Tel Dor Area B:
The Stratigraphy of the Iron Age
Ilan Sharon
Elizabeth Bloch-Smith
Uri Davidovich
Svetlana Matskevich
2
The Stratigraphic Framework for Area B
History of the Excavation.
Figure 1 Tel Dor, topography and excavation areas.
Area B was opened in 1980 in a shallow gully on the eastern slope of the tell (Error!
Reference source not found.). Ephraim Stern had the prescience that this gully, which
affords the only easy access from the east to the top of the tell, hid the east gates of the town
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in all periods, and that launching the excavations at this point will give the excavators the
overall stratigraphic sequence of the tell in the shortest possibly time. Indeed, by the end of
the first season, the Roman and Hellenistic gates, as well as the two chambered gate (which
was then called ‘the Persian Gate’) had already been revealed (Stern 1981: 211-212).
Figure 2 The pavement of the Roman gateway covering the ashlar header door-jamb of the Hellenistic gate –
looking north.
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Figure 3 The northern chamber of the two-chamber gate, looking north.
Figure 4 The SW chamber of the four-chamber gate, with the west wall of the S chamber of the two-chamber
gate on the right. Looking north.
[photos A-11474, A-11516, A11517]
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By the next season, so was the [front of] the offset-inset wall (Stern, 1982: 117), the ramp
leading up to the two chambered gate [photo 13790], parts of the gate-passage (incl. the gate
socket – photo 13941) and even the mud-brick city wall was already encountered – although
it was not till 1989 that it was finally recognized as such (photo 13860/1). Elements of the
four-chambered gate were first excavated in 1982 (Stern 1983: 117, photo 15959). The lowest
fortification system – the ‘cyclopean’ boulder wall with its mud-brick superstructure and the
glacis in front of it – was first encountered in 1984 (and thought to be a Middle-Bronze Age
glacis -Stern, 1985: 63). Thus by this time all the main elements for constructing the
stratigraphic framework (Figure 5) were known, to a greater or lesser extent.
Figure 5 Schematic axonometry through the gates
In 1980, two groups (Boston University and California State University) shared area B. By
1981, a decision was made to formally divide the area between them. Boston University (and
later an independent group raised by H. Neil Richardson who had just retired from BU) took
over the part north of the line of the Roman decumanus) – henceforward called ‘Area B1’;
while the part south of that street – area B2 – was dug by California State University. The
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different interests of Neil Richardson and Howard Goldfried affected a divergence of
excavation strategy between these two areas. In area B2 we pursued a wide exposure of the
latest (mainly Roman) strata, while area B1 was developed as a deep Iron Age area. While
dividing the areas along the main street made sense in many ways, it had the effect of having
the two halves of the gates excavated in two different areas. Despite its emphasis on
horizontal exposure the B2 team did keep an ‘early-periods’ crew excavating [their half of]
the gates and its immediate vicinity. The end result of this division was a wide and shallow
area B2 – with the exception of one deeper area in units J-M/25-27 – which was carried down
to the level of the four-chambered gate. Meanwhile in area B1 we stopped at the same level in
the area of the gates themselves (units I-K/29-30) and, beginning in 1984, units H-K/31-32
were carried deeper into Iron Age I levels.
Figure 6The ‘Assyrian pit’ (1) cutting the NW corner of the four-chamber gate. Note the corner stone of the gate
(3) found at the bottom of the pit.
By 1986, we already had evidence that the four-chambered gate did not survive to the end of
the Iron Age (the ‘Assyrian pit’ – Figure 6 [photo p06B1-0035] cuts its corner – Stern and
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Sharon 1986:103 – but see already in 1984 photo 444-‫ )ד‬and that there is an architectural
phase between the four-chambered and two-chambered gates (W7016 overlays the
northeastern chamber of the former but is cut by the north wall of the latter – Stern and
Sharon 1987:207 [photo p06B1-0062/32599]).
Figure 7 The phase 6 W7016, found inside the two-chambered gate (stones in foreground are W2476 – the
western wall of north chamber). The top of W2813 – the north wall of the four-chamber gate – is just beginning
to show on the right, under W7016. The ashlars above W7016 belong to the eastern face of the Hellenistic city
wall, W247.
That the two-chambered gate may in fact initially have been constructed in the late Iron Age
was already conjectured as early as 1983 (Stern, 1983, ‘Tel Dor, 1983’ IEJ 33:260), based on
the Assyrian-type gate-socket found in it (photo 13941 above – cf. Reich and Brandl, 1983:
43-44); but it was not till 1988 that a clear undisturbed Iron Age floor was traced reaching its
southwestern corner (Stern, Berg and Sharon 1991:54). Goldfried’s team had meanwhile
excavated in front of the gate and discovered that both the two-chambered and fourchambered gates had forward ‘bastions’ – or outer gates ([photo 70292], Stern and Sharon,
1987: 207) It was also established, by this time, that there was Iron Age IIA architecture
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under the four-chambered gate (e.g. the ‘shell-mosaic house’ under the SW chamber [photo
24508] – Stern and Sharon 1986:103), and that in the deep part of B1 there were several
phases of Iron Age I below that. Thus, by 1986, the stratigraphical / chronological scheme
that essentially survives today was in place:
Period[s]
Main elements
Two Chambered Gate Ir2c - Per
Intermediate elements Ir2c
Four Chambered Gate Ir2b
Elements below
Ir2a
Earliest phases
Ir1
Figure 8 H. Neil Richardson (sitting, at left) at the end of his last season at Dor (1987). On the right is the
mudbrick superstructure of the phase 12-13 W*** and on the left the deep probe where the phase 12 destruction
layer was first located.
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1987 was H. Neil Richardson’s last season at Dor (Figure 8, [p06B1-0071 / 38383]), and the
one in which the Ir1a destruction-level at the western edge of the area was first recognized
(Figure 9, [p06B1-0039], Stern, Gilboa and Sharon 1989:35-36). Neil died in 1988. Area B1
was at this point taken over by Hebrew University groups and individual volunteers, and
during the 1988 and 1989 seasons Alon De-Groote and then John Berg excavated it down to
the virgin sand dune (at one point) – some 14 m. below the point that Neil started in 1980.
(Figure 10 [p06B1-0039]) These seasons were also responsible for the final clearing of the
major stratigraphic components: It was realized that the earliest fortification system (the
‘cyclopean’ wall and adjoining glacis which standing some 3 m. high and 2.5 m. thick at the
end of 1989 - Figure 11 [photo p06B1-0031]) was initially built in that same period and was
not a reuse of a Middle-Bronze Age fortification system (Stern, Berg and Sharon 1991:5861). This involved a major conceptual shift – the Iron Age I was no longer regarded a period
of “poorly-preserved modest brick structures” but contains monumental construction. Another
major discovery was that the mud-brick city wall – previously thought to abut the fourchambered gate – is in fact earlier than that gate, while the boulder offset-inset wall –
previously thought to go with the two-chambered gate, is actually related to both the fourchambered and two-chambered gatehouses (Stern, Berg and Sharon 1991:56-57).
Figure 9First encounter with the phase 12 destruction layer in a probe in the NE corner of area B1.
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Figure 10 Virgin sand at the bottom of area B1
Figure 11
The ‘Cyclopean wall’ (W****) crossing area B1 (taken from the north) with sloping layers of
glacis surfaces in the probe east of it, and the destruction layer to the west.
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When excavations resumed in 1991, a change in strategy was affected. The inner areas (the
deep part of B1 and the inner gate area) were no longer excavated. Efforts were concentrated
on the outer gates. The area outside the city wall – previously divided between B1 and B2 –
was taken over by the Hebrew University staff, and four new squares were opened by Chris
Foley and the University of Saskatchewan north of B1 to obtain another section through the
fortification lines. This new area was called B1-CD. In mid-season we suffered a tragedy
when Eyal Ben-Ari, the supervisor of the new outer gate area, was killed in a traffic accident.
Patti Casson, Foley’s assistant, took over the supervision of the area – with Orna Nagar as
recorder and Ayelet Gilboa overseeing the Iron Age operations in B. The same team
continued excavating in the outer gate area in 1992. Structures of the Byzantine-Roman lower
town disturbed much of the earlier remains, but some of the pavement of the ramp climbing
towards the two-chambered gate was located beneath them, as well as the foundation of a
massive wall in the north-eastern edge of the area (units F-G/30-31) – in all probability the
outer gatehouse itself; (Stern, Gilboa and Sharon 1992: 38 – 40, [photo 80316, 102756) and a
solid square ashlar tower in the north-western edge (units H-G/25-26) – at the ‘elbow’ of the
wall enclosing the causeway between outer and inner gate-houses (Figure 12 [photo p06B10067 / 102749], Figure 13 [p06B1-0068 / 102753]). Work on the early periods in area B was
concluded in 1993 with two limited probes next to the above-mentioned features, overseen by
Eli Haddad and Ayelet Gilboa.
12
Figure 12 Ashlar tower at the SE corner of the outer gate complex of phase 7, with glacis surface reaching it.
view from east. Remains over the tower are the foundations of the Roman aquaduct.
Figure 13 Ashlar tower at the SE corner of the outer gate complex of phase 7, with glacis surface reaching it.
view from south.
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Post-excavation Analysis, and the Evolution of Our Understanding of Area B
The first attempts at post-excavation analysis of area B were the separation sets produced
periodically. Each element was transferred from the field-plans to a separation-plan which
contained contemporaneous elements - as then understood by the excavators and architect.
Thus these sets represent preliminary attempts at overall integration of the stratigraphy of the
area. The first such separation set was produced by Bianca Lepori after the 1981 season. John
Berg constructed another set in after 1985, and a final one after the 1993 season.
The original plan for publishing Dor was sequentially by area (A, B, C etc.). Accordingly, this
author started analyzing the stratigraphy of the gates in 1984-1985, and Ayelet Gilboa started
working on the [Iron Age] pottery of the area. Higher-priority work (writing and editing the
A-C stratigraphy) soon took over, however. In 1988-1989 Ayelet Gilboa published an
assemblage of local and Cypriot pottery from area B1, defining the typological horizon we
now term ‘Transitional Ir1|2’ (at the time it was called ‘late Iron Age I’ - Gilboa 1989).
Between 1989 and 1992 she wrote her MA thesis in which the latest Iron Age horizons at Dor
were first delineated. These became the benchmarks for defining other Iron Age assemblages.
They also necessitated working out partial stratigraphies for the contexts discussed, and the
insights from these were incorporated in the understanding of subsequent seasons’ work.
The next major step in shaping our current understanding of area B was Svetlana
Matskevich’es MA thesis on the stratigraphy and pottery sequence of the Iron Age I in the
‘deep pit’ in B1. Maskevich questioned the ‘common wisdom’ that the brick town-wall
necessarily dates to the Iron Age IIA (phase 8). This attribution had rested on two
assumptions – the pre-expectation that the Iron Age I occupation would be poor and
unfortified, while that of the Iron Age II the opposite; and the observation in that in area C1
the mud-brick wall dated to the Iron Age II. By the late-nineties we knew that the Iron Age I
14
in Dor was urban and had public architecture – so the assumption that it would not be walled
could no longer be justified. It is by no means certain that the mud-brick wall in lower C1 is
the same as the one in B (the B wall may be much thicker, for one thing). Even if it is, no
floor or living was found reaching the area C wall. Its probable date was deduced from the
fact that it was sealed by Iron Age IIB strata and under it was found Iron Age I pottery.
Counter to the attribution of the mud-brick wall to phase 8 is the fact – known at the time of
excavation but apparently ignored – that several floor surfaces appeared to go under the
boulder wall of phase 7 but seal the mud-brick wall. A factor which further complicates the
picture and frustrates a definitive dating of the wall is that area B1 is bisected by an alley, and
the stratigraphic correlations across that alley are questionable. Moreover, the more-reliable
pottery sequence was established in the structures west of the alley – the loci east of the alley,
adjacent to the mud-brick wall were generally poor in finds. Maskevich offered several
differing scenarios as to the correlation between the two sides of the alley and consequently
the phasing of the mud-brick fortification wall. These are discussed below.
Finally, the present manuscript is the result of a 2003 application to the White-Levy fund for
archaeological publications. The premise underlying this application was that sequential
publishing (in whatever order) of all of Ephraim Stern’s excavation areas would create a
hopeless backlog. The only solution is parallel processing, by several ‘publication fora’
working (as much as possible) independently of one another. Accordingly, the proposal called
for the institution of a ‘B1 publication forum’ to be headed by Elizabeth Bloch-Smith.
The publication-plan envisaged for this forum, and carried through in the present publication,
is a bit complex. As already noted, the northern half of the gate was excavated as part of area
B1 and the southern half as B2. Of course it makes no sense to publish them separately. On
the other hand, the present publication forum does not possess the expertise to deal with post-
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Iron Age materials, and even if we did recruit one of our ‘classical’ colleagues, the task of
publishing the Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman materials of B1 (much less all of area B)
would have been too much to accomplish in the limited time frame of a White-Levy project. –
and probably too lengthy to be accommodated in a single Qedem volume. Thus the decision
was made to restrict ourselves to publishing the Iron Age of area B. This would leave task of
publishing the Persian – Roman periods to another day.
That, too, is problematic – as we also noted above the two-chambered gate was in all
probability built in the Iron Age but stayed in use throughout most of the Persian period. The
decision therefore was to carry the stratigraphic analysis through phase 5, but to defer the
publication of the finds from the [early] Persian period – even those contexts that do refer to
the two-chambered gate.
Horizontal sub- divisions of the area
Figure 14 Aerial photo of area B (at the end of the 1992 season).
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Area B is rather extensive. 129 excavation units (3225 sq. m.) were opened (Figure 14 Aerial
photo of area B (at the end of the 1992 season).Figure 14 [photo p06B1-0066 / 80746])
over fourteen seasons (1980 to 1995, with breaks at 1990 and 1994). Only about 32 of these,
though (about 800 sq. m.) reached the Iron Age. This is still a rather extensive area, and to
compound matters the Iron Age remains are discontinuous (mainly because of areas where
late features were never removed – e.g. the Roman Decumanus and Cloaca Maxima between
B1 and B2); and comprise of several different architectural units. To analyze and discuss the
stratigraphy in manageable pieces, we divided this area to several ‘logical sub-areas’ – and
these were analyzed and are presented here by different team-members.
‘Logical areas’ were used in the A&C report (Sharon 1995: 18) but there we used different
local phase designations for each ‘logical area’ (usually an insula) whereas in the present
report sufficient stratigraphic links exist between the sub-areas to use a unified set of phase
numbers for all of area B. Within the sub-areas, however, the authors used stage numbers to
denote sub-local sequences (cf. Sharon 1995: 16-18 for definition of phases and stages in the
Dor registration system).
17
The stratigraphy is presented according to the following sub-areas (Figure 15):
Figure 15 Area B, The regions in which Iron Age strata were reached, and their division into logical sub-areas
for the purpose of this report.
The [inner] gatehouse is divided to southern half and northern half. In between these lies the
Roman decumanus and drain. The southern half of the gate, plus [the excavated portion of]
the gate passage and spaces west and south of the gatehouse are treated by Elizabeth BlochSmith in chapter ***. It is further sub-divided by architectural complexes – the south chamber
of the two-chamber gate and the ‘lodge’ house west of it in phase 5; the SE, SW chambers
and the outside of the gate in phase 7; the ‘shell mosaic’ house and the mud-brick city wall (?)
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under the SW and SE chambers, respectively. (see below and chapter *** for the definition
of these architectural units). The northern half of the gate is presented by Svetlana Maskevich
in chapter ***. It is further divided to ‘unit 1’ – the front tower of the gatehouse and area east
of it; ‘unit 3’ incorporates the NE chamber of the four-chamber gate and the part of the twochambered gate that’s above it, while ‘unit 2’ is the part of the two-chambered gate extending
north of the four-chambered gatehouse. ‘Unit 4’ is the NW chamber of the four-chambered
gate, and ‘unit 5’ is the narrow strip west of the gate, between the gatehouse and the western
edge of the area.
The area north of the gate was dealt-with by Svetlana Maskevich in her MA thesis and is represented here in chapter ***. It, too is subdivided, along the axis of the N-S alley bisecting
this area. The area east of this street can be further subdivided into N-S strips – in the
lowermost phases – by the line of the massive phase 13-12 fortification wall, which still forms
the edge of site in phase 11.
A Brief Resumé of the Stratigraphic Sequence to Phase 5
The purpose of this section is to provide a very broad overview of the stratigraphy of area B,
to define some terminology which will be used henceforward, and to briefly describe the
stratigraphy of the phases later than those which will be described here in detail – justifying
the beginning of our sequence with ‘phase 5’.
The latest elements in area B are at least two Roman phases post-dating the Hellenistic
fortification system. These are named phase B/1 and B/2. The fact that there is more than a
single construction-phase within the Roman period is amply attested. Purely as an example,
we show here a monumental structure just north of the gate, in area B1. The initial
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construction – of huge square-sectioned ashlars on a deep cement foundation, is overlaid by
inferior construction ([photo 11341 (1980)]).
The Roman remains comprise mainly of a large open ‘piazza’, with a drainage system under it
([photo 11525] Figure 16 [IlanSlide]), and various installations connected with fresh water
distribution above it ([photo 11223]). The latter are connected to the western terminus of the
aquaduct (Figure 18 – Sharon Berg and Zilberstein 2002***) which also adjoins this ‘piazza’
just south of the city gate. Three streets come out of this ‘piazza’: The Decumanus Maximus
runs west from the gate to area G in the center of the mound and hence to the main propylon
of the temple in area F at the west end of town. The main drainage channel – the cloaca
maxima runs under this street. Another street runs south from the ‘piazza’ through area B2
(Figure 17 [IlanSlide]); and a third runs through area B1 to A, C and points further north.
Figure 16 The Roman Decomanus running east from the gate area (in the background), with the vaulted cloaca
maxima under it. The thick cement walls are the foundations of the Roman stoa south of the street. The thin
ashlar walls are Hellenistic – phase 3 and 4.
20
Figure 17 The Roman street leading south from the gate area (in the background).
Figure 18 The two westernmost piers of the aquaduct, where it enters the town. The western pier is built directly
over the two chamber gate (stones at lower left).
We have no evidence that this Roman town was fortified. That the Hellenistic city wall was
by this time dismantled down to its foundations is verified by the fact that the ashlar
foundation-stones of the Hellenistic gate-jambs were cut in order to lay the paving stones of
the Roman ‘piazza’ over them ([photo 11524(1980)],Figure 19[Dor077]).
21
Figure 19 The Hellenistic city wall and foundations of the north doorjamb of the Hellenistic city gate, area B1,
looking north. Roman pavement (lower left) overlies the wall. [Dor077]
The defining feature for phase 3 in B1 is the Hellenistic city wall (Figure 19). The gate in the
wall (identified by the headers on the doorjambs and a small portion of pavement ([photo
17207 (1983)] is directly under the Roman ‘piazza’ pavement. The street layout of the
Hellenistic town is identical here to the Roman – under the decumanus is a [narrower] E-W
street ([photo 17404 (1983)]) and there is a Hellenistic street under the N-S street too. [photo
13987 (1981)].
22
The existence of a stratigraphic phase (phase 4) sandwiched between the phase 3 Hellenistic
city wall and the phase 5 two-chambered gate may be inferred by several features. Photo
[11522 (1980) + 13760 (1981)] shows a phase 4 wall cut by the Hellenistic city wall, and set
right on top the NE wall of the two-chamber gate. This phase, again, has no massive city wall.
The town extends further east, and thin ashlar walls belonging to it are found above the outer
gate area ([13790] ramp). As there is no fortification, there is no gate in this phase, but the
axis of the main street is shifted slightly southwards (about 5 m.) from that of the Hellenistic
and Roman streets above it – and continues the line of the Iron Age streets below ([photo
17402].
This brings us to phases 5 to 14, the subject of the next chapters.
Area B – List of staff
This list was compiled from the preliminary reports, occasional notations on locus cards, and
the authors’ memory. Unfortunately, no full lists survive of all staff members in the various
seasons and their specific functions. Many of the principles are unavailable for consultation,
or could not accurately remember who-was-who. The authors apologize in advance for any
omissions or errors.
1980
H. Neil Richardson & James D. Purvis (directors, Boston University group)
Howard P. Goldfried (director, California State University)
Shalom Yankelevich (field supervisor)
Debborah Kennedy (?) recorder
1981
James D. Purvis (director, Boston University group) - in area B1
H. Neil Richardson (director, independent ‘RichDor’ group) – in area B1
Howard P. Goldfried (director, California State University) – in area B2
Shalom Yankelevich (field supervisor)
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Debborah Kennedy (?) recorder
1982
H. Neil Richardson (B1 director, independent ‘RichDor’ group)
Howard P. Goldfried (B2 director, California State University)
Shalom Yankelevich (field supervisor)
Elisha Frank, B1 recorder
Margaret Remeta, B2 recorder
1983
H. Neil Richardson (B1 director, independent ‘RichDor’ group)
Howard P. Goldfried (B2 director, California State University)
Shalom Yankelevich (field supervisor)
Elisha Frank, B1 recorder
Ann Kopczick, B2 recorder
1984
H. Neil Richardson (B1 director, independent ‘RichDor’ group)
Howard P. Goldfried (B2 director, California State University)
Shalom Yankelevich (field supervisor)
Elisha Frank, B1 recorder
Ann Kopczick, B2 recorder
R. Phares, J. Henderson, J. Bradley, J. Linde, J. Northrop, D. Weiss and S.
Williams – unit supervisors and assistants.
1985
H. Neil Richardson (B1 director, independent ‘RichDor’ group)
Howard P. Goldfried (B2 director, California State University)
J. Bradley, Julie Linde (?), A. Bennet(?) H. Thomas – unit supervisors and
assistants.
24
1986
H. Neil Richardson (B1 director, independent ‘RichDor’ group)
Howard P. Goldfried (B2 director, California State University)
(P. Koellner, L. Hopfe, H. Thomas) – unit supervisors and assistants.
1987
H. Neil Richardson (B1 director, independent ‘RichDor’ group)
Howard P. Goldfried (B2 director, California State University)
Lynne Banks, Paul Koelner, Maxine Beach, Shahira Ashkar, Traci O’Brien,
Mark Shelton, Karen Walker(?) – unit supervisors and assistants.
1988
Alon De-Groot (B1 area supervisor)
Howard P. Goldfried (B2 director, California State University)
Idit Saragusti, Ronny Vander – unit supervisors and assistants.
1989
John Berg (B1 area supervisor)
Howard P. Goldfried (B2 director, California State University)
JoBeth Powell, Traci O’Brien, Barry Scott, Eyal Ben-Ari, Isabelle Dunaux, Eva
von Dassow, Colette Kruyshaar – unit supervisors and assistants.
1991
Eyal Ben-Ari and Patricia Casson (B1 area supervisors)
Chris Foley (B1-Can director)
Howard P. Goldfried (B2 director, California State University)
– unit supervisors and assistants.
Orna Nagar – B1 Recorder
1992
Patricia Casson (B1 area supervisor)
Howard P. Goldfried (B2 director, California State University)
Orna Nagar – B1 Recorder
1993
Eli Haddad
25
Bibliography
Gilboa, A. (1989) ‘New Finds at Tel Dor and the Beginnings of Cypro-Geometric Pottery
Import to Palestine’, IEJ 39: 204-218.
Sharon, I. (1995) ‘The Registration System’ Chapter two (pp. 13 – 20) in E. Stern (director)
et. al. Excavations at Dor, Final Report, Volume IA, Areas A and C: Introduction and
Stratigraphy. Qedem Reports 1 Jerusalem: Institute of Archaeology, Hebrew University
and the Israel Exploration Society.
Stern, E. (1981) ‘Tel Dor 1980’ IEJ 30: 209 - 213
Stern, E. (1982) ‘Excavations at Tel Dor 1981: Preliminary Report’ IEJ 32: 108 – 117
Stern, E. (1983) ‘Tel Dor 1982’ IEJ 33: 117 – 119
Stern, E. (1985) ‘Tel Dor 1984’ IEJ 35: 60 – 64
Stern, E. and I. Sharon (1986) ‘Tel Dor 1985’ IEJ 36:101 – 104
Stern, E. and I. Sharon (1987) ‘Tel Dor 1986 – Preliminary Report’ IEJ 37:201 - 211
Reich, R. and B. Brandl, (1983) ‘Gezer Under Assyrian Rule’ PEQ 117: 43 - 44
Stern, E. A. Gilboa and I. Sharon (1989) ‘Tel Dor 1987 – Preliminary Report’ IEJ 39:32-42
Stern, E., J. Berg and I. Sharon (1991) ‘Tel Dor 1988-1989 – Preliminary Report’ IEJ 41: 46
– 61
Stern, E. A. Gilboa and I. Sharon (1992) ‘Tel Dor 1991: Preliminary Report’ IEJ 42:34-46
26
STRATIGRAPHY OF THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE GATE
The area of the northern half of the gate was divided sub-areas (see Fig.1). The following
chapter is organized according to these units.
Figure 20. Northern half of the gate: division into units
27
Unit 1: elements east of the northern gates towers.
Squares: H28, H29, H30.
Phase 2 – Roman drainage system (earlier).
Phase 3 – no architectural features.
Phase 4 – street (surface F2431) bounded by façades of the houses: W2433 in the north and
W2413 in the south.
W2433 is an EW oriented thin wall, it was found in the eastern part of the square where it
makes a corner with W11010. In the west the wall was destroyed by later building activities
but probably continued in Sq. I28 (its small segment was recognized there) into the western
baulk of the area. In the west the wall was cut by the drain L2422 which belongs to the
Roman drainage system, thus W2433 is earlier than phase 2.
The façade of the southern house is W2413, parallel to W2433 and similarly constructed but
thicker than it. It crosses the area from Sq.F27 in the east to Sq.K28 (as W2550 and W2454)
in the west with some missing segments. Several walls outstand from this wall southward and
divide the building to small spaces (rooms?). It seems to me that the row of the field stones
along the ashlar-made face of the wall served as street margin pavement.
Floor F2431 (#14.52 – 14.48) was uncovered in the southern part of the square H28 while
reaching W2413 (the row of the field stones). This floor sealed the sequence of the fill layers
28
which came down to the pavement F2483. This is stone pavement leads up to the gates of
phase 5 (see below).
F2431 > F2483
The above discussed set of features is later than the phase 2 drainage and earlier than phase 5
pavement. Therefore these elements belong either to phase 3 or phase 4 or both. The
preliminary stratigraphy analysis of this unit was done by Ilan Sharon in 1984. As it was
pointed out then, it is unlikely that these features are contemporary to the Hellenistic (phase 3)
fortifications. Most probably this dwelling unit was created in phase 4 and went out of use
when the Hellenistic city wall was built.
Phase 5 – stone pavement (main number F2483), the eastern wall of the northern tower of the
two-chambered gate (Figure 33).
Here we'll discuss only the features outside the gates. The gate towers and features between
them will be described separately.
In square I28 no phase 4 surface was found. Below the level of the Hellenistic gate threshold
was excavated fill L2473 which was described by the excavators as "fallen mudbricks going
down to the top of the W2476 (wall of the two-chambered gate)". It seems though that this
29
"fill" is a mud brick superstructure of the two-chambered gate which started below the phase
4 street level. In any case the fill wasn't sealed and may contain both phases 4, 5 and later
material.
Wall W2476 is the eastern wall of the northern tower of the two-chambered gate. The
northern part of the same wall in Sq. H30 was excavated as W352. In the south it turns
westward but only the eastern and the southern faces of the corner were exposed. The wall is
about 1.5 m. widths, built of two rows of big boulders and filled by field stones in between.
It's symmetrical to the W2862 in the southern tower and built similarly to it. The wall (stonemade stage) preserved in the south on the level of 14.72 and in the north to 15.99.
W352 = W2476 =? L2473
In H28 and H29, below phase 4 architecture, was excavated fill (L2434, L2469, L2403,
L2439) that came down on the pavement made of field stones of different sizes. The surface
has several numbers: F2483=F11263=F11272 in H28, F2509 (=2502) in H29, it continues in
H27 (area B2) as F2919. The pavement is sloping eastwards from the level of 14.14 in the
west to 13.22 in the east (square F28).
30
Figure 21. F11272 - part of the phase 5 pavement.
The pavement was partly destroyed by the walls of the later buildings and missing in the
northern part of the square H29. It was cut by the drain L2459 (phase 2) all the way through
squares H27, H28 and H29 along the eastern wall of the two-chambered gate and obviously
cut the connection between the two. We can still argue that the pavement reached the gate
because:
1. The level of the pavement F2483 in the west is 14.30 while the level of the pavement
inside the passage way of the gate (F2944) is 14.37.
2. The stone-made surface in square H32 - F3144 is obviously another fragment of the
same pavement; it reaches the wall W2205 which extends from the northern tower of
the gate.
Thus the pavement is contemporary to the two-chambered gate (phase 5).
31
Phase 6 - no architectural features were found in this unit, it's possible though that the fill
sealed by the phase 5 pavement contains phase 6 material as well.
Phase 7 – four-chambered gate
Directly below the phase 5 pavement F2509 were uncovered two walls W3108 and W3109
making T-shape connection. Wall W3108 is the eastern wall of the northern tower of the fourchambered gate. It's probably 3.5 m thick (partly in the baulk), built from big boulders with
small stones between them. For the eastern and the southern faces of the tower were used big
ashlar stones instead of boulders. From the corner with W2813 (north-eastern corner of the
tower) W3108 extends to the north as W2258 which connects to the city wall W2205. The
inner corner where walls W3108 and W2258 are connected was covered by orthostat-like
stones which were called by excavators W2487 and W7738.
Wall W3109, only a few stones of which preserved, extends from W3108 eastwards. The
width of the wall is about 1.20 m. and the highest preservation level is 13.74. It's unclear how
far to the east extended the wall but it could serve as a boundary of the path to the outer gate
of the city.
The fill aside the walls of the gate was partly sealed by the phase 5 pavement and partly by
the Roman drain. In one spot near the southeastern corner of the northern tower, the fill
L3106 came down to another surface (#13.30) that wasn't drawn but was verbally described
as a "cobble pavement". It reached the wall W3108 and thus obviously belongs to phase 7.
The level of this surface is closer to the lowest floor levels inside the chambers, that's why we
32
can assume that it's contemporary to the earliest stage of use of the gate (phase 7b). This
means that all debris between the two pavements contain both phase 6 and 7 material.
Elements earlier than phase 7.
Below the level of the four-chambered gate was excavated probe trench that reached charcoal
surface F?3125 on the level of 11.47 – 11.09. The only thing we can say about the context of
this layer is that it's earlier than phase 7 and thus should be assigned to phase 8 and/or earlier.
Phase 4
F2431, W2433, W2413, W2432=W2238, W2226, W2209=W2210
Phase 5
F2483=F11263=F11272=F2509=F2502=F2919, W352=W2476=? L2473
Phase 6
-
Phase 7a+7b W3108=W2487, W3109=W7738, W2258
Phase 7b
F3106
Pre-phase 7 (8?)
F?3125
33
Unit 2: inside two-chambered gate, outside four-chambered gate
Squares: I30
Sequence:
Phase 3
W247 (HL city wall)
Phase 4
Phase 5
W366, W352, W7095 (walls of the 2-ch. gate), F7078?
Phase 6
W7016?, F7078?
Phase 7
W7156, W2813, W7116
7a
F7167
7b
F7703, F7704, L7702 (tabun) – east of W7156
F?11034 (#14.46) – east of W7156
Phase 8
W11046 (mudbrick city wall)
Phase 3
Hellenistic city wall (W247)
Phase 4?/5??
34
W247 - the segment of the HL city wall was removed in several loci during 88-89 seasons:
L7010, L7145 (partly), L7147 (partly). These are fill inside wall W247 and material in it
belongs to the period prior to the wall construction, pre-phase3.
The fill directly under the W247 was excavated in 3 loci: L7155 and L7162 in the west and
L7161 in the east. In the western loci the excavators came down on top of W7156 which
connected to the four-chambered gate, the dating of the material here is 4-6. Locus L7161
includes material above and against the W7156 that’s why the material dating is 4-7.
Phase 5
The HL city wall (W247 here) seals middle section of the northern wall of the 2-ch. gate –
W7095. This wall together with W366 in the west and W352 in the east creates the northern
chamber of the gate of phase 5.
L7078 phase 4+5
F7078 =< phase 5
Phase 6
35
W7016 is a rubble wall below the Hellenistic city wall W247. The top of the wall was found
at 15.20, bottom probably at 14.81 (closing elevations). The top of W247 is 15.95 – 16.05, its
western face was removed down to the level of 15.30.
1. In any case W7016 can't stand on top of W247 as it was written in the locus card,
according to the elevations it's below the phase 3 city wall and thus earlier to it.
2. W7016 is seems to be cut by the foundation trenches of the two-chambered gate tower
what would make it pre-phase 5.
3. The northern wall of the four-chambered gate (phase 7) was found below W 7016,
thus it's later than phase 7.
Figure 23. W7016 and W7095 looking
south.
Figure 22. W7016 and W7095 looking
south.
These relations leave only one option for W7016 stratigraphic designation – phase 6.
Floor fragment F7078 (#15.13) was found along the western face of the W7016, its relation to
the gate walls and to W7016 are unclear. Two observations were made by the excavators:
-
F7078 covered W2813 (phase 7 gate)
-
F7078 went beneath W7016.
36
The second statement is problematic because the floor is about 30 cm higher than the floating
level of the wall W7016. The floor either reached or was cut by W7016 while the first option
is more probable.
F7078 == phase 6??/5?
The fill above this floor contains material of phases 4+5+6?
Figure 24. Schematic section (east-west looking south) in I30.
37
Figure 25. Isometric reconstruction of the wall relations.
Phase 7
Elements outside the four-chambered gate were excavated in two small spots on both sides of
the W7156. This wall extends from the W2813 northward, parallel to W2258 (western wall of
the gate tower), and creates a western wall of the casemate-like space attached to the tower.
West of W7156
In the small square created by the walls W2813 (S), W7156 (E) (see above) and the baulks
under the two-chambered date walls W366 (W) and W7095 (N). Fill against the walls W7156
and W2813 in loci L7157, 7167 and L7166 came down to a layer of mud and a gray floor
(#14.69 – 14.56) below it. This mud layer was traced in the northern and eastern baulks on the
level 14.88 – 14.83. In the northern part of this square along W2813 were found two courses
of mudbricks (L7187) and the same gray floor underneath. Both the mudbricks and the floor
38
reached W2813 and W7156. Two suggestions are possible based on the field records: 1) The
mudbrick layer (platform?) originally expanded to the whole spot (and may be to the whole
area around the gate walls? – see other units and general conclusions about the gate
construction); 2) these two surfaces are probably contemporary.
The mud surface got floor number F7076, while the gray floor is F7195 (locus number of the
floor makeup).
The floor F7195 (14.54-14.67) sealed fill down to plaster floor (L7703 + L7704) and tabun
L7702 that was build against the gate wall W2813. It stood on the surface of F7703 (#14.50 –
14.48) that was burned around the tabun and continued as white floor F7704. These three
elements sealed by F7095 but also were in use together with the gate walls. This means that
we can reconstruct two stages of use of the gate:
W2813 == W7156 == F7176 == F7195 == Phase 7a
W2813 == W7156 == F7703=F7704 == L7702 == Phase 7b
East of W7156 (inside the "casemate")
The square created by W7156 (W), W2813 (S) and the baulks below W7095 (N) and W352
(E) was excavated later, in 1989 season.
Under the fill (L11023) against W7156 was uncovered layer of stones on the level 14.46. It
became wall number W11034 but since no faces of the wall were found, it is more likely that
39
W11034 is a pavement. This feature L?/W?11034 wasn’t drawn or photographed, its relations
to the gate walls W2813 and W7156 are unclear. It may belong to the phase 7b because its
level is close to these of the floor F7703=F7704.
F?11034 == phase 7b
Phase 8
Below F?11034 and sealed by it was excavated fill L11035 that came down on top of the
mudbrick wall W11046. This is a segment of the mudbrick city wall of phase 8 that has
different numbers W11045 (I31) = W7706 = W11172 (H31).
40
Unit 3: inside 2-ch. Gate and 4-ch. Gate
Squares: I–J29,
This unit includes area inside the northern chamber of the two chambered gate, south of wall
W2813.
Major part of the unit was excavated under the Hellenistic city wall whose segments (here
W243 and W247) were removed during the seasons 1986 – 1989*. The core of the wall came
Figure 26. Excavation of the Hellenistic city wall core and fill below it.
down to the earthen fill (L7036, L7032, 7061). The faces of the city wall and the divider walls
of the casemates were removed separately with the following numbers: western face W7068,
northern divider wall W7069, southern wall W7033.
Phase 4
41
No phase 4 features were found in this unit. The gate area either remained inbuilt in this
period or the future path of the Hellenistic city wall was emptied before the construction
works started.
Phase 5
The city wall of phase 3 (W243 = W247) and sediment around it came down directly on the
walls of the northern tower of the two chambered gate. Segment of the western wall W366
was found under fill of L2934 on the level of 15.47 – 15.32. Its southern most part was never
excavated below phase 2 features; in the north W366 continued (see Unit 2) until the corner
with the northern wall of the tower W7095. W366 was built of two rows of big boulders with
small stones fill.
The western wall of the tower - W352 (Figure 33), was built similarly to W366. The inner
face of this wall was found only in the northeastern corner of sq. I29. Here and in I30 (Unit 2)
the wall preserved in its complete width +/- 1.80 m. In the southern part of the square its
segment was robbed and its continuation in sq. I28 remained under later features.
The floor of the gate wasn't found here. We can approximate its level at 15.20 – 15.38,
because: a) the floor fragment F7473 (=F7467) in the southern chamber was found on the
level of 15.08 – 14.96; b) if the wall W7016 belongs to phase 6 (see discussion in Unit 2),
then the floor of the gate should be higher than its top (15.20) but lower than top of the gate
walls (15.38).
42
A stone basin was found probably directly under W243 (any locus card mentions this fact). It
stands adjacent to the W352, symmetrically to the basin in the southern tower of the gate but
probably higher then it (top: 15.69, bottom inside: 15.40).
Phase 6
No architecture
Phase 7 - northeastern chamber of the four chambered gate.
As it was mentioned above, the floor F7078 (ph.6?/5??) sealed W2813 – the northern wall of
the four chambered gate. Two other walls of this chamber served as a foundation for the
western and the eastern walls of the phase 5 gate. The western wall W7116 was found partly
below W366 (phase 5) and partly below fill L2934. It preserved up to the level of 15.02, the
width of the wall is unknown, its inner face was built of big boulders. The eastern wall
W7715 is the outer wall of the tower and its much wider then W7116. The central part is
invisible under the W352, the inner face built of boulders as well (for the detailed description
of the outer face see discussion in unit 2).
43
Inside the chamber was found series of underlying surfaces: F7188, F7194, F7700 (was
drawn), F7710. This seems to be resurfacing of the chamber floor because of the similarity of
their levels (14.87 – 14.78) to the floor of the southern tower F7480 (14.82 – 14.74) which
reached the tower wall W7492. All these surfaces probably belong to the later stage of use of
the gate (see discussion in Unit 4).
F7188 = F7194 = F7700 = F7710 == phase 7a (Figure 34)
The fill below this floor accumulation didn't reach any other architectural features, so the
material
in
it
is
pre-7a.
44
Unit 4: elements in the NW chamber of the four chambered gate.
Squares: J-K29.
A lot of locus cards are missing. It's impossible to restore relations between the loci of
different seasons from the existing locus cards.
Tasks:
This unit includes features in the northern part of J29 and southern part of K29, enclosed by
W3357 in the west, W7116 in the east and W2813 in the north.
45
W3427 is a stone wall parallel to the northern wall of the four-chambered gate.
Figure 27. W3427
The excavators defined four stages in this wall differently constructed and with a slight shift
of stage A relatively to the other three. Two upper stages (A & B) and may be stage C are
Roman, stage D (15,53 – 15.02) stood on top of the W2813 (phase 7). It's possible that the
lowest stage was connected to the western wall of the two-chambered gate W366, i.e. belongs
to phase 5. This will leave a gap in the use of the wall in phases 3 and 4. On the other hand, it
oriented similarly to the walls of phases 3 & 4, seems to continue the line of W267 (phase 3)
and its bottom level is close to these of the walls of phase 4. I would propose to date stage C
of the W3427 as phase 3 and its stage D as phase 4.
W3427C == W267 == phase 3
W3427D == phase 4
46
Phase 5?
L2950 is a mudbrick material down to the cobble surface at #14.58, below the floating level
of W3427 and above the top of the western wall of the 4-ch. gate W3357 (#14.71).
1. Both W3427 and F2950 are earlier than phase 7.
2. F2950 is earlier than W3427
This part of the area was heavily disturbed by the persian pits, and we can't discard the
possibility that the mudbrick material and the cobble surface of L2950 are fill of pit L11206
(check pottery). If the material here is clean though, the mudbrick material, which is partly
above the gate wall W3357 and partly inside the chamber, may be fallen superstructure of the
wall W3357 and the cobbles are fragment of the chamber floor. In this case the locus will be
assigned to phase 7 and the surface to phase 7a.
L2950 == phase 7?/6?
F2950 == phase 7a?/6?
Phase 7
The uppermost floor fragments which probably belong to the gate were traced in L3355 and
L3358 on the level of 14.57. The excavators noticed that the floor reached top of W3357
47
(western wall of the gate) as well as W3427. The second observation seems to be wrong since
W3427 is floating on the level of 15.02.
F3355 = F3358 == phase 7a (Figure 34)
The surface below this one is a layer of pebbles F11204 (#13.76-13.78) disturbed by pit
L11206.
In the chambers of the southern tower were found two sets of surfaces with about 1 meter gap
between. The lower floors: F3100, F3810 in the SW chamber and F12000 in the SE chamber
(#13.65) seem to be on the approximately similar level as F11204 and may be contemporary.
It seems like there were two stages of use of the gate with the same walls but different living
surfaces. To the earlier stage (phase 7b) belong F12000 (SE ch.), F3100, F3810 (SW ch.),
F11204 (NW ch.) and to the later stage (phase 7a) – F7480 (SE ch.), F7700 (NE ch.), F3355,
F3358 (NW ch.).
F11204 == phase 7b?
Phase 8 (Figure 36)
48
W11207 is a stone-built wall running north-south, was found under fill L11205 on the level of
13.83 – 13.63. It seems to be a southern continuation of the W2798 – the western facade of
the phase 8 street (top: 13.85). In the north the wall is disturbed by W2813 (excavated as
W3131). The top of W11207 is on the same level as the cobble surface F11204. It's possible
that F11204 reaches W11207 and both these features are earlier than the gate:
W11207 == F11204 < Phase 8
Another option is that the top of W11207 was used as part of the cobble surface F11204 after
the wall was cancelled by the gate. If so, the floor is contemporary to the gate and the wall is
earlier than it:
W11207 (phase 8) < F11204 (phase 7b)
If the floor F11204 belongs to the earliest stage of the gate, then the fill sealed under it is
earlier than the gate and should be assigned to phase 8 or earlier.
49
Unit 5 – northwest and west of the four-chambered gate
Squares: J-K30, K30-31
This unit (Figure 32) is a relatively narrow strip around the north-western corner of the fourchambered gate. It can be divided into two parts: 1) western part of the squares K30 and K31
between the western wall of the gate W3357 and the western baulk of the area; 2) northern
part of the squares J30 and K30, north of the W2813. Since there is no natural border between
these parts, the area will be discussed as one unit.
Area between the gate and the western baulk
Massive architecture of phase 2 and 3 seals this area and in the same time disturbs the layers
immediately below it. No phase 4 features were found under the Roman water channel L263
and the street west to it (L266). The ashlar wall W258 east of the channel, as well as W277
perpendicular to it, are floating above the northern wall of the four-chambered gate W2813.
The lower layers were heavily disturbed by the big Assyrian pit that was only retroactively
recognized and excavated as accumulation of fill layers.
Phases 7 & 8
50
According to the elevations of the fill layers here, the uppermost debris that can be associated
with the four-chambered gate is L2840.
The area below it was disturbed by the pit L2848 in the east and the robber trench of W2884 –
L2818 in the west. These two features cut through the hard packed surface F2847 (#14.58).
W2884 is an ashlar build wall, parallel to the western wall of the four-chambered gate, it runs
into the western baulk in the south, and its continuation in sq. K31 was robbed. The wall
preserved here up to the level of 14.33 only (floating level: 13.84?), that's why the relation of
F2847 and W2884 remains unclear. W7196 is a small segment of the wall abutting (?) the
eastern face of W2884 near its southern end.
L2887 (Figure 28) is drawn as pebble layer (#14.33) in the NW corner of sq. K30. Probably
we are dealing here with one of the sub-layers inside the big pit and not with a real surface.
F2888 = F2928 is a shell surface (#14.05 – 14.08) is either inside the pit as well, or a floor
that reached wall W2884.
51
Figure 28. W2884a and floor? L2887 looking east.
Wall W2764 is described by the excavators as "discovered below W2884 on the level 14.02,
near the western baulk of the area". There is distinct probability that W2764 is a southern
continuation of W2884, where the upper course of stones is missing. The arguments are:
1. The way, this wall was drawn: exactly in the same direction as W2884;
2. The fact that the wall W2884 is floating on the level of 14.05, similar to the top of
W2764.
These may be two different stages of the wall, i.e. W2884 = stage a, W2764 = stage b.
The floor F7154 = F7198 (#13.45 – 13.75) is definitely lower than W2884a and it either
reached W7196 or went beneath it. The floor was cut by the foundation trench of the gate wall
W3357 in the east and by the big pit in the north. We can assume that this is a surface of
phase 8 that reached wall W2884b in the west.
52
F7154 = F7198 < W3357 (phase 7)
The wall W7196 seems to be cut by the gate as well, but remained in use with the W2884.
Figure 29. Unit 4: phase 7b features.
Figure 30. Unit 4: phase 8 features.
W7196a == W2884a
W7196b == F7154 = F7198 == W2884b
53
Since in the other parts of the area were defined two stages of phase 7, the features that were
cut during the gate construction should be defined as phase 7b.
W2884a == W7196a == F2888 == F2928 == Phase 7b(?)
F7154=F7198 == W7196b(?) == W2884b(=W2764) == Phase 8
Phase 9
About half-meter debris under F7198 seems to be accumulation of grey surfaces, all
(including F7198) cut by pit L7756. Same pit (L7756 = L7765 = L7927) cuts floor F7768
(#12.95) which seems to be a fragment of the so called "Ayelet's floor" of phase 9. The dating
of the pit is unclear.
F7768 == Phase 9
Pre-phase 9
The fill below F7768 goes down to the top of the wall W7164 – thick mudbrick fortification
wall. The latest stage of use of this wall can be dated to either phase 11 or 12 (see discussion
in M.A. thesis).
54
Phase 2
L266
Phase 3
W258, L2841 (foundation trench of W258)
Phases 3-6
L367, L2831
L2818 (r.t. of W2884)
Phase 7b(?)
W2884a, W7196a, F2888, F2928
Phase 8
F7154=F7198, W7196b(?), W2884b (=W2764)
Phase 9a
F7768 ("Ayelet's floor?")
Phase 11?/12?
W7164
Area north of the gate
Dating of the fill layers in the area north of the gate (sq. JK30) is based mainly on their levels
relatively to the walls W258, W366 and W3357 which represent phases 3, 5 and 7
respectively.
If W258 was build in phase 3 (and used in phases 2 &3), then the debris which starts below its
foundation and continues down below the top of W366 (L272, L369 and L2802) contains
55
phases 4 and 5 material. The fill against the two-chambered gate walls was excavated as
L2810, its unsealed material can be dated to phase 5.
The series of loci below L2810 (L2814, L2822, L2823, L2830, L2834, L2836) down to the
pavement F2836 seems to contain fill against the four-chambered gate wall W2813. The
excavators noticed the soil change in the whole area as a reason for opening L2830 (approx.
elevation 14.42), this might mean that below this level we have clean fill of phase 7. On this
level was observed disturbance (L2833 = L2839 = L2844). This is either a pit later than the
surrounding fill, or a pit which was dug from the surface of F2836 and associated with the
gate, or area where the floor F2836 was missing and the material in it is earlier than this
surface. The first option seems to me most probable, especially considering the fact that the
area west to it was heavily disturbed by the large Assyrian pit and several small Persian pits.
Figure 31. Silo L2858, view from the wall W2813.
56
The fragment of the stone pavement(?) F2836 was found on the level 14.33, while reaching
W2813 in the south and enclosing silo L2858 in the north. The silo is about 1 m. in diameter
and 1.20 m. depth; it was paved inside by small field stones. No recognizable organic
materials were found inside the silo and its usage remains unknown. The fill (L2837 = L2838
= L2858) seems to be the same as the debris above the pavement F2836.
Phase 2 + 3
W258
Phase 4 + 5
L272, L369, L2802
Phase 5
L2810
Phase 6?/7?/8??
L2833 = L2839 = L2844
Phase 7?(+6?)
L2814, L2822, L2823
Phase 7
W2813,
L2830, L2834, L2836,
Silo L2837, L2838, L2858
57
Figure 32. Unit 5: area north and west of the gate. The "white floor"in foreground.
58
Figure 33.
59
Figure 34.
60
Figure 35.
61
Figure 36
62
GENEALOGY CHARTS
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
Index of loci
L/W Locus# Square
L
215
I30
W
243
I29
Unit
Clean.
Phase
PoM
Description
3
u
3
mix
L
244
I29
3
u
3+4+5
mix
W
244
I29
3
u
4
mix
W
L
L
247
249
255
2
4
4
3
2a
W
L
258
262
I30
J29
J-K29
K2930-31
J29
segment of the Hellenistic city wall
=W247=W268
fill aside W243 and wall (excavated together with
the locus, see separate entry)
fill = phase 3
ashlar wall that was cut by W243 (phase 3), on top
of W352 (phase 5). Excavated as part of W352.
<W243<W352
seals W7095 (ph.5 Wall of
HL city wall
the gate)
fill down to pavement (16.03)
5
3
3
3
L
W
L
L
L
L
W
L
L
W
L
L
266
267
270
272
285
302
315
316
317
323
339
340
K30
J29
J29
KJ30
J-K29
J29
I-J30
I-J30
I-J30
J29
J31
J32
5
3
4
5
4
3
3
3
3
4
u
3?
2+3
u
4+5
u
3
2
3
fill partly below
unexcavated
Relations
ph.
2
drainage,
fill
fill
pit?/installation?
fill inside HL city wall
W? found in the eastern baulk of I30.
fill
fill
same as W248, ==W250
pavement (#15.38)
channel (15.37 - 15.18).
almost appears on separation plan as
ph. 3
72
L/W Locus# Square
L
342
I30
Unit
W
L
352
364
I30
J33
L
L
L
367
369
2200
KJ30
KJ30
H30
5
5
1
W
W
W
W
2205
2209
2210
2212
H30
H-I/30
H30
H-G/30
1
1
1
1
L
L
L
L
W
L
W
W
W
L
L
L
L
L
2214
2215
2218
2223
2226
2233
2235
2237
2238
2239
2240
2250
2251
2254
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Clean.
Phase
PoM
5
u
u
d
4?
4+5
-
4?
5+6+7
4
4
2
2-5
d
4
?
u
u
u
u
u
2
4
4?/3??
4?/3??
4?/3??
4?/5?
5?/4??
mix
Description
Relations
mudbrick fill with charcoal
eastern wall of the northern tower of the two
chambered gate.
below pavement F339
partly sealed by ph.2
drainage, no ph. 3 surface
fill below the ph. 3 street
above
fill
topsoil
==4-chambered gate, ==2fortification wall
chambered gate
ashlar wall (HL) built on top of PR wall.
=W2210
ashlar wall (HL) built on top of PR wall.
= W2209
Roman wall
=W2211
Thin plaster (?) layer with pottery on it\. Not a
floor(?).
>[W2205, W2209, W2210]
Probe
Fill
Fill
One course of stones. Wall?
fill
Wall? 3 ashlars
ashlar wall.
Ashlar wall
Fill between W2205 and W2237
Fill between W2240 and W2237
Fill below W2237 and fill around it
Fill
73
L/W
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
W
Locus#
2255
2258
2259
2260
2264
2269
2271
2273
Square
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
Unit
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
L
W
2274
2275
H30
H30
1
1
W
L
L
L
L
L
W
L
L
L
W
L
L
2276
2277
2278
2279
2292
2295
2297
2298
2303
2304
2305
2306
2404
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H30
H29
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
W
W
2411
2414
H29
H29
1
1
Clean.
d
u
u
u
d
d
u
Phase
5?
5?/4??
PoM
mix
4?
?
4?
4?
4?
mix
mix
4?
5-7
5
5-7
u
u
u
u
u
u
8
5-8
5-8
5-8
5-8
5-8
u
s
s
s
s
d
8
8
<8
8?
9?
8
8
pre-8
2a
2b
2a
-
5-8
5-8
5-8
5-8
5-8
9?
Description
Relations
Fill below W2238 down to the level of L2254.
Ashy fill
Fill and stones along the face of W2210.
Shallow pit cut into L2254.
W baulk removal.
Brown hard packed fill.
Ashy fill
Two courses of two stones each.
Fill down to W2279, W2275 and mudbrick fill
L2276.
6 ashlars along the W2210.
=W7706
(mudbrick
Mudbrick wall (?), top # 14.06.
fortification wall of ph.8)
Fill
Fill
Small field stones. Probably not a wall. Pavement?
Fill
Fill
Wall?
"glacis"
fill under the 'glacis"
Sand fill
Three courses of stones. Core of the "glacis"?
hard packed surface below sand.
topsoil
Later of two drainage
systems. =311, 2459, 2864,
Roman drain
279, >2420
Wall of Roman drain (main number 2420).
< 2411
74
L/W
L
L
W
L
W
Locus#
2415
2420
2421
2424
2432
Square
H29
H29
H29
H29
H29
Unit
1
1
1
1
1
Clean.
Phase
2b
2b
d
4?/5?
4 (3??)
W
2433
H28
1
L
L
L
2434
2438
2439
H28
H29
H28
1
1
1
u
W
L
2459
2469
I28
H28
1
1
u
L
W
2479
2482
H29
H29
1
1
d
L
2483
H28
1
L
W
W
2485
2486
2487
H29
H29
H29
1
1
1
d
5?/7?
7
7
L
L
2488
2498
H29
H29
1
1
d
d?
7
7
W
2501
H29
1
PoM
2b
2b
4+3
3?/4?/5?
2a
2a+1
4(?)+5
7
or
later
2b
5
Description
Fill in Roman drain (main number 2420).
Roman drain
cancelled
Fill
Wall, same as W2238, parallel to W2226.
Relations
<2411
=2414=2415 < 2411
=?W2238=?W2226
cut by Roman drain, above
F2483 (pavement)
Hellenistic wall
Fill between two floor layers leading to the gate
F2431 (ph. 3) and F2483 (ph.5)
Fill between channels 2411 and 2420.
Fill
Roman drain, belong to the later drainage system.
Cuts everything down to (& incl.) PR floor.
Fill above PR pavement
=L2434
Fill above IR gate.
> IR gate
drainage channel
== channel 2420, < 2411.
main number of the PR pavement, leads to the PR
gate, cut by Roman drain. #14.14 - 13.69 (sloping
east)
==PR gate
<W2423,
>=
W3108,
Fill below W2423 and W3108, W3109 (IR gate).
W3109
Wall, same as W3108 (Gate tower)
=W3108
Ashlar facing of the gate tower W3108.
=W2486 = W3108
Fill adjacent to the IR gate tower W3108.
Disturbed by the drain 2411
==W3108
Fill outside the gate tower W3108.
=L2488
arc of 4 ashlars. Probably not a wall but fallen
stones.
75
L/W Locus# Square
Unit
Clean.
Phase
L
L
2502
2509
H29
H29
1
1
u
5
5
L
L
L
2541
2546
2556
H29
H29
H29
1
1
1
s
2-8
8
8
W
L
L
L
2764
2769
2774
2775
K29-30
K29-30
K29-30
K29-30
5
5
5
5
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
2778
2782
2793
2795
2802
2809
2810
2812
K29-30
K29-30
K29-30
K29-30
KJ30
KJ30
KJ30
KJ30
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
W
L
L
L
L
L
2813
2814
2818
2822
2823
2830
KJI30
KJ30
KJ30
KJ30
KJ30
KJ30
5
5
5
5
5
5
8?
PoM
8?
u
u
d
d
d
d
u
u
4+5
u
u
7?
7?
7?
7?
7
7?
7
7?
pre-7
7?
7?
7
u
s
u
u
s?
7?
7?
7
Description
Relations
=F2483=F2919 (H27) = PR
gate.
=L2502.
Fill between 2 drains down to pavement (#13.83).
Cleaning? Of pavement F2502.
rubble fill below drain 2411 and above IR gate
W3108.
Fill below the floating level of W2486 (=W3108). <? IR gate tower W3108.
Sandy fill
< IR gate tower W3108.
=W2884b == W7196b ==
stone wall, probably lower course of W2884
F7154 = F7198
fill
mudbrick fill down to surface at #13.68.
Sandy pit
=L2782=L2793=L2778
option 1: the upper part (a) is a fill down to surface
at #13.42; the lower part (b) is sandy pit. Option 2:
everything belong to pit
=L2782=L2793=L2775
Sandy pit
=L2775=L2793=L2778
Sandy pit
=L2775=L2782=L2778
fill
fill
fill
fill
fill
Northern wall of the 4-ch. Gate. Floating at 13.58.
In 1985 was numbered W3131.
fill
robber trench? Down to the top of W2884 (ph.7)
fill
fill
fill
76
L/W Locus# Square
L
2831
KJ30
Unit
5
Clean.
u
Phase
5?
PoM
5?
L
L
2833
2834
KJ30
KJ30
5
5
d
u
7
7?/6?/8
??
7
L
L
L
2836
2837
2838
KJ30
KJ30
KJ30
5
5
5
u
u
u
7
7
7
7
7
7
L
L
L
2839
2840
2841
KJ30
KJ30
KJ30
5
5
5
d
u
7?/6?/8
??
2
L
L
L
L
2844
2847
2848
2858
KJ30
KJ30
KJ30
KJ30
5
5
5
5
d
u
u
u
L
L
2859
2872
KJ30
KJ30
5
5
u
s?
W
L
L
L
L
2884
2885
2887
2888
2889
KJ30
KJ30
KJ30
KJ30
KJ30
5
5
5
5
5
u
<2
7?/6?/8
??
7
7
8?/7?
8?/7?
7
7
7a?
7b?
7
7
Description
fill sealed by street 367
pit? Starts from the level of the phase 7 surface.
Either pit of ph.7 or pit later than ph.7, or unsealed
fill below ph.7 surface
fill
fill down to pavement (#14.33) associated with
the4-ch. gate
uppermost layer inside the silo L2858
fill inside silo L2858
pit? Starts from the level of the phase 7 surface.
Either pit of ph.7 or pit later than ph.7, or unsealed
fill below ph.7 surface
fill
foundation trench (of W258?)
pit? Starts from the level of the phase 7 surface.
Either pit of ph.7 or pit later than ph.7, or unsealed
fill below ph.7 surface
fill down to floor? (#14.58)
fill
fill inside silo L2858
fill below the pit, still may contain disturbed
material
fill below surface? In L2847
stone wall NS, parallel to the western wall of the
4-ch. Gate
fill
fill down to pebble surface (#14.33)
fill down to shells floor (#14.08)
fill
Relations
=L2839=L2844
==4-ch. Gate == L2858(silo)
==F2836
==F2836
=L2833 = L2844
= L2833 = L2839
=L2837=L2838 ==F2836
> (floats above)W2764
=? F2928
77
L/W
L
L
L
L
L
L
Locus#
2926
2928
2934
2942
2943
2946
Square
KJ30
KJ30
J29
J29
J29
J29
Unit
5
5
4
4
4
4
L
L
2950
2955
JK29
KJ30
4
5
L
3103
I28
L
3106
W
3108
W
Clean.
s
s
Phase
7
7b?
PoM
7b?
7b?
2
5?/7a?
7b?
1
s
d (s by
Ph. 2a) 6+7
1
u
6+7
3109
I28
H-I/3829
H-I/3829
L
3110
H29
1
L
3111
H29
L
L
3112
3114
L
3125
L
3130
7b
mix
Description
fill sealed by F2887
fill down to shells floor (#14.05)
fill inside the chamber
FT of W250
fill
fill
Relations
=?F2888
pre-gate, probably phase
mudbrick fill down to cobble floor.
5,earlier? than W3427
makeup of F2928
Fill below the Roman drain L2459 and above IR
gate. Opened below the level of PR floors.
Fill beneath the PR floor level down to the
pavement leading to the IR gate (#13.30).
==W3108
1
7
IR gate tower
==W3109
1
Eastern projection from the IR gate tower W3108
==W308
s
7
7
(+
6??)
7
1
s
7
H28
H29
1
1
s
H28
1
u
7+8
7+8
7/8?
8
or
earlier
pre-7
6+7
Fill inside IR gate projection wall W3109.
= W3109 ==W3108
Fill north of W3109, against it (or missing part of
W3109 [by Ilan]). Sealed by ph.5 pavement.
==L3112
Fill against IR gate walls above and below floor
level (F3106: #13.30). No floor was found.
Material 7+8. Lowest part of the fill (#?) - sandy
layer.
Missing part of W3109
Fill from 1.5 m below the IR gate floor level and
lower. Charcoal layer (#11.47-11.09).
<IR gate
climbs over W3140 and
ash layer?/ surface? At #13.08
W3141
78
L/W Locus# Square
Unit
Clean.
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
W
3142
3145
3146
3147
3150
3152
3154
3155
3174
K30
K30
K30
K30
K30
K30
K30
K30
J29
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
4
s
L
L
3231
3233
K29-30
K29-30
5
5
s
s
W
3258
I31
L
L
L
3272
3336
3392
H32
J30/31
W
W
L
3427
7010
7014
JK30
I30
I30
4
2
2
L
7015
I30
W
L
7016
7017
I30
I30
Phase
PoM
pre-7
8?
8?
pre-8
d?
s
2+3+4
3
3
mix
mix
2
s
3
pre-3
2
2
s
6
3
6
pre-3
Description
Relations
fill below part of W2813 (floats at 13.58) down to
floor fragment at #13.56 and pit from level 13.36
down.
pit below W2813, levels: 13.36 - 13.19
grey layer (pit?)
sand layer
layer of pebbles
fill, many sherds
ash layer
mudbrick material (top: 12.32)
fill sealed by W2884 down to shells floor at
#13.93
>W2884
fill sealed by F3231
Wall on top or aside W2205. Removed as L7906
(1 RM sherd)
rocky fill?/pavement? Between W2205 and
W3258.
floor (#14.61) under wall W347 (ph.5?)
<W347
pit?
pre-gate, stages A&B - ph.2,
stone wall above NW chamber of the 4-ch. Gate
st. C - ph.3, st.D - ph.4
fill inside HL city wall W247
fill inside HL city wall W247
fill between W face of W7016 and inner face of
W247
wall on top of W247 (ph. 3) or fill inside it? Or <W247 (sealed by), <W7095
phase 4 wall?
(cut by), >W2813 (seals)
foundation trench of W7095
79
L/W Locus# Square
L
7021
K29-30
L
7023
Unit
Clean.
Phase
3?
3?
L
7032
I29
3
u
3
W
7033
I29
3
L
L
L
L
L
L
W
W
W
7034
7036
7037
7052
7061
7066
7068
7069
7074
I29
I29
3
3
I29
I-J29
J29
I29
I30
3
3
3
3
2
L
L
L
L
L
L
7078
7092
7100
7131
7133
7143
I30
I29
J29
K30
K30
K30
2
3
3
5
5
5
L
7154
K30
5
L
7155
I30
2
W
7156
I30
2
PoM
3+2?
u
3
3
4-7
4-7
d
mix
3
3
3
s
5?
u
7?
s
pre-7?
7?
7
7
7
Description
foundation stones of W258 ?
Relations
Earth-stone fill inside the compartment of the
Hellenistic city wall W243.
=W243
N-S wall segment inside W243. May be was
constructed earlier (phase2?) and incorporated into
the city wall in phase 3.
<=W243
fill of the wall W243. same as L7032 on the north
of W7033.
=W243
fill inside the Hellenistic city wall W243.
fill
fill down to cement floor at '14.98 - 14.90
fill inside the Hellenistic city wall W243.
winter wash
divider wall of the HL city wall
renumbering of W243 (Hellenistic city wall)
western face of W247
floor seals W2813 (ph. 7
fill below W247 down to floor #15.13?
gate), below W7016
fill
fill inside NE chamber of phase7 gate.
floor F7052 makeup
fill down to W2813
fill, probably against the 4-ch. Gate
fill against 4-ch. Gate down to floor at #13.76 13.70
floor < W2884
fill directly under the W7016 (ph.6) down to the
W7156 (ph.7)
<W7016 (ph.6)
wall abutting in to the northern wall of the 4-ch. ==W2813==4-ch. Gate
80
L/W Locus# Square
Unit
L
7157
I30
2
L
L
L
7161
7162
7163
I30
I30
I29
2
2
3
L
7166
I30
2
L
7167
7185
I30
2
L
L
7188
7194
I29
I29
3
3
s
s
L
7195
7198
7700
I30
2
s
I29
3
s
7702
7703
7704
7708
7709
7710
I30
I30
I30
I29
2
2
2
3
s
I29
3
L
L
L
L
L
L
Clean.
Phase
PoM
Description
Gate (ph. 7)
7
7
fill west of W1756 (ph.7)
fill under W247 same as L1755 + fill east of
W7156 + stones (?) on level 14.50 - 14.40.
Mudbricks were found in baulk on #14.75.
fill on top of W7156 (ph.7)
>W7156
fill below the removed section of W7069 (=W243)
fill under W7090 in the NW corner of the
chamber.
fill down to mudbrick layer (14.91 - 14.14.55) and
grey floor underneath (14.56 - 14.69). Mudbricks
probably covered the whole locus. Both surfaces
reached W2813 and W7156.
F7167==W2813==W7156
fill sealed by F7154
fill below the removed section of W243 down to
floor (#14.91)
fill below F7188 down to floor (#14.87-14.82)
fill under F7167 down to 3 grey layers
(resurfacing): 1) 14.56 - 14.69; 2) 14.54 - 14.67; 3)
14.52-14.65.
fill down to "white floor"
=F2777; <W2884, <W7196
fill sealed by F7194 down to floor (#14.80?)
==F7703==F7704==W2813;
tabun sealed by F7167 on floor F7703=F7704
>F7167; ==ph.7b
ashy floor around tabun L7702.
==L7702==W2813
floor around F7703, probably same as it.
==L7702==W2813
fill below the removed section of W243
fill down to the same floor as F7198
fill sealed by F7700 down to floor (#14.78?)
s
s
7
7
8b
d?
7+8
Relations
81
L/W Locus# Square
L
7711
I29
L
7713
I29
Unit
3
3
Clean.
s
W
L
L
7715
7716
7717
I29
I30
I30
3
2
2
L
7720
I29
3
L
L
L
L
L
7721
7723
7724
7730
7733
K30
K30
K30
H30
I31
5
5
5
1
L
L
L
W
7734
7736
7737
7738
I31
H30
H30
H30
1
1
1
s
u
L
7741
K30
5
u
L
L
L
7744
7746
7749
K30
K30
K30
5
5
5
s
s
s
L
L
7750
7753
K30
K30
5
5
s
s
Phase
PoM
7?/8??
s
s
pre-7
s
s
d
-
8b?
pre-8
-
5
5
5
5
4+5
5
Description
Relations
fill below F7710
fill in the chamber
wall which seems to be a northern face of the
W3108 (phase 7 gate). It's still possible that it's
earlier than the gate.
fill
fill
fill, probably includes material inside the chamber
and the FT of the tower walls.
fill excavate previously together with pit L7189.
similar to fill in L7709.
makeup of F7198
sealed fill down to floor at #13.47 - 13.39
Removal of the baulk between H29 and H30.
Fill between W3263 and W3258.
Fill between W3300 and W2205 down to the top
of W3219
Fill below W2238 (ph.4)
fill below the floating level of W2238.
=L7736
Segment of W2813 (IR gate) ?
=W2487==W3108
<W7196, <W2884. Probably
re-numbering of L7724. Same floor at #13.36
= "white floor"
floor accumulation (#13.32) or shallow pit in
F7741
foundation trench (?) of W7196
fill down to floor (accumulation of surfaces?)
-=F7750
fill down to floor sloping northward (#13.53 13.27)
=F7749
fill down to floor (#13.32 - 13.20)
82
L/W Locus# Square
L
7754
K30
L
7755
K30
Unit
5
5
Clean.
d
d
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
W
7756
7761
7765
7768
7772
7778
7791
7795
K30
K30
K30
K30
H30
H30
H30
H30
5
5
5
5
1
1
1
1
d
s
d
s
u
u
s
L
L
7798
7799
H30
H30
1
1
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
7905
7909
7912
7913
7914
7915
7916
H30
H30
H30
H-I/32
H30
H30
H30
W
W
7919
7920
H30
H30
1
1
L
L
L
7927
7930
7931
K30
K30
H30
5
5
1
Phase
PoM
Relations
fill along W2557. disturbed
<=7
<=7
pit? That cuts all floors north of it.
fill down to floor (#13.17-13.09)
pit?
fill down to floor (#12.95)
Fill against W7738.
Fill below W7738 and fill around it in the baulk.
removal of stone pavement F7798.
Orthostat?/terrace wall?
Fill down to stone pavement (#13.41 - 13.53)
F7791
fill below the pavement down to the sand layer.
fill down to stone pavement? (13.57 - 13.87) or
rubble.
Removal of the surface(?) F7905.
Fill sealed ? By pavement F7909
Fill under W3258
Sand fill
Removal of W7738.
Fill between W7738 (ph.7) and W352(ph.5).
Wall (partly ashlar) parallel to W7738, lower than
it.
Wall makes a corner with W7919.
<=7
pit
disturbance (pit?)
Fill between W7919 and W7920.
5
5
5
5
5
5
7+6??
u
s
5
7+6??
5
pre-5
1
1
1
u
s
s
5
5
7+6??
5
1
1
1
u
s
u
<7
<7
5?
pre-7?
pre-7?
mix
d
d
u
Description
pre-5
7?/<7?
cuts F7198, F7724, F7750,
F7753
== F7798
==W7795
==W7920
==W7919
=L7765=L7756.
Cuts
L7922, F7768
same as L7755. Cuts F7768
83
L/W Locus# Square
L
7932
H30
Unit
1
Clean.
u
W
L
7933
11011
H30
1
u
L
11023
I30
2
s?
L
L
11031
11034
H29
I30
1
2
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
11035
11046
11055
11061
11062
11063
11068
11074
11075
11076
11081
11103
11105
I30
I30
K30
K30
K30
K30
K30
K30
K30
K30
K30
H29
H30
2
2
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
1
1
L
L
L
L
L
11150
11201
11202
11203
11204
G28
J29
J29
J29
J29
1
4
4
4
4
Phase
<=7
<=7
PoM
7?/<7?
7?/<7?
d
d
u
d
u
d
d
u
u
u
<7
pre-7
s
4+5
4+5
Description
Fill outside the corner of W7919 and W7920.
mudbrick wall, seen in section only
Fill above mudbrick wall
East of W7156 (under L7161) - fill down to
W11034.
rubble fill below drain 2411 and above IR gate
W3108.
1 coarse of stones. Pavement? On top of W11045.
Fill from top of F?11034 down to the mudbrick
wall W11046.
Mudbrick city wall of ph.8. Top: 14.17
winter wash
pit
fill
pit?
fill
pit
pit. May be same as pit L11074
fill above W7164
fill against W7164
Relations
>W7156, <F7168, cut by pit
(L7927=L11061)
<W11046==ph.8.
=W11045<?F?11034
=L7930
cuts W7164
cuts W7164
Fill
Fill below W2413 (Ph.3) down to PR pavement
F11272.
=L11263 (H28)
ash layer
fallen stones
fill down to pebble pavement (13.65)
==?W11207
84
L/W
L
L
W
L
L
Locus#
11205
11206
11207
11208
11209
Square
J29
J29
J29
J29
J29
Unit
4
4
4
4
4
Clean.
Phase
PoM
Description
u
s
8?
8?
8?
pre-7
pre-7
L
L
L
L
11263
11264
11272
13044
H28
H30
G28
H30
1
1
1
1
s
d
5
4+5
5
5
fill unsealed by F11204 down to cobble surface
fill sealed by F11204 down to cobble surface
Fill below W2413 (N) down to the pavement
(#13.82 - 13.76)
Cleaning section?
Pavement leading to the PR gate.
L
L
7922a
7922b
K30
K30
5
5
mudbrick material
mudbrick material
Relations
=? W2798, ==F11209
=F11209
=F11208
= F11272=?F2483. <W2413
(Ph.3)
=F11263=F2483
cut
by
L7756=L7765=L7927
cut
by
L7756=L7765=L7927
pit?
pit?
85
Tel Dor Area B: Iron Age - Persian Period Gates
Supervisors:
1983: Howard (“Howie Ka-zowie”) Thomas
1984: ?K (JK or AK), Joan Northrop, Scott William(s)
1985: EM Shelt/don, ?K, Julie Linde, Jason ?
1986: EM Shelt/don
1987: EM Shelt/don
1988: Barry Scott notes on old locus cards
1989: Jo Beth Powell, Ted Beder
1991: EDH, WEW
1995: MKF, MMR
General Discussion
Excavation of the Iron Age and Persian period gates at Tel Dor Area B began in
1983 and concluded in 1995. This protracted period complicates reconstructing the gates
and their environs, for example, a single gate chamber was excavated during three
seasons stretching over five years. In addition to the prolonged period of excavation,
subsequent ancient construction destroyed, fragmented, and otherwise compromised
earlier remains. Deeply bedded Roman foundations obliterated portions of the city gates
and walls plus they divided the underlying Iron Age and Persian period remains into
numerous discrete units with no stratigraphic connections to other excavation areas.
86
Attributing surfaces to late Phase 7 (the four-chamber gate), the transitional Phase
6, or early Phase 5 (the two-chamber gate) is problematic, and has been indicated
accordingly in the report and locus index. Phase 7 surfaces were preserved to near the
extant top of the stone socle. Phase 6 loci could be identified only in those rare instances
where they both cover Phase 7 walls and underlie Phase 5 walls. Phase 5 surfaces begin
from the very bottom of the Phase 5 walls and thus are difficult to distinguish from the
transitional Phase 6 surfaces and upper Phase 7 surfaces.
PHASING
Phase 5a: the two-chamber gate and “lodge” with internal partition
Phase 5b: the two-chamber gate and “lodge”
Phase 5c: construction of the two-chamber gate and “plaza”
Phase 6: a transitional phase consisting of disparate wall fragments and surfaces that both
cover the Phase 7 gate and underlie the Phase 5 gate; surfaces that underlie Phase 5
walls but don’t stratigraphically relate to Phase 7 walls are indicated as either Phase
6 or 7
Phase 7: gate walls, loci outside the gate
Phase 7a: later surface within the SE chamber of the four-chamber gate; Assyrian
destruction of the gate
Phase 7b: construction of the four-chamber gate and tower/casemate wall
Phase 7c??: surface on which foundations of the Phase 7 gate sit
In the corner formed by the city gate and casemate wall, squares K-L/25-26
provided the best preserved sequence of surfaces spanning Phases 7-5. Excavation
reached the mudbrick detritis and sand characteristic of the foundation filling within the
87
gate, L3817 and 3818 (#13.57-.42). Superimposed surfaces began with the Phase 7 ashy
floor L12029 (ca. #14.00), above which lay the ashy L12018 (#14.42-.26), then the
cobble patch L12015 (#14.43-.40) =L12012 (#14.43) =L3805 cobbles ((#14.39) =L3752
(#14.49), and finally the fragmented white/plaster floor L7886 (ca. #14.40), all attributed
to Phase 7. These in turn were topped by the succession of a mudbrick floor L3806
(#14.49; retrospectively noted in the baulk of L3693), the cobble surface L3805=L3752
(#14.48-.39), and the grey/ashy floor L7870 (#14.85-.52). The uppermost of all these
surfaces, L7870, runs below the Phase 5 gate wall W3652 providing a phase 7 or 6
attribution to the full sequence of surfaces. The dirt floor immediately above, L7590
(#15.01-14.77), met the Phase 5 gate wall.
Phase 5
stage i: L7590 dirt floor (#15.01-14.77) “plaza”
Phase 6 or 7 (below Phase 5 wall but not stratigraphically related to a Phase 7 wall)
stage ii: L7870 ash on floor (#14.85-.52)
stage iii: L3806 mudbrick floor (#14.49)
stage iv: L3805=3752 cobble surface (#14.49-.39)
Phase 7
stage v: L7886 plaster floor (ca. #14.40), L12015=L3805 cobbles (#14.43-.40/ 14.39)
stage vi: L12015, 12012, 3805, 3752 cobble surface (#14.43-.39)
stage vii: L12018 ash on floor (#14.42-.26)
stage viii: L12029 ash on floor (ca. #14.00)
88
Phase 7 Gate
Add wall details
W3069: N-S; SW pier of IA Gate, #14.50 - ??, western pier of the gate. Faced with
orthostats (#14.37-13.78), core faced with rectilinear boulders with fieldstones filling
interstices (as shown on plan, no description on card).
W3104: E-W; sleeper wall enclosing SW chamber, #13.92-13.00
W3102: later addition above sleeper wall W3104, #14.16-(13.92?)
W3681: N-S; S central pier in gate, #14.76-12.95, jutting stones of foundation to #13.77
W3794: E-W; southern wall of gate, #14.83-12.84, protruding foundation stones to
#13.67
W7492: N-S; SE pier of gate, #15.01(Ph7?/6?)-12.84, jutting foundation stones to
#14.75/14.21/13.44 from plan. #14.75 stones maybe Phase 7 wall with Phase 6
rebuild above to #15.01.
The eastern portion of the Phase 7 gate is better preserved due to the Phase 5 gate
directly above and the dismantling of the western portion to clear the open expanse of the
“plaza.” Phase7 eastern and central gate piers and the north-south wall between them
stand .3-.4m higher then their western counterparts and the chamber deposit, including a
thick build-up with ash and charcoal, perhaps a destruction level, above the #14.40m
chamber floor was preserved only in the eastern chamber.
The Dor Iron Age gate was constructed with a version of the “standing
foundation” comparable to the inner gatehouses of Lachish IV and Megiddo Str. IVA?
For this type of construction, rather than digging a foundation, the ground surface was
leveled, the gate stone foundation (and in some cases sleeper walls) assembled above
89
ground, and then interior and adjacent exterior areas were filled in to bury the stone
foundation and create a new surface. In addition to the six-chamber gates of Lachish and
Megiddo, David Ussishkin cites as examples the six-chamber gates of “Solomonic”
Gezer, the lower city at Tel Ashdod, and Tel Batash plus the four-chamber gates of BeerSheba II and the Megiddo Str. VA-IVB southern palace. Gate walls, and in some cases
sleeper walls, are founded at street level, then constructional fills in and around the gate
bury the foundation and create a new elevated street level (Ussishkin 2004: 512-14).
While differing in details, the Dor four-chamber was similarly built with a
standing foundation. Dor differs from Lachish in three respects. First, at Dor, a stone
socle of boulders rises above the buried foundation of smaller fieldstones. Second, Dor
perhaps lacked sleeper walls in the main passage through the gate, though sleeper walls
stood between piers sealing off individual chambers. Third, the interior side of the gate at
street level was faced with orthostats (W3069, #14.37-13.78, photo #41207/9)
demonstrating that only the fieldstone foundation was buried leaving a stone socle rising
above the street. As in the other cases, a mudbrick wall stood on the stone foundation.
The reconstructed gate measures 20.5m wide x 13.5m long, with front towers
protruding 2.4m. Preserved walls, consistently 2.25m wide, create chambers of unequal
size with longer chambers on the north side: 3.2-.5m wide x 4m long (SW), 3.7 x 3.5
(SE), 3.2 x 4.2m (NW), and 3.5 x 4.6m (NE). The southwestern outer pier, the only fullpreserved wall, measures 8 meters long (though northeast pier reconstructed as 8.75m
long). Standing walls suggest a 4.5m wide passageway through the gate. These
measurements, except for the chamber size differential, are consistent with other four-
90
chamber gates of the other late eleventh-ninth century (Megiddo IVA, Beer-Sheva V and
III, Dan, Ashdod 10, T. en-Nasbeh).1
The southern half of the four-chamber gate was uniformly founded at #12.8512.90. Foundation stones protruded beyond the face of the wall up to approximately
#13.80, the elevation of the original chamber floor. Preserved upper elevations of the
stone socle range from #14.35 to #14.82. Builders of the Phase 5 gate built on top of the
eastern Phase 7 walls so they, and the chamber contents, are preserved to a higher
elevation than the western extent of the gate. The single preserved sleeper wall W3104,
enclosing the southwestern chamber, stands from #13.00-13.92, with W3120 (#14.1613.86) above a later addition to the wall.
“Sandboxes” likely served as constructional fill for the “standing foundation.” In
the southwestern chamber, sand layers L3105, L3102, L3810, and L3822 (#13.8-12.9), in
some cases with sand bedded on pebbles with shells, sherds or cobbles, filled the
chamber in preparation for the initial floor L3100 (#13.58) (Phase 7b). A similar fill of
sand on shells, pebbles, and cobbles was laid outside the gate to the south at a comparable
level (L3818, #13.57-.42). This is the only identified instance of a possible constructional
1
Herzog, The Architecture of Ancient Israel, Table 3 p. 229 (Heb), pp. 278-80 (Eng).
Lachish gate nearly square, 24.5 x 25m. Towers protrude ca. 5.5m. Chambers extend ca.
6m long and of varying width. Piers vary in width from 3.0m (outer pier) to 2.4-2.6m,
(inner piers). Piers frame a 5.2m wide opening into gate. Founding walls 2.6-.8m below
raised ground surface. Fill consisted of mudbricks and mudbrick detritis (Ussishkin 2004:
633). Foundation walls are slightly wider than superstructure with “their upper edge
creating a kind of ledge at or slightly above floor level (Ussishkin 2004: 633). Chamber
floors partly stone paved and partly lime plastered (Ussishkin 2004: fig. 12.14, p. 635).
91
fill outside the gate confines. In the southeastern chamber, mudbrick detritis filled the
chamber up to the initial floor, L12000 (#13.64-.42) (Phase 7b).
Subsequent to these initial floors, builders once again used sand, .4-.8m in depth
to raise the floor level. In the southwestern chamber, L3100 sand filled the chamber to the
subsequent surface L3100 at #14.40 (Phase 7a). Across the sleeper wall into the gate
passageway, the sand locus L3107 (#14.15-13.77) corresponded in elevation to the sand
fill in the southwestern gate chamber (L3100 #14.50-13.58). A comparable sequence was
preserved in the southeastern chamber. Sand (L3851=L7885=L12002, L7882) covered
the initial surface and filled the chamber to the subsequent floor, L7881=L7877=L7878
(#14.44-25) (Phase 7a).
Two floor levels were preserved in each of the southern chambers, the initial floor
at approximately 13.5m (Phase 7b) and a second surface at approximately 14.4m (Phase
7a). The twenty centimeter deposit with ash and charcoal atop upper floor in the
southeastern chamber may attest to the destruction of the gate by the Assyrians.
Extensive destruction outside the gate was preserved at approximately 13.9m, the
elevation of the Phase 7b internal surfaces.
Southeastern Chamber of Phase 7 Gate
stage i: ash on floor L7480 (#14.86-.75) – above L7486 and edge of W7492 according to
card
stage ii: Cobble patch/floor L7486 (#14.86-.78) beside but not reaching W7492
stage iii: “Destruction” debris on surface(s) L7495 (#14.51-48) = L3682 (#14.62-.45)
(check photo # 41259), L7485 destruction debris on floor above 7495 (#14.51.49)
92
stage iv: build-up of ashy surfaces L7877, L7878, L7881 (#14.35-.25m)
stage v: constructional(?) sandy fills L12000, L3851= L7885, L12002, L12003, L7882
stage vi: gate chamber surface L12000 (#13.64-.42)
stage vii: constructional fills of mudbrick and mudbrick detritis, L12025, L12010,
L12007, L12006
stage viii: founding level of gate (#12.80-.95m)
Walls enclosing the southeastern chamber - the southern gate wall, W3794, and
the north-south piers, W7492 and W3681 - were founded at approximately the same level
as the southwestern chamber walls, #12.80-.95m. All three walls show evidence of a
socle rising above a foundation. A sleeper wall comparable to W3104 is presumed; the
relevant area remains unexcavated. Mudbrick and mudbrick detritis (L12025, L12010,
L12007, L12006) filled the chamber to the initial surface, L12000 (#13.64-.42; photo
#48303), raised .40-.60m from the founding ground surface. Entering the chamber
entailed stepping down into a room in which large foundation boulders protruded from
the eastern and southern walls. Approximately .8m of sand buried this surface (L12000,
L3851= L7885, L12002, L12003, L7882), comparable to the sequence in the
southwestern chamber. Floor L7877, L7878, L7881 and L3842 (beginning of season
cleaning) (#14.35-.25m), which sealed the successive sandy fills below, served as the
second occupational surface in the gate chamber. Destruction debris above this floor
L7495= L3682 (#14.51-45), L7485 (#14.51-.48; photo #34682) may attest to the
Assyrian destruction of the gate (burnt clay, mudbrick, and wood – wood sent for
analysis) (photo #41259). Nothing remains of a #14.40 occupation outside the gate; the
extensive destruction debris at ca. #13.9 may preserve the Assyrian destruction.
93
Alternatively, when the Phase 5 builders leveled the area in preparation for a gate that
opened into a plaza, they may have obliterated any evidence of a fiery destruction at a
higher elevation.
Southwestern Chamber of Phase 7 Gate
1983
stage i: mudbrick floors in baulks of L3100 (#14.40) and 3056 (#14.41)
stage ii: fill of sand L3100
stage iii: surface L3100 (#13.58)
stage iv: constructional sandy fill L3102, L3105a, L3810
stage v: Founding level of gate L3105a (#12.95) that continues as L3810 (#13.34)
1985
stage i: constructional sandy fills L3782, 3783, 3778 (#14.33-13.41)
stage ii: founding level of gate on cobble surface L3810 (#13.41-.37)
All three chamber walls, W3794, W3069, and W3681, were founded at
approximately #12.9 above the Phase 8 loci L3128=L3105b=L3823 (photo #24498) at
the bottom of L3105. Both the southern and eastern walls reveal foundation courses
below the stone socle. Sleeper wall W3104 (#13.92-13.00) with W3120 above (#14.1613.9), at the level of the gate foundation, closed the chamber. The construction and
occupational sequence corresponds to that in the southeastern chamber. The chamber
foundation was initially of dirt (L3100=3810 #13.58 and #13.41-37), devoid of finds, was
94
sandwiched between sandy fills measuring .40-.60m below (L3102, L3105a, L3128=
L3105b, L3823, L3822) and approximately .9-1.0 m above (L3100, 3778). A dirt floor
noted in the baulks within L3100 (#14.40, on locus card for L3056) and L3056 (#14.41)
constituted the upper chamber floor (Phase 7a).
Most of this chamber was excavated in 1983, however in 1985, when the later
wall W2554 was dismantled, a one meter wide strip along the eastern edge of the
chamber was exposed and excavated. The two sequences differ. Destruction debris on
cobbles L3752 (#14.62-.49; likely the continuation of L3776 #14.55-.33), corresponding
in elevation to the destruction in the southeastern chamber, replicates the deposition
sequence in the neighboring chamber. However, in this area the cobbles, now outside the
Phase 5 two-chamber gate, are associated with the other cobble expanses comprising the
Phase 5 “plaza.” The expected chamber floor at ca. #14.40 was not preserved. Sandy
layers L3778, 3782, 3783 and 3810 (#14.33-.07, #14.07-13.37) correspond to L3100,
3102, and 3105a upper (#14.49-ca.13.50). The 1983 excavation uncovered W3069 and
W3104 bedded on the mudbricky surface L3105a (#12.95); the 1985 excavation
uncovered cobbles bedded on pebbles and shells on the continuation of this surface,
L3810 (#13.41-37).
Add Phase 8: plaster floor L3823 (#12.86)
Phase 7 Gate Passageway
stage i: cobble surfaces L3093 (#14.33-.24) and L3070 (#14.44-.30)
95
stage ii: cobble surface L3101 (#14.08-.02)
Patches of two cobble surfaces fronted the city side of the gate. At roughly
#14.1m, the lower surface L3101 met the top of the sleeper wall with the later addition of
W3120. The subsequent resurfacing, L3093 at #14.30, serviced the upper chamber floor
at #14.4m (L3056, L3100).
Between the easternmost piers opening into the city proper, the lowest level
reached was the cobble pavement L3101 (#14.14-13.98)
In contrast to contemporary gates at Megiddo and Lachish, the Dor gate may have
lacked sleeper walls across its entrance and egress. An ash pit L3099 and fill L3095
covered pavement L3101, with no indication of a sleeper wall. However, continuing the
north-south line of the westernmost gate pier, a single course of stones “cemented” in
kurkar L3113 (#14.45-.17), exposed for 2 x .5m, stretched across the exposed portion of
the passageway where the sleeper wall should have stood. The top of the line of
stones/wall matches the top of the stone foundation of the Phase 7 gate, and given its
location, it is a possible remnant of a sleeper wall. [check phase 6 wall] If this line of
stones is not a wall, then it joins the list of enigmatic loci.
East of L3113, moving further into the gate interior, only fills were identified
(L3107, L3118 and L3123). L3107 consisted of sand from #14.15-13.77, roughly
corresponding in elevation to the sand fill in the southwestern gate chamber (L3100
#14.50-13.58).
96
Phase 7 Inside the City Walls
L/27 and M/27-28
Surfaces: kurkar floor L3124 (#14.05-13.78) with burnt beam L3116 (#14.25-.05), plaster
floor L13642 (#14.14-14.10), mudbrick floor L3595 (#14.06), dirt floor L13597
(#14.14-.09), mudbrick floor L3594 (#14.11-13.98)
L/25-26: Phase 7 and possibly 6 (pre-5)
stage i: surface L7870 (#14.85-.52)
stage ii: plaster surface L7886 (#14.85-.35)
stage iii: surfaces: cobbles L12012 (#14.81-.43), cobbles L12015 (#14.43-.40), cobbles
L3805 (#14.39-.38), cobbles L3752 (#14.62-.49), mudbrick material L3806
(#14.49-.48)
stage vi: surface L12018 (#14.42-.26)
stage v: surfaces with concentration of ash, charcoal, and burnt mudbrick (and red brick):
L3780 (#14.05-13.82); L3781 (#14.06-13.83), L3789 (#13.84-.70), L3704
(#14.94-13.98), L12029 (#14.43-13.98), L3799 (#14.27-.08)
stage vi: constructional(?) mudbrick detritis L3817 (#13.57-.42) and sandbox L3818
(#13.57-.42)
Isolated stretches and patches of surfacing - cobble, pebble, kurkar, plaster, and
mudbrick material - were uncovered inside the city. These 5 superimposed stages of
surfaces from phase 7 and possibly also 6 accumulated over more than half a meter, from
#13.8 to #14.5m. Destruction debris, burnt mudbrick, charcoal and ash appeared
throughout the area at #13.9-.8m. Following the “destruction,” surfaces L7886 and L7870
attest to resumed occupation before the construction of the Phase 5 gate and so may
belong in Phase 6.
97
The earliest occupation contemporary with the gate, at approximately #13.9-.8,
evidenced burning around the western and southern sides of the gate. A burnt beam,
L3116 (#14.25-.05), lay on the kurkar surface L3124 (#13.78) that met the orthostats
facing the southwestern gate pier. Circling around the gate to its southern face, piled
against the gate were a thick layer of burnt(?) red brick detritis L3704 (#14.94-13.98) that
continued east as burnt mudbrick with kurkar floor patches, L3780=3781 (#14.06-13.82).
L12029 (#13.98), a compact ashy surface, likely represents the southern extension of
L3781. The ash and charcoal sloping down to the south, L3789 (#13.84-.70), likely also
belongs to this destruction. An addition isolated patch of mudbrick surface, L3594
(#13.98; probably = L3592 a fill from #1441-13.98 but with no mention of floor), lay due
west of the gate passage.
stage i: surface L7870 (#14.85-.52)
stage ii: plaster surface L7886 (#14.85-.35)
stage iii: surfaces: cobbles L12015 (#14.43-.40), cobbles L3805 (#14.39-.38), cobbles
L3752 (#14.62-.49), mudbrick material L3806 (#14.49-.48)
stage vi: surface L12018 (#14.42-.26)
Surfaces with no evidence of burning or destruction extended around the
southwestern corner of the gate at ca. #14.10m. West of the gate lay the plaster floor
patch L13642 (#14.14-14.10) likely associated with the mudbrick floors L3595
(#14.06)=L13597 (#14.13-.09), and L3594 (#14.11-13.98) [which shifted location from
1984 to 1995]. South of the gate, the ashy floor L12018 (#14.42-.26/JB 14.52-.29) and
adjacent “plaster” floor L7886 (#14.35) post-date the “destruction” and pre-date the
cobbles above and so belong in with this occupational sub-phase. The cobble paved
98
approach into the gate passage L3101 (#14.12-.02) may also be contemporary. A cobble
surface off the southwestern corner of the gate pre-dated Phase 5 but may belong in either
Phase 7 or 6. Cobbles L12015 (#14.43, photo on card but number illegible) continued to
the north as L3805 (#14.39, noted in the baulk) = L3752 (#14.49).
Squares L26-25 descended deeper than any of the other city squares in the
vicinity, into apparent constructional fills, with no evidence of occupation. Below the
burned layer L3780=L3781, excavators encountered a fill with scattered large stones
L3790, and below that a right-angled corner of a .15m deep sand-filled pit with a shell
bottom, L3818, cut into a mudbrick detritis layer L3817 (both L3817 and L3818 #13.57.42). Might this sandbox be related to those inside the gate chambers? The Square L26
sandbox bottoms within .20m of the “sandboxes” in the southern gate chambers (L3100
#14.40-13.58; L7882, L7885, L3851,L12002, L12000 #14.40-13.64) and the gate
passageway (L3107 #14.15-13.77), and at least three of the sandboxes are cut into
mudbrick (passage matrix unspecified). [Though probably unrelated, east of sandbox
L3818, “pit” L12005 (of unspecified dimensions, elevations, and fill), drawn as a
rectangle with the single elevation of #14.48 provided (though the overlying layer ends at
#14.61), was also cut into mudbrick.] Perhaps the sandboxes both inside and outside the
gate were fills associated with the gate’s construction.
Casemate Wall or Tower
stage i: fill of casemate or collapse of walls L12005 (“pit”) and mudbrick detritis L7303,
L7219, L7296, L3849
99
stage ii: walls W12014, W12021, W12036, W12035 with rubble fill L12020, and
mudbrick superstructure L12008
A constellation of parallel and perpendicular walls, identified as a room within the
casemate wall extends southward from the back-side of the gate (Figure 37; p06B1-0003;
NEED PHOTO #; reconstruction). Unfortunately only a small, isolated portion is exposed
due to the overlying Phase 5 gate. Two east-west walls W12014 (#14.41-?) and W12021
(#14.50), built of cobbles to medium-sized boulders, run adjacent and parallel to the back
wall of the gate (W3794). An ashlar wall W12019 (#14.31) encloses the space between
these two walls on the west to contain a rubble fill, L12020. South of this block of walls,
perpendicular walls of smaller cobbles, W12035 to the east and W12036 to the west, abut
W12021 to enclose a 1.3m wide room/casemate (photo #48645). As excavated and
interpreted, this entire stone construction, preserved to approximately #14.50, was then
covered with large mudbricks, “mainly red in color,” L12008 (#14.76-?) (Burnt??
Dimensions?) (photo #48379). These mudbricks likely belong to the Phase 7 casemate
wall superstructure. However, a Phase 6 construction, either a city wall or another
construction, may not be ruled out as L3849 covers a portion of the Phase 7 gate wall
W3794.
100
Figure 37. Phase 7 casemate
Phase 6
True and certain: W7016
Possible surfaces: L7870 (#14.85-.52) = L3806 (#14.49) with L7886 (#14.85-.35) below,
L7219 (#14.83-.47), L3678 (#14.85-.76), plaster floor under W3831 (#14.76),
kurkar floor with W3852 (#14.92), plaster floor L7303 (#15.21-14.72), L7480
(#14.86-.78) with cobble surface L7486 (#14.86-.78)
101
Phase 6 constitutes the occupation of the area after the four-chamber gate ceased
to function as originally constructed, though select walls may have remained in use, and
before the two-chamber gate. W7016 alone provides the sole stratigraphic proof of this
phase. Having established the existence of this elusive phase, intermediary surfaces
102
between those stratigraphically assignable to Phase 7 and 5 are attributed to Phase 6 but
they might belong in 7 or 5.
Three contenders for Phase 6 floors either do not reach Phase 5 or 7 walls, or,
they reach both Phase 5 and 7 walls and so are of indeterminate status. Phase 5 builders
may have incorporated elements of the Phase 7 gate into their construction. First, the dirt
floor L7870 (#14.85-.52; photo on card but number illegible), located south of the Phase
7 gate, extended under the Phase 5 gate. This surface continued to the north as L3806
(#14.49), a mudbrick floor noted in the baulk of L3693. It descended towards the north as
it approached the Phase 7 W3794 and so, on the basis of elevation, likely originally met
or just covered the stone socle. Significantly, it was not noted in the eastern baulk where
it should have appeared had it reached the Phase 5 wall. L7219 to the south (#14.83-.47),
if a surface, may be a continuation to the east. Both this surface and L7886 below postdate destruction loci of Phase 7 and pre-date the construction of the Phase 5 gate and so
arguably may be attributed to Phase 6.
Second, the northern portion of the area within the southern chamber of the Phase
5 gate, from the top of the Phase 7 walls and above, yielded an approximately .5m deep
deposit of destruction debris (L7495=L3682, L7485 photo #34682), covered by a cobble
patch (L7486 associated with L7480), which in turn was buried underneath ashy/sandy
loci (L7211, L7309, L7343, L7467). The deposit begins in Phase 7 and ends in Phase 5,
so the intervening cobble surface may belong in Phase 6 (L7486, L7480). Relevant loci
include the plaster floors L3678 and the possible plaster floor mentioned on the locus
card for W3831, perhaps the kurkar floor noted on the W3852 card, and the dirt/mudbrick
floors 7303, 7480, and the cobble surface L7486.
103
Surfaces L7343 and L7480 met the Phase 7 gate wall W3794 to the south and the
Phase 5 W3813 to the east suggesting that the top of the Phase 7 gate/wall may have
remained in use in Phase 6 and earliest . Where superimposed floors exist above the
destruction layers attributed to Phase 7 – as in the cases of L7297 above L7303; L3841
above L7219; and L7211, L7343, and L7467 above L7486 and L7480 – the upper
surface/build-up is assigned to Phase 5 and the lower surface to Phase 6.
Based on elevation, the cobble surface L7486 (#14.86-.77; photo #34679, 38452)
was presumed contemporary with the nearby uppermost cobbles of Phase 7 gate pier
W3794 though no stratigraphic connection existed. However, the uppermost cobbles
considered part of the Phase 7 southeastern gate pier, W7492, may constitute a Phase 6
addition bedded on the Phase 7 pier below. This portion of W7492 stands higher than the
preserved Phase 7 walls and is uncharacteristically faced with cobbles rather than the
boulders employed everywhere. If this is a Phase 6 rebuild, it supports the interpretation
that L7480 and the underlying cobbled surface L7486 also belong in Phase 6.
A well-preserved stratigraphic sequence lies in L/25-26 at the southeastern corner
of the Phase 5 gate. The uppermost dirt surface L7590 (#14.85-.77) reaches the Phase 5
gate wall W3652. At #14.85-.77, it sits .3m higher than the adjacent mudbrick and dirt
surface L3806 (#14.49) that descends as it approaches the Phase 7 W3794. Immediately
below L7590, the ashy surface L7870 (#14.85-.52) continues below W3652. L7870
covers the cobbled surface L12015 (#14.43), which must be pre-Phase 5.
Kurkar and cobble surfaces, with no stratigraphic connection to gate walls, stretch
across the western portion of the excavated area at a consistent elevation of
104
approximately 14.4-.5m. On the basis of proximity and the kurkar surface that covers a
Phase 7 wall, L3062, and the cobble surface L2553 that meets the corner of the Phase 5
gate, the western cobbled surfaces, dubbed the “plaza,” are assigned to Phase 5.
Phase 5
A two-chamber gate replaced the earlier four-chamber gate. The walls of the long,
narrow chamber sat directly above the eastern and central pier of the Phase 7 gate below
but the chamber extended over twice the depth of the underlying gate (photo #38253). In
constructing Phase 5, the builders utilized the Phase 7 gate below and so it is preserved to
a higher elevation than the portions of the gate not incorporated into the Phase 5 plan.
The western extent of the gate may have been dismantled to clear a wide open space for
the kurkar and cobbled “plaza.”
Phase 5 Gate
Gate walls:
Walls: West: W3652 (#15.60-??); South: W7315 (#15.17-??); East: W3813 (15.24-??;
massive fieldstones with rubble fill; bonded into W7315) [and W2862 (CARD
requested)]; north W3071 (#15.28/.15-??; boulders below, inner stones atop fill
and “outer stones” without underlying foundation stones; pavement L3046 butts
up against “outer stone” facing)
The Phase 5 gate sits directly above the eastern chambers of the Phase 7 gate
utilizing the earlier gate spines as foundations (photo #38453). It was constructed with
lower courses of large boulders topped by smaller field stones and rubble fill (southern
105
extent of W3813). Compared to the Phase 7 gate, the Phase 5 walls are thinner and built
with comparably-sized and smaller boulders facing the walls and larger fieldstones for
the fill. Sleeper wall, W3075, extends across the southern chamber entrance. A single
orthostat abuts the face of W3071 with no foundation below. Stone pavement L3046 of
the gate passageway meets this standing orthostat. Northwestern corner built of worked
stones similar in dimensions to stones of the adjacent Phase 5 “lodge.”
At the northeastern corner of the gate, a course(?) or wall of boulders protrudes
.4-.6m into the gate passage, approximately .15m below the preserved top of the wall.
FUNCTION (related to door jamb?)?
Phase 5 Southern Gate Chamber:
Basin L7468 on floor L7467=7309=7211=7343
Phase 6? Surfaces L7480 and L7486, L7870 with L7886 below, L7219, L3678, L7303,
perhaps also with L3678 and L7303
A continuous sequence of surfaces approximately half a meter in depth within the
superimposed gate chambers spanned phases 7, 6, and 5. Phase 7 surfaces reached the top
of the preserved walls, some ashy deposits overlay W3749, the back wall of the Phase 7
gate, and others reached the very bottom of the Phase 5 walls. This clustering of surfaces
and ashy splays at the elevation where the Phase 5 walls met their earlier counterparts
complicates phasing. The extensive, but patchy, ash-covered surface that encompasses
L3678, L7303 and L7480 along with the cobbled surface patch, L7486, has been assigned
to Phase 6. Approximately .1m above this surface ash lay on the plaster surface L7211
106
(#14.95-.86) and dirt floor L7309 (#14.92-.78), both of which extended over the Phase 7
W3794. This surface also continued as the ashy L7343 (#14.98-.93) and L7467 (#15.0314.96), both of which met the Phase 5 W3813 to the east and the Phase 7 W3794 to the
south. Adjacent loci with ash on a poorly preserved plaster or dirt floor include the plaster
floor L7255 (#14.98), the dirt floor L7297 (#15.09), and L7303 (#15.21-14.72) with ash
but no floor noted. Elements of this surface currently appear on the Phase 5 plan. The
patchy kurkar surface L3841 (#14.85) and ash on a kurkar floor (noted on the W3852
card; #14.92) may be related. Within the chamber, a hollowed-out stone basin measuring
.9 x .7m, L7468, sat on floor L7467 against the eastern wall of the chamber. Perhaps this
basin, and a similar one comparably positioned in the northern chamber, served as water
troughs.
Phase 5 Gate passage
The Phase 5 gate passageway was paved with flagstones. The stones of L3046 =
L3059 = L2949, at a surface ranging in elevation from #14.82-14.3, lay in a line of
headers across the gate entrance (L2949) and as stretchers everywhere else (photo
#15997). A carved Assyrian-type gate socket (northern counterpart presumed), doorstop
and bar-hole secured the door jambs and closing mechanism. The socket, which reflects
Assyrian control, presence, or at least influence, provides an important datum for dating.
107
Inside the city
The “plaza”
cobbled surfaces: L13562 (#14.50-.30) =L3583 (14.44); L3590 (#14.49); L3585
(#14.65/.55-.41)=L2939 (#14.82-.40); L2940 (#15.00-14.60); L3057 (#14.54-.44);
L3708 (#14.73-.40)=L3734 (#15.01-14.40), L3093 (14.33-.24, admittedly low);
cobbles covering the Phase 7 gate W3794: L3708 (#14.73-.40) =L3734 (#15.0114.40); L3776 (#14.54-.33) and L3076 (#14.43) and L2553 (#15.06-14.40) ;
cobbles L3752 (#14.62-.49)= L3805 (#14.39); L3776; L2553 (#15.06-14.5)
108
Kurkar surfaces: L3056 (#14.50) likely continues as the kurkar surface L3062 (technical
locus)/3069 (#14.34); kurkar L13538, L13543 (#14.53-.38) apparently below
cobbles L3583 according to JB drawings
Dirt surface: L7590 (#15.01-14.77)
After passing through the gate into the city, one stepped out into an open area or
“plaza” surfaced, at least in part, with cobbles. Stretches and patches of kurkar or cobbled
surfaces extended west of the gate through squares L-M/26-29. The phase 5 attribution
rests on cobbles of L2553 that meet the very corner of the gate thus establishing the
stratigraphic relationship. A kurkar surface buried the northern half of the Phase 7
southwestern gate chamber (L3056, L3069 and L3070). Surfaces comprised of cobbles
measuring .05-.20m in diameter extended west from the gate: L3805=L3752, L3776,
L3708,
L2553,
L3070,
L3076,
L3057,
L3585=L2939,
L3590,
L2940,
and
L3583=L13562 (plan). At least in the case of the kurkar L3070, cobbles L3057 and
L3076 lay directly above the kurkar suggesting that on occasion it may have functioned
as bedding for cobbles (Figure 38; NEED PHOTO #, p06B1-0074). The dirt floor L7590
(#15.01-14.77) was the only other plaza surface to reach a Phase 5 gate wall.
109
Figure 38. Plaza cobbles L3057 on kurkar surface L3070
The “Lodge”
Lodge walls:
In Phase 5b, a “lodge” was constructed alongside the southern half of the Phase 5
gate. This rectangular building (12 x 3.7m) is framed by W2554 to the east, W2557/2558
to the west, W2551 to the north, and W7567 to the south. Initially, an internal partition
wall W3696 (Figure 39; P06b1-0013; NEED PHOTO #) divided the building into two
rooms of unequal size. The internal dimensions of the northern room, the longer of the
two, measured 6.5 x 2.5m. Further partitioning the long, northern room with W2519, thus
forming three rooms within the “lodge,” created Phase 5a. As reconstructed, the northern
110
face (W2551) of the “lodge” extended south to abut the gate wall, sealing off the narrow
corridor between the two.
Figure 39. Lodge walls stand on cobbled plaza which covers Phase 7 gate wall
Through both rooms of the Phase 5b building, only L3040 (#14.65), a small patch
of cobble surface abutting W2554, attested to Phase 5b occupation. Outside the building
to the west, dirt surface L3081b (#14.65) was noted in a baulk.
111
The addition of a second, inner partition wall, W2519, initiated Phase 5a. This
phase is better attested than the previous. Restorable pottery found in both the northern
and central rooms at approximately 15.0m (L2552, L3694) likely signify Phase 5a
surfaces. No floors from either Phase 5b or 5a survived in the southern room of the
“lodge.”
Outside the “lodge,” a kurkar surface or “street” ran the length of the building to
the west and continued south beyond the excavation area (L3058 (#15.05) = L3656
(#15.09-14.96)). Though interrupted by a later Roman intrusion, this surface continued to
the west as L3081a (#15.01). Around the southern side of the “lodge,” the preserved strip
of ash flooring and L7581 (#15.38; pots 05) and dirt flooring L7599 (#15.30-.28; pots 06)
with L7600 (#15.15-13; pots 06, 07; presumed to reach W3562) below suggest internal
floors rather than a street.
Walls:
W2554 (#15.20[plan:15.75]-) 5b-a + 4?; ashlar headers 44-57 cm long, same as W2551,
W2519, and bottom courses of W2558; on plan abuts W2551, various
construction techniques
W7498 (#15.40-15.11) ashlar corner in SE, no info
W7567 (#15.90-.67/ drawn as 15.38-.01) 5b-4
W2557 (#16.53-) 5b-?, no info
W2558 (#16.46/14.90 (stage 3)-14.43) 5b-3; “butts up against N side of W2519”
W2551 (#15.20-) 5b-5a-4? Single row of headers 44-57 cm long, same as W2554,
W2519 and W2558 (lower), AND, in section, “lower courses of wall which forms
southern side of channel 2536”
W2519 (#16.28/15.70 (Pers)-14.56) 5a?- 3 courses of rough ashlar headers
112
W3696 (#15.22-14.58) fieldstones drawn on plan
Floors/Surfaces:
Northern room
3040 (#14.65) 5b; small patch of cobble against W2554 (pre-2519)
2552 (E of W2558)(15.0?) 5a?; restorable pottery suggests a floor; above 3040
Middle room – L3694 (#14.89-.80/ tho restorable pots at 14.99); 5a? based on elevation;
no mention of floor
Sern room – no floor, all sandy fills
Along west face of lodge:
3058 (#15.05 in baulk; 14.85 on card) 5a; kurkar floor (W of W2558) corresponds
in elevation to L3081a on other side of Roman intrusion; = street L3656
3656 (#15.09-14.96) 5a; “street” kurkar; L3683 card refers to “kurkar layer of
pavement removed” before opening L3683 below; =L3058
3081a +b floors seen in section at #15.00 (5a) and at #14.65 (5b) – both dirt??
Along south face of the lodge:
L7600 (#15.15-13) strip of dirt floor (con’t line of W2554/7498)
L7599 (#15.30-.28) strip of dirt floor directly above L7600
L7581 (#15.38) strip of ash floor (parallel to 7599, 7600); seemed to reach W7567
(N) and W7483 (S)
Along the eastern extent of the excavated area, isolated excavation units revealed
segments of parallel and perpendicular fieldstone walls, some with associated kurkar and
cobble surfaces. [A wall running NE-SW through Square M.25 appears on the plan
without a number and with no corresponding scanned card.] In Square M.26, walls
W3584 and W3586 (below L2560; no plan) form a corner. Located within this corner,
but not reaching either wall, the kurkar floors L3580 (#15.09) and L3582 below (#14.95)
113
have been assigned to Phases 5a and 5b respectively. [L3578 apparently erroneously
appears on the Phase 5 plan (#15.16 on plan but two floors at #15.76 and 15.61 according
to card; pottery from periods 02, 04, and 05).] Continuing to the north, no Phase 5 floors
have been associated with W3588, below W3089 and parallel to W3586 (does not appear
on the plan) and the perpendicular walls that don’t meet, W3589 and W2909. A kurkar
floor was identified in the baulk of L3557 (#16.02-14.56) with no recorded elevation.
Walls W3887 and W3874 form a corner with no associated surface (known only from
plan, no scanned cards).
M/25
Wall drawn with no number and no scanned card
M/26
W3586 (#15.69-) along and below W2560 (Ph 4-5), no info; 5b and a? based on floors
W3584 (#15.70-) along and below W3528 (Ph 2), no info; 5a and b based on floors
L3580 (#15.09) kurkar floor; 5a based on sequence of floors
L3582 (#14.95) kurkar floor below 3580; 5b based on sequence of floors
L3578 (#15.16 on plan but two floors at #15.76 and 15.61 according to card)
M/27-8
W3588 (#15.30) below and just east of southern extension of W3089, not on plan
N/28
W3874 (#15.74 on plan; no scanned card)
114
W3887 (#15.75 on plan; no scanned card)
Bibliography
Dever, Wm. et al.
1971 “Further Excavations at Gezer, 1967-1971” Biblical Archaeologist 34: 94-132.
Dothan, M. and Porath, Y.
1982 Ashdod IV: Excavation of Area M. ‘Atiqot (English series). 15
Loud, G.
1948 Megiddo II, Seasons of 1935-39. Oriental Institute Publications 62. Chicago.
Mazar, A.
1997 Timnah (Tel Batash) I. Stratigraphy and Architecture. Qedem 37. Jerusalem.
Ussishkin, D.
2004 The Renewed Archaeological Excavations at Lachish (1973-1994). Tel Aviv
University Institute of Archaeology Monograph Series 22. Tel Aviv.
1990 “Notes on Megiddo, Gezer, Ashdod, and Tel Batash in the tenth to ninth centuries
B.C.” BASOR 277/278: 71-91.
1980 “Was the ‘Solomonic’ city gate at Megiddo built by King Solomon?” BASOR
239: 1-18.
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
L/W
Locus#
Square
Area
Unit
Season
W
W
L
L
W
L
W
W
W
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
2519
2551
2552
2553
2554
2555
2557
2558
2862
2865
2939
2940
2949
3007
3036
3040
3043
3044
3045
3046
3048
3056
3057
3058
3059
3061
3062
3069
3070
3071
3075
3076
3077
3081
3083
3086
3087
J-L/27
K/27-28
K/27
K/28
K/26-7
L/27-28
L/26
L/27
I-J/27
I/27
L/28
L/29
I/27
K/27
K-L/27
K-L/27
J-K/28
K/27
K/27
J-K/28
K/27
K-L/27
L/28
L/27
J-K/28
L/27
L/27
L/27
L/28
K/27
J/27
L/28
L/28
L/27
L/27-28
L/27-28
K-L/27
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
BS
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
lodge
lodge
lodge
Gate Passage
lodge
W of gates
lodge
lodge
S chamber
gate passage
inside city
inside city
Gate Passage
lodge
lodge
lodge
81
83
83
83
81, 83
83
84
83
plaza?
plaza?
Gate Passage
82
82
82
82
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
5 plaza
Gate Passage
W of lodge
Gate Passage
W of lodge
5 plaza
SW chamber
Gate Passage
S chamber
S chamber
Gate Passage
Gate Passage
W of lodge
W of lodge
W of lodge
W of lodge
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
L
L
L
L
L
L
W
L
W
W
L
L
L
L
L
L
Clean.
(p?)
d
d
d
Stage
Phase
5a-4
5b-a
5a
5
5b-?
5a?
5
5b-3
5
5
7?/6?
PoM
Short Description
5c
5a?/4?
5a-b/5c?
5a-b
5?
5
5 (b?)
5c
E-W wall of lodge
northern wall of lodge
probable latest floor in N room of lodge
sandy fill to cobble pavement
Eastern wall of lodge
Fill
western wall of lodge
western wall of lodge
gate wall
fill to floor
fill to pebble floor
fill to cobble floor
gateway pavement
fill in N room of lodge
fill in central room of lodge
cobble floor in N room of lodge
fill
fill
fill
fill to pavement
5c
7?/6?
5a
5c
5a
5c
7
5c
5
5
7?/6?
5/6?
5a+b
5b?-c
5b-c?
6?/5c?
plaza
cobble floor
fill; floor in baulk
fill to pavement
pit
plaza
western gate pier
floor make-up to kurkar floor/bedding
gate wall
sleeper wall?
cobble floor
line of 3 ashlars
floors in baulk
lower pit/silo fill
fill
fill
122
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
W
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
W
L
L
L
L
W
L
W
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
W
W
L
L
L
L
3092
3093
3094
3095
3097
3099
3100
3101
3102
3104
3105
3107
3113
3115
3116
3117
3118
3119
3120
3121
3123
3124
3126
3127
3128
3129
3557
3559
3578
3580
3581
3582
3583
3584
3586
3585
3590
3591
3592
L/27-28
L/28
K-L/27
L/28
J/27
L/28
K-L/27
L/28
K-L/27
K-L/27
K-L/27
K/28
K/28
L/27
L/27
K/28
K/28
I/27
K/27-28
K/28
K/28
L/27
K/27
K/27
K-L/27
K/27
M/28
M/28
M/26
M/26
M/27
M/26
M/27
M/26
M/26
M/28
M/28
M/28
M/28
B2
B2
B2
B2
W of lodge
Gate Passage
5 plaza
Gate Passage
83
83
83
83
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
Gate Passage
SW chamber
Gate Passage
SW chamber
SW chamber
SW chamber
gate Passage
Gate Passage
W of Ph 7 gate
W of Ph 7 gate
gate passage
Gate Passage
Gate Passage
SW chamber
gate Passage
Gate Passage
W of Ph 7 gate
lodge
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
B2
7 plaza
83
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
W of 7 gate
W of 7 gate
inside city
inside city
W of 7 gate
inside city
inside city
inside city
inside city
inside city
inside city
inside city
inside city
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
s
s
s
(s)
s
(s)
(s)
s/d
i
s
s
s
s
6
7?/6?
5c
7
fill
floor make-up to cobble surface
plaza
floor make-up and fill
7
7
7
6/7a?
7
7c?/8?
7
7
7+5?
7a
7
7
7
7?/6?
7
7
7
5
8
8
8
5
5
5?
5a?
5
5b?
7?/6?
5(b+a?)
5(b+a?)
7?/6?
7?/6?
5
7
ash pit
fill+floor? In SW gate chamber
floor make-up to cobble surface
SW chamber of gate construction fill
gate SW chamber sleeper wall
fill+ floor of gate construction+fill below
floor make-up; fill to sand
stones cemented in kurkar
fill against Ph 7 western pier
burnt beam
rubble fill
fill
fill
SW chamber of gate partition wall
fill
fill in gate passage
kurkar surface with "destruction" W of Ph 7 gate
fill in N room of lodge
7c?/8?
fill below Ph 7 gate SW chamber
fill and floors
fill to cobbles
partial kurkar floor
kurkar floor
ashy fill
floor make-up and kurkar floor below
sandy fill to cobbles
cobble pavement
cobble pavement
ash over mdbr w/charcoal
fill
123
L
L
L
L
W
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
W
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
W
L
3593
3594
3595
3596
3652
3656
3658
3669
3670
3673
3678
3682
3683
3690
3693
3694
3696
3702
3703
3704
3708
3734
3745
3752
3763
3764
3775
3776
3778
3779
3780
3781
3782
3783
3789
3790
3793
3794
3798
M/27
M/28
M/27-28
M/28
K/26
L/26
L/26
K/26
J/26
L/26
J/26
K/26
L/26
L/26
L/26
L/26
L/26
K/26
L/26
L/26
L/26
L/26
L/26
K/26
K/26
K/26-27
K/26
K/26
K/26
L/26
L/26
L/26
K/27
K/27
L/26
K-L/26
L/26
J-L/26-27
L/26
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
inside city
inside city
inside city
inside city
S chamber
south of Ph 7 gate
S of gate
SE chamber
S chamber
S of gate
S chamber
SE chamber
south of gate
south of gate
6 & 5 plaza
lodge
lodge
lodge center room
south of gate
S of gate
S of Ph 7 gate
plaza? & above
plaza?
5 plaza
plaza?
5 plaza
inside city
5 plaza
SW chamber
S of gate
S of gate
S of gate
SW chamber
SW chamber
S of gate
S of gate
S of gate
S gate wall
S of gate
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
83
83
85
85
85
85
s
s
d
s
s
s
s
s
d
5(b?)
7
7
7
5
5
5
7a/6?
5
5+6?+7?
5
7a
7?/6?
7?
7+6+5
5
5
5
5?/4?
5?/ 6?
5?/6?
5?
5?/6?
7?/6?
5/6?
7/6?/5?
mixed
7
7/6?
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7a-c
7?/6?
cobbles
sand to mudbrick floor ??
cobbles to mudbr floor
fill to sand
gate wall
street
mudbrick & kurkar floor patches
jars in mixed deposit
fill
mixed floors and fills
ash and charcoal
ash and burning
rocky fill
sandy fill
mixed floors and fills
possible floor
internal room divider
fill in lodge center room
fill in installation L3691
red bricky fill
destruction debris
fill under wall
fill
destruction on cobble surface
fill
cobbles above W3794
pit
fill with cobbles or cobble surface
sand
fill: mudbrick detritis?
burnt mudbrick probab destruction
burnt mudbrick probab destruction
sandy fill in SW chamber
sandy fill in SW chamber
destruction?
rubble in fill
line of stones
S wall of gate
sand then red bricky fill
124
L
L
L
L
L
L
W
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
W
L
L
L
3799
3804
3805
3806
3810
3812
3813
3817
3818
3820
3822
3823
3827
3837
3840
3841
3842
3844
3846
3847
3848
3849
3850
3851
3989
7210
7211
7218
7219
7246
7255
7296
7297
7303
7309
7315
7343
7467
7468
L/26
L/26
L/26
L/26
K/27
L/26
J/25-26
K-L/26
K/26
K/25
K/27
K/27
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
S of gate
S of gate
S of gate
S of gate
SW chamber
S of gate
S chamber
S of gate
S of gate
K/25
K-L/26
K/25
K/26-27
B2
B2
B2
B2
K/25
K/26-27
K/26-27
K/25
K/26-27
L/26
J/225-26
J-K/26
J-K/26
J-K/25-26
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
S chamber
S of gate
S chamber
SE chamber
SW chamber
SW chamber
S chamber
SE chamber
city wall?
K/25
K/25
J/26
J/25-26
J/26
J-K/25
J/26-27
J/26
J/26
SW chamber
SE chamber
south of gate
S chamber
S chamber
S chamber
S chamber
S chamber
S chamber
S chamber
S chamber
S chamber
S chamber
S chamber
plaza?
SE chamber
S chamber
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
85
86
86
86
86
86
86
86
86
86
86
86
87
87
87
s
d
d
s
s
d
d?
s
s
s
7?
7?/8?
7?/6?
6?/7?
7
?
5
7
7
5
8?/7?
8
8
5
5c?/6?
7b?/7a?
8
8
5??
7b
7
5
7c
7?/6?
5
6?/5?
7?/6?
7/6?
7a?
6?/5?
7/6?
5c
7a?/6?/5?
6?/5?
5
5c/6?
5
5
reddish brown fill
greyish brown fill with stones
cobble floor within L3693
dirt & mudbrick floor in 3693
sandy fill to cobble floor
pit
gate wall
mudbrick detritis fill
sand to shell
fill
fill in/below SW chamber
fill below Ph 7 gate to plaster floor
mudbrick fill under 3128
fill
not excavated
fill to floor
cleaning
cleaning
brown with clay fill
fill of cobbles and mudbrick
fill; missed floor
sand layer inside SE chamber
rocky fill
fill under wall
ash on plaster floor
fill above W3794; make up for floor 7211
mostly mudbrick detritis
pit??
fill to white "plaster" floor
sandy soil to mudbrick
fill above ash floor
ash above fill
ash on floor
gate wall
ash on compact surface
ash on surface
stone basin
125
L
L
L
L
W
L
L
W
L
L
W
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
7480
7484
7485
7486
7492
7495
7496
7498
7560
7564
7567
7574
7580
7581
7585
7589
7590
7591
7592
7598
7599
7600
7870
7871
7872
7873
7875
7876
7877
7878
7879
7880
7881
7882
7883
7885
7886
12000
12001
J/26-27
J/26-27
J/26-27
J/26-27
J/26-27
J/26-27
J/26
K/25
K/25
L/25
L/25
L/25
L/25
L/25
L/25
L/25
L/25
L/25
L/25
L/25
L/25
L/25
L/25
L/25
L/25
J/26-27
L/25
L/25
J/26-27
J/26-27
L/25
L/25
J/26-27
J/26-27
L/25
J/26-27
L/25
J/26-27
J/25-26
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
SE chamber
SE chamber
SE chamber
SE chamber
E gate pier
SE chamber
SE chamber
lodge
lodge
lodge
lodge
lodge
lodge
lodge
lodge
lodge
plaza
lodge
plaza
plaza
lodge
lodge
S of gate
plaza/lodge
lodge
SE chamber
lodge
lodge
SE chamber
SE chamber
lodge
plaza
SE chamber
SE chamber
S of gate
SE chamber
S of gate
SE chamber
S chamber
87
87
87
87
87
87
87
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
88
89
89
s
s
s
s
7a?/6?/5?
7a
7a
7a/6?
7a-c
7a
7
5
5
5?
5b + c
5
5?
5
5
5
5c
5
6?/5?
6?/5?
5
5
6
5
5
d
s/d
d
s
s/d
s
s
s
5
5
7b
7b
5
6?/5?
7b
7c
7
7c
7?/6?
7b
7
ashy floor
clay and stones abutting W3794
sandy fill above destruction level
cobble floor patch
SE pier of Ph 7 gate
destruction level to floor
mortar
wall corner
fill
robber trench
east-west wall of lodge
fill
fill
ash floor
fill
foundation trench
dirt floor
foundation trench
fill above dirt floor
fill above dirt floor
alleged dirt floor
alleged dirt floor
combined floor and fill (RT?)
fill
robber trench
cleaning
fill
fill
floor L7495 make-up in SE chamber
fill to floor in SE chamber
fill
fill between wall and floor
floor in SE chamber
floor L7881 and 7878 make-up in SE chamber
fill
sandy fill inside SE chamber
floor make-up to floor below
sand fill and surface in SE chamber
cleaning
126
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
W
L
L
L
L
W
L
W
L
L
W
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
W
W
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
12002
12003
12005
12006
12007
12008
12009
12010
12011
12012
12013
12014
12015
12016
12017
12018
12019
12020
12021
12022
12023
12024
12025
12026
12028
12029
12030
12031
12032
12034
12035
12036
13538
13543
13547
13548
13562
13594
13595
J/26
J/26-27
J/25-26
J/26-27
J/26-27
J/25-26
J/26
J/26-27
L/25
L/25
J/25-26
J/25-26
L/25
L/25
L/25
J/26-27
J/25-26
J/25-26
J/25-26
L/25
L/25
J/26-27
J/26-27
L/25
J/26-27
L/25
J/26-27
L/25
J/25-26
J/26-27
J/25-26
J/25-26
L-M/27-28
L-M/27-28
L-M/27-28
L-M/27-28
L-M/27-28
L-M/27-28
L-M/27-28
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
SE chamber
SE chamber
S chamber
SE chamber
8 below SE chamber
S chamber
S chamber
8 below SE chamber
S of gate
S of gate
S chamber
S chamber
S of gate
S of gate
S of gate
S of gate
S chamber
S chamber
S chamber
S of gate
S of gate
8 below SE chamber
8 below SE chamber
S of gate
SW chamber
S of gate
SW chamber
S of gate
S chamber
SW chamber
S chamber
S chamber
inside city
inside city
inside city
inside city
inside city
inside city
inside city
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
89
95
95
95
95
95
95
95
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
7c
7c
7/8?
8?/7?
7c
7/6?
7/8?
7c
7
7?/6?
7/8?
7/8?
7?/6?
7
7
7
7/8?
7/8?
7/8?
7
7
8
7c
7
8
7?/6?
7c
7
7/8?
8
7/8?
7/8?
7?/6?/5?
7?/6?/5?
7?/6?/5?
7
7?/6?
7
7
sandy pit inside SE chamber
foundation??
"pit"; more likely fill
floor L12000 make-up at bottom of SE chamber
below Ph 7 gate foundation
mudbrick wall/tower superstructure
a pot
mudbrick detritis above L12025
fill
cleaning, floor m-u
soil between mudbricks and stone fndt
wall/tower fndt
cobble patch/floor
grey fill
grey matrix under cobbles
"ashy" floor
wall/tower fndt
wall/tower fndt
wall/tower fndt
foundation trench for W2557 +/or fill
fill above floor
mudbrick wall below SE chamber
mudbrick detritis above W12024
floor make-up
mudbrick fill
ashy fill to floor
mudbrick detritis with stones
fill
fill
mudbrick
stone wall under mudbrick superstruct
stone wall under mudbrick superstruct
cleaning to kurkar floor
pit-shaped kurkar floor
rubble with pit contours
kurkar to sand & pebbles
2 layers of cobbles
ash pit
lg stones in mudbr detritis
127
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
13596
13597
13598
13621
13629
13641
13642
13644
13647
13649
L-M/27-28
L-M/27-28
L-M/27-28
L-M/27-28
L-M/27-28
L-M/27-28
L-M/27-28
L-M/27-28
L-M/27-28
L-M/27-28
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
B2
inside city
inside city
inside city
inside city
inside city
inside city
inside city
inside city
inside city
inside city
95
95
95
95
95
95
95
95
95
95
s
s(?)
d?
s
7
7
7
7
7
7?/6?/5?
7
7
7
7
fallen(?) stone
rubble-filled pit to packed dirt floor
pit in pit L13597
packed grey to partial floor
mdbr det above N-S line of mudbrick
mixed baulk removal
floor m-u??, sand & shell, to dirt floor
mdbr detritis/ cleaning??
floor m-u
mdbr detritis and stones
128
Unit H/24-25, I/25
The unit borders are:
West – W3767 and W12209.
North – W7351, W7249 and W13151.
East – W12259 and W12274.
South – W3768.
Excavation years:
1985 – I/25.
1987 – H/25.
1991– All 3 squares of the unit.
1992-1993 – H/24-25.
Stage i
Summary
Walls – 12259, 3712.
No floor.
Description
The first stage includes two features which are not connected to one another, so they
might actually represent more than one construction phase. In the westernmost part of
the unit a small drain was found (L3712), oriented app. north-south, just below topsoil
(heights app. 16.30-16.00) and partly above W3767 and W3768 of stage ii (below);
while in the easternmost section the bottom of a massive cement wall was observed
129
(W12259; height – 15.17). The latter is oriented northeast–southwest, and it is
connected to the Roman aqueduct system which was found to the north of the unit.
Underneath was found the bad preserved W12274 of stage ii.
Stage ii
Summary
Walls – 3767, 3768, 7351, 12274.
Floors and installations – 12194, 12182-12183??, 3766??.
Description
The first walls encountered in the excavation of this stage, back in 1985 (I/25, western
part of the unit), were 3767 and 3768, at heights 16.18 and 16.02 respectively. As the
excavation of these walls continued, two other observations became apparent: first,
the meeting point of the walls was robbed (robbers’ trench dug as fill L3777). Second,
both W3767 and W3768 comprise of upper courses built of dressed stones, and lower
courses built of irregular field stones2. In the middle of the lower part of both walls a
very thin layer of accumulation was observed, its thickness being only 1-2 cm (L3829
and L3830, at heights of 15.12-15.10). Thus, the excavators concluded that both walls
consist of two separate construction phases3.
In the following seasons, the excavation of these walls was completed, and it turned
out that they were part of a trapezoidal room, the other two walls of which were
W7351 and W12274. W7351 (H/25, 1987) is connected to W3767 in the latter’s
2
Both heights of the transition between the dresses and undressed stones and of the
floating level of the walls were not recorded during the excavations. The floating
level of W3767 seems to be 14.85; while that of W3768 is about 14.80-14.70
(estimation is based in photographs and related loci cards).
3
It should be emphasized that there is at least 40-50 cm difference between loci 38293830 and the beginning of the well-cut stones courses, estimated at 15.50-15.70
according to the photographs.
130
northern end, but survived to a lesser extent (15.56-15.11)4. In 1991 (H/24), W3768
was found to proceed to the southeast5, and to make a corner with W12274. This last
observation was not made in the field, but represents our interpretation of the
stratigraphical situation seen on photos 86660-866666. W12259 of stage i is clearly
built on the top of W12274 and to its south; the former is probably the cause for the
latter’s poor state of preservation7. Although the supposed corner between W12274
and W7351 was not found, it seems reasonable that they are elements of the same
“room”, together with walls 3767 and 3768.
The new evidence regarding the construction and stratigraphy of the above mentioned
walls, especially of W3768, gathered during the 1987-1991 seasons, undermines some
of the original determinations. First, inside the lower part of W3768, in a course of
roughly-cut stones, were found at least two round catapult stones, described in the
wall card and seen in photos (e.g. 70485, 70494-5, and 70583-4). This observation
suggests that this wall was built after the catapult pit was in the vicinity (see stage iii
below). Second, L12194 (dug in 1991) was defined as a patch of a kurkar floor, and
was found to reach a well-cut stone course of W3768. This floor was observed only in
H/24-25 baulk, and excavated during its removal, thus only a small part of which
actually abutted the wall. It is explicitly written that floor 12194 is laid over and
above the southern part of catapult pit 7356-12273 (L12186), though the floor’s exact
4
The corner of W3767 and W7351 was hidden in H-I/25 baulk during 1987 season.
W7351 itself was taken down at the end of that season, but the corner was found
and drawn only during the removal of the baulk, possibly in 1991. I didn’t find any
documentation of the baulk removal or the discovery of the corner, although it is
drawn on phase 3 master plan.
5
The continuation of W3768 was first labeled W12176 and W12225.
6
Although it is also possible that W12274 precedes catapult pit 7356-12273 (see
below), since it is unclear whether the easternmost part of the pit disturbs the wall,
our impression is that the wall was built after the pit was already existing. Some of
the collapsed stones seen in photos 70553-5, found on top of the catapults, might
have originated from W12274 (see also L7357 card).
7
Unfortunately, the heights of W12274 are not written properly. The only height
given is 14.84, which seems not to correspond with either topmost or lowermost
parts of the wall. I estimate the topmost height at app. 15.20-15.10, and the
lowermost at around 14.70-14.60.
131
height is unclear (somewhere between 15.92-15.60)8. Third, the supposed
discontinuation inside W3768, identified in 1985, was not found in 1991, implying to
the existence of only one construction phase of this wall. Summing up, it seems that
W3768, as well as W3767, were built and used only during stage ii, and were
constructed of field or roughly-cut stones in their substructure, and well-cut stones in
their superstructure, to which floor 12194 abuts. Both walls float above plaster floor
L12272, which belongs to stage v (below); the accumulation underneath W3767 and
above L12272 was excavated as L13007.
Few more comments regarding this stage are required. Two other patches of possible
floors connected to W3767 and W3768 were identified during their excavations. One
of them is L3766, excavated already in 1985 and defined as “thin plaster wash, some
of which seem to go up to wall”. Its height is 15.39-15.38, which makes it hard to
relate it to floor 12194. No continuation of this “wash” was found in the following
seasons. One of the following options is a possible solution: rejecting the
identification of this locus as a floor, or seeing it as part of an installation connected
with floor 12194 in a lower level. The first option is preferred here. Another assumed
floor patch is L12182-12183, consisted of “paving stones” lying next to W3768
(H/24, 1991). In this case also, the exact function of these stones and their relations to
other elements (the wall and floor 12194) are unclear9. We suggest treating these loci
as parts of a blurred installation (and not pavement), which might have been
connected to floor 12194 and W3768. The final issue concerns the photos which show
the lowermost course of W3767 abutting W7249 in its uppermost preserved course
(e.g. 70262-70270). This situation is the result of the deep foundations of stage ii
walls, and not of an alleged contemporaneity of these walls with W7249, which is a
much earlier wall.
8
The bottom height written on the locus card is 15.60, while on phase 2 master plan it
is 15.92. In any case, it is probably at a higher level than the highest catapults (the
uppermost of which were found at 15.61-15.58, according to L7346 card).
9
At the time of writing the loci cards, the excavators claimed that it seems that
L12182 “cuts across” L12183, while both “go under” W3768. Since W3768
deepens significantly, it is impossible that the “paving” is going underneath the
wall. The relations between L12182 and L12183 themselves are vague.
132
Stage iii
Summary
Catapult pit L7356-12186-12273-13196-13206.
Description
Immediately to the south of W7351, and under the topsoil loci (L7346 and L7352), a
large pit containing many round catapult stones, mixed with dressed kurkar stones,
was found during 1987 season (H/25). After removing all stones found that year,
another small part of this pit was observed in 1991 season, under the baulk separating
H/24 and H/25 (L12186; 15.25-14.69, including winter wash cleanings of H/25).
While deepening beyond 1987 end of season level (14.89), it was realized that the pit
deepens significantly. The 1991 part of the pit was excavated as L12273 (14.8914.13), while the pit’s bottom was excavated in a series of loci in 1993 season (13196,
13199-13204, 13206), down to the height of 13.34-13.23!! The pit is bordered to the
north by W7351, W7249 and W13151; to the east by W12274 and the baulk
underneath; and in the other directions by soil accumulations and floors which it cuts
into. The uppermost floor cut by the pit is L7355 (see stage iv below). As stated
above, the southernmost part of the pit (excavated as L12186) is partly sealed by floor
12194 of stage ii. Thus, not a single architectural element in this unit can be
contemporaneous with the pit.
Stage iv
Summary
No walls.
Floor and installation – L7355 and L7464.
Description
This meager stage consists of badly preserved features, disturbed both by the catapult
pit and stage ii walls. L7355, identified as whitish packed surface (1987, H/25),
133
L7465 being its make-up, was found to the west of the catapult pit at height of
15.4510. L7464 is a circular taboon made of clay built with floor 7355, only the edge
of which was excavated that season (heights – 15.45-15.10)11. The only wall which
could have been related to the floor is W7351, which is mentioned as its northern
limit. But, as we have stressed above, W7351 belongs to stage ii, and it is later than
the catapult pit; therefore, we suggest that floor 7355 does not abut the wall 12. Finally,
as seen in phases 3 and 5 master plans, and obvious also from the heights given in the
loci cards, taboon 7464 is built over (and possibly cuts) part of W12163 of stage v
(see below).
Stage v
Option I – one stage
Walls – W7249, W12163.
Floor –12272 (12258-12184) and 12300 (possibly also pit L12311).
Option II – two stages
Stage v-a
Walls – 7249, 12163.
No floors.
Stage v-b
10
The heights given for the make-up of the floor in L7465 card – 15.45-14.94, make
no sense. The most logical explanation is that the app. 0.5 meter excavated
underneath the floor is actually a fill.
11
The rest of the installation was found and drawn when H-I/25 baulk was excavated
(see phase 3 master plan), but no documentation exists (see note n. 3 above).
12
It should be noted that the excavators did not specifically stated that the floor abuts
the wall, but rather that the latter served as the northern border of the locus in
which the floor was found.
134
No Walls.
Floor – 12258-12184 (12272) and 12300 (possibly also pit L12311)
Summary
The relationship between the above-written elements holds the key for the
understanding of the whole nature of the lower strata in this unit. Two basic options
exist – either W7249 is contemporaneous with floor 12258-12184-12272-1229912300 which covers the area to its south, or it is later than the floor. W7249 is the
wide wall, built of massive field stones, abutting the eastern wall of the southern
chamber of the two-chamber gate belonging to phase 5 (W3813; see unit I-J/25).
W7249 was found immediately under W7351 of stage ii (in between was excavated a
thin accumulation designated L7494).
Description
Below stage ii floor 12194 and elements associated with it (see above), and beside the
catapult pit, a series of accumulation loci was excavated as part of square H/24. The
series includes L12180-1, L12210-2, L12214-5, L12219-21, L12227, L12233-4,
L12251-2, L12258 and L12260, covering heights between 15.87 and 14.88 with
various soil matrices and colors. It should be emphasized that these loci are not sealed
by the upper floor due to latter’s discontinuity. The first floor encountered underneath
the thick accumulation sequence was L12258, but it was re-named L12272. L12184 is
a partial continuation of this floor to the northwest (mostly under H-I/25 baulk).
Heights for both L12272 and L12184 are 14.84-14.68. The “make-up” of this floor
was excavated as L12299 (heights 14.68-14.47). The thick white plastered floor
(L12272) is somewhat discontinuous, but covers a significant area west of the catapult
pit. The floor evidently runs under walls 3768 and 3767 of stage ii.
Immediately below installation 7464 of stage iv, and above floor 12184, a wall
fragment designated W12163 was found abutting the uppermost preserved course of
W7249. As W12163 is clearly above floor 12184(-12272), it may support the
possibility that both walls are later than the floor (see option I above). Yet, W7249
deepens much more than W12163, and therefore its relations with the floor should be
examined separately. Unfortunately, the excavators could not determine the exact
135
association between the floor and the wall. L12272 card mentions a disagreement
over this subject, but at some point it was decided to place W7249 in an upper stratum
than that of floor 12272 (see phases 5 and 7 current master plans).
The extension of floor 12272 to the east was also controversial. The excavators and
surveyor were divided in the question of whether it covered the whole unit outside the
catapult pit, or just its western portion. In the southeastern part of the unit, at the
height of 14.68, a cobble floor was found (L12300): the surveyor thought that it was
covered by L12272, while the excavators believed that the floor reached the western
end of the cobbles, and that they were contemporaneous. This last observation, which
means that during this stage the unit was floored with two different materials (serving
two different functions?), seems to be the correct one, and is seen on current phase 7
master plan. Nevertheless, it is possible that at some point the whole unit was covered
with white plaster, which extended above the cobbles too.
The floor discussed here, 12272, is probably the continuation of floor 12159,
excavated in unit I-J/25. While removing W3767 of stage ii, an accumulation
(L13007) was found to separate the bottom of the wall from plaster floor L12272. The
plaster floor runs over W12209 (see I-J/25 unit), and meets plaster of L7324-12159. A
series of complete jars was found underneath floor 7324-12159 in I-J/25 unit
(L12307, 12308, 12320, 12338), thought to be related to this floor. Another jar was
found below floor 12272-12299 in the southwest corner of the present unit, inside pit
L12311 (heights 14.58-14.28; photos 71371-2). The floor covers, either partially or
completely, the jar pit, and is therefore constructively later than it, but possibly
broadly contemporaneous in date. Nevertheless, the possibility that pit L12311 is
significantly earlier than the floor can not be excluded, and may gain support from the
presence of two more pits, L12333 and L12334, under the same floor (see stage vi
below).
If floor 12272-12300 does not relate to W7249, it is possible to try and relate it to
W7316-13151, the massive fortification wall of phase 7 (see below, stage vii). This
option is currently seen on phase 7 master plan, but it can not be accepted or denied
based on present evidence, due to the fact that W7249 prevents any possibility to tie
the two features. It is possible that pottery readings from the floor make-up (L12299)
and below will help to solve this problem.
136
Stage vi
Summary
Floor (??) – 12310-12335.
Pits – 12333, 12334.
Description
The last loci excavated during 1991 season were L12310 and L12335, below plaster
floor L12272-12299 and cobble floor L12300 respectively. Both loci are described as
a series of “discontinuous floors with no apparent boundaries”, in between brownish
grey soils. The range of heights given In the loci card, 14.64-14.13, seem to imply to
the series of bright layers visible in the section under W3768 in photos 71373-4,
between pits 12333 and 12334 which are, at least partly, cut through these layers 13. It
seems that loci 12310-12335 do not contain “real” floors, but rather layers which may
represent some activity preceding the construction of plaster floor L12272. Pits 12333
and 12334, the former lined with field stones, are evidences for such activity. Yet, the
possibility that the pits are connected with the upper floor (12272), as is pit L12311
(see above), can not be ruled out. In this case, the “discontinuous layers” of L1231012335 would seem to lack any other feature to relate to. It should be emphasized that
L12310 is cut by foundation trench L12332 of W7249 to the north, meaning that the
elements described here can not be related to this wall14. On the other hand, it seems
that they are not related to earlier walls also, like W7316-13151 (“Iron Age Tower”)
13
The opening heights of pits 12333 and 12334 as recorded in the loci cards (14.2614.23) seem to be a little too low.
14
Photos 71386-7 imply that floor 12310-12335 abut W7249, but this is not the case,
since they show the situation in the beginning of the excavation of this locus, and
what is seen is actually the make-up of floor 12272. Better photos of the
excavation of L12310 are n. 71425-6, showing foundation trench L12332 of
W7249 cutting through L12310.
137
and brick wall 12209 to the west, since loci 12310-12335 lay above sloping surfaces
connected with the outer glacis of W7316-13151 (see below)15.
Stage vii
Summary
Floors – 13023-13081, 13074, 13038-13114, 13148, 13152, 13207.
Wall – 13151.
Description
During 1992 and 1993 seasons, only the eastern half of the unit continued to be
excavated. A series of sloping floors or surfaces, with sandy soils in between them
(constructional fills?), was found in this probe, and all are probably connected with an
outer “glacis” sloping east and south from a massive east-west wall (7316) which
ends in a “tower” (13151). The latter elements are parts of an outer-gate fortification,
which belongs to the 4-chamber gate of phase 7 (see phase 7 master plan), and were
found immediately below W7249 of stage v. Some of W7249 stones were removed in
order to trace the southwest corner of the tower (L13137), which is built of large
worked boulders (photo 87165).
The series of successive “floors” or surfaces, all stratigraphically related to the abovementioned fortification system, consists of L13074 “kurkar floor” (13.86-13.7516),
which was observed only in the southeastern corner (e.g. photo 86661); L1303813114 “plaster floor” (14.15-13.73; photos 86660-86666), which is cut by L12310-
15
The relations between W7316-13151 and W12209 are not clear, due to the fact that
their meeting point is located below W7249 of phase 5 (see current phase 7 master
plan). The marked difference between brick wall 12209, which has no stone
foundation, and the massive stone-built tower structure, implies to a chronological
separation of the two elements, though not necessarily. Our guess, that W12209
precedes W7316-13151, may be supported by the assumption that no architecture
should exist outside the fortification line.
16
The heights given to this floor in L13038 card are 13.98-13.91.
138
12335 to the west; 13148 (13.72); 13152 (13.54-13.44); and 13207, the deepest locus
in the whole unit, at a height of 13.39-13.28. All surfaces, except for 13207, are
disturbed by the deep catapult pit of stage iii (see above). The best preserved plaster
surface is the lowest (L13207), and it adheres to the plaster which covers the lower
courses of tower W13151 (photo 101869). Some of the higher surfaces were not
traced clearly in the vicinity of the wall, but the overall stratigraphical picture seems
clear.
Summary
The most important stratigraphical anchors in this unit, which may be helpful in
correlating the local stages with the general phasing of area B, are W7249, which is
clearly related to phase 5 gate, and W7316-13151, the outer fortification of phase 7
gate. Since those elements are described here as belonging to stages v and vii
respectively, the other stages may be correlated with the general phases in a simple
way, meaning that each stage should be attributed to the phase with the same number.
Yet, two things must be taken into consideration before determining the final phasing
of this unit’s stages: one is the possibility that stage v is actually consisting of two
separate stages, designated here v-a and v-b, that may belong to two different phases;
and the second is that it is always possible that some stratigraphical developments in
the whole area are not represented in the examined unit, and the opposite, that local
changes do not resemble the situation in the larger context. Therefore, the allocation
of general phases to the local stages should be considered as tentative at best, and
must wait for the pottery analysis (and other datable artifacts) of the different stages
before the final determinations.
139
140
L/W
Locus#
Square
Area
Unit
Season
L
3685
I/25
B2
1985
L
3706
I/25
B2
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
1985
L
3707
I/25
B2
H-I/2425
L
3712
I/25
B2
L
3713
I/25
L
3722
L
Clean.
Stage
Phase
u
1985
H-I/2425
B2
I/25
B2
3739
I/25
B2
L
3746
I/25
B2
L
3760
I/25
L
3766
W
PoM
Description
Short Descr.
-
topsoil I/25
topsoil
i
1?
accumulation west of water channel L3712,
around pit L3705
accumulation
u
i
1?
accumulation containing large dressed stones,
top of channel L3712
accumulation +
large stones
1985
u
i
1?
water channel, built of cement and covered by
dressed stones, oriented north-south
water channel
H-I/2425
1985
u
i-ii
1-2?
accumulation in small area bordered by water
channel and southern and eastern baulks;
lowered to "floor" L3766
accumulation
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
1985
u
accumulation west of water channel L3712
accumulation
1985
u
accumulation west of water channel L3712
accumulation
1985
u
accumulation west of water channel L3712;
W3767 was discovered in the eastern part of
this locus and became its boundary
accumulation
above wall and
plaster flr of two
different stages
B2
H-I/2425
1985
s
ii
2?
accumulation sealed by water channel L3712;
came upon plaster wash "floor"L3766
accumulation
I/25
B2
H-I/2425
1985
u
ii
2?
plaster floor (?)
3767
I/25
B2
H-I/2425
1985
ii
2?
W
3768
H-I/2425
B2
H-I/2425
198591
ii
2?
L
3777
I/25
B2
1985
u
i
1?
L
3791
I/25
B2
H-I/2425
H-I/24-
plaster wash "floor", 0.5 cm thick, between
W3767, W3768 and eastern baulk; may
represent stage ii floor/installation
north-east - south-west stone wall, upper
courses built of dressed stones and lower
ones of small field stones
north-west - south-east stone wall, upper
courses built of dressed stones and lower
ones of small field stones and some satapult
balls
robbers' trench of walls 3767-3768 corner
1985
s?
iii-v
3-5?
accumulation under plaster wash L3766
accumulation
stone wall
stone wall
robbers' trench
141
L/W
Locus#
Square
Area
Unit
Season
Clean.
Stage
Phase
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
1985
s?
ii
1985
s?
PoM
Description
Short Descr.
2?
thin accumulation (?) inside W3767
accumulation (?)
ii
2?
thin accumulation (?) inside W3768
accumulation (?)
1987
v/v-a
5
large stone wall, oriented north-west - southeast, forms the northern boundary of this unit
stone wall
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
1987
-
-
topsoil H/25
topsoil
1987
ii
2?
stone wall, oriented north-west - south-east,
forms the northern boundary of this unit
stone wall
25
L
3829
I/25
B2
L
3830
I/25
B2
W
7249
H-J/25
B2
L
7346
H/25
B2
W
7351
H/25
B2
L
7352
H/25
B2
H-I/2425
1987
u
iii
3?
accumulation containing rubble of small
stones, upper part of catapult pit?
catapult pit
L
7353
H/25
B2
1987
u
i
1?
robbers' trench of wall 7351 eastern part
robbers' trench
L
7355
H/25
B2
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
1987
u
iv
4?
sandy accumulation above plaster floor patch
west of catapult pit
accumulation
and floor
L
7356
H/25
B2
1987
u
iii
3?
catapult pit, containing many catapult stones
catapult pit
L
7357
H/25
B2
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
1987
u
iii?
3?
accumulation containing large stones, east of
catapult pit but may be part of it
accumulation
(catapult pit?)
L
7461
H/25
B2
1987
u
i
1?
7464
H/25
B2
1987
u
iv
4?
L
7465
H/25
B2
H-I/2425
1987
s?
iv-v
4? 5?
continuation of robbers' trench L7353 of wall
7351
semi-sircular baked-clay installation
(taboon/hearth?), most of which hidden in HI/25 baulk, connected to flr. 7355
make-up of flr. L7355, and accumulation
below floor; floor showed up white and hard
plaster
robbers' trench
L
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
L
7494
H/25
B2
H-I/2425
1987
s?
iii-iv?
?
10 cm accumulation between W7351 (st. ii)
and W7249 (st. v)
L
12152
H/24
B2
H-I/2425
1991
-
-
topsoil H/24
clay installation
floor make-up
and
accumulation
below
accumulation
topsoil
142
L/W
Locus#
Square
Area
Unit
Season
Clean.
Stage
Phase
W
12163
H-I/25
B2
H-I/2425
1991
u
v/v-a
L
12168
H-I/25
B2
H-I/2425
1991
c
L
12169
H-I/25
B2
H-I/2425
1991
L
12180
H/24
B2
L
12181
H/24
B2
L
12182
H/24
B2
L
12183
H/24
B2
L
12184
H-I/25
B2
L
12186
H/24-25
B2
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
L
12194
H/24-25
B2
L
12210
H/24-25
B2
L
12211
H/24
B2
L
12212
H/24
B2
L
12214
H/24-25
B2
L
12215
H/24-25
B2
L
12219
H/24-25
B2
L
12220
H/24-25
B2
PoM
Description
Short Descr.
5?
stone wall fragment that was hidden under HI/25 baulk
stone wall
-
-
winter wash cleanings and baulk removal
winter wash &
baulk removal
s?
v/v-b
5? 6?
thin accumulation below W1263 and above
plaster floor L12184-12272
sealed
accumulation
1991
u
?
?
accumulation north of W3768
accumulation
1991
u
?
?
accumulation north of W3768
accumulation
1991
u
ii?
2?
stone installation
1991
u
ii?
2?
1991
u
v/v-b
5? 6?
1991
c
iii
3?
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
1991
u
ii
2?
stone installation or paving (?) connected to
W3768 (?)
stone installation or paving (?) connected to
W3768 (?)
patchy plaster floor , the northern continuation
of flr. L12272
winter wash cleanings of L7356 bottom, and
continuation of cataput pit under H/24-25
baulk
kurkar floor observed only in H/24-25
1991
s
below
ii
?
grayish brown accumulation sealed below
kurkar flr. L12194
accumulation
under floor
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
1991
u
?
?
grayish brown accumulation, north of W3768
accumulation
1991
s?
?
?
grayish brown accumulation, north of W3768,
sealed under L12183
accumulation
under stones
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
1991
u
?
?
brown dense soil in H/24-25 baulk
accumulation
1991
u
?
?
grayish gritty soil in H/24-25 baulk
accumulation
1991
u
?
?
brownish sandy soil, north of W3768
accumulation
1991
u
?
?
brownish sandy soil, north of W3768
accumulation
stone installation
plaster floor
winter wash and
catapult pit cont.
kurkar floor
143
L/W
Locus#
Square
Area
Unit
Season
Clean.
Stage
Phase
L
12221
H/24-25
B2
1991
u
?
L
12227
H/24-25
B2
1991
u
L
12233
H/24-25
B2
1991
L
12234
H/24-25
B2
L
12251
H/24-25
B2
L
12252
H/24-25
B2
L
12258
H/24-25
B2
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
W
12259
G-H/2425
B2
H-I/2425
1991
L
12260
H/24-25
B2
1991
L
12272
H-I/2425
B2
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
1991
u
v/v-b
5? 6?
L
12273
H/25
B2
H-I/2425
1991
u
iii
3?
W
12274
H/24-25
B2
H-I/2425
1991
ii
2?
L
12299
B2
s
v/v-b
5? 6?
12300
1991
u
v/v-b
5? 6?
L
12310
H-I/2425
B2
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
1991
L
H-I/2425
H/24-25
1991
s
vi
6? 7?
B2
PoM
Description
Short Descr.
?
brownish sandy soil, north of W3768
accumulation
?
?
Grayish soil, north of W3768
accumulation
u
?
?
Brown-grayish soil, north of W3768
accumulation
1991
u
?
?
brownish sandy soil, north of W3768
accumulation
1991
u
?
?
brown soil, north of W3768
accumulation
1991
u
?
?
accumulation
1991
u
?
?
i
1?
gray soil, north of W3768; cement wall 12259
found below
brown hard soil on top of plastered flr. L12272;
W12274 was found in the eastern part, partly
under cement W12259
bottom of cement wall, oriented north-east south-west, related to the aqurduct system to
the north of the unit
technical locus
plaster floor which covers most of the unit;
unclear if it stretches to the east above
cobbles L12300
continuation of catapult pit L7356 and L7357,
with many catapult stones and debris of
dressed stones
stone wall, oriented north-east - south-west,
forms the eastern boundary of this unit;
bonded (?) with W3768
make-up of flr. L12272, made of whitish
plaster
cobble floor to the east of plaster flr. L12272
plaster floor
discontiuous leveled layers below flr. L12272;
pits 12333 and 12334 are cut from these
layers
disconinuous
layers
accumulation
above floor
cement wall
technical locus
catapult pit cont.
stone wall
floor make-up
cobble floor
144
L/W
Locus#
Square
Area
Unit
Season
Clean.
Stage
Phase
L
12311
H-I/2425
B2
H-I/2425
1991
s?
v/v-b
L
12332
H/25
B2
1991
s?
L
12333
H/24
B2
1991
L
12334
H/24
B2
L
12335
H/24-25
B2
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
L
13007
I/25
B2
L
13008
B2
L
13014
H-I/2425
H/24-25
Description
Short Descr.
5? 6?
7?
pit containing complete jar below flr. L12272,
but probably related to the latter
pit containing jar
v/v-a
5
foundation trench of W7249
s?
v/v-b
6? 7?
1991
s?
v/v-b
6? 7?
pit below flr. L12272; possible lining of stones
around pit
pit below flr. L12272
foundation
trench
pit
1991
s
vi
6? 7?
discontiuous leveled layers below cobble flr.
L12300;
disconinuous
layers
H-I/2425
1992
s
v/v-b
5? 6?
accumulation under W3767 and above flr.
L12272, which also covers W12209
accumulation
below wall and
above floor
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
1992
winter wash
winter wash
L
13023
H/24-25
B2
L
13024
I/24-25
B2
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
1992
L
13038
H/24-25
B2
1992
u
vii
7
L
13074
H/24-25
B2
H-I/2425
1992
u
vii
L
13075
H/24-25
B2
H-I/2425
1992
u
L
13081
H/24-25
B2
H-I/2425
1992
u
B2
PoM
pit
1992
u
-
-
baulk removal and winter wash
baulk removal
1992
s?
vi
7?
accumulation above white plastered surface,
preserved badly, sloping significantly from
west to east
winter wash and cleanings on top of brick wall
12209
accumulation above white plastered surface,
preserved badly, sloping significantly from
west to east
plaster surface
7
accumulation above white plastered surface,
only one patch preserved
plaster surface
vi
7?
winter wash
vi
7?
winter wash above L12310 and slightly under,
to reach the plaster surface observed in
L13023
accumulation above white plastered surface,
preserved badly, sloping significantly from
west to east
winter wash
plaster surface
plaster surface
145
L/W
Locus#
Square
Area
Unit
Season
Clean.
Stage
Phase
L
13114
H/24-25
B2
H-I/2425
1992
u
vii
L
13137
H/25
B2
H-I/2425
1992
u
L
13148
H/24-25
B2
H-I/2425
1992
u
W
13151
H/25
B2
H-I/2425
1992
L
13152
H/24-25
B2
H-I/2425
1992
L
13196
H/25
B2
L
13199
H/25
B2
L
13200
H/25
B2
L
13201
H/25
B2
L
13202
H/25
B2
L
13203
H/25
B2
L
13204
H/25
B2
L
13206
H/25
B2
L
13207
H/24-25
B2
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
H-I/2425
PoM
Description
Short Descr.
7
accumulation above white plastered surface,
preserved badly, sloping significantly from
west to east; cont. of L13038
plaster surface
vii
7
accumulation under part of W7249, removed
to clear W13151 ("tower") south-west corner
accumulation
under wall
vii
7
accumulation
and surface
vii
7
u
vii
7
1993
u
iii
3?
another sloping surface relating to outer glacis
of tower 13151; accumulation above is reddish
sand
sothern wall of tower connected with outer
fortification (W7316); W7249 used it as
foundation
another white-plaster sloping surface relating
to outer glacis of tower 13151; accumulation
above is reddish sand
cont of catapult pit 12273
1993
u
iii
3?
cont of catapult pit
cont. of pit
1993
u
iii
3?
cont of catapult pit
cont. of pit
1993
u
iii
3?
cont of catapult pit
cont. of pit
1993
u
iii
3?
cont of catapult pit
cont. of pit
1993
u
iii
3?
cont of catapult pit
cont. of pit
1993
u
iii
3?
cont of catapult pit
cont. of pit
1993
u
iii
3?
bottom of catapult pit 7356-12273
bottom of pit
1993
u
vii
7
the last white-plaster sloping surface
excavated relating to outer glacis of tower
13151; accumulation above is reddish sand,
cut slightly by pit L13206
accumulation
and surface
massive stone
wall
accumulation
and surface
cont. of pit
146
Unit I-J/25
The unit borders are:
West – walls 3737 and 3813 (eastern wall of southern chamber of two-chamber gate).
North – Baulk I25/I26 and W7249 (currently ph. 5 wall of “outer gate”).
East – walls 3767 and 12209.
South – Baulk I24/I25 and J24/J25, and wall 7276 (currently ph. 5 wall of outer gate).
Excavated in years 1985, 1986 (only cleanings), 1991 and 1992.
“Stage I”***17
Summary
Walls – 3737, 3773, 3732, 3754, 3767, 3768, 7276.
Floors – 3770=3795; patches in 3764 (?); 3796 (?). Heights – 15.26-15.17.
Description
This stage is based on the current phase 3 master plan. In includes a series of walls,
from west to east: 3737, 3773, 3732, 3754, 3767 and 3768. W3737 rests on top of
W3813 (see stage ii below) and to its west, in the western boundary of the unit; both
oriented north-east to south-west. W3773 abuts W3737 in approximately right angle,
and also lies over part of W3813. W3773 continues to the south-east, but is replaced
17
This is an artificial stage, consisting of elements which probably belong to more
than one stratigraphical layer. I shell review the main features, just in order to
show that they are clearly not related to W3813, the eastern wall of the twochamber gate, which serves as a “bench-mark” for phase 5 in this unit. The
discussion presented here does not include the uppermost elements in this unit. I
have no intention to discuss the relations between the elements belong to this stage
in full, but rather to show that they are stratigraphically above phase 5 elements.
147
by robbers’ trench 3772. The latter locus “intersects” with L3748, which marks the
robbers’ trench of yet another wall, W3732. The supposed intersection of these walls
is not right angled. W3732 is lined app. north-south, and intersects with W3754,
which lies in part under I/25-26 bulk. This intersection was not well-defined in the
field. W3754 stretches form the junction eastwards, to make a corner with W376718.
This intersection is also a bit unclear, due to the bad condition of W3754, but the two
walls seem to be bonded. Few floor patches connect the above walls: L3370 & L3975,
a plaster floor which abuts both W3773 and W3732; and L3796, which is a very bad
preserved plaster floor, abutting only W3737 in a small area. Traces of the same
plaster floor were possibly found also in L3746 in approximately the same heights 19.
The height of floor L3770 is 15.26, and its make-up (L3795) is 15.17. L3796 is a little
higher (15.55-15.47), and therefore may not represent the same surface. However, in
most of square I/25, between W3732, W3754 and W3767, no trace of any floor was
discerned. The bottom heights of the walls are: W3732– 15.24; W3754 – 15.36;
W3773 – 14.85.
Stage ii (corresponds to stage v in H-I/24-25 unit)
Option I
Walls – 3813 & 7249; 12156-12336; W7276 is a “stage i” wall.
Floor – 7324=12159; 12308-12323??
Other features: complete jars found in L12307, 12318, 12320 and 12338.
Option II
Stage ii-a
Walls – 7276, 3813 & 7249.
18
For a detailed discussion on W3767 and W3768, see H-I/24-25 unit description.
19
See description in L3770 locus card.
148
No floors.
Stage ii-b
Wall – 12156-12336.
Floor – 7324=12159; 12308-12323??
Other features: complete jars found in L12307, 12318, 12320 and 12338.
Summary
After removing all of stage i walls, a plastered floor was found to cover most parts of
the unit, bordered from three sides by walls: W7249 to its north, W3813 to the west
and W7276 to the south. The floor clearly runs under W7276, as well as under W3767
to the east (see H-I/24-25 unit, stage v). Nevertheless, its relations with W3813 and
especially with W7249 are not clear, to say the least, mainly due to the fragmentary
state of preservation of the floor. Two suggestions are given here as stratigraphic
possibilities for resolving the ambiguity: either that W7249 (and W3813) is later than
the floor, or that it is contemporaneous with it (more probable). A feature which
obviously relates to the floor is W12156, a one-course wall of well dressed stones,
which seems to serve as a kind of an installation, possibly connected to the line of
complete jars found to its south.
Description
After the removal of stage i walls, a series of fill loci was excavated in the unit. North
of W3773 and under floor L3795 were fills 3800 and 3809; south of this wall - fills
L3801, L3802, L3807, L3814 and L3826; under W3732 was L3815, and to its east
L3746. While excavating in these loci, three lower walls appeared: W3813, the
eastern wall of the southern chamber (under W3737); W7276 in the southern baulk;
and W7249 under W3754 and northern baulk (see below). The lower fills were dug
until the end of 1985 season, and reached patches of plastered floor at bottom level –
14.86 in L3815, 14.91 in L3826, and 15.00-14.82 in L3809. This floor was not welldefined that season, but only during winter washes cleanings at 1986, when it was
149
designated L7324 (and L7323 in I/25 square20). The floor was not entirely intact, but
rather patchy and discontinuous. In 1991, the floor area of 7324 was cleared once
again, in order to understand its relationship with the other features; it was than
renamed 12159, and was found using the top of W12209 (see below) as its base in the
eastern part. W3773 and L3772, the deepest elements in stage i, were dug slightly into
the floor (closing height of the wall – 14.85).
After removing stage i W3754 in the northern part of the unit, at height of 15.01, the
uppermost course of the southern face of W7249 was found. Most of this wall was
still hidden in I/25-26 baulk, taken down probably in 1986 in order to find its
continuation21. W7249 was found to deepen significantly (closing heights 14.3414.22), and a series of fill loci was dug along its southern face, between and under the
patches of floor 7324 – 7332, 7333, 7335, 12158, 12162, 12204 and 12222 – of which
at least the lower two were identified as parts of a foundation trench. The relation
between W7249 and W3813 is a bit unclear, due to the fact that the previous seems to
abut the latter only in their upper courses, but as they deepen starts some kind of gap
between the two. Furthermore, W7249 deepens much more than W3813. In contrast,
W7276, which makes a right angled corner with W3813 in the latter’s southern tip,
does not deepen more than one course of stones (estimated heights – 15.30-14.95; see
photo. 86417-9)22. The bottom of W3813 is slightly lower than the height of floor
7324, i.e. app. 14.70-14.60.
The relations between floor 7324 and W7249 can be interpreted in more than one
way. Photo M-7035 is useful in addressing the problem, since a patch of the floor is
seen very close to the wall. At first glance, it seems as if it abuts the wall, but actually
it extends into the wall, i.e. in between two of its courses. During a visit in the field in
January 2005, we (Ilan and Uri) observed a patch of white plaster floor inside the
corner of W7249 and W3813, which might belong to the same floor. Both situations
imply that the builders of the floor already knew the wall; moreover, the last
20
The floor will be referred to as 7324 only.
21
No record was found concerning the removal of this bulk.
22
W7276 card was never completed, so we have no “official” closing heights for it
(neither on ph. 5 master plan). The same is valid for W3813.
150
observation may suggest that they were built at the same time, in a way that the floor
was laid during the construction of the wall, and therefore penetrated slightly into it. If
this is the case, we can conclude that floor 7324 and W7249 are contemporaneous.
But, Taking into account that the analysis based on the photos can be misguided, the
possibility that the wall is later than the floor can not be ruled out. This option was
raised while examining the relationship between W7249 and floor 12272, the
continuation of floor 7324 in H-I/24-25 unit (see description in stage v there).
Similarly, both options are relevant also to W3183-Fl.7324 relations. Regarding
W7276, which clearly lies above the floor (photos 86417-9), two options exist. If
W7249 and W3813 are later than floor 7324, W7276 may be attributed to the same
stage as theirs. But, if the former walls are contemporaneous with the floor, than
W7276 must belong to an upper stage, in a way that its bottom course was laid against
an older wall; the very same situation is evident in W7249-W3767 relations (see HI/24-25 unit).
Another feature which clearly relates to the floor is W12156. This wall consists of one
course of dressed kurkar stones set in one row, oriented east-west; heights – 14.8114.65. Floor 7324-12159 was not preserved well near the wall (photo M-7035), but
the relative heights point to their probable contemporaneity. Moreover, a series of 5
complete store-jars was found immediately south of this wall, some partly leaning on
it. The jars were recorded only as the floor was removed, in loci 12307, 12308, and
12320, as well as on top of W12209 (see below), in locus L12338 (photo 71391-5).
The jars are clearly related to W12156, because if it was inserted after their
deposition, the jars would have simply been demolished. It is possible that the whole
purpose of the construction of this well-cut stone row, forming a narrow wall, was to
serve as an installation connected to the placement of the jars. Therefore, the jars
seem to relate also to floor 7324-12159 in some way, though some of them were
found upside-down. Their relative heights also point to the same direction (14.7014.30 in general). A one-course brick wall found directly under W12156 and in the
same orientation, designated W12336 (heights 14.69-14.48), served in my opinion as
a lower course of the same installation. It is said that the bricks of W12336 reached
within a distance of 3 cm from the upper course of W12209 to the east, while the
151
dressed stones of W12156 are laid on top of the latter wall23. Both courses (W1215612336) seem to be later than W12209 and to cut W12199 (see below).
A more tricky question is posed while trying to establish the nature of a beaten-earth
surface found under plaster floor 7324-12159, designated 12308 (make-up –
L12323)24. This floor was found 10-25 cm below the plaster floor, sloping gently
from east (14.58) to west (14.38). Three of the jars, found in L12307, 12308 and
12320, are sunk into this surface as well (their bottom heights are around 14.30).
Brick wall 12336 is the surface’ border to the north-east, while it was found to
continue beyond its line in the north-west (L13079; dug in 1992). The upper
centimeters of W12209 form the eastern border of the locus. The relations between
the latter wall and surface are not specified in the available documentation, but it
seems that the surface either covered the wall, or used its topmost part as a platform
(top height of the wall – app. 14.70-14.50; see above for its relation with the plaster
floor). Thus, it may be understood as a primary surface on which a thin constructive
fill and plaster floor were laid. Nevertheless, the possibility that it served as an
independent surface, co-existing with W12209 in its final phase, and prior to the
construction of floor 7324-12159, can not be excluded, and it is advised to wait for
the ceramic reading of the pottery from Loci 12307, 12308, 12313, 12320 and 12321,
to see if there is any difference in the material from above and below the plaster floor.
Final remark: Two more loci were defined between the patches of floor 7324-12159 –
7331 & 7332; they were labeled as “pits”, and nothing significant was found inside
them. Their relation to the floor is unknown. Two options may be applicable: the first
is that those pits that were dug into the floor, and post-date it; and the second is that
they are not pits at all, but rather areas where the floor did not preserve well (maybe
due to winter damages between seasons??).
23
No Photos showing W12336 were found. My suggestion contradicts that of Ayelet
made during excavation, i.e. that W12336 should be separated from W12156.
24
Actually, the floor was reached in 5 different loci (12307, 12308, 12313, 12320,
12321), covering the area dug under the plaster floor to the south of W12156, but
was than named 12308.
152
Stage iii (corresponds to stage vi in H-I/24-25 unit?)
Summary
Wall – 12199.
NO FLOOR.
Description
A stone wall was detected between W12156 and W7249, and was labeled 12199.
According to the locus card, it abuts both walls; but on the photographs taken during
the excavations, it clearly does not abut them. The heights given to this bad preserved
wall fragment, 14.60-14.47, permit to assume that it also ran above W12209 to its
east. In my opinion, it post-dates W12209, and pre-dates (and cut by) W7249 and
W12156-12336. It is the only feature in this stage; it was dug in between fill loci –
12197, 12198, 12200 – and cut by loci connected with the foundation trench of
W7249 – 12204 and 12222.
Stages iv-v (correspond to stage vii in H-I/24-25 unit or predate this stage)
Summary
Stage iv
Wall – 12209.
Floor – 12240-12250.
Stage v
Wall – 12209.
Floor – 12267.
Description
153
The main feature in the unit underneath the walls of stage ii is W12209. This wall
appears immediately under walls 3767, 7249, and 12156. Its part south of W12156
probably used as a platform when floors 7324-12159 and 12308-12323 were in use
(see above), or simply as their eastern continuation. To the north of W12156 the
plaster floor covered W12209, and continued eastwards under W3767 to meet floor
12272 in H-I/24-25 unit. W12209 preserved to a considerable height: in the south,
next to floor 7324-12159, its uppermost height is approximately 14.70, while its
lowermost point, next its foundation trench loci of 12287 in the northern part, is 13.14
(which is also the deepest height of the excavation in the northern probe; see below).
Actually, only the northern and western parts of the unit were dug to a considerable
depth under the level of L12328 (beneath floor 12308-12323), so that the floors which
relate to W12209 were exposed to a very limited extent.
The stratigraphic sequence in the deep northern probe, under W12199, contained two
different surfaces abutting W12209. The upper one is L12240-12250, its height being
13.89-13.76. Above it there is a sequence of fill loci – 12213, 12223, 12228 and
12241. L12240 abuts W12209, while L12250 is its western continuation, where the
surface is less clear (and may not exist). Partly sealed under these loci is L12261;
under it are loci 12266 and 12267, the latter being consist of accumulation above a
beaten-earth floor (13.40-13.30). L12283 was dug as the make-up of this floor, which
was not preserved in the vicinity of the wall itself. Their relation could not be defined,
so that the floor may either be contemporary with the wall in its early phase of use, or
pre-date it. In favor of the first suggestion stands the field observation of a ledge
protruding from W12209 at a height of 13.30, which may indicate the beginning of
the superstructure, i.e. the height at which the lowest floor should have existed.
Deepening more, L12287 was identified as foundation trench near the supposed
substructure course of the wall. The final loci excavated in the probe, L12289 and
L12301, were identified as accumulations, containing no architectural features25.
25
L12289 card is missing; heights on L12301 card seem wrong. The closing height of
the probe should be around 13.00
154
Stage vi
Summary
Wall – 12268
NO FLOOR.
Description
Under fill L12261, in the western part of the northern probe, appeared W12268,
oriented north-west–south-east. In order to define the nature of the wall more clearly,
a second probe was dug in the south-western part of the unit. The stratigraphic
sequence begins with the surfaces which connect to floor 12308-12323, i.e. 13025 and
13079; lowering more it consists of a series of fill loci –13028, 13039 – and parallel
loci in a baulk that was left at first but than removed –13080 and 13095. At the
bottom of L13039 and L13095, W12268 was encountered once again. Its high-most
point is unclear – 14.03 in L13039 locus card, and 13.65-13.33 in L13095 locus card.
Deepening more along the southern face of the wall (L13060), foundation trench was
defined at L13077 (heights – 12.67-12.64); this is also the deepest point excavated in
the whole unit. No floors related to W12268 were found in this thick sequence,
although the wall itself was preserved to approximately one meter, or even more.
Some of the loci cards mention the option that it served as a part of a glacis, because it
is massively-built and slightly sloping towards north-east. In my opinion, the
orientation
26
of
the
wall
does
not
support
such
an
explanation26.
W12268 locus card does not include any relevant details concerning the building
technique and dimensions of the wall.
155
156
L/W
Locus#
Square
Area
Unit
Season
Clean.
Stage
W
3732
I/25
B2
IJ/25
1985
L
3746
I/25
B2
IJ/25
1985
u
i-ii
L
3748
I/25
B2
1985
u
i
W
3754
I/25
B2
W
3767
I/25
B2
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
L
3770
I-J/25
B2
IJ/25
1985
u
i
L
3771
I-J/25
B2
1985
u
i
L
3772
I-J/25
B2
1985
u
i
W
3773
J/25
B2
1985
u
i
L
3777
I/25
B2
1985
u
i
L
3795
I-J/25
B2
1985
u
i
L
3796
I-J/25
B2
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
1985
u
i
L
3800
I-J/25
B2
IJ/25
1985
s
L
3801
J/25
B2
IJ/25
1985
L
3802
I-J/25
B2
IJ/25
L
3807
I-J/25
B2
IJ/25
Phase
Description
Short Descr.
stone wall, totally covered by fl. 3721,
partially by L3723 & L3733
stone wall
accumulation continued from
between W3732 and L3760 above
plaster floor 7324-12159
robber trench of W3732 to its south
accumulation
above floor
wall in northern bulk, connected to
walls 3732, 3767
north-east - south-west stone wall,
upper courses built of dressed stones
and lower ones of small field stones
accumulation above beaten earth
(and plastered?) floor
stone wall
accumulation south of W3773 and
east of W3737
robber trench, continuous of W3773
accumulation
stone wall built of dressed stones
above field stones
robbers' trench of walls 3767-3768
corner
floor 3770 make up, made of plaster
fragments & hard dirt
plaster floor material, possibly not a
floor but an installation
stone wall
i
accumulation below flloor
accumulation
below floor
s
i
accumulation below flr. L3796
accumulation
below floor
1985
u
i
accumulation below flr. L3796
accumulation
below floor
1985
u
i-ii
accumulation
accumulation
i
1985
i
1985
i
1-5
5??
PoM
robber trench
stone wall
accumulation
above floor
robber trench
robbers' trench
floor make-up
plaster ploor ?
157
L/W
Locus#
Square
Area
Unit
Season
Clean.
Stage
Phase
L
3809
I-J/25
B2
IJ/25
1985
u
ii?
5?
W
3813
J/25
B2
IJ/25
1985
ii
5
L
3814
I-J/25
B2
1985
u
ii?
5?
L
3815
I/25
B2
IJ/25
IJ/25
1985
u
ii?
5?
L
3826
I-J/25
B2
IJ/25
1985
u
ii
5?
L
3828
I/25
B2
IJ/25
1985
s
L
3829
I/25
B2
1985
W
7276
J/25
B2
IJ/25
IJ/25
Description
Short Descr.
accumulation above floor between
W3773 and northern bulk which is
cut by the wall
south-eastern wall of the southern
chamber of the two chamber gate
accumulation
above floor
accumulation between W3813,
W3773 and southern bulk
accomulation below W3732 and r.t.
3748
accumulation
accumulation above plastered floor,
same as L3809
accumulation
above floor
i
thin accumulation below W3754 and
above W7249
accumulation
below wall
u
i
thin accumulation (?) inside W3767
accumulation (?)
1986
-
ii
stone wall, prbably connected to
W3813 of the two chamber gate
stone wall
L
7277
J/25
B2
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
1986
u
i
robber's pit
1986
u
ii?
5?
1986
u
ii
5?
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
1986
u
ii
5?
1986
u
ii?
5?
1986
s
ii ?
5?
1986
?
ii?
5??
ashy materail in the supposed corner
of W3813 & W7276
accumulation between W7249 &
W12156
accumulation above floor, the
southern part of flr. 7324-12159;
probably the same as L3746, 3815,
3826;
plaster floor which covers most of IJ/25; same as L12159
pit (?) cut into flr. 7324; bordered by
W12156
pit (?) cut into flr. 7324; bordered by
W12156
accumulation (below flr. 3809 ?) near
the intersection of walls 3813 & 7249
L
7322
I/25
B2
L
7323
I/25
B2
L
7324
I-J/25
B2
L
7331
J/25
B2
L
7332
I-J/25
B2
L
7333
J/25
B2
L
7335
J/25
B2
IJ/25
1986
u
ii-iii
5?6?
accumulation
accumulation
5?
PoM
stone wall
accumulation (?)
below wall
accumulation
accumulation
above plastered
floor
plaster floor
pit ?
pit?
accumulation
158
L/W
Locus#
Square
Area
Unit
Season
W
12156
I-J/25
B2
IJ/25
1991
L
12157
I/25
B2
IJ/25
1991
L
12158
I-J/25
B2
IJ/25
L
12159
I-J/25
B2
L
12162
I-J/25
B2
L
12197
I-J/25
B2
L
12198
I-J/25
B2
W
12199
I-J/25
B2
L
12200
I-J/25
B2
L
12204
I-J/25
B2
W
12209
I-J/25
B2
L
12213
I-J/25
L
12222
L
L
Clean.
Stage
Phase
ii
5?
u
ii
5?
1991
u
ii
IJ/25
1991
u
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
1991
Description
Short Descr.
well-cut sandstone blocks lined as a
wall of one course (or two courses if
W12336 is actually a lower course of
W12156)
accumulation (mainly winter wash) in
the beginning of season
stone wall
5?
accumulation and winter wash in the
beginning of season
winter wash and
accumulation
ii
5?
same as 7324
plastered floor
u
iii?
6?
accumulation
1991
u
iii?
6?
accumulation below level of stage ii
floors
accumulation east of wall 12199
1991
u
ii-iii?
5? 6?
accumulation west of W12199
accumulation
iii
6?
samll fragment of a stone wall, built
of field stones
accumulation above brick wall 12209
stone wall
accumulation near W7249, part of its
foundation trench
massive brick wall, preserved to 1.5
m height, oriented NS; ayelet superstructure begins at a height of
13.30
accumulation below W12199
foundation
trench
brick wall
B2
I-J/25
B2
foundation
trench
accumulation
12223
I-J/25
B2
12228
I-J/25
B2
1991
PoM
1991
u
iii?
6?
1991
u
ii?
5?
1991
-
iv-v
7?
<7?
IJ/25
1991
s
iv?
7?
<7?
IJ/25
IJ/25
1991
u
ii?
5?
bottom of W7249 foundation trench
1991
u
iv?
7?
<7?
accumulation below level of W7249
foundation trench, west of W12209
IJ/25
1991
u
iv?
7?
<7?
accumulation
winter wash
accumulation
accumulation
accumulation
below wall
accumulation
159
L/W
Locus#
Square
Area
Unit
Season
Clean.
Stage
Phase
L
12240
I-J/25
B2
1991
u
iv
L
12241
I-J/25
B2
1991
u
iv?
L
12250
I-J/25
B2
1991
u
iv?
L
12261
I-J/25
B2
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
1991
u
v
L
12266
I-J/25
B2
1991
u
v
L
12267
I-J/25
B2
IJ/25
IJ/25
1991
u
v
W
12268
J/25
B2
1991
L
12282
I-J/25
B2
L
12283
I-J/25
B2
L
12284
I-J/25
B2
L
12287
I-J/25
B2
L
12289
I-J/25
B2
L
12301
I-J/25
B2
L
12307
I-J/25
B2
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
L
12308
I-J/25
B2
L
12313
I-J/25
B2
PoM
Description
Short Descr.
7?
<7?
7?
<7?
7?
<7?
7?
<7?
accumulation and parlty preserved
floor west of W12209
accumulation beside the floor
excavated in L12240
floor make up (of L12240) with ashy
and burnt material
accumulation (constructive fill?)
below flr. 12250
accumulation &
floor
accumulation
7?
<7?
7?
<7?
accumulation
floor make-up
accumulation
below floor
vi
<7
7?
<7?
7?
<7?
<7
accumulation west of flr. 12267 and
above W12268
accumulation & partly preserved
floor, probably related to W12209
though the relations were not clear in
the field
massive stone wall, not related to
anything
accumulation (& foundation trench of
W12209 ?)
accumulation sealed below the
preserved part of flr L12267
accumulation to the north of W12268
accumulation, probably W12209
foundation trench
accumulation below level of W12209
foundation
trench
accumulation
accumulation &
floor
stone wall
1991
u
v
accumulation
1991
s
v
1991
u
vi?
1991
u
v
1991
u
<v
7?
<7?
<7
1991
u
<v
<7
accumulation below level of W12209
accumulation
1991
s
ii?
5?
accumulation above beaten surface
and below flr 12159
beaten earth
floor
IJ/25
1991
s
ii?
5?
accumulation above beaten surface
and below flr 12159
beaten earth
floor
IJ/25
1991
s
ii?
5?
accumulation above beaten surface
and below flr 12159
beaten earth
floor
sealed
accumulation
accumulation
160
L/W
Locus#
Square
Area
Unit
Season
Clean.
Stage
Phase
L
12320
I-J/25
B2
1991
s
ii?
5?
L
12321
I-J/25
B2
1991
s
ii?
5?
L
12323
I-J/25
B2
1991
s
ii?
5?
L
12328
I-J/25
B2
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
1991
s
iii?
Iv?
W
12336
I-J/25
B2
1991
L
12338
I-J/25
B2
IJ/25
IJ/25
1991
L
13025
I-J/25
B2
L
13028
I-J/25
B2
L
13039
I-J/25
B2
L
13060
I-J/25
B2
L
13077
I-J/25
B2
L
13078
I-J/25
B2
L
13079
I-J/25
B2
L
13080
I-J/25
B2
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
IJ/25
L
13095
I-J/25
B2
IJ/25
PoM
Description
Short Descr.
accumulation above beaten surface
and below flr 12159
accumulation above beaten surface
and below flr 12159
floor make up
beaten earth
floor
beaten earth
floor
floor make up
6? 7?
accumulation below flr make-up
L12323
accumulation
(and floor???)
ii?
5?
brick wall
s
ii?
5?
one-course brick wall, probably a
lower course of W12156
area around jars # 4 & 5, on top of
brick wall 12209
1992
u
<ii
?
accumulation
1992
u
<ii
?
1992
u
<ii
?
accumulation (thought to be a floor in
the beginning)
accumulation above and south of
W12268
accumulation south of W12268
1992
u
<ii
?
accumulation south of W12268
accumulation
1992
u
vi
<7
foundation trench of W12268
1992
u
<ii
?
accumulation south of f.t. 13077
foundation
trench
accumulation
1992
u
<ii
?
same floor as L12323
1992
u
<ii
?
accumulation in removal of E-W
baulk between two halves of J/25
1992
u
<ii
?
accumulation in removal of E-W
baulk between two halves of J/25
accumulation
above brick wall
accumulation
accumulation
beaten earth
floor
accumulation
accumulation