Tel Tsaf 2013-2020

Tel Aviv: Journal of the Institute of Archaeology of Tel Aviv University, 1988

The site of Ie 1Tsafis located in the Jordan River gorge, 280 metres below sealevel, and 11 kilometres southeast of Tel Beth-shan (map ref. 2025-2015) (Fig. I). The tell, consisting of two low hills, lies right on the edge of the west bank of the river, between the "Ghor" (upper terrace of the Jordan River) and the "Zor" (the lower terrace). The elevation of the Ghor west of Tel Tsaf is about 250 m. below sea level. The elevation of the Zor at the foot of Tel Tsafis about 290 m. below sea level. The Zorwas formed as a result of the Jordan River cutting down through the deposits of the ancient "Lis an Lake" during the last 8000 years (Nir and Bar-Yosef 1976:119). The frequent meandering of the Jordan River to the east and west has resulted in sections of the Ghor sliding downwards. Near Tel Tsaf and elsewhere to the north and south, a series of parallel hills was formed which slope down gradually from west to east. In some places the layers of the Lisan Lake deposits were twisted and folded. The upper, most recent layers are granular-detritus deposits which accumulated during the process of the downward sliding (D. Neev:oral communication). Tel Tsaf was identified as a Chalcolithic site over thirty years ago during N. Tsori's survey of the Beth Shean Yalley (Tsori 1958). Following the recent destruction of the eastern hill of the site, painted pottery previously unnoticed in the surveys was found by Pinchas Porat, Inspector of Antiquities. As a result, small scale rescue excavations were conducted on the western hill of the site during three seasons, each time for a period of about two weeks I (Fig. 2; PI. 1:1). The survey of the site before the excavation indicated that only parts of the western hill were occupied in the Chalcolithic period, as concentrations of Chalco lithic pottery were found in patches. This observation was proven during the 1978 season when two trial soundings to virgin soil made in the western and southern areas of the hill yielded no ancient remains. Therefore the excavation was concentrated on the eastern side of the hill. The excavations were directed by Ram Gophna, on behalf of the Tel Aviv University Institute of Archaeology, and the Israel Department of Antiquities 2 • Short notes have been published in Hebrew (Gophna 1977) and in French (Gophna and Kislev 1979). The aims of the excavation were: a) to establish the stratigraphy of the site, and its relative chronology in relation to other Chalco lithic assemblages from the Jordan Yalley and elsewhere in Israel; b) to determine the position ofthe painted ware within the pottery I

, a salvage excavation was conducted next to Tel Afeq (Permit No. A-7513; map ref. 193837/667671). The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and financed by the Yakhin Afek Company, Ltd., was directed by G. Itach, with the assistance of Y. Amrani (administration), M. Kunin (surveying and drafting), N. Zak (plans), A. Dagot (GPS), P. Gendelman and H. Torgë (scientific consultation) and A. ʽAzab (IAA Central District Archaeologist). The excavation area was located on the eastern slopes of Tel Afeq (Fig. 1). Extensive archaeological excavations were conducted on the tell in the past, uncovering many finds, dating to the Chalcolithic period, the Early, Middle and Late Bronze Ages, the Iron Age, and the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Early Islamic and Ottoman periods

2024

In this article, we present a preliminary report on the 2021 season at the "Hill of 16" site near Giv'at Ze'ev, conducted by the author of this article on behalf of the Institute of Archaeology at Ariel University. This season was a continuation of the ongoing study of this site since 2013. The excavation revealed a large, fortified compound with service buildings and massive megalithic buildings located nearby. The ceramic and glyptic data collected at the site suggests that it should be dated to the earlier stages of the Middle Bronze period.

Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan 55, 2011