Shua Kisilevitz | Tel Aviv University (original) (raw)
Iron Age by Shua Kisilevitz
Tel Aviv, 2015
The renewed excavations at Tel Moza brought to light remains of an exceptional temple complex, es... more The renewed excavations at Tel Moza brought to light remains of an exceptional temple complex, established in the Iron IIA (10th-9th centuries BCE). 2 An assemblage comprised of figurines and cultic vessels was found lying on the packed earth floor of the temple courtyard. The plan of the temple and the motifs of the figurines and cultic vessels are drawn from conventions prevalent throughout the Ancient Near East. The importance and unique nature of the Tel Moza temple are accentuated by the fact that it is the first Iron Age temple to be excavated in the heart of Judah, just a few km from Jerusalem, and thus provides new insight into early Israelite religion.
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region (Supplementary Volume), 2020
Moẓa, identified with biblical Motzah mentioned in the Book of Joshua as part of the region belon... more Moẓa, identified with biblical Motzah mentioned in the Book of Joshua as part of the region belonging to the tribe of Benjamin (Josh 18:26), is located approximately 7 km northwest of ancient Jerusalem. The site is situated on the lower third of a slope descending southward and overlooks the ancient route connecting the Shephelah (the Judean foothills) to the west and the central hill country and Jerusalem to the east (Fig. 1). Naḥal Soreq and Naḥal Moẓa/Arza-both blessed with ample seasonal water flow-converge at the base of the slope and form a wide drainage basin extending south-southwest. The basin contains several springs and expanses of fertile soil, and is known for its temperate climate. These favorable conditions were the reason for the existence of agriculturally based settlements in the region since prehistoric times, with recent excavations south of the convergence demonstrating the existence of a large agricultural settlement in which grain was cultivated as early as the Neolithic period (see Khalaily and Vardi, this volume). Surveys and excavations conducted throughout the basin and on the slopes of the tell have yielded remains spanning, intermittently, the Paleolithic period to modern times (e.g.
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region, Collected Papers Volume 12, 2018
Biblical Archaeological Review , 2020
Les Carnets de l'ACoSt, 2016
Biblical Archaeological Review 46(5): 38–45., 2020
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region 15: 35–49. , 2022
Huqoq by Shua Kisilevitz
Ancient Synagogues Revealed (1981-2022), 2023
The Ḥuqoq Synagogue Excavations: Report on the 2011–2018 Seasons – Jodi Magness, Shua Kisilevitz,... more The Ḥuqoq Synagogue Excavations: Report on the 2011–2018 Seasons – Jodi Magness, Shua
Kisilevitz, Matthew Grey, Dennis Mizzi, Karen Britt, and Raʿanan Boustan
Journal of Roman Archaeology, 2014
Horvat Huqoq (henceforth Huqoq; pronounced "hoo-COKE") lies 3 km northwest of the Sea of Galilee.... more Horvat Huqoq (henceforth Huqoq; pronounced "hoo-COKE") lies 3 km northwest of the Sea of Galilee. The site (map ref. 1952/2546) sits on a moderate hill surrounded by arable land, with alluvial plains on the west. A perennial fresh water spring (̒En Huqoq) is located at the foot of the N slope. Roads run 2 km to the south (the Wadi Zalmon route) and 3 km to the north (the Beth ha-Kerem to Ramat Korazim route). 1 The remains of the ancient settlement (c.25-30 dunams) are covered partly by the ruins of the 19th-20th c. village of Yakuk (c.10 dunams), which was inhabited until 1948.
Biblical Archaeology Review, 2019
Huqoq’s ancient synagogue has yielded magnificent mosaics—some of the most impressive in all of I... more Huqoq’s ancient synagogue has yielded magnificent mosaics—some of the most impressive in all of Israel. But it was not mosaics that initially brought me (Jodi Magness) to Huqoq in Israel’s Lower Eastern Galilee. I never expected to make the spectacular discoveries described here. After spending most of my career working in the southern part of the country, I began the excavations at Huqoq, in 2011, in search of answers to questions about synagogue chronology. These questions mainly concern the so-called Galilean type of synagogue buildings. In my opinion, archaeological finds such as coins and pottery indicate that these synagogues (exemplified by the one at Capernaum) date to the later fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries C.E., whereas traditionally they have been dated to the second and third centuries,
Articles by Shua Kisilevitz
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Regionת Volume 11, 2017
Atiqot, 2023
A unique assemblage of chalk vessels was unearthed in excavations at Har Ḥoma, five kilometers so... more A unique assemblage of chalk vessels was unearthed in excavations at Har Ḥoma, five kilometers south of the Old City of Jerusalem. The assemblage, distinguished by the peculiar typology of its vessels, was found in a distinct and stratified fill containing pottery dating to the second half of the first century BCE, and it may be one of the earliest chalkvessel assemblages uncovered to date. This paper presents a catalogue of the Har Ḥoma assemblage, followed by a brief overview of comparative early assemblages from sites in Jerusalem and Jericho, and a discussion of the archaeological and historical significance of the Har Ḥoma assemblage for the history and development of chalk vessels in the late Second Temple period.
Studies of the Land of Judah, 2018
Judea and Samaria Research Studies , 2019
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region , 2012
Jerusalem Western Wall Plaza Excavations, Volume III - The Roman and Byzantine Periods: Small Finds from the Roman Refuse Dump and Other Contexts (IAA REPORTS 67), 2021
ChaPter 1 remains of Quarrying acTiviTies below The easTern cardo shua KisileviTz and shlomiT weK... more ChaPter 1 remains of Quarrying acTiviTies below The easTern cardo shua KisileviTz and shlomiT weKsler-bdolah IntroduCtIon The site of the Western Wall Plaza excavations is situated on the northeastern slope of ancient Jerusalem's 'Western Hill', which was the Upper City during the Second Temple period (the present-day Jewish Quarter). The surface of the underlying bedrock descends sharply to the northeast from the top of the Western Hill toward the confluence of the Transversal Valley and the Tyropoeon Valley. Geologically, the bedrock below the site is of the Bina Formation, which is the topmost formation of the Judea Group. This formation is divided into three superimposed members that bear the Arabic names coined by stone quarriers and masons for the three distinct types of building stone (from bottom to top): mizzi aḥmar, meleke and mizzi ḥilu (see Gill 2019). The exposed bedrock in the excavation area is of the Meleke Member, a porous white limestone containing fossil fragments. The thick deposits of up to 20 m lend it a massive appearance, although it is easily quarried for building blocks. Numerous ancient features have been hewn into this rock member, such as quarries, water cisterns and the fosse to the north of Jerusalem. The Mizzi Ḥilu Member, a fine-grained, finely layered, dense, yellowish white limestone, is found on top of the meleke within the Old City and on Mount Zion. Owing to its natural layering and high quality, mizzi ḥilu stones were used for paving (e.g., the Herodian street at the foot of the Temple Mount and the Roman Eastern Cardo), and for the construction of stairways (e.g., the Ḥulda stairs). Below the meleke is the Mizzi Aḥmar Member, which is a hard, dense, impermeable dolomite with red iron-oxide spots. The natural topography at the foot of the Western Hill was modified by quarrying activities that began in the late Iron Age (First Temple period) and continued in the Early Roman (Second Temple) period. The remains attest to the step method of quarrying, which creates tiered levels that generally follow the slope of the bedrock (Ward-Perkins 1971:6; Sumaka'i Fink 2000:633-634; Safrai and Sasson 2001:4). The result was a stepped cliff of meleke rock with a general orientation perpendicular to the slope's natural gradient (Plan 1.1), which descends from an elevation of c. 740.00 m asl at the top of the cliff in the southwestern area of the excavation, to c. 722.00 m asl in the depths of the quarries in the northeastern part of the area. In the Roman period (second century CE), the rock surface was reshaped when the Eastern Cardo was paved and the cliff was transformed into a vertical north-south rock wall (with an average height of c. 10 m), which today separates the Jewish Quarter from the Western Wall Plaza. These developments marked the end of quarrying activity in this area, and thus, the re-exposed rock surface today represents, in general, its Roman condition, despite later (Ottoman) alterations.
Historical and Landscape by Shua Kisilevitz
Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology and Heritage Studies, 2021
Salvage excavations on a slope near Jerusalem revealed parts of five buildings and many artifacts... more Salvage excavations on a slope near Jerusalem revealed parts of five buildings and many artifacts belonging to the Arab village of Qālūnyā, situated on the slope until its demise in 1948 and subsequent demolishing. The synchronization and synthesis of the archaeological finds with historical sources, such as landholding surveys, census registrations, maps, military reports, photographs, travelers' accounts, and memoirs written by local inhabitants and their descendants, together with the implementation of georeferencing tools, provide an opportunity to reconstruct a spatial outline of the village and to attribute sociopolitical and personal aspects to the inhabitants of the buildings that were found during the excavation.
The Mega Project at Motza (Moẓa): The Neolithic and Later Occupations up to the 20th Century, 2020
Salvage excavations conducted prior to several major development projects on the western outskirt... more Salvage excavations conducted prior to several major development projects on the western outskirts of Jerusalem have provided information on human settlement from several periods, the latest of which is the Arab village of Qālūnyā up until 1948. This article reviews the findings from this village, and analyzes them in conjunction with a wide range of additional sources such as maps, aerial photography, testimonials by villagers of Qālūnyā and the neighboring Jewish settlement of Motza, together with qualitative and quantitative data from various archives and manuscripts.
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and Its Region, 2015
The research traces the socio-economic and historical contexts in which terraces were constructed... more The research traces the socio-economic and historical contexts in which terraces were constructed in the rural periphery of Jerusalem, a thriving political, economic and religious center for four millennia, by using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of terraces fill in combination with careful analyses of related geomorphological and archaeological records.
Tel Aviv, 2015
The renewed excavations at Tel Moza brought to light remains of an exceptional temple complex, es... more The renewed excavations at Tel Moza brought to light remains of an exceptional temple complex, established in the Iron IIA (10th-9th centuries BCE). 2 An assemblage comprised of figurines and cultic vessels was found lying on the packed earth floor of the temple courtyard. The plan of the temple and the motifs of the figurines and cultic vessels are drawn from conventions prevalent throughout the Ancient Near East. The importance and unique nature of the Tel Moza temple are accentuated by the fact that it is the first Iron Age temple to be excavated in the heart of Judah, just a few km from Jerusalem, and thus provides new insight into early Israelite religion.
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region (Supplementary Volume), 2020
Moẓa, identified with biblical Motzah mentioned in the Book of Joshua as part of the region belon... more Moẓa, identified with biblical Motzah mentioned in the Book of Joshua as part of the region belonging to the tribe of Benjamin (Josh 18:26), is located approximately 7 km northwest of ancient Jerusalem. The site is situated on the lower third of a slope descending southward and overlooks the ancient route connecting the Shephelah (the Judean foothills) to the west and the central hill country and Jerusalem to the east (Fig. 1). Naḥal Soreq and Naḥal Moẓa/Arza-both blessed with ample seasonal water flow-converge at the base of the slope and form a wide drainage basin extending south-southwest. The basin contains several springs and expanses of fertile soil, and is known for its temperate climate. These favorable conditions were the reason for the existence of agriculturally based settlements in the region since prehistoric times, with recent excavations south of the convergence demonstrating the existence of a large agricultural settlement in which grain was cultivated as early as the Neolithic period (see Khalaily and Vardi, this volume). Surveys and excavations conducted throughout the basin and on the slopes of the tell have yielded remains spanning, intermittently, the Paleolithic period to modern times (e.g.
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region, Collected Papers Volume 12, 2018
Biblical Archaeological Review , 2020
Les Carnets de l'ACoSt, 2016
Biblical Archaeological Review 46(5): 38–45., 2020
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region 15: 35–49. , 2022
Ancient Synagogues Revealed (1981-2022), 2023
The Ḥuqoq Synagogue Excavations: Report on the 2011–2018 Seasons – Jodi Magness, Shua Kisilevitz,... more The Ḥuqoq Synagogue Excavations: Report on the 2011–2018 Seasons – Jodi Magness, Shua
Kisilevitz, Matthew Grey, Dennis Mizzi, Karen Britt, and Raʿanan Boustan
Journal of Roman Archaeology, 2014
Horvat Huqoq (henceforth Huqoq; pronounced "hoo-COKE") lies 3 km northwest of the Sea of Galilee.... more Horvat Huqoq (henceforth Huqoq; pronounced "hoo-COKE") lies 3 km northwest of the Sea of Galilee. The site (map ref. 1952/2546) sits on a moderate hill surrounded by arable land, with alluvial plains on the west. A perennial fresh water spring (̒En Huqoq) is located at the foot of the N slope. Roads run 2 km to the south (the Wadi Zalmon route) and 3 km to the north (the Beth ha-Kerem to Ramat Korazim route). 1 The remains of the ancient settlement (c.25-30 dunams) are covered partly by the ruins of the 19th-20th c. village of Yakuk (c.10 dunams), which was inhabited until 1948.
Biblical Archaeology Review, 2019
Huqoq’s ancient synagogue has yielded magnificent mosaics—some of the most impressive in all of I... more Huqoq’s ancient synagogue has yielded magnificent mosaics—some of the most impressive in all of Israel. But it was not mosaics that initially brought me (Jodi Magness) to Huqoq in Israel’s Lower Eastern Galilee. I never expected to make the spectacular discoveries described here. After spending most of my career working in the southern part of the country, I began the excavations at Huqoq, in 2011, in search of answers to questions about synagogue chronology. These questions mainly concern the so-called Galilean type of synagogue buildings. In my opinion, archaeological finds such as coins and pottery indicate that these synagogues (exemplified by the one at Capernaum) date to the later fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries C.E., whereas traditionally they have been dated to the second and third centuries,
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Regionת Volume 11, 2017
Atiqot, 2023
A unique assemblage of chalk vessels was unearthed in excavations at Har Ḥoma, five kilometers so... more A unique assemblage of chalk vessels was unearthed in excavations at Har Ḥoma, five kilometers south of the Old City of Jerusalem. The assemblage, distinguished by the peculiar typology of its vessels, was found in a distinct and stratified fill containing pottery dating to the second half of the first century BCE, and it may be one of the earliest chalkvessel assemblages uncovered to date. This paper presents a catalogue of the Har Ḥoma assemblage, followed by a brief overview of comparative early assemblages from sites in Jerusalem and Jericho, and a discussion of the archaeological and historical significance of the Har Ḥoma assemblage for the history and development of chalk vessels in the late Second Temple period.
Studies of the Land of Judah, 2018
Judea and Samaria Research Studies , 2019
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region , 2012
Jerusalem Western Wall Plaza Excavations, Volume III - The Roman and Byzantine Periods: Small Finds from the Roman Refuse Dump and Other Contexts (IAA REPORTS 67), 2021
ChaPter 1 remains of Quarrying acTiviTies below The easTern cardo shua KisileviTz and shlomiT weK... more ChaPter 1 remains of Quarrying acTiviTies below The easTern cardo shua KisileviTz and shlomiT weKsler-bdolah IntroduCtIon The site of the Western Wall Plaza excavations is situated on the northeastern slope of ancient Jerusalem's 'Western Hill', which was the Upper City during the Second Temple period (the present-day Jewish Quarter). The surface of the underlying bedrock descends sharply to the northeast from the top of the Western Hill toward the confluence of the Transversal Valley and the Tyropoeon Valley. Geologically, the bedrock below the site is of the Bina Formation, which is the topmost formation of the Judea Group. This formation is divided into three superimposed members that bear the Arabic names coined by stone quarriers and masons for the three distinct types of building stone (from bottom to top): mizzi aḥmar, meleke and mizzi ḥilu (see Gill 2019). The exposed bedrock in the excavation area is of the Meleke Member, a porous white limestone containing fossil fragments. The thick deposits of up to 20 m lend it a massive appearance, although it is easily quarried for building blocks. Numerous ancient features have been hewn into this rock member, such as quarries, water cisterns and the fosse to the north of Jerusalem. The Mizzi Ḥilu Member, a fine-grained, finely layered, dense, yellowish white limestone, is found on top of the meleke within the Old City and on Mount Zion. Owing to its natural layering and high quality, mizzi ḥilu stones were used for paving (e.g., the Herodian street at the foot of the Temple Mount and the Roman Eastern Cardo), and for the construction of stairways (e.g., the Ḥulda stairs). Below the meleke is the Mizzi Aḥmar Member, which is a hard, dense, impermeable dolomite with red iron-oxide spots. The natural topography at the foot of the Western Hill was modified by quarrying activities that began in the late Iron Age (First Temple period) and continued in the Early Roman (Second Temple) period. The remains attest to the step method of quarrying, which creates tiered levels that generally follow the slope of the bedrock (Ward-Perkins 1971:6; Sumaka'i Fink 2000:633-634; Safrai and Sasson 2001:4). The result was a stepped cliff of meleke rock with a general orientation perpendicular to the slope's natural gradient (Plan 1.1), which descends from an elevation of c. 740.00 m asl at the top of the cliff in the southwestern area of the excavation, to c. 722.00 m asl in the depths of the quarries in the northeastern part of the area. In the Roman period (second century CE), the rock surface was reshaped when the Eastern Cardo was paved and the cliff was transformed into a vertical north-south rock wall (with an average height of c. 10 m), which today separates the Jewish Quarter from the Western Wall Plaza. These developments marked the end of quarrying activity in this area, and thus, the re-exposed rock surface today represents, in general, its Roman condition, despite later (Ottoman) alterations.
Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology and Heritage Studies, 2021
Salvage excavations on a slope near Jerusalem revealed parts of five buildings and many artifacts... more Salvage excavations on a slope near Jerusalem revealed parts of five buildings and many artifacts belonging to the Arab village of Qālūnyā, situated on the slope until its demise in 1948 and subsequent demolishing. The synchronization and synthesis of the archaeological finds with historical sources, such as landholding surveys, census registrations, maps, military reports, photographs, travelers' accounts, and memoirs written by local inhabitants and their descendants, together with the implementation of georeferencing tools, provide an opportunity to reconstruct a spatial outline of the village and to attribute sociopolitical and personal aspects to the inhabitants of the buildings that were found during the excavation.
The Mega Project at Motza (Moẓa): The Neolithic and Later Occupations up to the 20th Century, 2020
Salvage excavations conducted prior to several major development projects on the western outskirt... more Salvage excavations conducted prior to several major development projects on the western outskirts of Jerusalem have provided information on human settlement from several periods, the latest of which is the Arab village of Qālūnyā up until 1948. This article reviews the findings from this village, and analyzes them in conjunction with a wide range of additional sources such as maps, aerial photography, testimonials by villagers of Qālūnyā and the neighboring Jewish settlement of Motza, together with qualitative and quantitative data from various archives and manuscripts.
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and Its Region, 2015
The research traces the socio-economic and historical contexts in which terraces were constructed... more The research traces the socio-economic and historical contexts in which terraces were constructed in the rural periphery of Jerusalem, a thriving political, economic and religious center for four millennia, by using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of terraces fill in combination with careful analyses of related geomorphological and archaeological records.
New studies in the archaeology of Jerusalem and its region: collected papers Volume 16, 2023
HA-ESI, Volume 132, 2020
Linares (area supervisors), V. Pirsky (surveying and drafting), A. Marco (drone photography), N. ... more Linares (area supervisors), V. Pirsky (surveying and drafting), A. Marco (drone photography), N. Ben-Melech (OSL) and Y. Vaknin (paleomagnetic sampling). Students and faculty of the Charles University in Prague and students of the Tel Aviv University Institute of Archaeology participated in the excavation. A controlled backfilling at the conclusion of the excavation was conducted with the help of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) conservation team, headed by F. Abu Ta'a. We wish to thank the IAA Jerusalem Region, as well as H. Khalaily and Y. Vardi, directors of the large IAA Moẕa Valley excavation project, for their help and support during the excavation. Thanks also go to A.
HA-ESI, Volume 132, 2020
In May 2014, a salvage excavation was conducted at 60 'Aqabat es-Saraya Street in the Muslim Quar... more In May 2014, a salvage excavation was conducted at 60 'Aqabat es-Saraya Street in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem (Permit No. A-7133; map ref. 222124-30/631701-07), following the discovery of ancient remains during the renovation of a private building. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and financed by the property owner, was directed by S. Kisilevitz (field photography), with the assistance of E.D. Kagan (area supervision), N. Nehama (administration), V. Essman and Y. Shmidov (surveying and drafting), D. Tanami and O. Chalaf (metal detection), N. Sapir (antiquities inspection and professional consultation), B. Dolinka (pottery; see Appendix), C. Amit (studio photography), C. Hersch (finds drawing) and R. Cohen-Amin (registrar). The excavation was conducted in the basement of a residential building to the west of 'Aqabat es-Saraya Street, near the junction with El-Khalidiya Street (Fig. 1). The basement is an ancient structure roofed with a barrel vault, in which ashlars serve as the vault keystones. On the north side of the building, three pillars built of well-dressed stones supported cross vaults; only the western pillar (L100), incorporated in the west wall, is visible today. During the renovation work that preceded the excavation, large parts of the building's walls were covered with cement; a concrete wall was built on the south side of the building, concealing the original walls; and layers of earth inside the building were removed to allow for a new concrete floor, which was laid at a lower level than the previous floor. The excavation was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, a small excavation area (c.
HA-ESI, Volume 131, 2019
This season's excavation continued in Area 3000 (Fig. 1), where there are three main occupation p... more This season's excavation continued in Area 3000 (Fig. 1), where there are three main occupation phases: a synagogue from the Late Roman period (early fifth century CE), a medieval public building (twelfth-thirteenth centuries CE), which reused the Late Roman synagogue, and the post-Middle Ages (thirteenth-sixteenth centuries CE) and late Ottoman-modern periods (eighteenth-twentieth centuries CE, up to 1948), when the
HA-ESI, Volume 130, 2018
Strata from the Early Roman, Byzantine and Early Islamic periods were exposed, as well as modern ... more Strata from the Early Roman, Byzantine and Early Islamic periods were exposed, as well as modern finds. The excavation area was located at the eastern end of a privately owned parking lot, east of Maʽale Ha-Shalom Street and southeast of Zion Gate (Fig. 1). Several months prior to the excavation and after a rickety fence separating a parking lot from residential buildings was dismantled, a trench (length c. 20 m, width c. 3 m, depth 1.5-3.5 m) was mechanical dug in preparation of constructing a new fence. A large amount of modern debris remained in the excavated strip, and archeological fills were discerned at the bottom of the probes opened to the west and east, thereby necessitating a proper excavation. The southern slopes of Mount Zion, where the excavation took place, was extensively excavated in the past, revealing archaeological remains from numerous periods (Broshi and Gibson 1994; Broshi 1976a; 1976b). Some 60 m northwest of the current excavation,
HA-ESI, Volume 130, 2018
Jerusalem, Manahat In July-September 2014, a salvage excavation was conducted in Jerusalem, on th... more Jerusalem, Manahat In July-September 2014, a salvage excavation was conducted in Jerusalem, on the spur on which the Manahat neighborhood is located (Malha; Permit No. A-7170; map ref. 216978-7458/628136-689), prior to the neighborhood's expansion. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and financed by the Ministry of Construction and Housing (the 'Arim Company), was directed by S. Kisilevitz, with the assistance of Z. Turgeman-Yaffe, N. Shami and C. Arbib (area
HA-ESI, Volume 130, 2018
(Canada). Additional funding was provided by the National Geographic Society, the Loeb Classical ... more (Canada). Additional funding was provided by the National Geographic Society, the Loeb Classical Library Foundation, the International Catacomb Society, the Foundation for Biblical Archaeology (S. Bishop) and private donors. The excavation was directed by J. Magness, with the assistance of S. Kisilevitz (assistant director), M. Golan (administration), M. Grey and D. Mizzi (area supervision), J. Haberman (field photography), M. Robinson-Mohr (registration), D. Schindler (ceramics), K. Britt (mosaics), M. Wells (architecture), S. O'Connell (painted plaster), E. Hubbard (geoarchaeology and micromorphology), R. Mohr (drawing), V. Pirsky (drafting), O. Cohen (site and small finds conservation) and Griffin Aerial Imaging (aerial photography). The volunteers were undergraduate and graduate students from the USA, Canada and Slovakia. The excavation this season continued in Area 3000 (Fig. 1), where there are three main occupation phases: a synagogue from the Late Roman period (fifth century CE); a public building from the Middle Ages (twelfth-thirteenth centuries CE), which reused the Late Roman synagogue building; and the post-Middle Ages (thirteenth-sixteenth centuries CE) and late Ottoman-modern periods (eighteenth-twentieth centuries CE, up to 1948), when the robbing out and pitting of the public building were followed by the establishment of dwellings belonging to the village of Yakuk.
HA-ESI, Volume 127, 2015
In May-August 2010, a salvage excavation was conducted in the western part of the Western Wall pl... more In May-August 2010, a salvage excavation was conducted in the western part of the Western Wall plaza (Permit No. A-5835; map ref. 222250/631550; Fig. 1). The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and financed by Western Wall Heritage Foundation, was directed by S. Weksler-Bdolah, A. Onn and S. Kisilevitz, with the assistance of M. Avissar (ceramics), L. Habas (architectural elements), V. Essman, Y. Shmidov and T. Kornfeld (surveying), A. Peretz (photography), S. Al-'Amlah (metal detection) and Y. Ohayon (administration). The excavation is a continuation of extensive excavations conducted in 2005-2009, in which remains of the eastern cardo and a structure beneath it dating to the time of the First Temple were discovered. The entire width of the Roman cardo was discovered, including the two colonnades on both sides and a row of rock-hewn shops along the western side of the street (Weksler-Bdolah et al. 2009 (https://www.hadashotesi.org.il/Report_Detail_Eng.aspx?id=1219&mag_id=115); Weksler-Bdolah 2014). The finds made it possible to reconstruct the changes that had occurred along the course of the eastern colonnaded street from the time it was built in the Late Roman period (first half of the second century CE) until 1967, when it was paved over by the Western Wall plaza. During this time, the street was raised more than 2.5 m, and its width was reduced from c. 24 m, which included the cardo and the colonnades along it, to 2.5-3.0 m in the twentieth century, when it ran through the Mughrabi neighborhood leading to Dung Gate. The northern part of the street, north of the Western Wall plaza, is el-Wad Street, which runs north to Damascus Gate. The current excavation (c. 8 × 8 m) yielded remains ascribed to five main periods: Ottoman (until the modern era), Late Islamic (Mamluk-Ayyubid), Early Islamic and Late Roman. The
HA-ESI, Volume 127, 2015
The excavations, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and financed by the Min... more The excavations, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and financed by the Ministry of Construction and Housing, were directed by S. Kisilevitz, with the assistance of D. Amit (scientific consultation and field photography), Y. Ohayon and R. Abu-Halaf (administration), V. Essman, T. Kornfeld, M. Kipnis and Y. Shmidov (surveying and drafting), S. Al-Amlah (metal detection), A. Peretz (field photography), N. Zak and I. Berin (plans), D Sandhaus-Re'em and R. Bar-Nathan (ceramics), C. Amit (studio photography), M. Shuiskaya (pottery drawing), O. Raviv (stone laboratory) and R. Cohen-Amin (artifacts registration). During the first season trial excavations were conducted over the entire hill, followed by a second season in which salvage excavations were carried out on the western part of the hill. Four excavation areas (A-D; Fig. 2) were opened on the hill, in which samplings of the trial squares were partially excavated. Following the excavations, in December 2012-January 2013, antiquities inspections were carried out on the hilltop and along its eastern slope, which included the excavation of trial trenches. Area A (c. 3 dunams) extended across the hilltop and the top of the moderate western and northern slopes, where a winepress, a quarry, a wall, numerous cupmarks and rock-cuttings were exposed. Area B (c. 2.8 dunams) extended over the northeastern slope of the hill, where a rock-hewn ritual bath (miqveh), a cave and architectural remains were exposed, and a columbarium, a retaining wall, a cistern and rock-cut installations were documented. Area C (850 sq m) extended along the top of the steep, southeastern slope, where a section of a rock-hewn Shua Kisilevitz 27/08/2015
HA-ESI, Volume 127, 2015
In April-May 2014, a salvage excavation was conducted at 6 Ha-Deqel Street in the Bet Ya'aqov nei... more In April-May 2014, a salvage excavation was conducted at 6 Ha-Deqel Street in the Bet Ya'aqov neighborhood of Jerusalem (Permit No. A-7113; map ref. 2200/6325; Fig. 1), prior to construction. The excavation, conducted on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, was directed by S. Kisilevitz, with the assistance of N. Nahama (administration), V. Essman and Y. Shmidov (surveying and drafting), N. Zak and D. Porotzki (plans) and D. Levy (GIS). Part of a plastered installation dating to the early twentieth century CE was exposed in the Bet Ya'aqov neighborhood. It was located not far from a cistern and a synagogue that were built with the establishment of the neighborhood in the late nineteenth century CE, and adjacent, on the south, to a ritual bath (miqveh) that was built in 1901; The installation and the bath seem to have been part of one building. In the mid-twentieth century, the bath was converted for use in the Moriya candy factory, which operated there until recently. During this period, many changes were made to the building. With the beginning of construction work at the site, the factory buildingwas demolished and the plastered installation was exposed; much of it was destroyed and filled with soil and debris. The plastered installation was founded on a bedrock step which sloped to the south (Fig. 2). Evidence of three drillings (Fig. 3) done prior to the building of the installation was discerned on the step; no other quarrying marks or signs of stone dressing were noted. One of the drill marks was covered with plaster. Although its southern and eastern parts were not preserved, the installation seems to have been originally rectangular in shape. Its northern and western walls were unearthed, as was a large portion of the floor. The walls of the installation (W10 in the west, W11in the north; Fig. 4) utilized the bedrock and were
HA-ESI, Volume 126, 2014
Zak and M. Kahan (drafting and final plans), A. Cohen-Weinberger (petrography), N. Agha (identifi... more Zak and M. Kahan (drafting and final plans), A. Cohen-Weinberger (petrography), N. Agha (identification of animal bones), V. Eshed (physical anthropology), Y. Kupershmidt (metallurgical laboratory), A. de Vincenz (pottery and small finds from the nineteenth and twentieth century CE), A. Lester (metallic artifacts from the Early Islamic period), M. Sharon (Arabic inscription), N. Amitai-Preiss (history of the research) and L. Sapir-Chen (archaeozoology). The remains were backfilled by the Israeli Institute for Archaeology headed by A. Shavit, in accordance with guidelines set forth by A. Mashiah of the Israel Antiquities Authority Conservation Administration. We wish to thank D. Ben-Ami for the professional support and scientific advice and A. De Groot for his assistance in identifying the ceramics. The site of Moza is located on the southern slope of a spur that descends southwards and rises above the confluence of Nahal Soreq and Nahal Moza/Arza, near the point at which Nahal Soreq widens into a broad streambed. The Arab village of Qalunya was
HA-ESI, Volume 126, 2014
Kefar Uriyya In March 2011, a trial excavation was conducted in Moshav Kefar Uriyya (Lot 10; Perm... more Kefar Uriyya In March 2011, a trial excavation was conducted in Moshav Kefar Uriyya (Lot 10; Permit No. A-6146; map ref. 195102-125/633625-649; Fig. 1), after the tops of walls were exposed in trial trenches dug prior to construction. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Authority Antiquities and financed by D. Itzkowitz, was directed by S. Kisilevitz, with the assistance of N. Nahama (administration), N. German (antiquities inspection), A. Hajian (surveying), A. Peretz (field photography), D. Sandhouse-Re‛em (pottery reading), I. Lidski-Reznikov (pottery drawing) and G. Bijovsky (numismatics). Kefar Uriyya appears on the survey map of the Palestine Exploration Society from 1880 as a region of springs referred to as "Khirbet Kefr Urieh". Excavations and surveys conducted in the region uncovered installations from the Roman and Byzantine periods (Permit No. A-4661), a Hasmonean winepress that was used until the Byzantine period (Finkielsztejn 2010 (http://hadashot-esi.org.il/Report_Detail_Eng.aspx?id=1436&mag_id=117)), as well as a quarry dating to the Second Temple period and a Byzantine bathhouse (Permit No. A-5838), all of which suggest that a settlement existed there from the Hasmonean period (perhaps even the Iron Age) until the Byzantine period. Six half squares (75 sq m; Fig. 2) were opened over an area of c. 200 sq m in the northeastern part of the village. Part of an impressive building, which extended beyond the excavation limits, was exposed. For the most part is was preserved at the foundation level only. Three phases of activity were discerned: The building was apparently erected in the Hasmonean period (late second century-early first century BCE) and destroyed in the Early Roman period (first century BCE-first century CE), after which its stones were robbed; activity around the plundered building continued until the Byzantine period.
HA-ESI, Volume 126, 2014
Jerusalem, 'Emeq Refa'im In July 2012, a trial excavation was conducted on the grounds of the Tem... more Jerusalem, 'Emeq Refa'im In July 2012, a trial excavation was conducted on the grounds of the Templar School compound, at the entrance to the German Colony in Jerusalem (Permit No. A-6566; map ref 22127-95/630430-71), prior to construction. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and financed by the Isrotel Hotels Management Company, Ltd., was directed by S. Kisilevitz, with the assistance of N. Nahama (administration), S. Mizrahi (preliminary inspections and trial trenches), V. Essman and Y. Shmidov (surveying and drafting), S. al-'Amlah (metal detection), R. Cohen-Amin (processing of finds), C. Hersch (pottery drawing) and C. Amit (studio photography). The ceramics and small finds were processed by A. de Vincenz.
HA-ESI, Volume 125, 2013
Essman and Y. Shmidov (surveying), A. Peretz and F. Zreineh (field photography), S. Al-ʽAmlah (me... more Essman and Y. Shmidov (surveying), A. Peretz and F. Zreineh (field photography), S. Al-ʽAmlah (metal detection), N. Zak and I. Berin (drafting), R. Cohen-Amin (proccessing of finds), C. Amit (studio photography), J. Bukengolts (pottery restoration), L. Kupershmidt and H. Shor (metallurgical laboratory), I. Lidski-Resnikov (pottery drawing), D. Sandhaus-Re'em (Roman and Byzantine ceramics), B. Dolinka (Islamic and Ottoman ceramics) and D.T. Ariel, A. Berman and R. Kool (numismatics). The second excavation season was carried out in accordance with a conservation plan, supervised by Z. Bren (architect), G. Solar (conservation architect), S. Nitchshe (engineer) and S. Puni (architect), and aiming to create a base floor that will preserve the exposed remains and allow future excavations. We wish to thank the Austrian Hospice and its rector M.S. Bugnyar, as well as F. Zereyneh,A.Darwishand H.Darwishfor all of the technical assistance rendered throughout the excavation. The excavation was carried out in the wake of discovering archaeological remains by E. Kagan while the area was being prepared for the construction of a new wing for the guest house. The excavation area (c.
HA-ESI, Volume 124, 2012
Waladje (West) During July-August 2011, a salvage excavation was conducted west of Waladje (Permi... more Waladje (West) During July-August 2011, a salvage excavation was conducted west of Waladje (Permit No. A-6232; map ref. 21490-505/62735-45), prior to construction of the separation fence. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and underwritten by the Ministry of Defense, was directed by S. Kisilevitz, with the assistance of N. Nehama (administration), A. Hajian and M. Kunin (surveying and drafting), A. Peretz (field photography), S. Al-'Amlah (metal detection), M. Kahan and B. Antin (plans), D. Sandhouse-Re'em and I. Milevski (pottery reading), O. Shorr (restoration), C. Amit (studio photography) and I. Lidski-Reznikov (drawing of finds).
HA-ESI, Volume 124 , 2012
No. A-6076; map ref. 221106-745/634647-974), following damage caused to an ancient quarry while p... more No. A-6076; map ref. 221106-745/634647-974), following damage caused to an ancient quarry while preparing the route for a bicycle track. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and underwritten by the Moriya Company, was directed by S. Kisilevitz (photography), with the assistance of R. Abu Halaf and N. Nehama (administration), M. Kahan and M. Kunin (surveying) and D. Levy (GPS). The excavation area, located downstream in Nahal Zofim, was a small part of a quarry, whose full extent is unknown (Fig. 1), and another part of it had been excavated in the past (HA-ESI 123 (https://www.hadashot-esi.org.il/report_detail_eng.asp? id=1844&mag_id=118)). The region was surveyed within the Jerusalem survey (Survey of Jerusalem, the Northeastern Sector: 57*-61*, Sites 147-166). An area (c. 130 sq m; Fig. 2) was excavated; in its northern part, a backhoe dug a trench. It is part of an enormous quarry that extends along much of the stream and its exact border is not known. Some 10 m south of the excavation area was an upright bedrock wall with hewn cavities that might have been used for burial (Fig. 3). The northern part of these cavities was removed by later quarrying activity, probably modern. Remains of a soft limestone quarry (max. depth 2 m) were exposed. The rock-cutting was done in quarrying steps that descend east, north and west toward the center of the area (3-6 steps) where a large quarried rock surface (length 8 m, width 5 m) was completely depleted (Figs. 4, 5). The quarrying marks were clearly visible on the side of the bedrock in the west, as well as in several shallow rock-cut channels (length 0.2m, width 0.10-0.15 m).
Welt und Umwelt der Bibel, 2024