ME6IDD0

incisor teeth against a feeding trough Horse Troughs while sucking in air. Also apparent was where the horse had pawed and at Megiddo? indented the front of the trough with its front hooves, common during y excitement about dig­ feeding time. The teeth imprints of the ging at Megiddo began dispute: 1) was the 12 cm. depth of the horse were evident on the inner edge [M] when I met Tom Moon, a feeding troughs adequate for horses; 2) of the troughs, which were the perfect retired lawyer, horse enthusiast, and were the stalls large enough; 3) how shallow size for feeding. Divinity student at Vanderbilt Uni­ were the horses taken out of the stalls; I could see that Tom was right versity. I also recently retired from the 4) the use of the wide, smoothly paved about the square pillars serving as practice of law and decided to pursue center aisles (2- 3.5 m.); and 5) how to effective dividers to stop fighting at Hebrew Bible studies at Vanderbilt. water the horses. feeding time. As the food approaches, Tom participated in the 1998 Megiddo dig and was particularly impressed with the architecture of the ' stable' complexes. My involvement with horses began 40 years ago and evolved into a business of importing, trammg, showing and selling European warm­ bloods for dressage and show jumping. As Tom described the ' stables' at Megiddo and particularly the useful­ ness of the square pillars separating the stone feeding troughs to prevent the usual fighting and intimidation games horses play at feeding time, I agreed that it sounded like a perfect solution to a most bothersome yet common problem. However, I wanted to review the evidence for myself, and the Megiddo 2000 Expedition seemed an Two troughs and a pillar in the 'Northern Stables' complex. exotic adventure. My first days at Megiddo I had so the horses will snort, whinny, kick, In a class on the Ancient Near East much fun excavating that I almost paw and lunge at each other-all with Prof. Jack Sasson at Vanderbilt, I forgot about the stables. But Prof tactics to establish dominance. In a learned that the issue of 'stables' at Sasson had forwarded my research stable such as Area L with no walls Megiddo (as opposed to barracks, paper to Prof Finkelstein, and he had a between the stalls, the large square storehouses . or a market place) was few questions. So, we toured Area L, pillars would be important not only to quite controversial and still unresolved the 'Northern Stables' complex, dating block their view of each other while in academic circles. At his suggestion I (conventionally) to the time of King eating, but to prevent them from biting wrote a research paper to review the Ahab. I was stunned. There, between each other. pros and cons of the arguments and to the square pillars, were the stone What amazed me so much about focus on the major issues of the feeding troughs in situ, clearly marked the Megiddo structures is that they are with signs of cribbing almost identical in layout to the stables on the inner lip of the where I keep my horses today. The troughs. Cribbing is a wide, smoothly paved center aisle is common stable vice used in modem stables to deliver food that some horses to the troughs on either side via tractor. develop that involves At Megiddo the center aisle had a the continuous biting smooth plastered floor and was wide and pulling with their See Horse Troughs, Page 2 REV operates under the auspices of Tel Megiddo Expedition Directors: Israel Finkelstein, merican partner: Pennsylvania State Baruch Halpern, and David Ussishkin. Excavation institutions: Universities of Loyola­ Directors: Israel Finkelstein and David Ussishkin. 1436242 California and Vanderbilt (USA), Head of Academic Program and Consortium 5 Bern (Switzerland). Coordinator: Baruch Halpern.

2000 r 7 Horse Troughs, from page I near the 'Southern Stables'. But, we wider interpretative program about the must check the archaeological record to period of the Israelite monarchy. enough for a donkey and cart to deliver determine its original use and dating. Palace 6000-popularly referred to grain and hay to the feeding troughs on As I took a farewell tour over both as "Solomon's Palace"-is one of the one side, turn at the end and do the stable complexes on my last day on the most impressive structures on the site, same on the other side. Also, some of dig, I noticed what looked like several and doubtless the residency of an the stone pillars had evidence of troughs in secondary use in a wall near important royal official of the Kingdom tethering holes at a height appropriate the 'Northern Stables'. When I climbed of Israel. This poorly-preserved but still for putting the horses in 'cross-ties' for up to inspect them, I discovered the imposing structure will serve as the grooming in the center aisle, just as in comer of another large stone basin, background to the story of Megiddo as our stables today. There was room to submerged in the dirt. Prof. Eric Cline conveyed tlrrough virtual reality groom three horses-a typical chariot and I 'excavated' the perimeter of the modeling and tl1e personal perspective team-at once in the center aisle. TI1e basin and took the dimensions (85 x 52 of twelve historically-based characters cobbled floors in the stall areas aided cm). Since it could easily hold a spamung several tl10usand years. in proper drainage and served to hundred gallons of water or more, this toughen the horses feet. The entire area seemed the perfect answer to the horse TIJ DSVE NSTER was likely covered in deep straw watering question. However, stone bedding that would allow the horses to basins have many uses in antiquity so lie down when necessary. the answer must await further analysis We had several early morning by the specialists. 'horse-care' sessions in the Area L The Megiddo 2000 Expedition was 'stables' where a small group including an unforgetable experience and I look Profs. Finkelstein, Ussishkin, Halpern, forward to returning in 2002. Killebrew, Cline and I discussed the Deborah Cantrell horse's eating, drinking and sleeping habits, breeding procedures, birthing TimeScope kiosk at Ename, Belgium process, foal care, grooming needs, TimeScope Kiosks This teclmique of character-based stable vices, training conditions, interpretation has been used effectively psychological bonding tendencies and, irtual Reality technologies as a tool of public interpretation at of course, dung removal requirements. and 3D computer modeling archaeological sites in Europe and the An especially momentous day at will hopefully make some of U.S. At Megiddo, the extensively­ Megiddo was the visit of Lord and Megiddo's most important archae­ researched characters will be grouped Lady Allenby, both of whom are ological monuments and historical eras into a number of scenes, each set in acomplished equestrians. Lord Allenby come alive for visitors. The Megiddo particular historical periods. The is the current 'Lord of Megiddo' and Expedition has begun an ambitious characters range from an ancient served with the British cavalry. When public interpretation program in Judahite scribe and Israelite noble­ consulted about the various horse cooperation with the Israel Nature woman to a 19th-cent. Franciscan friar, issues we had been discussing, he Protection and National Parks rabbi, and village woman from Lejjun, enthusiastically confirn1ed the cribbing Authority and the Ename Center for to a 21 s1-cent. archaeologist, pilgrim, and pawing evidence on the troughs. Public Archaeology and Heritage and teenager from Kibbutz Megiddo. As he told me, "We agree on every­ Presentation in Belgium. The characters and virtual reality thing about the horses that were here­ TI1e most innovative aspect of this reconstructions are not intended as except the size." He favors smaller program is the installation of advanced mere entertainment. They are meant to horses in antiquity (under 14.2 hands). prototypes of the TimeScope system assist scholars, historians, cultural Upon reflection, I tend to agree. developed at the medieval site of administrators and public officials in My main concern was how the Ename in Belgium, which provides communicating the results of archae­ potentially 450 horses were watered visitors with a glimpse at "virtual ological and historical research to the inside the Megiddo fortress. Horses reconstructions" of excavated archae­ public in powerful, visual ways. The drink 15- 20 gallons of water a day in ological remains. In place of the Megiddo interpretive team, consisting hot weather. They also need water for traditional (and sometimes damaging) of representatives from the Megiddo washing off the sweat after exercise. physical reconstruction, this system Expedition, the Ename Center and the On our inspection tour of the 'Southern combines computer modeling and Israel Nat'] Parks Authority, is keenly Stables ' complex, we found a huge multi-media presentation with real­ aware of the difficulty, and importance, stone basin behind the granary, time video of the exposed remains. of conveying a multiplicity of stories partially hidden in the grass. It seemed Two TimeScope kiosks containing and perspectives about Megiddo, a si te perfect for watering two or three horses video monitors are currently planned that is venerated not only by people in at once. It was in the right location, for installation in Area L. The 'stables' Israel, but also by pilgrims and visitors of Stratum IV A and the famous Palace from all over the world. Revelations from Megiddo is 6000 of Stratum V A-IVB, first The TimeScope kiosks in Area L published by the Megiddo Expedition. revealed by Yadin's excavations in the are part of a larger program for the tel Editors-in-Chief: Israel Finkelstein, 1960s and furtl1er uncovered during the encompassing 14 additional structures Baruch Halpern and David Ussishkin. 1998 and 2000 seasons of the current and points-of-interest slated for Editor: Michele Burns. expedition, will be the main focus of a interpretation. During the past few

Revelations from Megiddo 2 years, a number of projects have of this level we encountered remains of that the system-already 45 m. long­ already been completed by the Israel two MB settlements (Levels F-11, F - continues furtl1er to the west. National Parks Authority with the 12). The relationship between the Tbe stratigraphic situation inside cooperation of the Megiddo Expedition. earthen embankment and the the temple drew our attention back to These include the reconstruction of the settlements within it has not yet been the cache of Egyptianized vessels Late Bronze Age gate which serves as established. which was found in one of the corridors the entrance to the tel today, two new Area H: Iron Age stratigraphy. between the parallel walls in 1996 (see signs, and a "contemplation cove" on Previous seasons revealed remains of Revelations #2). In Megiddo III, Alex the south-east edge of the tel which the last Israelite city (Level H-3), that Joffe dated the cache to very late EB Ib, provides a peaceful view of the Jezreel was destroyed by the Assyrians in 732 while Israel Finkelstein and David Valley and a spot for meditation on the BCE. Excavation in 1998 and partic­ Ussishkin opted for a date in the EB theme of Armageddon. ularly in 2000 uncovered remains of III. It appears that Joffe was right: the With a large number of tourists and two earlier settlement phases (Levels cache fits the same phase as the later pilgrims expected to visit Megiddo H-4, H-5). All three phases correspond activity in the temple hall. during the new millennium, the con­ to Chicago Str. IV A. This IV A city is Excavation continued near (and struction and installation of the initial represented 111 other sectors of under) the round altar of the EB III. elements of the interpretive program Megiddo, such as Area L, by a single Under the thick layer of bone deposits will hopefully be underway by the start public construction activity, while the from Level J-4, unearthed in 1998, we of the next season of excavations. domestic sector of Area H has revealed uncovered two more floors from the EB minute changes in its occupational I (Levels J-3 and J-2), corresponding to Ann E. Killebrew and history. The fortification of the Stratum the two temples 'hidden' in Temple Neil Asher Silberman IV A city-offset and inset City Wall 4040, which was excavated by the 325 unearthed by the Chicago team­ Chicago team in the 1930s and by us in was built in Phase H-5 or H-4. '111e 1992-1994 (see Megiddo III). next settlement down, Level H-6, Additional remains of the Level J-6 THE 2000 SEASON corresponds to Str. VA-IVB. settlement (EB III) were exposed in his season we continued to Area J: locating the EB Ib temple different parts of Area l dig in the same six areas of Level J-4. We continued excavating Area K: Iron I City. 111e removal [I] where we excavated in 1998: on both sides-north and south-of the of balks after the season of 1998, and Area F on the lower terrace; Area H in monumental parallel walls which of City Wall 325 this season, opened the north; Area J in the EB cult com­ probably enclosed the sacred com­ the way for a better under-standing of pound of the east; Area K in the pound (see Revelations #3). The pic­ the Level K-4 (Str. VIA) remains. The southeast; Area L in the northeast; and ture has now become clear: there are no entire area is covered by a single Area M in the center of the mound. monumental remains south of the courtyard building, constructed in the The senior staff of the 2000 season walls; the temple lies north of the second millennium tradition. The included: Israel Finkelstein, David parallel walls. There we uncovered two eastern flank of the building was Ussishkin and Baruch Halpern (direc­ monumental pillar bases of the original devoted to storage: numerous storage tors), Nonna Franklin (coordinator and temple as well as its back (northern) jars, including one collared-rim pithos, area supervisor), Lynne Koppesser wall. The temple was apparently of the were found here. (team member coordinator), Paula broadroom type, with two rows of Level K-4 has yielded an impres­ Wapnish and Brian Hesse (archaeo­ pillars supporting the roof In a later sive ceramic assemblage of about 150 zoology), Benjamin Sass (finds), Adi phase of this level (late J-4) the floor of vessels. The assemblage does not Kafri (registration), Noga Blockman, the temple was raised and bones were include a single bichrome Philistine Michele Bums, Eric Cline, Robert deposited in the hall. vessel and must therefore date later Deutsch, Yuval Gadot, Ann Killebrew, than the bichrome phase in the Axel Knauf, Gunnar Lehmann, Jennifer sequence of Philistine pottery. Fifteen Peersmann, Lucas Petit, Dan Warner samples of charred beams from Level (area supervisors and assistant area K-4, extracted in 1996 and 1998, were supervisors), Judith Dekel, Dov sent to the Weizman Institute in Rehovot, Israel for radiocarbon dating. Porotsky (architects), Pavel Shrago th (photography), Lena Benenson (com-· Six of the samples gave 11 centrny puters), Guy Avivi (administration). dates, while nine fell well ,vithin the th Area F: investigation of the 10 century. occupational history of the lower Remains of Level K-5-seemingly terrace. Previous seasons revealed an still within the range of Chicago Str. Iron I settlement (Level F-5) close to VI-were uncovered near the end of the surface, and underneath it, remains the season under the K-4 building. of a monumental LB II building (Level Area J's EB lb Temple, note the two big Area L: Iron II monuments. We pillar bases, one only partially excavated. F-9), an unfortified LB I town (Level F- concluded the excavation of a well­ 10, 15 th cent. BCE) and an MB earthen In the western end of the area we preserved pillared building of Level L- embankment. This season we con­ tried to locate the edge of the monu­ 2 (Chicago IV A). It belongs to the set tinued clarifying the various stages of mental, parallel temenos wall of Level of 'Northern Stables' unearthed nearby the LB I settlement. Under the houses J-4. To our amazement, we discovered in the 1920s. Their function-stables,

Revelations from Megiddo 3 .,,,

store houses, market places or In ' upper M' we uncovered a few more parts of the monumental EB I barracks-has been fiercely disputed. Iron II levels and under them the temple. Area K: investigate the history Samples of earth and plaster taken destruction layer of a large building of Megiddo in the LB-Iron I transition from the floors of the building in 1998 belonging to Chicago Str. VIA. The phase. Area L: conclude the excavation failed to resolve the mystery of their collapse of the brick walls of the of Palace 6000. Area M: clarify the function. Disagreement also continued building, wiU1 evidence for a fierce nature of the massive Str. VIA building among the Directors of U1e Expedition, conflagration, was over a meter thick. and its relationship to " Schumacher's tomb." Israel Finkelstein, David Ussishkin, Baruch Halpern

The fifth season at Megiddo th th June 7 - July 26 , 2002. More information wi ll be available soon at our registration web site, www.digmegiddo.com

The News Corner New Books: Judith Hadley: The Cult of Asherah in Ancient Israel and Judah: Evidence for a Hebrew Goddess. Eric Cline: The Battles of Armaggedon. Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman: The Bible Unearthed. Carolyn Higgenbotham: Egyptianization and Elite Emulation in Ramesside Palestin e. General view of Area L showing the northern rooms of Palace 6000 (right) . Adi Kafri gave birth to a baby boy with Israel Finkelstein and David The unique corbelled-roof stone on Sept. 22nd who is named lttai. Ussishkin opting for the stables theory tomb excavated by Schumacher has Gunnar Lehmann has started a new dig at Tell el-Farah (South). while Baruch Halpern is looking for been dated by many scholars to the Mario Martin is in service in another explanation. MB. After excavating around it in Jerusalem at the Austrian Hospice on Excavation of Palace 6000 of Level 1998, we proposed dating it to the last behalf of the Austrian government. L-3 (Yadin's VA-IVB) continued. The phase of the LB. The results of this Eric Cline now has a position at outer walls of the building are now season seem to indicate that the tomb George Was hington Univers ity. fully exposed, though the clarification was con-structed in Chicago Str. VIA: Jennifer Peersmann and dig dog Shupy have moved to Holland where of the inner plan must wait until 2002. the fl oor of the 'upper M ' building Jennifer is teaching at a high school. Yadin, who discovered the building rests directly on-and was adjusted The other dig dog, Max, who was in the 1960s, argued that it was con- to-the ceiling of the tomb. adopted by the Finkelstein family, has nected on both west and east to a case- Next season, in 2002, we plan to had his name changed to Pax to avoid mate wall. Our excavation of the north- continue working in the same six areas. confusion with another family member eastern comer of Palace 6000 shows Goals are: Area F: uncover the earliest of the same name. Deborah Appler is now Assistant beyond doubt that there were no case- levels of the lower terrace and clarify Professor of Old Testament at mates here. Rather, the walls of the the relationship between the earthen Moravian Theological Seminary in palace cut through remains of simple embankment and the settlements inside Bethlehem, PA. houses of Level L-4 (Str. VB) and the it. Area H: continue digging to shed The highlight of the Nashville SBL destruction of Level L-5 (Str. VIA). more light on the minute stratigraphy conference for Israel Finkelstein and Arca M: Clarifying the dates of the of Iron I-II Megiddo. Area J: uncover Norma Franklin was a visit to Deborah Cantrell's stable. monuments unearthed a century ago. Congratulations to Eveline Saoud Here we expanded to two sectors: a Megiddo in Cyberspace (who returned to Zurich during the dig) lower one, inside the trench dug by •You can send your comments, ideas, on passing her MA exams in theology. Gottlieb Schumacher in 1903-05, and ~ r publication Baruch Halpern is finalizing a an upper one, east of the trench. biography of King David. The most important find in the 1.ac.il N V, :,, 0 ID excavation of 'lower M' relates to the 0 ~ of the Institute Megiddo III: ()~ < dating of the Nordburg, uncovered by 0 ...... ID lniversity (with The 1992-1996 Seasons. Schumacher. 1bis massive building rt,... This two-volume report (331 pages) - 0 :, lindex.html can be ordered from the I hlications has been interpreted as a palace and Ill Dept., Sonia and Marco is,. ler dated to the MB Age. Our investigation ... vith stylus and t1 Institute of Archaeology, Tel A 0 t: shows that the Nordburg was built in a University, P.O. Box 39040, Tel Avi v ~ lion one of the later phases of the LB; ID 69978, Israel. The computer literate «I ogy remains from the LB and MB were ,... can order through the web site at: "' V www.tau.ac.il/~archpubs/index/html discovered under its foundations. ...--..,..= "'0 1978 '------1--= Revelations from Megiddo ...-oo = 4