‘Atiqot 73, 2013 Horbat Duvshan: a ‘Golan’ ChalColithiC site in eastern Galilee howarD smithline introDuCtion Plateau to the west, and the Golan Heights, 150–250 m higher in elevation to the east, Horbat Duvshan is located in the eastern essentially constitute a homogeneous landscape Galilee, approximately 1 km east of Moshav and environment that is interrupted by the Elifelet and the main road that leads southward intervening Rift Valley.1 from Qiryat Shemona through the Jordan Rift Over the course of thousands of years, the Valley (NIG 25260–270/76092–115; OIG Korazim Plateau has been sparsely populated 20260–270/26092–115; Fig. 1). The site lies due to its inhospitable environment. However, in the center of the Korazim Plateau, which surveys have revealed a sudden increase in sites extends from the Hula Valley south toward dating to the Late Chalcolithic period. This the Sea of Galilee. It is bordered on the east discovery indicates that a sedentary population by the Jordan Rift Valley. The most prominent of appreciable size managed to attain a level feature to its west is Mt. Canaan, which rises of subsistence not seen in this region until the several hundred meters above the plateau. The present day.2 This parallels a similar growth in surface of the plateau is covered by an uneven, population that occurred in the Golan Heights weathered crust of basalt flow and basalt during this period (Epstein 1998). rocks and boulders that originate from once- The extensive site of Horbat Duvshan is active volcanoes in the region. The Korazim partially covered by the now-ruined Ottoman- 251 000 230 000 210 000 270 000 190 000 250 000 252 000 253 000 to Qiryat Shemona Qiryat Shemona 762 762 000 000 D a l t o n Tel Turmus 780 P l a t e a u 000 Tel Te’o M t. C a n a a n Be’er Zonam G o l a n Elifelet P l a i n K o r a z i m Mediterranean Sea H e i g h t s C o a s t a l Asherat P l a t e a u 760 H H u l aV l l e y orbat Abu Sinan Peqi‘in Horbat 000 Duvshan Duvshan 761 ‘En Duvshan 761 Sea of 000 The excavation 000 Galilee ‘Enot Kokhav 740 H. Zelef 000 Tel Delhamiya J o r d a n a d r o J 720 0 20 0 500 R i f t V a l l e y e l l a V t f i R 760 000 km m 760 a 000 b to Tiberias 000 251 000 252 000 253 000 Fig. 1. Location map: (a) Horbat Duvshan and other Chalcolithic sites in its vicinity; (b) location of the excavation. 20 howarD smithline period village of El-‘Assaliyeh. The village Heights (Epstein 1998:8–11). To the north of was visited by Guérin (1880:346) and Conder the road is a low hill that revealed fewer and and Kitchener (1881:235) in the late nineteenth more fragmentary Late Chalcolithic remains century, none of whom made any mention of on its surface. A large, unexcavated structure ancient remains. It appears that part of the built of cut basalt stones, tentatively dated to village already lay in ruins at that time, as the Mamluk or Ottoman period, occupies the Conder and Kitchener report seeing “heaps of top of the hill. The ruins of the Ottoman village basaltic stones and ruined Arab houses.” The are most evident on the southern slope of the Arabic name of the village, El-‘Assaliyeh, as hill, close to where the present excavation was well as its modern Hebrew translation, Horbat conducted. Duvshan, retain a reference to some activity The ruins on the mostly barren and unprotected pertaining to honey or honey production. One slopes of the hill have suffered extensive water source, ‘En Duvshan, is located a short erosion from the hot, dry summers and frequent distance to the west. strong easterly winds, and the cold, wet, windy Claire Epstein, who pioneered the study of winters. Large swaths of the slope are nearly the Chalcolithic period in the Golan Heights bare of soil. The finds, therefore, both material (Epstein 1998) and the eastern Galilee (Epstein and architectural, are relatively meager and 1992), conducted a survey in the area in the poorly preserved. Nevertheless, they can be late 1970s in which she identified the site clearly associated with the Late Chalcolithic and recognized its importance within the culture that flourished in the Golan Heights and Chalcolithic period (1992:4, n. 8). other related sites in eastern Galilee (Epstein Between the years 1990–1993, Yosef 1992). Stepansky carried out an intensive survey in The difficult environment does not lend itself this region on behalf of the Israel Antiquities to the preservation of organic material and, in Authority and the Archaeological Survey of fact, none of the excavated areas yielded any Israel. He documented basaltic, Golan-type organic finds. pottery at 30 sites, 15 of which are presumed to be sedentary settlements. The remainder the exCavation3 of the sites are difficult to categorize as the finds were few and no excavations have yet Prior to the paving of an agricultural service been undertaken; however, it is clear that they road ascending the hill, seven test trenches represent sites, where some type of activity were excavated by mechanical equipment took place during the Late Chalcolithic to verify that no antiquities were in danger period. During his survey of Horbat Duvshan, of being destroyed.4 Three of the trenches, Stepansky also discerned pottery dating to the on three different levels of the slope, Early Bronze Age II–III, Mamluk and Ottoman revealed evidence of ancient remains. It periods. was subsequently decided to conduct an Horbat Duvshan extends over c. 250 dunams archaeological excavation adjacent to each (Stepansky, n.d.). It is bisected by a narrow trench within which ancient remains were secondary road that divides it into two distinct exposed. One 5 × 5 m square was laid out in parts. The major remains of the site are located each of the three areas. All the squares were south of the road in an eucalyptus grove situated literally overflowing with basalt stones and on a relatively level parcel of land. Stepansky boulders, which made the identification and enumerated approximately fifty partially exposure of walls a particularly difficult task. exposed, elongated houses built of basalt stones, In two of the squares (Sqs 1, 3) remains of comparable to the elongated houses common very poorly preserved structures dating to to the Late Chalcolithic culture in the Golan the Late Chalcolithic period were uncovered, Horbat Duvshan: a ‘Golan’ ChalColithiC site in eastern Galilee 21 while in the central square on the middle tier Square 2 (Figs. 2, 3; Plans 1, 2) of the slope (Sq 2), a portion of a structure or Square 2 is 70 m further up the slope from complex was unearthed, comparatively rich in Square 1 and approximately 18.5 m higher ceramic finds. than Square 1 in absolute height. The original square of 25 sq m was enlarged to an area of Square 1 c. 44.5 sq m. Three phases of occupation were Square 1 was excavated on the lowest tier of the discerned in this square; at least two, possibly southeastern slope, about 30 m above the base all three, dating to the Late Chalcolithic period of the hill, exposing meager remnants of a wall and providing conclusive evidence of sedentary running in a north–south direction. It was built habitation. The excavation did not reveal a of large, poorly engaged basalt stones that were sufficient structural plan that would enable carelessly placed on bedrock, and surrounded characterization of the structure and comparison by an extensive collection of stones. A large to the rectangular houses uncovered in the concentration of pottery fragments identical Golan Heights. to the ceramics of the Late Chalcolithic Golan culture, was retrieved in close proximity to the Phase I (Plan 1). The remains of the earliest barely perceptible structure. A similar situation occupation in Sq 2 comprise two partially was encountered in excavations in the Golan, excavated, parallel units, Rooms 208 and 216, where the existence of House 7 at Site 18, for both filled with stones. Room 208 is enclosed example, was surmised on the basis of scant by W207 and W219, constructed of two rows architectural remains among characteristic Late of basalt stones with a fill of small stones. Chalcolithic ceramic finds (Epstein 1998:114). The inner faces are well-constructed, while L216 W210 W217 W221 L206 L209 W219 L208 L204 W207 L215 Fig. 2. Square 2, looking east. 22 howarD smithline 1 305.76 W221 305.74 305.59 L204 304.91 305.16 L215 304.89 W217 L216 305.20 304.90 W210 304.91 2 305.76 305.25 L209 W207 305.03 W219 304.98 W218 L208 2 Phase I 304.73 305.24 304.85 1 304.55 Phase II 304.71 0 2 m 306 W218 305 L204 W207 304 1-1 306 305 W207 L216 L209 W218 W210 W219 304 2-2 Plan 1. Square 2, Phases I and II: plan and sections. Horbat Duvshan: a ‘Golan’ ChalColithiC site in eastern Galilee 23 W218 L204 W207 L215 L208 L204 W219 L209 L206 W210 W217 L216 Fig. 3. Square 2, looking west. the outer face consists of smaller stones more ware lying within the earth fill and in areas of haphazardly placed. Two basalt bowls, one exposed, uneven bedrock.