Archaeology of the Southern Levant Research Papers (original) (raw)

This study deals with the history of human settlement in the area surrounding Tel Rehov in the Beit-Shean Valley. It is part of the Beit-Shean Valley Regional Project, headed by Prof. A. Mazar.
In order to get a picture of the settlement in the Valley, a detailed archaeological field survey of a sample section, featuring the Sde Eliyahu (66) and the Kfar Ruppin (67) survey maps, was[a] conducted. The survey showcases the findings throughout history, and its results are presented in the appendices (Appendix 1 – findings catalogue; Appendix 2 - Table of sites per period; Appendix 3 – Table of datable finds; Appendix 4 - periodic site maps). The survey is based on pedestrian and vehicular field work, as well as on findings of previous surveys (especially those of N. Zori A. Maeir), stratigraphic excavations and reports by people currently living in the area. The survey area was divided into seven landscape units.
Understanding that the whole is greater than all the details, most of which remain unknown to the surveyors, the results of this study depict a picture of the human settlement throughout pre-historical as well as historical eras.
The research approach, which is the basis for the interpretation, is that each region has its own unique social and economic make-out, i.e., the survey area's environmental conditions affect the region's carrying capacity, and, in turn, the social and economic processes. Beit-Shean Valley constitutes a socially and economically defined unit, and its research provides a comprehensive picture of a defined unit. Understanding the nature of the area is essential to the understanding of society throughout history, because "Man is Nothing But the Mould of His Homeland's View" (Shaul Tshernichovski). Inter-regional and international processes are reflected in the area's history and correspond with its unique make up, which facilitates the work of historians and other researchers.
The evaluation of the unique conditions is based on geographical conditions and historical sources. It seems that intensive settlement in the Beit-Shean Valley was always closely correlated to, and depended on a strong and stable government. Such government would be required to make good use of the many water sources in the area and maintain efficient draining and roads systems. My working hypothesis is that throughout history, efforts were made to sustain an organized settlement, and to optimally utilize the valley's carrying capacity. This is of course a sedentary settlement, so I assume that prosperity in certain periods would indicate the existence of water systems, agriculture and commerce, which, in turn, rely on stable government. On the other hand, periods of decreased settlement would indicate weakness of government and the disintegration of such systems. Since the Beit-Shean Valley is a transition zone, these processes are particularly valuable in the wider study of settlement processes in Israel and in the Levant.
The pre-historic settlement was that of hunters-gatherers, and the scarcity of finding makes it impossible to conduct a settlement analysis. In the Chalcolithic period we recognize the beginning of a widely dispersed sedentary settlement. These communities began to cultivate the land in the valley. The array of Tells in the valley is dated to the second part of the Early Bronze Age I, but due to external actions during the Intermediate Bronze Age it disappears, giving place to a different form of settlement not returned since. Other inter-regional processes also influence the settlement in the Jordan Valley, so we see an increase during the Middle Bronze Age II, centralization during the Late Bronze Age, and a renewed rise during the Iron Age I which intensifies during the Iron Age II. This Tel array was chosen for as a form of settlement because it showcases the social, economic and political characteristic of these periods. The Assyrian occupation destroyed the settlement and the array of Tells, and during the Persian period the settlement system changed and apparently so did the population. The new chain of settlements followed the old Tel array as far as its spatial distribution is concerned; however, the individual communities were not situated on the Tells themselves. Later, with the demographic growth in the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods, settlement expanded and was spread over large open areas. It seems that during these periods security consideration were not paramount in determining the location and nature of the different communities. Also, the central city became the administrative center, and the administrative function of the villages decreases. The similar size of these communities indicates that all the villages were subjected directly to the city of Beit-Shean / Scythopolis. During the Middle-Ages we recognize a gradual deteriorating of both permanent settlement and power of government, and the neglect of agricultural and draining systems. This state of affairs continued until that towards the modern era only the licentious Bedouins settled the area.
The combination of many information sources, with intensive field work and careful thou meaningful interpretation, using geographical data, proved to be a viable tool to a wide understanding of Beth-Shean Valley’s history.