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Atiqot 115 (2024)
EISSN 2948-040X
Rural Life in the Southern Levant
Front Matter
Atiqot 115
Keywords: Front Matter & Editorial
Front Matter
The Village People: Social Aspects of Rural Settlements—Comments on Method and Theory
(Pp. 1–22)
Eyal Regev
Keywords: rural archaeology, social organization, household archaeology, landownership, social identity, rural community, family, kinship
The village is usually viewed as a basic geographic and economic unit, characterized by unsophisticated social organization, limited interpersonal ties and weak external social networks. However, studies in rural archaeology and anthropology revealed that village life was more complex. This article offers a survey of several key theoretical issues relevant for interpreting archaeological remains of villages, farmsteads and estates/villas from a social perspective. It focuses mainly on the organization of the settlement as a holistic unit and the specific houses/households within it. The article seeks to explore the complex correlation between the spatial and social aspects of rural housing—the way in which the archaeological record attests to interpersonal contacts, their frequency and character. It demonstrates that the rural population was not merely a passive supplier of agricultural products to the neighboring towns and cities, but rather actively shaped its own culture.
Rural Complexity in the Intermediate Bronze Age: Settlement Patterns and Intra-Site Spatial Organization in Lower Galilee
(Pp. 23–47)
Karen Covello-Paran
Keywords: Intermediate Bronze Age, Lower Galilee, ruralism, black wheel-made ware, spatial organization, socio-economic structures, economic models, settlement patterns
This study explores the settlement patterns in Intermediate Bronze Age Lower Galilee, focusing on the Ḥorbat Qishron sites and their socio-economic organization. The spatial arrangement and the hierarchical structures of the settlements are analyzed, particularly in light of the discovery of a walled settlement at Ḥorbat Qishron South, a unique feature in this period. The study also considers the implications of settlement patterns for economic activities, social organization and communal endeavors, shedding light on the role of households as basic economic units and the potential of centralized economic models. Furthermore, it discusses the significance of ceramic assemblages, radiocarbon dating and burial practices in understanding chronological and social dynamics within the region. Overall, the research highlights the nuanced interplay between spatial organization, socio-economic structures and cultural practices in shaping settlement patterns during the Intermediate Bronze Age in Lower Galilee.
Economic Strategies of Two Early Bronze Age Villages in the Southern Levant: Explaining Coastal Abandonment Versus Inland Urban Development
(Pp. 49–77)
Roey Nickelsberg, Anastasia Shapiro, Anat Cohen-Weinberger, Yitzhak Paz, Itai Elad, Assaf Yasur-Landau and Ruth Shahack-Gross
Keywords: coastal archaeology, coastal resources, trade networks, sustainability, EB IA, Dor South, ‘En Esur
The southern Levantine coast was settled continuously for three millennia, from the Neolithic period until its abandonment in Early Bronze Age II, in sharp contrast to inland sites that developed into urbanized cities. This study examines this phenomenon by investigating the pottery production component of the economic systems of two contemporary EB I villages: a shoreline coastal site that was abandoned (Dor South) and an inland site that evolved into an urban center (‘En Esur). This pilot ceramic petrography examination shows two distinct strategies, with ‘En Esur producing pottery primarily from local raw materials and Dor South relying mainly on imported pottery, potentially weakening the once-resilient coastal system.
A Late Byzantine–Early Islamic-Period Rural Settlement Along Naḥal ‘Ashan, North of Be’er Sheva‘
(Pp. 79–110)
Yana Tchekhanovets, Avinoam Lahavi and Shahaf Shaked
Keywords: ancient agriculture, Byzantine period, Early Islamic period, Byzantine–Islamic transition, demographic changes, household economy, spolia
Salvage excavations along Naḥal ‘Ashan, to the north of Be’er Sheva‘, unearthed several farmhouses that formed part of the rural hinterland of the city. The farmhouses, dating from the late Byzantine to the Abbasid period, shared a uniform building technique that exploited the local loess soil for producing mud bricks and reused building materials from earlier Christian edifices. The finds included mainly locally made pottery, glass and stone vessels. This article offers a discussion of the settlement patterns, economy and demography of the region during the Byzantine–Early Islamic transition period.
Rural Ceramic Production Unveiled? A Petrographic Analysis of Early Islamic Mold-Decorated Buff Ware from the Be’er Sheva‘ Valley
(Pp. 111–130)
Anat Cohen-Weinberger and Davida Eisenberg-Degen
Keywords: Negev, Early Islamic period, mold-decorated Buff Ware, petrography, Beer Sheva Valley, rural, pottery production
This paper delves into the intriguing Early Islamic mold-decorated Buff Ware jugs found in the rural Negev region, shedding light on the broader phenomenon of imitations, in general and particularly, within the context of a rural farmstead situated on the southern bank of Naḥal Be’er Sheva‘. To accomplish this, we analyzed petrographically 22 sherds from nine sites spanning various geographic areas within modern-day Israel, aiming to reveal invaluable insights into mold-decorated Buff Ware production and distribution. The primary objectives of this study were twofold: first, to explore the degree of centralization in mold-decorated Buff Ware production, and second, to determine whether some of these vessels were manufactured locally within rural settlements, alongside their production in large urban centers such as Ramla.
Ramat Razim, near Ẓefat: A Middle Bronze Age Rural Site in the Tel Ḥaẓor Polity
(with contributions by Sariel Shalev, Noa Ranzer, Polina Spivak, Nimrod Marom)
(Pp. 133–218)
Karen Covello-Paran, Anat Cohen-Weinberger, Barak Tzin and Shlomit Bechar
Keywords: Middle Bronze Age, rural settlement, Ramat Razim, Ḥaẓor polity, pithoi, petrography, economy
An archaeological excavation carried out at Ramat Razim, near Ẓefat, exposed a Middle Bronze Age rural settlement, dated by the ceramic assemblage within Middle Bronze Age II–III. Spatial analysis identified communal workspaces and possible domestic cult practices in specific rooms, and the distribution of the ground stone tools and ceramic storage vessels reflected food-processing activities and a decentralized grain-storage approach. In addition to agriculture, pastoralism—specifically sheep rearing—played a significant role in the settlement’s economy, probably engendering economic exchanges under the influence of Ḥaẓor, the major city in the region. Petrographic analysis linking the pithoi to the Ḥula Valley raised questions about regional economic ties, highlighting a complex, interconnected network during the Middle Bronze Age. These findings illuminate the rural settlement’s role in the hinterland of Ḥaẓor, and within the Ḥaẓor polity’s hierarchical structure, providing valuable insights into regional dynamics and control.
A Hellenistic-Period Farmhouse at Aderet in the Judean Shephelah
(with contributions by Jon Seligman, Marcia Sharabani and Donald T. Ariel)
(Pp. 219–273)
Jon Seligman and Ora Yogev
Keywords: Idumea, Hellenistic period, agriculture, farmhouse, Maresha, numismatics, oil press
The excavation at Aderet, located south of Ha-Ella Valley, revealed a farmhouse with an olive-oil press, which operated under the administrative control of Idumea during the Hellenistic period. Based on the numismatic evidence and the pottery assemblage, the Aderet farmhouse was dated to the second half of the third century BCE, possibly extending into the beginning of the second century BCE. The firmly dated regional ceramic assemblage of the third century BCE expands our knowledge of Hellenistic rural society. The chronology of the Aderet farmhouse is considered in light of Yogev’s suggestion to identify a late Iron Age occupation phase at the site based on its architectural plan and the presence of large quantities of Iron Age pottery. Also, the dating and typology of the oil press uncovered at the site are discussed in detail below.
Naṣr ed-Din (Bet Ma‘on), near Tiberias: Village and City in Roman-Period Galilee
(Pp. 275–341)
Dina Avshalom-Gorni, Uzi Leibner and Haya Ben Nahum
Keywords: Roman Galilee, domestic architecture, Bet Ma‘on, Tiberias, city-countryside
A large domestic complex comprising six dwelling units with courtyards was uncovered in the village of Naṣr ed-Din overlooking Roman-period Tiberias. The site dates mainly to the Middle Roman period, spanning the beginning of the second century and the first decades of the third century CE. It seems that the complex was abandoned abruptly, as many finds were left in place on the floors. The good preservation of the dwellings and the wealth of the small finds shed light on the nature of domestic-rural construction in Roman Galilee, its material culture and household organization. This report describes the excavation of the site: the architecture and its stages of development, and the finds, including pottery, stone, metal, coins and glass, followed by a discussion of the identification of the site with ancient Bet Ma’on and village-polis relations in Roman-period Galilee.
A Microscopic Examination of Fresh Breaks of Selected Roman-Period Potsherds from Naṣr ed-Din, near Tiberias
(Pp. 343–350)
Anastasia Shapiro
Keywords: Galilee, Roman period, pottery fabric, microscopic examination, provenance, pottery workshops
The microscopic examination of the fresh breaks of selected Roman-period pottery vessels from the excavation at Naṣr ed-Din aimed at identifying their possible provenance. The examination revealed seven fabric groups, each of which was correlated with pottery production sites in Galilee. Furthermore, the examined vessels demonstrate a noticeable relationship between form and fabric.
The Glass Finds from Naṣr ed-Din, near Tiberias
(Pp. 351–356)
Natalya Katsnelson
Keywords: Lower Galilee, Roman period, between the Jewish Revolts, glass production, Jewish population
An interesting group of 60 glass fragments was retrieved from a Roman-period Jewish rural settlement near Tiberias. The assemblage, dating mostly to the first–early second centuries CE, comprises simple, undecorated containers for every-day use, which may be clearly identified with a Jewish population in Lower Galilee.
A Decorated Basalt Door from Naṣr ed-Din (Bet Ma‘on), near Tiberias
(Pp. 357–360)
Yosef Stepansky
Keywords: Roman period, burial, stone door, mausoleum, Tiberias, Talmud
Three fragments of a basalt door were retrieved from the excavation at Naṣr ed-Din, which belong to a large group of about 25 stone doors discovered in the city of Tiberias. Such doors are known to have originated in burial contexts, their facades usually adorned in a manner that resembled wooden doors of residences. The door from Bet Ma‘on is the first to be found outside Tiberias, and it probably belonged to a contemporary mausoleum mentioned in the Talmud.
The Coins from Naṣr ed-Din, near Tiberias
(Pp. 361–373)
Danny Syon
Keywords: numismatics, coins, Galilee
The coins found in the excavation at Naṣr ed-Din tell of two peaks of settlement at the site: in the second century BCE and in the second century CE. The coins suggest that the site became Jewish in the first century BCE, was reduced or abandoned in the first century CE and revived in the second century CE, still as a Jewish village. The numismatic evidence does not support the identification of the site with Bet Ma‘on, mentioned by Josephus and in the Talmud; however, one must consider that the site is large and the data presented here pertain only to the limited area that was excavated.
Ḥorbat Sahar on Giv‘at Ha-More: A Byzantine–Early Islamic Rural Samaritan(?) Settlement, Revisited in the Crusader–Mamluk Period
(Pp. 375–425)
Yardenna Alexandre
Keywords: miqveh, rural settlement, Samaritan lamps, Samaritan population, Crusader-Mamluk Christian pilgrims
This article presents building remains uncovered at the site of Ḥorbat Sahar, on the Giv‘at Ha-More ridge, which formed part of a house and a large building comprising several rooms, a pathway, a small part of a plastered installation (
miqveh
?), and other installations, all dated by the pottery and other finds to the late Byzantine–Early Islamic period. The presence of Samaritan-type lamps, and the absence of LRRW bowls in the pottery assemblage, may hint to a Samaritan presence at the site following their suppression in the Samaria heartland. The large building was resettled in the Crusader–Mamluk periods, without architectural changes. The wealth of glazed bowls and animal remains in powdery accumulation layers may reflect the use of the site by overnight pilgrims travelling to visit Christian sites in Galilee.
The Coins from Ḥorbat Sahar
(Pp. 427–431)
Helena Sokolov and Lior Sandberg
Keywords: Galilee, numismatics, Elagabalus, Abila
The coin finds retrieved from the excavation areas at Ḥorbat Sahar range in date from the Roman to the Mamluk periods, partially aligning with the settlement periods identified at the site. A bronze coin of Elagabalus, struck in Abila, depicts on its reverse a sanctuary with a hexastyle facade flanked by two towers with a large altar in the center. This is an important addition to our limited knowledge of this coin-type’s circulation in sites west of the Jordan River.
The Faunal Assemblage from Ḥorbat Sahar
(Pp. 433–439)
Zohar Turgeman-Yaffe
Keywords: zooarchaeology, fauna, economy, butchering, consumption, livestock
The faunal assemblage from Ḥorbat Sahar was associated with the three periods of activity identified at the site. Two bones were attributed to the Iron Age and include a chicken femur—a rare find in this period, possibly attesting to the use of chicken in cockfighting rather than for consumption. The small late Byzantine–Early Islamic assemblage comprised domesticated livestock animals, dominated by adult cattle, supporting an economic system based mostly on livestock animals and not on hunting. The largest assemblage dates to the Crusader–Mamluk period, mainly including livestock and animals used for transportation and burden, possibly brought to the site by itinerant Christian pilgrims.