Four Late Chalcolithic burial caves were excavated at Shoham (North). Within these caves, 1052 identifiable animal bones were recovered: 712 bones originated from Chalcolithic deposits; 179, from Early Bronze Age I deposits; 9, from Intermediate Bronze Age deposits; and 152, from mixed Chalcolithic/EB I sediments. The identified species were similar in both Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age samples, representing mainly domestic animals, e.g., sheep, goats, pigs and dogs, as well as large-sized equids (wild ass?). The samples differ, however, in their relative frequencies, which might represent different activities in the cave. The data presented in this article suggest that both human and carnivore activities contributed to the creation of the faunal assemblage at the site.

This article aims at demonstrating a new method of identifying ancient remains during surveys. It is suggested that archaeological sites can be observed in surveys based on the dispersion of the Onopordum cynarocephalum plant. This plant, a thistle, thrives on minerals, such as phosphorous and nitrogen, which are usually found in organically enhanced soils that are associated with human habitation throughout the ages; therefore, it can be used as an indicator of the existence of ancient remains.

The enclosure of the Temple Mount has the potential to provide answers to key questions concerning the development of rituals in Jerusalem. However, issues of management, control and politics have always had a crucial influence on the possibility of conducting historical and archaeological research at the site. This article attempts to analyze archaeologically the observations made at the site during the construction works conducted during 1999–2001. It includes photographs, plans and sections of the antiquities exposed at the time of those building activities.

This article summarizes the results of several surveys and excavations conducted between 1995 and 1996 at Horbat Burgin, northeast of Bet Govrin. Within the boundaries of the necropolis that surrounded the settlement on three sides were three types of tombs, dating to the later part of the Second Temple period; a Christian burial cave was documented as well, belonging to the Byzantine-period settlement at the site. A bell-shaped cistern was found to contain the engravings of crosses and two illegible inscriptions in Paleo-Hebrew script. Three hiding complexes were observed in the survey; all had been breached and plundered in the past. The finds at the site suggest that during the Second Temple period Horbat Burgin was a large village, which should probably be identified with Kefar Bish mentioned by Josephus Flavius.

Since the 1990s, excavations at Shoham, located at the eastern edge of the Lod Valley, yielded several karstic caves used for burial and dwelling during the Late Chalcolithic period and the Early Bronze Age. One such cave is described in this article. The finds included, inter alia, sherds of rectangular or domiform ceramic ossuaries, V-shaped bowls and some fenestrated pedestal bowls, dating to the Late Chalcolithic period, as well as pottery types typical of Late EB I. The cave is part of a large system of cemeteries comprising karstic caves, which served the population living in nearby settlements on the foothills of the Samaria anticline.

Five excavation areas were investigated at Horbat Nazur, between Nahal ‘Iron in the north and Nahal Narbeta in the south. In Areas A and B the remains of a massive building, dating from the Hellenistic or possibly the Persian period, were uncovered. Area C was probably part of the agricultural hinterland of the settlement, revealing various installations, terrace walls and fences of unknown date. In Area E, two burial caves, quarries and a winepress were unearthed, all dating to the Byzantine period.

The burial cave is located in the modern village of Shibli, on the northeastern slope of Mount Tabor. In the cave, five burial levels were identified, dating to Early Bronze Age IIB (V), Early Bronze Age III (IV), the Intermediate Bronze Age (III), Late Bronze Age I (II) and Late Bronze Age II (I). The burial goods from the cave include various prestige items, such as an axe head from EB I; bronze, carnelian and alabaster objects, as well as imported pottery vessels and heirloom scarab seals from LB I; and imported Cypriot pottery and jewelry from LB II. The continuous use of the tomb attests that this slope functioned as the traditional burial grounds for the settlement at Horbat Zelef. Notably, there was a gap between each period of use in the tomb. This pattern of use may mirror the gap in settlement at Horbat Zelef; however, this correlation can only be supported by further study of the settlement site.

The finds from the favissa at ‘En Hazeva represent a cultic assemblage that had been used in a temple that existed at the site at the end of the Iron Age and was intentionally buried. The objects retrieved from the favissa included anthropomorphic statues, cylindrical stands, bowls, goblets, tripod cups, pomegranate-shaped pendants, stone altars and a stone human statue. The cultic vessels are well-grounded in the religious iconography of the Ancient Near East in general and the Levant in particular. These finds resemble those from Horbat Qitmit, where they were defined as Edomite. However, no indication of the deity worshipped at the temple or any particular religious affinity could be established from the finds at ‘En Hazeva.

The finding circumstances of the platter from Kafr Misr could not enlighten us regarding its date, artistic origins or provenance. Therefore, a detailed iconographic and stylistic analysis of the images portrayed on the platter was undertaken, in an attempt to decipher its enigma. The artistic analysis points to Christian iconography, as manifested in Byzantine art of the tenth and eleventh centuries CE. The article discusses relevant comparisons to other artistic data from the period and offers a reconstruction of the route of the platter to Kafr Misr in the Lower Galilee.

This article presents the flint assemblages from the Neolithic workshops exposed at Giv‘at Rabi (East), which produced bidirectional blades, unidirectional blades and bifacial tools. The Neolithic blades were produced from wide cores with relatively few preparations. The bifacial tools included unfinished and finished cortical axes and adzes. These techno-typological characteristics suggest that the workshops at Giv‘at Rabi (East) should be dated to the Final Pre-Pottery Neolithic (PPNB) and the Early Pottery Neolithic (PN) periods. The discovery of the Neolithic workshops at Giv‘at Rabi (East) contributes to our understanding of the organization of the lithic industries in the region of Lower Galilee during the Neolithic period. 

The site is located 4.5 km southeast of the Old City of Jerusalem. It included the remains of a small monastery from the Byzantine period, consisting of a chapel with mosaic floors and a series of rooms surrounding an open courtyard. On the northern edge of the courtyard, two burial vaults cut into the bedrock on either side of a central staircase. The magnificent northern crypt was built of ashlar masonry. In a niche at the western end of the crypt, a single raised tomb was set; on the top surface of its tombstone was a five-line inscription in Georgian script. The occupant of this most important tomb is the only one identified by an inscription, pointing to his special status. The floor of the crypt was paved with large flagstones, which covered seven burial troughs; each one of them had an iron ring that was used to lift the flagstones. The southern crypt included two burial troughs. The finds were of limited types and chronology. A number of marble pieces of chancel-screen pillars and many fragments of painted wall-plaster were found, as well as glass vessels and windowpanes, ceramics and ceramic roof tiles. Umm Leisun is identified as a small rural monastery on the route from Jerusalem to the laurae and coenobia of the Judean Desert, and from Jerusalem to Bethlehem.

This article presents the results of two excavations conducted at Khirbat Abu Hamid, with special focus on the EB IB unfortified settlement at the end of the fourth millennium BCE. A rather large village was exposed, comprising four strata dating to EB IB. The architectural remains include rounded and rectangular structures. The pottery finds are evidence of a transitional EB IB–EB II horizon. After the settlement was abandoned, its inhabitants may have established the fortified town at nearby Tel Bareqet. The microcosm of the Lod Valley in the third millennium BCE reveals a considerable shift from a rural and open settlement toward a full-fledged urban landscape, in which at least three fortified towns existed.

At the site, located near Shefar’am in the Lower Galilee, six architectural strata (VI–I) were discerned. Their dates range from the late Hellenistic to the late Byzantine/Early Islamic periods. During the late Hellenistic period (Hasmonean period; second century BCE), there was a small village at the site, which was possibly settled by Judean colonizers. The finds from the Early Roman period include Kefar Ḥananya wares and a few chalkstone vessel fragments, which hint at the Jewish identity of the inhabitants. In the Middle Roman period (third–fourth centuries CE), there was renewed activity at the site; the pottery forms, including Kefar Ḥananya wares, are characteristic of Jewish settlements in the region. After a gap, the site was resettled during the early Byzantine period (fifth century CE), possibly by a Christian population. During the middle Byzantine period (late fifth–sixth centuries CE), new buildings were erected, and remains of large-scale food-processing were found; these were possibly associated with a monastery, a farm, or a lodging inn for Christian pilgrims en route from ‘Akko to the Galilee. Activity in the late Byzantine–Early Islamic periods (early seventh century CE) consisted of small-scale industrial burning activity, carried out by a new short-lived population at the site. 

The IAA excavations at the Eastern Circus of Caesarea were limited to two excavation areas (VI and VIa) and the anastylosis of the obelisk. Area VI was opened parallel and perpendicular to the obelisk, and Area VIa was opened 150–185 m south of the obelisk, revealing the remains of the spina, meta prima and arena floor. Four architectural strata were revealed in both areas: Stratum IV comprises pre-circus remains; Stratum III, the construction of the Eastern Circus in the second century CE until its abandonment in 640 CE; and Strata II and I attest to post-circus activity at the site, mainly for agriculture. The finds allow for a detailed discussion of the architectural elements and suggestions for their reconstruction. The plan and dimensions of the Eastern Circus of Caesarea, as well as its decoration, are in line with other well-preserved circuses revealed throughout the Roman Empire, e.g., in Rome, Lepcis Magna and Tyre.

Two excavation areas (A, B) were opened in the precincts of the Aviv Hotel in Tiberias. Five strata were identified: architectural remains from the Roman period (Stratum 5; 50 BCE–late third century CE); part of a mosaic pavement, the remains of a building and a plastered pool from the Byzantine–Umayyad periods (Stratum 4; fourth–eighth centuries CE); wall segments from the Abbasid period (Stratum 3; ninth–eleventh centuries CE); a reservoir and the corner of a building from the Crusader period (Stratum 2; twelfth–thirteenth centuries CE); and remains of a modern building and refuse (Stratum 1; twentieth century). The finds included pottery vessels, coins and glass fragments from the Roman to the Crusader periods. 

Excavations on the ancient tell of Rosh Pinna revealed a vigorous settlement during the Iron Age and throughout the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and possibly the Early Islamic periods. In Iron I, Rosh Pinna seems to have been a substantial settlement in the eastern Galilee, as attested by impressive architectural remains with plastered and red-painted walls. During Iron II, Rosh Pinna was part of a strong Israelite settlement system. This stratum showed evidence of a violent destruction in the tenth or ninth century BCE, possibly throwing light on an event recorded in the Bible, such as the Aramean raid by Ben Hadad or Hazael. The later, final demise of Iron II Israelite Rosh Pinna may be related to the 733/732 campaign of Tiglath-Pileser III. Following a hiatus during the seventh–second centuries BCE, the site was resettled in the late Hellenistic period, with a Phoenician-style public building. Based on scattered remains of monumental building elements typical of synagogue architecture, a Jewish presence might be assumed during the Roman and Byzantine periods, possibly extending into the Early Islamic period.

This article presents a study of the Mamluk–early Ottoman-period ceramic assemblage from the excavation on Ha-Eẓel Street, Ramla. The study set out to determine the geological source of the raw materials, and to explore fabrics and forms of local and imported wares to pinpoint the production locale of each. For the imports, the tracing of the fabric composition was based on previously published production centers. This study is a pioneer effort to fill the gap regarding the forms and fabrics of the pottery of these periods, whether found in clear architectural contexts, or not. 

The excavation at Kefar Gabirol revealed the remains of the Arab village el-Qubeibe, dating from the Ottoman period and the days of the British Mandate. Four adjacent architectural units were exposed, mostly preserved to their foundation course. The finds include local and imported pottery vessels, glass vessels, stone objects, metal finds, coins, animal bones and military artifacts. The proximity of the architectural units points to a dense rural settlement, and the various installations are domestic in nature. 

The excavation conducted at Ḥorbat ‘Illin Taḥtit (Lower) revealed the fringes of the previously excavated Early Bronze Age settlement at the site. A large residential structure, comprising two adjoining rooms and a large courtyard, was uncovered, as well as another, partially preserved structure, which was separated from it by an alleyway. Almost all the excavation loci contained a mixture of EB IA and EB IB pottery types. A small assemblage of knapped flint artifacts was unearthed; they were well-preserved and homogenous in composition. The small assemblage of faunal remains points to an economy based on sheep, goat and cattle. The findings indicate that the site was first settled during EB IA, followed by a gap in the early phase of EB IB; it reached its zenith in the later phase of EB IB. The article discusses the chronology, geographic distribution, and cultural practices in the Bet Shemesh region during EB I.

The colored wall-painting fragments presented in this article were retrieved from the Western Quarter at Gamla. The fragments are of excellent quality, most of them colored red, yellow-ochre and green, often bordered by black or red bands. Several patterns were noticed among the fragments: molding and marble imitations, geometric patterns, meanders, vegetation, thin pilasters and decorative borders. These fresco and secco fragments complement the previously published stucco fragments from Gamla and serve an important role in the reconstruction of the decorative schemes of the houses.

This article presents three tomb assemblages dated to Iron Age IIA–B. The analysis of the pottery indicates that the three tombs were in use in Iron II: Tomb C2, the earliest tomb, served in Iron IIA, perhaps continuing in use in the transitional Iron IIA–B phase; Tomb A3 was used during the later stage of Iron IIA, possibly continuing slightly into Iron IIB; and Tomb B, the latest of the three tombs, in use in Iron IIB, the eighth century BCE. The Tel ‘Eton tombs provide significant data for the continuous use of this cemetery from the Late Bronze Age to Iron IIB.

The excavation near Bishop Gobat School on Mount Zion exposed findings, which together with information gleaned from previous nearby excavations, permits a renewed discussion of three principal elements: a stairway, a dump and the ‘Rock Scarp of Zion.’ This article presents insights and suggestions regarding the existence of a stepped path that led to a gate in the First Wall; the identification of the dump that sealed the stairway as the Roman siege ramp that was piled up to besiege Jerusalem; and the dating of the ‘Rock Scarp of Zion’ to the Crusader/Ayyubid period, the twelfth to thirteenth centuries CE.

A previously documented facade and courtyard of an elaborate burial cave were uncovered in the Tel Arza neighborhood, located in the Second Temple period northern necropolis of Jerusalem. The facade was carved into the dense white meleke limestone. This article presents new details and a reevaluation of the facade’s architectural decorations, offering a more accurate reconstruction.

The mace was one of the most important and commonly used weapons for striking and smashing in hand-to-hand combat in the battlefields of the ancient Near East, from the tenth to the second half of the third millennia BCE. Outside the battlefield, the mace served ceremonial and ritual functions, which persisted long after its use as a weapon ceased. Hematite mace-heads are unique in the Late Chalcolithic culture that flourished in the region of Israel and Transjordan from the second half of the fifth to the first half of the fourth millennia BCE. They seem to be one of the definitive typo-chronological markers of this culture. The qualities of hematite allow for the creation of durable, effective and strong weapons, which are suitable for striking and smashing in hand-to-hand combat, as well as exceptional luxury items to be used in ritual and ceremony. The present article presents a comprehensive view of the distribution pattern and use of the hematite mace-heads, with particular attention to typological features; measurements and weights; sources of raw material; production and archaeological context; geographical distribution; and intended function and actual use.

The participation of Jews in the arena, especially as gladiators, has received relatively little attention. The few articles written on this matter suggest that Jews were both spectators and participants. The present paper relates to all previously suggested indications for the existence of Jewish gladiators and also introduces new ones. Although the possibility that Jewish gladiators were active in the first–fourth centuries CE cannot be ruled out entirely, the evidence remains inconclusive, suggesting that their number was very limited at best. It is also suggested that if Jews had participated in the games, they probably preferred to fight beasts rather than men.

This article examines a sword discovered on the seabed near Newe-Yam, providing an analysis of its physical characteristics. The location of the discovery and the submarine iron corrosion processes are described. The sword, covered in a biogenic crust, was studied using non- and minimally invasive techniques, and compared with contemporary swords. A European origin and an approximate date in the twelfth–thirteenth centuries CE are proposed. The study also discusses the role of swords in Medieval European society, their association with authority and chivalry, and the romantic perceptions concerning Crusader swords.

This article presents a research framework for the Archaeology of Conflicts/Battlefield Archaeology. This work was motivated by the methodological challenge posed by the very attempt to study material evidence of events of short duration in the landscape. Such events occurred outside the boundaries of conventional archaeological sites, in the landscape, which is generally subject to more frequent changes. The theoretical model is presented through an examination of the Battle of Hattin, a decisive event that took place on July 3–4, 1187, within the days of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem (1099–1291). This theoretical construct can be applied to the study of events related to different cultures and archaeological periods. In this paper, it is argued that the significance of short-durée historical events, such as battles, political assassinations, and even natural disasters, must be understood through the exploration of structural and circumstantial-cyclical categories by means of “total archaeology” fieldwork.

Counterweight trebuchets were the most powerful ballistic weapons of their day, but their association with later siege guns has led to misunderstandings of their destructive capabilities. This article is an attempt to correct some misguided ideas by providing a short overview of the power and value of mechanical artillery and contextualizing its use in the Levant during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. After addressing the origin of certain theories that these engines were far more destructive than seems to have been the reality, a brief assessment of their actual power is conducted by looking at the ways sources exaggerate the destructive capabilities of these weapons and exploring their capacity as energy systems. The notion that counterweight trebuchets were responsible for a ‘revolution’ in fortification design from the late twelfth century is then addressed. Building on the notion that these machines were less powerful than some have supposed, an assessment of their value is offered by exploring their relative strength, the psychological impact associated with the dangers they posed, and the prestige attached to employing such great engines.

A previously unknown square building was uncovered at Gal’on in the Judean Shephelah, located between Tel Zayit and Tel Burna. The building was identified as a fortress, similar in plan and dimensions to several other excavated buildings designated “Governors’ Residencies”, and to a few buildings that were defined as “fortresses”—all associated with Egyptian imperial rule in Canaan in Dynasties XIX and XX. The construction of the isolated building at Gal’on may have been related to the reorganization of Canaan under Egyptian rule, possibly in the reign of Ramses III. The building may have been occupied by an Egyptian military force, or more plausibly by a local Canaanite force associated with the city-state of Lakhish. This article discusses the Gaʼlon fortress in light of the other previously unearthed buildings, providing a comprehensive understanding of the geopolitical changes in the region in the twelfth century BCE.

Murabba‘at Cave II is situated in the cliffy area on the northern bank of Naḥal Darga, about 2 km west of the Dead Sea. It is a complex cave formed by the dissolution of Shivṭa-Formation limestone below the water table. Its total length is approximately 90 m and it has three levels. Previous excavations have shown the cave to be one of the richest in the Judean Desert in terms of finds from various periods. Among the many finds was an ancient wooden box containing a Ptolemaic coin-hoard from the reign of Ptolemy VI, which was discovered in a crevice near a shaft leading down to the interior cavities. This article presents and discusses the hoard, a typical emergency hoard, with all its components, while considering its geographical-historical context. Several possible historical events may have led to the hoard’s deposition, mainly the Sixth Syrian War and the Maccabean Revolt.

Extensive excavations over the last few decades in and around Jerusalem have yielded large quantities of cooking vessels, including instances of intentional cooking-pot deposits. Since not all concentrations of cooking pots can be grouped as a single phenomenon, this article aims at categorizing and defining the different categories of cooking-pot deposits in Early Roman Jerusalem to better understand each occurrence and to offer a refined interpretation thereof. This allows us to trace and evaluate different processes and behaviors prevalent in Jerusalem during the Early Roman period. It also sheds light on the dynamics of interaction between the local population, visitors and pilgrims in the ‘Temple City’ of Jerusalem during the late Second Temple period.

A female skeleton adorned with unique jewelry items, and accompanied by a sword and cosmetic tools, was discovered within a pit at the site of Naḥal Shalva. Near the skeleton was a hoard of silver and gold coins from the days of the Bar Kokhba Revolt, which were kept in at least two linen purses. The hoard and its owner are the focus of this article, discussed in relation to the nearby settlement and the possible circumstances that led to their deposition at the site in the Early Roman period.

The archaeological survey of the Kamon cave revealed several groups of finds, including a hoard of coins and jewelry; a cache comprising a lamp with agate beads inside it; several pottery vessels and an arrowhead found together in a rock crevice; and scattered pottery and metal artifacts. Based on the finds, it was concluded that the major period of human activity in the cave was at the beginning of the Hellenistic period, with meager activity during Iron Age IIA. The cave probably served as a refuge for a group of people during the Wars of the Diadochi. This article discusses the social background of the refugees and the circumstances leading to the deposition of the hoard.

Part of a building (Building 900) was uncovered along the Tyropoeon Valley. Three phases of use were identified: the first two dating to the Byzantine period, and the last phase, to the Abbasid period. The plan of the building, along with the quality of construction and some of the small finds, indicate the affluent status of the building’s residents in both periods. The finds from this excavation, together with those of previous excavations in the area, shed light on the residential neighborhood that development on the lower half of the slope of the City of David in the Tyropoeon Valley, beginning from the sixth–seventh centuries CE. The presence of pig remains in the Abbasid-period building may attest that its inhabitants were Christian, or that the prohibition on pork consumption was not yet enforced in this early phase of the Early Islamic period.

In the Byzantine period, and especially in the fifth–seventh centuries CE, a unique rural Jewish settlement developed at Susya, in Daroma (southern Hebron Hills). This uniqueness is expressed in various aspects of its material culture, including many ritual baths, which were found in almost every residence, in connection with agricultural production and even beneath the synagogue. This article presents data concerning the ritual baths, with special emphasis on ritual baths located near installations to produce oil and wine, and a ritual bath located in a subterranean space beneath the synagogue, offering a reexamination of the connection between purification and synagogues. The many ritual baths found at the site, long after the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, seem to represent the aspiration of the members of the Jewish community at Susya to segregate themselves from the threatening Christian environment.

This article examines the assumptions and methodology underlying the correlation between stepped pools and stone vessels and purity laws and practices. It focuses on the way these are interpreted in light of Second Temple period and early rabbinic texts. The article further introduces more complex understandings of the emergence of ritual baths in the Hasmonean period as an expression of Jewish ethnic identity, and the flourishing of ritual baths and stone vessels in the first century CE, as an indication of social individualism. 

This article aims at determining the turning point in the adherence to the Jewish laws of purity in the Land of Israel, considering the situation before ‘the outburst of purity,’ its decline and final cessation. Four different stages were distinguished regarding the practice of purification: (1) prior to the appearance of the ritual bath (miqweh), before the Hasmonean Kingdom; (2) the period of ‘purity culture,’ when purity was widespread, becoming a central religious phenomenon; (3) individual purity; (4) the final decline of purity. Once the ‘purification water’ became unavailable, halakhic immersion was observed only by women, while symbolic purification continued in Hasidic communities, albeit without a formal halakhic status. This article further discusses the impact of the struggles between the different religious-social groups on the distribution of purity.

From the latter half of the first century BCE, an increased observance of Jewish purity laws is evidenced in Judea, focusing on Jerusalem and the Temple. This is further attested by the flourishing chalk-vessel industry, producing vessels for storage and table use, which according to Halakha did not contract impurity. This article is the final report of the chalk-quarry and vessel-production cave complex uncovered on the eastern slope of Mount Scopus, dated by pottery and coins to the first century CE, including a reconstruction of the technology for producing chalk vessels and quantification of vessel types. A few pottery vessels dating to the period between the revolts (70–132 CE) may indicate that chalk vessels continued to be produced in the cave after the First Jewish Revolt. Also included in this report are adjacent quarries, a winepress, water installations and tombs.

This article summarizes many years of field research and resultant insights into the technology of wine production and the function of various winemaking installations in antiquity in the Southern Levant. A concise overview is given of the evolution of the ancient winemaking installations in the region, the Gat and the Bet-Gitot, with examples representing the main stages of development. Established theories are reexamined and challenged in light of recent discoveries. An algorithm outlining the wine production process is presented, and a methodology is proposed for the field identification of wine production installations, defining their various components and reconstructing their mode of operation, even in cases where the archaeological remains are scarce.

Wine was a primary commodity in antiquity and prevalent in the Southern Levant Mediterranean basin regions and in Mesopotamia. Therefore, its identification in archaeological artifacts by chemical analysis is of great importance. Many studies of wine residues were conducted on pottery from Mediterranean and Near Eastern sites, using a wide range of approaches to extract and detect organic compounds. This article will evaluate and compare these methods and raise consequent considerations for the interpretation of results to arrive at a historic picture.

A winery complex uncovered at eṭ-Ṭuweiri, Western Galilee, joins only three published, and several unpublished wineries established in northern Israel in the Roman period. The winery continued to operate in the Byzantine period and went out of use late in the Umayyad period. The article presents the history of research of the site, the excavation and the finds, including pottery, coins and metal objects, as well as inscriptions found at the site in the excavation and in the past. An inscription set in the mosaic floor of one of the treading floors of the winery was dated by the era of Tyre to 564 CE, affording a rare opportunity to reexamine the question of the geographical boundary between the dioceses of Tyre and ‘Akko-Ptolemais in the Byzantine period and the Christian settlement in the region at the time.