divider][vc_column_text]Near Eastern Archaeology, September 2018, “Household Rituals and Sacrificial Donkeys: Why Are There So Many Domestic Donkeys Buried in an Early Bronze Age Neighborhood at Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath?” by Haskel J. Greenfield (University of Manitoba), Tina L. Greenfield (University of Saskatchewan), Itzhaq Shai (Ariel University), Shira Albaz (Bar-Ilan University) and Aren M. Maeir (Bar-Ilan University)

A few years ago, a domestic donkey (Equus asinus), or ass, was discovered at Tell eṣ-Ṣafi/Gath in modern Israel and determined to have been sacrificed and buried as a foundation deposit beneath the floor of an Early Bronze III house. Since then, three additional complete domestic donkey burials have been revealed beneath the floors of another house in the same Early Bronze neighborhood. These animals were buried within a nonelite domestic neighborhood at the edge of the city. The authors suggest that this urban space may have been the location of the homes and work spaces of merchants who relied upon donkeys as “beasts of burden” to transport their goods regionally and interregionally.

Residential Burial and Social Memory in the Middle Bronze Age Levant

Posted on November 30, 2018 by Marta Ostovich

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Residential Burial and Social Memory in the Middle Bronze Age Levant

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Available until December 7, 2018[/vc_column_text][mk_divider][vc_column_text]Near Eastern Archaeology, September 2018, “Residential Burial and Social Memory in the Middle Bronze Age Levant” by Melissa S. Cradic (Badè Museum of Biblical Archaeology)

Disposal of the dead within occupied buildings of the Middle Bronze Age Levant, or intramural burial, offered inhabitants a way of closely interacting with the physical remains of the deceased. Residential burials provided permanent spatial connections between the living and the dead and served as loci of social memory for the intergenerational household. Drawing on archaeological evidence from Tel Megiddo, this article presents a model for residential burial and social memory focusing on the diversity of body disposal methods. Burials inside the settlement varied significantly in terms of type and architecture, body disposal methods, and grave goods. In several cases, burials were reopened periodically to reposition corpses while others were never disturbed. The author argues that the high degree of diversity within this mortuary corpus relates to differential social roles of the deceased after burial, and that mourners’ close encounters with deceased bodies transformed the status of the dead in a complex and protracted sequence of funerary rituals.

The Petroglyphs of Domab in the Central Plateau of Iran

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Marta Ostovich

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The Petroglyphs of Domab in the Central Plateau of Iran

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Available until October 12, 2018[/vc_column_text][mk_divider][vc_column_text]Near Eastern Archaeology, June 2018, “The Petroglyphs of Domab in the Central Plateau of Iran” by Ebrahim Karimi (University of Victoria)

Two clusters of rock art consisting of a considerable number of petroglyphs are identified in the Domab region in the west of the Isfahan province in the central plateau of Iran. Hunting scenes and zoomorphic depictions, mostly ibexes, are the main subjects of rock art in the Domab area. All panels are made on the schist rocks that can be seen all over the region. Several scattered panels that bear geometric markings and depictions of ibexes have also been identified. The petroglyphs of Domab show similarities in terms of subject matter, style, and iconography to the rock art of other regions of central Iran, such as Teymare and Qameshlu national park. The current evidence suggests hunters as the possible creators of some of this rock art.

Ships Graffiti in Maresha Subterranean Complex 89

Posted on September 27, 2018 by Marta Ostovich

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Ships Graffiti in Maresha Subterranean Complex 89

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Available until October 5, 2018[/vc_column_text][mk_divider][vc_column_text]Near Eastern Archaeology, June 2018, “Ships Graffiti in Maresha Subterranean Complex 89” by Elie Haddad (Israel Antiquities Authority), Ian Stern (Archaeological Seminars Institute) and Michal Artzy (University of Haifa)

During the course of excavations in room 50, Subterranean Complex (SC) 89 at Maresha, several interesting wall drawings were discovered. Located within the southeastern part of the lower city of Maresha, SC 89 bears graffiti depicting four ships. The graffito on the western wall contains a very long warship and additional prows of two warships. The graffito in the entranceway contains a single merchant vessel. The graffiti were scratched into the soft chalk stone with a sharp tool and are typologically datable to the Hellenistic period. The graffito of the warship—the first from Maresha—represents a Macedonian galley according to the authors. They theorize that if the locals were the artists, the ships depicted should represent their vessels. Who did the actual hard labor of the quarrying of these future tombs? The authors suggest the possibility that captives or slaves carried out the task.

Gertrude Bell’s Mesopotamian Archaeological Photographs

Posted on September 14, 2018 by Marta Ostovich

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Gertrude Bell’s Mesopotamian Archaeological Photographs

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Available until September 21, 2018[/vc_column_text][mk_divider][vc_column_text]Near Eastern Archaeology, June 2018, “Gertrude Bell’s Mesopotamian Archaeological Photographs” by Lisa Cooper (University of British Columbia)

Photographs taken by Gertrude Bell during her 1909 and 1911 archaeological trips to Mesopotamia provide not only a valuable record of sites, monuments, and landscapes that have suffered near or complete destruction over the past one hundred years, they also provide insight into the mindset, aims, and agendas Bell held when she produced these images. Her photographs taken at two sites in particular, Assur and Ukhaidir, highlight some of her attitudes and motivations at the time. On the one hand, in the case of Assur, the photos reflect her admiration for her European archaeological colleagues’ skill at excavation and concede their claim to the ancient city’s glorious past. On the other hand, the photographs highlight her efforts to showcase her own archaeological knowledge. Many also reflect a sympathetic stance towards the people of modern Mesopotamia, acknowledging their vital presence and often regarding them as the inheritors of the country’s rich ancient legacy.

The Site of Pella in Jordan: A Case Study for Developing Interpretive Strategies in an Archaeological Heritage Attraction

Posted on September 7, 2018 by Marta Ostovich

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The Site of Pella in Jordan: A Case Study for Developing Interpretive Strategies in an Archaeological Heritage Attraction

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Available until September 14, 2018[/vc_column_text][mk_divider][vc_column_text]Near Eastern Archaeology, June 2018, “The Site of Pella in Jordan: A Case Study for Developing Interpretive Strategies in an Archaeological Heritage Attraction” by Abdelkader Ababneh (Yarmouk University)

The interpretation of archaeological sites and landscapes for the benefit of the wider public has been of interest to heritage managers, archaeologists, and public groups ever since sites have been open for visitation. However, those responsible for interpreting archaeological sites for presentation to the public often fail to take advantage of a site’s interpretive potential. Interpretation of archaeological sites is a relatively recent activity in Jordan, as is their valuing and heritage management. This study explores issues relating to site interpretation and the potential benefits of improved interpretive strategies. Based on an analysis of the literature and on an exploratory study at the site of Tabqat Fahl (ancient Pella) the author offers concrete recommendations for revealing the potential of the site and improving the interpretive media choices that can be used to communicate the site’s themes to visitors. The aim is to preserve the site into the future and to revitalize it by improving the standard of information about the natural and cultural heritage value found there. Realizing the full potential of the site of Pella is a task that will require the cooperation of a wide range of disciplines and institutions, including historical, architectural, and archaeological.

“The Archaeological Picture Went Blank”: Historical Archaeology and GIS analysis of the Landscape of the Palestinian Village of Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi

Posted on August 31, 2018 by Marta Ostovich

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“The Archaeological Picture Went Blank”: Historical Archaeology and GIS analysis of the Landscape of the Palestinian Village of Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi

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Available until September 7, 2018[/vc_column_text][mk_divider][vc_column_text]Near Eastern Archaeology, March 2018, “‘The Archaeological Picture Went Blank’: Historical Archaeology and GIS analysis of the Landscape of the Palestinian Village of Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi” by Liora Kolska Horwitz (Hebrew University of Jerusalem), Rona Winter-Livneh (Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath Archaeological Project) and Aren M. Maeir (Bar-Ilan University)

Referring to the dearth of historical archaeological research in Israel, in Between Past and Present: Archaeology, Ideology, and Nationalism in the Modern Middle East, author Neil Silberman states: “Just as the story was beginning to get interesting—when the modern cultures of the region were in the process of formation—the archaeological picture went blank” (1989:233). Since Silberman published his book, the status of historical-archaeological research—notably of the Islamic and Ottoman periods in Israel—has certainly improved. To a large extent, the same cannot be said of archaeological research—either on objects, sites, or historic landscapes—relating to the British Mandate and the early years of the State of Israel.

What We Can Learn from the Flint Industries at Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath

Posted on August 17, 2018 by Marta Ostovich

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What We Can Learn from the Flint Industries at Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath

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Available until August 24, 2018[/vc_column_text][mk_divider][vc_column_text]Near Eastern Archaeology, March 2018, “What We Can Learn from the Flint Industries at Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath” by Francesca Manclossi (Centre de Recherche Français) and Steven A. Rosen (Ben-Gurion University)

Within Levantine archaeology, the analysis of chipped stone tools from the Metal Ages is reasonably well established. Chipped stone tool manufacture is a reductive process, leaving large quantities of diagnostic waste products, allowing detailed reconstruction not only of the specifics of technologies and function, but also of such issues as on-site/off-site production, trade, and degrees of craft specialization—and ultimately offering insights into social and economic processes not always available from other sources. The materials from Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath from the Early Bronze (EB), Late Bronze (LB), and Iron Ages (IA) provide a long-term view of these processes at the site, and offer a case study for larger-scale processes.

Microarchaeology at Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath, Area A

Posted on May 11, 2018 by Marina Gabriel

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Microarchaeology at Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath, Area A

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Available until May 18, 2018[/vc_column_text][mk_divider][vc_column_text]Near Eastern Archaeology, March 2018, “Microarchaeology at Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath, Area A” by Steve Weiner (Weizmann Institute of Science) and Elisabetta Boaretto (Weizmann Institute of Science).

The overall objective of archaeological excavations is to extract as much reliable information as possible from the whole archaeological record: both macroscopic and microscopic. An effective approach to achieve this goal is to integrate observations on the macroscopic and microscopic records as the excavation proceeds by operating an on-site analytical laboratory at the excavation. In this way important primary context locations can be better identified as they are exposed, and the excavation and sampling strategy can be adapted accordingly (Weiner 2010).

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