Tel Miqne-Ekron Final Field Reports (EFFRS)

Tel Miqne-Ekron is one of the largest and most significant Iron Age archaeological sites in Israel. Based on fourteen seasons of excavations, this volume in the Tel Miqne series documents remarkable finds from the late Iron Age II Philistine temple.

 

Immediately before its destruction at the hands of the Neo-Babylonians, the biblical city of Ekron had reached its zenith as a vassal of the Neo-Assyrian empire. The remains from Temple Complex 650 mirror Ekron’s wealth and position at the crossroads between Neo-Assyrian, Phoenician, and Philistine cultural traditions. This archaeological report contains stratigraphic analyses; a discussion of the temple’s architectural features; analyses of small finds, including a remarkable trove of ivory objects; comprehensive documentation, including quantification analyses of the vast ceramic assemblage; and, importantly, a discussion of the Ekron Royal Dedicatory Inscription, considered one of Israel’s most noteworthy archaeological finds of the twentieth century. Together with the evidence from the other fields of excavation, Tel Miqne-Ekron 10/1 establishes the basis for defining Ekron as the type-site for Philistia in the Iron Age II.

An essential resource for archaeologists, biblical scholars, and historians specializing in the ancient Near East, Tel Miqne-Ekron 10/1 is of vital importance for reconstructing the history of the Southern Levant in the Iron Age.

In addition to the coauthors, the contributors include Eleanor F. Beach, David Ben-Shlomo, Baruch Brandl, Jeffrey R. Chadwick, Alexandra S. Drenka, Adi Erlich, Amir Golani, Edward F. Maher, Ianir Milevski, Alla Rabinovich, Christa SchŠfer-Lichtenberger, and Anna de Vincenz.

This well-illustrated volume presents the evidence from Stratum Pre-IC of the end of the 8th century, from Strata IC and IB of the 7th century, when Ekron achieved the zenith of its physical growth and prosperity, and from Stratum IA, the final Iron Age IIC phase of the early 6th century BCE. It offers a detailed discussion of the Iron Age IIC occupational history; a comprehensive analysis of the ceramic assemblages; a quantitative analysis of the pottery from the main Stratum IB buildings; and studies on vessel capacity, ceramic, lithic, ivory, and metal objects, jewelry, scarabs, faunal remains, and fish bones.

Published under the auspices of the Harvard Semitic Museum, this volume concludes the publication of the results of the nine seasons of excavation conducted in Field IV Lower between 1985 and 1995, directed by Trude Dothan and Seymour Gitin and sponsored by the W. F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Companion volumes published in 2016:

—Field IV Lower—The Elite Zone, Part 1: The Iron Age I Early Philistine City by Trude Dothan, Yosef Garfinkel and Seymour Gitin;

—Part 3A: The Iron Age I and IIC Early and Late Philistine Cities Database (see links tab);

—Part 3B: The Iron Age I and IIC Early and Late Philistine Cities Plans and Sections

The final reports on the two large Iron Age I and IIC Philistines cities in Field IV Lower offer a comprehensive view of the history of Ekron from its initial establishment and development in the Iron Age I until its destruction in the late Iron Age II. The searchable database and print version of the sections and plans provide a unique opportunity for readers to access and evaluate the excavators’ observations and conclusions.

Tel Miqne-Ekron Field IV Lower—The Elite Zone, The Iron Age I and IIC, The Early and Late Philistine Cities, Parts 9/1-9/3B present the evidence of two large Philistines cites, one in Iron I, the period of its initial development, and the other in Iron IIC, its final stage when it achieved its zenith of physical growth and prosperity. They also offer a unique opportunity to check and evaluate the excavators' observations and conclusions based on their comprehensive database. Published under the auspices of the Harvard Semitic Museum, they comprise the final reports of the nine seasons of excavations during the years 1985-1995, directed by Trude Dothan and Seymour Gitin and sponsored by the W. F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research and the Hebrew University.

Volume 9/1, The Iron Age I Early Philistine City covers Strata VII-IV, the 12th-early 10th centuries BCE. It includes a detailed discussion of the occupational history of the period with a comprehensive analysis of the ceramic assemblages and a selection of ceramic, lithic, clay, and metal objects with detailed discussions of jewelry, scarabs and ivory objects, as well as the faunal evidence. Volume 9/2, The Iron Age IIC Late Philistine City, which presents the evidence from Stratum I of the 7th and early 6th century BCE, is in press.

Volume 9/3A, The Iron Age I and IIC Early and Late Philistine Cities Database appears in digital form on the Harvard Semitic Museum website and is a complete presentation of the evidence with Context and Phasing Charts, Locus Summaries, and Material Culture Sample Lists.

Volume 9/3B The Iron Age I and IIC Late and Early Philistine Cities Plans and Sections includes every plan and section of each excavated Area in Field IV Lower.

 

Tel Miqne-Ekron Field IV Lower—The Elite Zone, The Iron Age I and IIC, The Early and Late Philistine Cities, Parts 9/1-9/3B present the evidence of two large Philistines cites, one in Iron I, the period of its initial development, and the other in Iron IIC, its final stage when it achieved its zenith of physical growth and prosperity. They also offer a unique opportunity to check and evaluate the excavators' observations and conclusions based on their comprehensive database. Published under the auspices of the Harvard Semitic Museum, they comprise the final reports of the nine seasons of excavations during the years 1985-1995, directed by Trude Dothan and Seymour Gitin and sponsored by the W. F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research and the Hebrew University.

Volume 9/1, The Iron Age I Early Philistine City covers Strata VII-IV, the 12th-early 10th centuries BCE. It includes a detailed discussion of the occupational history of the period with a comprehensive analysis of the ceramic assemblages and a selection of ceramic, lithic, clay, and metal objects with detailed discussions of jewelry, scarabs and ivory objects, as well as the faunal evidence. Volume 9/2, The Iron Age IIC Late Philistine City, which presents the evidence from Stratum I of the 7th and early 6th century BCE, is in press.

Volume 9/3A, The Iron Age I and IIC Early and Late Philistine Cities Database appears in digital form on the Harvard Semitic Museum website and is a complete presentation of the evidence with Context and Phasing Charts, Locus Summaries, and Material Culture Sample Lists.

Volume 9/3B The Iron Age I and IIC Late and Early Philistine Cities Plans and Sections includes every plan and section of each excavated Area in Field IV Lower.