Nava Panitz-Cohen | The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (original) (raw)
Papers by Nava Panitz-Cohen
The Torah.com, 2022
A short review of pottery as it appears in the Hebrew bible, relating to archaeological definitio... more A short review of pottery as it appears in the Hebrew bible, relating to archaeological definitions and textual terminology.
T&T Clark Handbook of Food in the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Israel, 2022
A brief review published in Biblical Archaeology Review of the first two volumes published in the... more A brief review published in Biblical Archaeology Review of the first two volumes published in the series:
The Ancient Pottery of Israel and Its Neighbors: From the Iron Age
Through the Hellenistic Period (vols. 1 and 2)
Edited by Seymour Gitin
The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of the Levant (c. 8000-332 BCE), 2013
Th e Late Bronze Age in the area of the Israel/Palestinian territories (termed here 'Canaan') was... more Th e Late Bronze Age in the area of the Israel/Palestinian territories (termed here 'Canaan') was a period of prosperity and privation, submission and rebellion. It marked a high point of various technological, mercantile, and artistic endeavours while, at the same time, other aspects of ancient life experienced a decline. Two seminal features characterized this period: the domination of the Egyptian Empire, which provides the chrono-historical as well as the political-cultural framework for the entire duration of this period, and the economic and cultural involvement of Canaan in the 'world system' network of the eastern Mediterranean and the ancient Near East. It is this dialectic nature, along with the multitude of textual evidence and rich archaeological fi nds, that make the Late Bronze Age a pivotal period in the development of history, society, and culture in Canaan.
Household Archaeology in Ancient Israel and Beyond, 2011
This is the second phase of the analysis of the huge assemblage of broken pottery found in the Ya... more This is the second phase of the analysis of the huge assemblage of broken pottery found in the Yavneh repository pit (favissa) alongside the cult stands and other ritual objects. This study continues the typological quantified analysis that appeared in Yavneh I, so that together, these two studies present the entire assemblage from the pit. In addition, this study includes a technological assessment of the chalices, including replication done by potter Dafna Zuckerman.
A look at the future of ceramic studies in archaeology.
Master, D. ed. 2013. The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Archaeology
Abel Beth Maacah by Nava Panitz-Cohen
Now These Records Are Ancient”. Studies in Ancient Near Eastern and Biblical History, Language and Culture in Honor of K. Lawson Younger, Jr.,, 2022
This article, a contribution to the festschrift in honor of Prof. Lawson Younger, Jr., presents a... more This article, a contribution to the festschrift in honor of Prof. Lawson Younger, Jr., presents and discusses two complete deer antlers found in two different Iron Age I contexts at Tel Abel Beth Maacah in the north of Israel. The discussion explores the human-deer relationship in general and the specific role and significance of deer antlers in Bronze and Iron Age rituals, in light of archaeological finds and texts, the latter focusing on medical incantations.
Israel Exploration Journal, 2019
ABSTRACT: During the first season of excavations at Tell Abil el-Qameḥ, identified with biblical... more ABSTRACT: During the first season of excavations at Tell Abil el-Qameḥ,
identified with biblical Abel Beth Maacah, a fused clump of silver items inside
a small pottery jug was found in a Late Bronze IIB context. This article presents
the context and proposed date of the hoard, a description of its contents,
chemical and isotope analyses and suggested provenance of the silver, as well
as the significance of the find in the broader regional, chronological and cultural
context.
In Pursuit of Visibility: Essays in Archaeology, Ethnography, and Text in Honor of Beth Alpert Nakhai; edited by Jennie Ebeling and Laura Mazow , 2022
A fragment of a painted figurine depicting a female drummer was found in an Iron IIA context at T... more A fragment of a painted figurine depicting a female drummer was found in an Iron IIA context at Tel Abel Beth Maacah in Upper Galilee. This article presents the context, iconography, and technology of the figurine and discusses its cultural and chronological significance. The article is published in the festschrift for Beth Alpert Nakahi and is dedicated to her important scholarship on gender in archaeology.
Material, Method and Meaning: Papers in Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology in Honor of Ilan Sharon. Edited by Uri Davidovich, Naama Yahalom-Mack and Sveta Matskevich. , 2022
This article discusses an elaborately decorated Phoenician Bichrome jar produced on the Lebanese ... more This article discusses an elaborately decorated Phoenician Bichrome jar produced on the Lebanese coast and found in an Iron Age IIA citadel complex at Tel Abel Beth Maacah in the Upper Galilee.
An article about a Middle Bronze IIB burial in Area B at Tel Abel Beth Maacah, published in the f... more An article about a Middle Bronze IIB burial in Area B at Tel Abel Beth Maacah, published in the festschrift in honor of Prof. Aren Maier: "Tell It in Gath -Essays in Honor of Aren M. Maeir on the Occasion of his Sixtieth Birthday Zaphon". The article describes the burial and its goods, which included a bronze ring with a scarab related to the Hyksos style. This prompts a discussion of the Hyksos phenomenon in the far north of Canaan.
The Wise Woman of Abel Beth Maacah, 2019
This article discussed the enigmatic figure of the "Wise Woman" from 2 Samuel 20:14-22 which rela... more This article discussed the enigmatic figure of the "Wise Woman" from 2 Samuel 20:14-22 which relates her heroic saving of Abel Beth Maacah, as well as mentioning the town's loyalty to David and its reputation as having a tradition of a local oracle. The finds from the excavations at Tel Abel Beth Maacah, directed by Naama Yahalom-Mack and Nava Panitz-Cohen of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Robert Mullins of Azusa Pacific university, are discussed in relation to the Wise Woman tradition.
Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology
Astragali, the knuckle or ankle bones of mammals, have been collected, used and modified by human... more Astragali, the knuckle or ankle bones of mammals, have been collected, used and modified by humans in different parts of the world for millennia. Large hoards dating from Iron Age IIA (tenth–ninth centuries BC) are attested at a number of sites in the southern Levant, and a recently discovered hoard of 406 astragali at Tel Abel Beth Maacah in northern Israel presents an opportunity to investigate this phenomenon, shedding light on the function of these bones and why they bore special status and meaning that crossed cultural and temporal boundaries. In this study, the zooarchaeological analysis of the astragali provides the basis for an extensive discussion of the hoard’s formation process and function that explores ethnographic literature, archaeological data and ancient Near Eastern and classical documentary sources. The findings of this study demonstrate that while the individual bones had many different functions, once deposited together the astragali took on a new meaning, possi...
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2020
The Hula Valley, a gateway from Syria and Lebanon to the southern Levant, was dominated in the Mi... more The Hula Valley, a gateway from Syria and Lebanon to the southern Levant, was dominated in the Middle and Late Bronze Ages by the city-state of Hazor. Following the desolation of the latter in the 13th century BCE, it seems that Abel Beth Maacah became the leading polity in the region, showing a remarkable sequence of Iron Age I architecture. We examine this regional power shift using a zooarchaeological sequence from Abel Beth Maacah, which suggests the economic impact of pastoral nomads on the region during the Middle Bronze Age, and a reversion to traditional, extensive agro-pastoralism in the Late Bronze and Iron Ages.
The Torah.com, 2022
A short review of pottery as it appears in the Hebrew bible, relating to archaeological definitio... more A short review of pottery as it appears in the Hebrew bible, relating to archaeological definitions and textual terminology.
T&T Clark Handbook of Food in the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Israel, 2022
A brief review published in Biblical Archaeology Review of the first two volumes published in the... more A brief review published in Biblical Archaeology Review of the first two volumes published in the series:
The Ancient Pottery of Israel and Its Neighbors: From the Iron Age
Through the Hellenistic Period (vols. 1 and 2)
Edited by Seymour Gitin
The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of the Levant (c. 8000-332 BCE), 2013
Th e Late Bronze Age in the area of the Israel/Palestinian territories (termed here 'Canaan') was... more Th e Late Bronze Age in the area of the Israel/Palestinian territories (termed here 'Canaan') was a period of prosperity and privation, submission and rebellion. It marked a high point of various technological, mercantile, and artistic endeavours while, at the same time, other aspects of ancient life experienced a decline. Two seminal features characterized this period: the domination of the Egyptian Empire, which provides the chrono-historical as well as the political-cultural framework for the entire duration of this period, and the economic and cultural involvement of Canaan in the 'world system' network of the eastern Mediterranean and the ancient Near East. It is this dialectic nature, along with the multitude of textual evidence and rich archaeological fi nds, that make the Late Bronze Age a pivotal period in the development of history, society, and culture in Canaan.
Household Archaeology in Ancient Israel and Beyond, 2011
This is the second phase of the analysis of the huge assemblage of broken pottery found in the Ya... more This is the second phase of the analysis of the huge assemblage of broken pottery found in the Yavneh repository pit (favissa) alongside the cult stands and other ritual objects. This study continues the typological quantified analysis that appeared in Yavneh I, so that together, these two studies present the entire assemblage from the pit. In addition, this study includes a technological assessment of the chalices, including replication done by potter Dafna Zuckerman.
A look at the future of ceramic studies in archaeology.
Master, D. ed. 2013. The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Archaeology
Now These Records Are Ancient”. Studies in Ancient Near Eastern and Biblical History, Language and Culture in Honor of K. Lawson Younger, Jr.,, 2022
This article, a contribution to the festschrift in honor of Prof. Lawson Younger, Jr., presents a... more This article, a contribution to the festschrift in honor of Prof. Lawson Younger, Jr., presents and discusses two complete deer antlers found in two different Iron Age I contexts at Tel Abel Beth Maacah in the north of Israel. The discussion explores the human-deer relationship in general and the specific role and significance of deer antlers in Bronze and Iron Age rituals, in light of archaeological finds and texts, the latter focusing on medical incantations.
Israel Exploration Journal, 2019
ABSTRACT: During the first season of excavations at Tell Abil el-Qameḥ, identified with biblical... more ABSTRACT: During the first season of excavations at Tell Abil el-Qameḥ,
identified with biblical Abel Beth Maacah, a fused clump of silver items inside
a small pottery jug was found in a Late Bronze IIB context. This article presents
the context and proposed date of the hoard, a description of its contents,
chemical and isotope analyses and suggested provenance of the silver, as well
as the significance of the find in the broader regional, chronological and cultural
context.
In Pursuit of Visibility: Essays in Archaeology, Ethnography, and Text in Honor of Beth Alpert Nakhai; edited by Jennie Ebeling and Laura Mazow , 2022
A fragment of a painted figurine depicting a female drummer was found in an Iron IIA context at T... more A fragment of a painted figurine depicting a female drummer was found in an Iron IIA context at Tel Abel Beth Maacah in Upper Galilee. This article presents the context, iconography, and technology of the figurine and discusses its cultural and chronological significance. The article is published in the festschrift for Beth Alpert Nakahi and is dedicated to her important scholarship on gender in archaeology.
Material, Method and Meaning: Papers in Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology in Honor of Ilan Sharon. Edited by Uri Davidovich, Naama Yahalom-Mack and Sveta Matskevich. , 2022
This article discusses an elaborately decorated Phoenician Bichrome jar produced on the Lebanese ... more This article discusses an elaborately decorated Phoenician Bichrome jar produced on the Lebanese coast and found in an Iron Age IIA citadel complex at Tel Abel Beth Maacah in the Upper Galilee.
An article about a Middle Bronze IIB burial in Area B at Tel Abel Beth Maacah, published in the f... more An article about a Middle Bronze IIB burial in Area B at Tel Abel Beth Maacah, published in the festschrift in honor of Prof. Aren Maier: "Tell It in Gath -Essays in Honor of Aren M. Maeir on the Occasion of his Sixtieth Birthday Zaphon". The article describes the burial and its goods, which included a bronze ring with a scarab related to the Hyksos style. This prompts a discussion of the Hyksos phenomenon in the far north of Canaan.
The Wise Woman of Abel Beth Maacah, 2019
This article discussed the enigmatic figure of the "Wise Woman" from 2 Samuel 20:14-22 which rela... more This article discussed the enigmatic figure of the "Wise Woman" from 2 Samuel 20:14-22 which relates her heroic saving of Abel Beth Maacah, as well as mentioning the town's loyalty to David and its reputation as having a tradition of a local oracle. The finds from the excavations at Tel Abel Beth Maacah, directed by Naama Yahalom-Mack and Nava Panitz-Cohen of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Robert Mullins of Azusa Pacific university, are discussed in relation to the Wise Woman tradition.
Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology
Astragali, the knuckle or ankle bones of mammals, have been collected, used and modified by human... more Astragali, the knuckle or ankle bones of mammals, have been collected, used and modified by humans in different parts of the world for millennia. Large hoards dating from Iron Age IIA (tenth–ninth centuries BC) are attested at a number of sites in the southern Levant, and a recently discovered hoard of 406 astragali at Tel Abel Beth Maacah in northern Israel presents an opportunity to investigate this phenomenon, shedding light on the function of these bones and why they bore special status and meaning that crossed cultural and temporal boundaries. In this study, the zooarchaeological analysis of the astragali provides the basis for an extensive discussion of the hoard’s formation process and function that explores ethnographic literature, archaeological data and ancient Near Eastern and classical documentary sources. The findings of this study demonstrate that while the individual bones had many different functions, once deposited together the astragali took on a new meaning, possi...
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2020
The Hula Valley, a gateway from Syria and Lebanon to the southern Levant, was dominated in the Mi... more The Hula Valley, a gateway from Syria and Lebanon to the southern Levant, was dominated in the Middle and Late Bronze Ages by the city-state of Hazor. Following the desolation of the latter in the 13th century BCE, it seems that Abel Beth Maacah became the leading polity in the region, showing a remarkable sequence of Iron Age I architecture. We examine this regional power shift using a zooarchaeological sequence from Abel Beth Maacah, which suggests the economic impact of pastoral nomads on the region during the Middle Bronze Age, and a reversion to traditional, extensive agro-pastoralism in the Late Bronze and Iron Ages.
Tell Abil el-Qameh is the northernmost site in Israel, some 6.5 km northwest of Tel Dan. It is ab... more Tell Abil el-Qameh is the northernmost site in Israel, some 6.5 km northwest of Tel Dan. It is about 10 ha in area with a prominent upper tell in the north and a flat lower tell in the south. From its vantage point overlooking the northern Hula Valley, the tell commands roads that lead north to the Beq‘a Valley and the Lebanese coast, and northeast towards inland Syria and Mesopotamia. The site is mentioned as Abel Beth Maacah in the Hebrew Bible. Our research focus is on remains from the Middle and Late Bronze Ages, as well as from the Iron Age I-II. The site's location on the border between Phoenicia, Ancient Israel, and Aram/Syria affords us with an opportunity to study cross-cultural interaction during the Bronze and Iron Ages and shifting political alliances in the region during Iron Age I-II. Also featured in this article is the small faience head of a bearded male (probably an elite) wearing a headband. It was found in 2017 in the room of a 9th century BCE building and is currently on display in the Israel Museum.
Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections, 2016
During excavations at Tell Abil el-Qameḥ, identified as the biblical Abel Beth Maacah and located... more During excavations at Tell Abil el-Qameḥ, identified as the biblical Abel Beth Maacah and located in the Upper Galilee on the modern border between Israel, Lebanon and Syria, a high-quality Mnxprra scarab was found in an Iron Age I context, just above substantial Late Bronze IIB remains. Its typology suggests it to be a product from the reign of Ram-ses II's. Prompted by this discovery, we examine aspects of Egyptian involvement in this region during the time of Dynasty 19. It is suggested that following the outcome of the battle of Qadesh and the destruction of Hazor sometime in the 13th century BCE, the geo-political balance shifted and the area of the Upper Galilee and the northern Jordan Valley became a buffer zone, with more of an economic, rather than a military role. Egyptian interests in this northern reach of their empire were governed by mediators, rather than by the direct rule characteristic of Beth-Shean and the area to its south.
From Sha'ar Hagolan to Shaaraim: Essays in Honor of Prof. Yosef Garfinkel, 2016
An oval-shaped stone seal found at Tel Abel Beth Maacah is engraved with a motif of three schemat... more An oval-shaped stone seal found at Tel Abel Beth Maacah is engraved with a motif of three schematic figures in what may be understood as a dance scene. This motif is known from seals at other sites and has been dated to the Iron Age IIA. This article discusses the iconography of the seal in the regional and geo-historical context of Abel Beth Maacah as a border site between Israelites, Phoenicians and Arameans.
A brief look at an important and interesting find at Tel Abel Beth Maacah-a silver hoard in a jug... more A brief look at an important and interesting find at Tel Abel Beth Maacah-a silver hoard in a jug from the late 13th century BCE.
Summary of the excavation results to date at Tel Abel Beth Maacah through the 2015 summer season.... more Summary of the excavation results to date at Tel Abel Beth Maacah through the 2015 summer season. Principal remains discussed include the Middle to Late Bronze AGe city wall in Area F, inaugural work on a possible city gate in Area G, the significant Iron Age I sequence in Area A (including a late 11th century administrative building complex), and the late Persian/early Hellenistic building on top of an Iron Age IIB public building, presumably from the time of the conquest of Abel Beth Maacah by Tiglath-pileser III in 733/32 BCE.
Review of the main finds from the excavations at Tel Abel Beth Maacah in the 2014-2015 seasons.
One of our research goals is to explore the possible correlation between biblical references to M... more One of our research goals is to explore the possible correlation between biblical references to Maacah as an Aramean kingdom and the material culture unearthed at Tel Abel Beth Maacah. This brief article in the "Archaeological Views" column of the January/February 2015 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review magazine summarizes some of the challenges that we face in this endeavor.
This volume is the third in the series of final reports on the Beth-Shean Valley Archaeological P... more This volume is the third in the series of final reports on the Beth-Shean Valley Archaeological Project, directed by Amihai Mazar on behalf of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem since 1989. The volume presents the results of the excavations in Areas N and S at Tel Beth-Shean, related to the heyday of the Egyptian garrison town of the 19th and 20th Dynasties and its aftermath, corresponding with Levels VII, VI and Late VI of the University Museum of the University of Pennsylvania Expedition (13th–11th centuries BCE). The volume starts with an overview of the main results (including those in Area Q, previously published), followed by a detailed analysis of the stratigraphy and architecture of Areas N and S, extensive discussions of the local Canaanite, Egyptian-style and imported Aegean style and Cypriot pottery, as well as a wide variety of artifacts, many of them related to the Egyptian presence. 31 contributors, 791 pages.
Excavations at Tel Beth-Shean 1989-1996. Volume III. The 13th-11th Century BCE Strata in Areas N and S, 2009
This volume, the third in the publication of the Hebrew University excavations at Tel Beth-Shean ... more This volume, the third in the publication of the Hebrew University excavations at Tel Beth-Shean directed by Amihai Mazar, presents the architecture, stratigraphy and finds from the 13th to 11th centuries BCE in this Egyptian garrison town and Canaanite city.
The ancient site of Tel Gezer (Abū-Shûsheh/Tell Jezer/Tell el-Jazari) is located in Central Israe... more The ancient site of Tel Gezer (Abū-Shûsheh/Tell Jezer/Tell el-Jazari) is located in Central Israel, approximately halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. It is situated in the northern section of the Judean foothills (Shephelah), not far from the southernmost hills of south-western Samaria. Raymond-Charles Weill commenced his career in archaeology and Egyptology at a relatively late age. After receiving his training in Egyptology and archaeology in France, Baron Rothschild invited him to excavate in Jerusalem, on lands belonging to the Baron. These excavations were conducted both before (in 1913-1914) and after (in 1923-1924) the First World War, and were duly reported by Weill (1920; 1947). Apparently, ancient tombs had been revealed on the site by the settlers, and Weill, who by chance was excavating at the time for the Baron in Jerusalem, was called in to excavate at Gezer. Both seasons of Weill's excavations at Gezer (in 1914 and 1924) coincided with his work in Jerusalem. His results were never fully published, and this present volume represents the author’s long researches to make some of Weill’s discoveries more widely available. Following the introductory chapter, the author and various contributors discuss and analyze finds from the tombs. In Chapter 2, N. Panitz Cohen and the author discuss the pottery from the tomb. In the following chapter, Chapter 3, the same authors discuss the stone, faience, bone, and metal objects. In Chapter 4, D. Barag discusses the Egyptian 18th Dynasty glass vessel from the tombs, a unique vessel and one of the more important finds from the tombs. In Chapter 5, O. Keel discusses the glyptic finds from the tombs, which included three scaraboids and one stamp seal. In Chapter 6, N. Applebaum, who conducted radiographic analyses of a sample group of vessels from the tombs, discusses the technological conclusions reached from this analysis. Chapter 6 presents a summary discussion of all the various finds.
The Minerva Center for the Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times (RIAB) A Workshop... more The Minerva Center for the Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times (RIAB)
A Workshop:
Five Seasons of Excavation at Tel Abel Beth Maacah: An Interim Assessment
The Institute of Archaeology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Thursday, April 26
Overview:
This workshop will present a summary of the stratigraphic and architectural contexts, as well as major material culture finds, uncovered during the course of five seasons of excavation. Focus will be on the Iron Age I and II, with highlights from the Middle and Late Bronze Age, as well as the Persian-early Hellenistic period, in order to better understand the occupation sequence.
Following this presentation, a discussion will take place on issues generated by the finds and the research questions that guide the project, particularly, how the archaeological data from Abel Beth Maacah illuminate cultural and historical developments in the Hula Valley, from the Late Bronze Age city state of Hazor to the Iron Age IIA territorial kingdoms of Israel and Aram-Damascus. A presentation of pottery and other finds from these periods will take place and serve as the basis for a chronological, contextual and cultural discussion.
Schedule:
15:00: Convening and refreshments
15:15-17:00: Presentation of the archaeological field and artefactual data
17:00-17:30: Break
17:30-19:00: Presentation of pottery and other finds and discussion
If you are interested in participating, please contact: panitz@mail.huji.ac.il
Maeir, A. M., Shai, I., and McKinny, C., eds. The Canaanite Was Then in the Land (Gen. 12: 6): Selected Studies on the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages of Southern Canaan. , 2019
A review of the rich Late Bronze Age occupation strata and finds from Tel Batash, a retrospect ba... more A review of the rich Late Bronze Age occupation strata and finds from Tel Batash, a retrospect based on the published volumes Qedem 37, 42 and 45.
Timnah (Tel Batash) Final Reports III. The Finds from the Second Millennium BCE, 2006
This is the third and final volume publishing the results of excavations at Tel Batash (biblical ... more This is the third and final volume publishing the results of excavations at Tel Batash (biblical Timnah) directed by Amihai Mazar of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. This volume presents the finds from the Middle Bronze Age, Late Bronze Age and Iron Age I, including an in-depth typological and technological study of local and imported pottery, distribution analysis of finds in houses, and studies of numerous objects, such as glyptics, figurines, botanical remains and metal.
In this paper, we survey the Late Bronze Age remains at Tel Batash (Arabic Tell el-Batashi, identified with biblical Timnah) in light of the recent developments in the research of the Shephelah and related regions, 2019
In this paper, we survey the Late Bronze Age remains at Tel Batash (Arabic Tell el-Batashi, ident... more In this paper, we survey the Late Bronze Age remains at Tel Batash (Arabic Tell el-Batashi, identified with biblical Timnah) in light of the recent developments in the research of the Shephelah and related regions and with few new radiocarbon dates
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2010
Amihai Mazar and Nava Panitz-Cohen (editors). Tel Rehov. A Bronze and Iron Age City in the Beth-Shean Valley. Various Objects and Natural-Science Studies. , 2020
This chapter in the fifth volume of the Tel Rehov excavations publication series presents and dis... more This chapter in the fifth volume of the Tel Rehov excavations publication series presents and discusses the spatial distribution of hundreds of pottery vessels and other items in a number of unique buildings from Stratum IV (Late Iron Age IIA) in Area C at Tel Rehov.
