MAP OF AMAZYA (109) VOLUME 1, THE NORTHERN SECTOR 1* 2* ISRAEL ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF ISRAEL MAP OF AMAZYA (109) VOLUME 1, THE NORTHERN SECTOR YEHUDA DAGAN 3* Archaeological Survey of Israel Publications of the Israel Antiquities Authority Editor-in-Chief: Zvi Gal Series editor: Lori Lender Volume editor: DaphnaTuval-Marx English editor: Lori Lender English translation: Don Glick Cover: ‘Baqa‘ esh Shamaliya’, where the Judean Shephelah meets the hillcountry (photograph: Yehuda Dagan) Typesetting, layout and production: Margalit Hayosh Preparation of illustrations: Natalia Zak, Elizabeth Belashov Printing: Keterpress Enterprises, Jerusalem Copyright © The Israel Antiquities Authority The Archaeological Survey of Israel Jerusalem, 2006 ISBN 965–406–195–3 www.antiquities.org.il 4* Contents Editors’ Foreword 7* Preface 8* Introduction 9* Index of Site Names 51* Index of Sites Listed by Period 59* List of Illustrations 65* The Sites—the Northern Sector 71* References 265* Maps of Periods and Installations 285* Hebrew Text 1–288 5* 6* Editors’ Foreword The Map of Amazya (Sheet 10–14, Old Israel Grid; sheet 20–19, New Israel Grid), scale 1:20,000, is recorded as Paragraph 109 in Reshumot—Yalqut Ha-Pirsumim No. 1091 (1964). In 1972–1973 a systematic archaeological survey of the map area was conducted by a team headed by Yehuda Dagan, on behalf of the Archaeological Survey of Israel and the Israel Antiquities Authority (formerly the Department of Antiquities and Museums). Compilation of Material A file for each site in the Survey archives includes a detailed report by the survey team members, plans, photographs and a register of the finds kept in the Authority’s stores. This volume presents a summary of the file records: site descriptions—including the character of the site and its location; a description of the remains; indicative finds; and illustrations. These are accompanied by an introduction, indices (an index of sites arranged alphabetically; an index of sites listed chronologically), a bibliography, chronological maps, a general map, and an English version keyed to the illustrated Hebrew text. The first line of each numbered entry includes the site’s serial number, in geographical order from north to south and from west to east, arranged in squares of one square kilometer; followed by the site’s file number (from left to right), consisting of the third digits of the longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of the site’s map reference, separated by a dash; a slash is followed by the site’s serial number in the designated square. Map references provided on the same line are those of the Old Israel Grid (designated OIG), followed by the New Israel Grid (NIG). The height above sea level of each site (in meters) is provided on the site’s opening line. At the heading of each entry is the site’s declared name (or names), or names related to other declared names (site names, place names or names of geographical features). The primary sources for site names are the Registry of Monuments and Historic Sites, published in Reshumot—Yalqut Ha-Pirsumim (No. 1091, May 18, 1964, with emendations and supplements updated to 2004), and names appearing in the maps ‘Amazya’, scale 1:20,000, published by the Survey Department (1960), and ‘Bet Guvrin’, scale 1:50,000, published by the Survey of Israel (1995). Other sources for site names are the British Survey of Western Palestine (Conder and Kitchener 1881– 1883)—marked S; and the map ‘Ed Dawāyima’, scale 1:20,000 (1945), issued during the British Mandate period—marked M. Arabic site names are transliterated according to current rules of transliteration. 7* Preface The area of the Map of Amazya (Map 109) was surveyed during the years 1982–1986 after the completion of the survey of the Map of Lakhish (Dagan 1992). In the years that followed the survey team revisited many of the sites recorded earlier, as development and construction activity in and around the villages within the map area had altered many of the sites, exposing or destroying ancient remains. In the course of several of these later tours the team was assisted by residents of the village of Beit ‘Awwa, and by villagers from Idna, particularly during the survey of the tell located there, and while recording and exposing ancient remains in the village during construction activity. The survey team was directed by Yehuda Dagan and included Tzvi Katzenelsohn, Shaul Yemini, Roni Lev, David Milteyer and Moshe Franck. Guides from the Urban Study Center of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Rehovot participated in some of the fieldwork. The team was assisted by Isma‘el Suweiti of Beit ‘Awwa, whose intimate knowledge of the region and its ancient sites contributed much to the compilation of the data. The survey, whose results are presented herein, is part of the comprehensive archaeological survey of the Judean Shephelah (an area of c. 790 sq m), which was initiated by Prof. David Ussishkin, director of the archaeological expedition to Tel Lakhish, under the auspices of the Institute of Archaeology of the Tel Aviv University, the Yo’av Regional Council and the Israel Exploration Society. Later support was provided by the Archaeological Survey of Israel and the Israel Antiquities Authority. The author would like to thank the following scholars whose experience contributed much to the fieldwork: Prof. Ram Gophna, Prof. Moshe Kokhavi, Prof. Israel Roll, the late Orna Zimhoni and Prof. Jodi Magness. Many thanks are due Prof. Amos Kloner who at the time of the survey served as IAA District Archaeologist of the Judean Shephelah, for his valuable assistance. Dr. Ofer Marder and Dr. Hamoudi Khalaily studied and identified the flint implements and Dr. Rachel Barqai identified the coins. I would also like to express my appreciation to Dr. Ilan Sharon and Gila Zionit for their help in processing the finds and for methodically consolidating the data into a uniform base for the Judean Shephelah survey project. Yael Guri read the manuscript prior to its presentation. Leticia Barda prepared and produced the general map, scale 1:20,000, for publication. The plans were drawn by Ashraf Abu-Diab and prepared for publication by Natalia Zak and Elizabeth Belashov, who also prepared the period maps. The pottery was drawn by Julia Rodmann. Linda Qareen provided much assistance during the processing of the data. The photographs, including the cover phtographs, were taken by the author. The author extends special thanks to the editors, Lori Lender, Daphna Tuval-Marx and Yossi Kuris, for their diligent and devoted work. Yehuda Dagan 8* Introduction Geographical Overview The Map of Amazya extends across the southeastern part of the Judean Shephelah. The western slopes of the Hevron Hills are situated in the eastern portion of the map area. The Judean Shephelah is a transitional geographical region situated between the southern coastal plain in the west and the Judean Hills in the east (Amiran 1956:23), a discrete geographic unit featuring many similar characteristics—ecology, botany, geologic cover, soil and its components, sources of water, etc. (Dan 1988; Danin 1988; Zangvil 1988; Klein 1988; Stern 1988; Rubin 1992). The geographic boundaries of the Judean Shephelah are as follows: (1) In the north— Nahal Nahshon (which drains into the Ayyalon Valley) and Nahal Shaham (flowing into Nahal Soreq), both of which delimit the northern border of the Zor‘a–Eshta’ol ridge; (2) In the east—a strip of broad fertile valleys (‘Emeq Ha-Telem—valley of the furrows) that developed at the contact line between the friable chalk layers that make up the Shephelah and the Cenomanian-Turonian rock layers of the Judean Hills. This strip stretches from Sha‘ar Ha-Gay in the north to Nahal Zanoah, continues to the upper part of Nahal Ha-Ela, southward via Idna and Tell Beit Mirsim until Biq‘at Yuval; (3) In the south—the upper portion of Nahal Shiqma, which runs from east to west through a series of narrow valleys; (4) In the west—a chain of low hills that was formed from the fifth kurkar ridge east of the seashore. The nehalim (streams) of the Shephelah flow westward through this ridge and ancient cities (Tel Zafit, identified with biblical Gat, Tel ‘Erani, Khirbet Umm el Baqar and Tel Malha) were established in those places where the streams traverse the ridge. The Judean Shephelah is divided longitudinally into two large landscape units separated by a prominent ridge (an ancient Miocene-epoch sea floor) extending from Nahal Soreq in the north to Giv‘at Gad (in the vicinity of Moshav Amazya) in the south. The ridge is traversed by Nahal Soreq, Nahal Ha-Ela, Nahal Guvrin and Nahal Lakhish and cities, among them H. Hoshem in the north (identified with biblical Enam), Tel ‘Azeqa (on the south bank of Nahal Ha-Ela), Tel Goded (on the north bank of Nahal Guvrin) and Tel Lakhish (Lachish; on the south bank of Nahal Lakhish) were founded in the places where these streams cross the ridge. In general, the streams cross the Shephelah from east to west, dividing it into ten secondary geographic units: (1) Rekhes Zor‘a–‘Emeq Soreq; (2) Nahal Soreq–Nahal Yarmut; (3) Nahal Soreq–Nahal Ha-Ela; (4) Nahal Ha-Ela–eastern Nahal Guvrin; (5) Nahal Ha-Ela–western Nahal Guvrin; (6) Nahal Guvrin–eastern Nahal Lakhish; (7) Nahal Guvrin–western Nahal Lakhish; (8) Nahal Lakhish–eastern Nahal Adorayim; (9) Nahal Lakhish–western Nahal Adorayim; (10) Nahal Kelekh–Nahal Shiqma. 9* The establishment of some of the large cities in the region was influenced in part by the internal geographic division of the Shephelah and each of the cities spread out across a defined geographic area (Dagan 1996).