This paper presents the earliest evidence for the exploitation of lignite (brown coal) in Europe ... more This paper presents the earliest evidence for the exploitation of lignite (brown coal) in Europe and sheds new light on the use of combustion fuel sources in the 2nd millennium BCE Eastern Mediterranean. We applied Thermal Desorption/Pyrolysis–Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Polarizing Microscopy to the dental calculus of 67 individuals and we identified clear evidence for combustion markers embedded within this calculus. In contrast to the scant evidence for combustion markers within the calculus samples from Egypt, all other individuals show the inhalation of smoke from fires burning wood identified as Pinaceae, in addition to hardwood, such as oak and olive, and/or dung. Importantly, individuals from the Palatial Period at the Mycenaean citadel of Tiryns and the Cretan harbour site of Chania also show the inhalation of fire-smoke from lignite, consistent with the chemical signature of sources in the northwestern Peloponnese and Western Crete respectively. This first evid...
Bulletin of the American Society of Overseas Research, 2022
This paper addresses the question of the date of appearance of Philistine Bichrome pottery at Meg... more This paper addresses the question of the date of appearance of Philistine Bichrome pottery at Megiddo through a new computational approach, using recently developed chronology software. Based on historical dates, we obtain a terminus post quem of 1183 b.c.e. for the start of Philistine Bichrome at Megiddo using a broad model, and a terminus post quem of 1124 b.c.e. under stronger chronological hypotheses. Adding radiocarbon results at 68.2% confidence level to the model yields a narrow range of 1111–1086 b.c.e. for the appearance of Bichrome (1128—1079 b.c.e. for 95.4%). The paper also presents results suggesting that Stratum VIIB ended during, or only slightly before, the reign of Ramesses III (1184–1153 b.c.e.).
Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, 2021
From 1985–2014, the Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon excavated a trench on the north side of Ashk... more From 1985–2014, the Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon excavated a trench on the north side of Ashkelon’s central mound (Grid 38) exposing a Bronze and Iron Age sequence over an area of some 450 m2. By combining different radiocarbon sampling strategies used over the years of excavation, an absolute chrono-cultural scheme is constructed for the latter half of the 2nd millennium b.c.e. with a focus on the transition to the Iron Age. This chronology is then synchronized with several nearby sites.
A jewelry hoard was recently uncovered in Megiddo in destruction debris securely dated to the Ear... more A jewelry hoard was recently uncovered in Megiddo in destruction debris securely dated to the Early Iron Age I. The hoard was found only about 30 m from the Canaanite palace of the city of Stratum VIIA. Three groups of objects contained in the hoard are presented: a bundle of silver objects; a necklace made of electrum, carnelian, and silver beads; and ten elaborate electrum jewelry pieces. An earring from the latter group is a work of art that has never been seen before in the jewelry discovered in the region. In light of the accurate excavation methods of the hoard, its good stratigraphical affiliation, and several additional examinations, such as metallurgy, petrography, and residue analysis, the authors discuss the stages of hoarding and point out the social, economic, and historical circumstances of this unique find.
Here we present the paleopathological profiles of two young adult males, identified as brothers t... more Here we present the paleopathological profiles of two young adult males, identified as brothers through ancient DNA analysis, who were buried together beneath the floor of an elite early Late Bronze Age I (ca. 1550–1450 BC) domestic structure at the urban center of Megiddo (modern Israel). Both individuals displayed uncommon morphological variants related to developmental conditions, and each exhibited extensive bone remodeling consistent with chronic infectious disease. Additionally, one brother had a healed fracture of the nose, as well as a large square piece of bone cut from the frontal bone (cranial trephination). We consider the potential etiologies for the appearance of the skeletal anomalies and lesions. Based on the bioarchaeological context, we propose that a shared epigenetic landscape predisposed the brothers to acquiring an infectious disease and their elite status privileged them enough to endure it. We then contextualize these potential illnesses and disorders with th...
Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, 2020
Megiddo, with its tight stratigraphy and well-controlled ceramic typology, yielded more than half... more Megiddo, with its tight stratigraphy and well-controlled ceramic typology, yielded more than half of the radiocarbon determinations for the time span of the Middle Bronze II to the Iron I in the southern Levant. Here we present two radiocarbon models for this entire sequence, focusing on the Late Bronze Age—1) for Megiddo; 2) for Megiddo and Beth-Shean—adding a third model for sites which provide results relevant to the Middle Bronze III/Late Bronze I transition. We then discuss the impact of the results on the material culture and history of Megiddo in particular and the southern Levant (and eastern Mediterranean) in general.
... 12.4:12) of FISCHER's “CW I” style (1999: 11, table 2) was presented in Level F-... more ... 12.4:12) of FISCHER's “CW I” style (1999: 11, table 2) was presented in Level F-10a but, according to the locus index (BLOCKMAN and FINKELSTEIN 2006: 439), actually belongs to (the earlier ... 37:14, 38:8), Lachish Fosse Temple I (TUFNELL, INGE and HARDING 1940: pl. ...
Bulletin of the American Schools of Overseas Research, 2022
This paper addresses the question of the date of appearance of Philistine Bichrome pottery at Meg... more This paper addresses the question of the date of appearance of Philistine Bichrome pottery at Megiddo through a new computational approach, using recently developed chronology software. Based on historical dates, we obtain a terminus post quem of 1183 B.C.E. for the start of Philistine Bichrome at Megiddo using a broad model, and a terminus post quem of 1124 B.C.E. under stronger chronological hypotheses. Adding radiocarbon results at 68.2% confidence level to the model yields a narrow range of 1111-1086 B.C.E. for the appearance of Bichrome (1128-1079 B.C.E. for 95.4%). The paper also presents results suggesting that Stratum VIIB ended during, or only slightly before, the reign of Ramesses III (1184-1153 B.C.E.).
Although the key role of long-distance trade in the transformation of cuisines worldwide has been... more Although the key role of long-distance trade in the transformation of cuisines worldwide has been well-documented since at least the Roman era, the prehistory of the Eurasian food trade is less visible. In order to shed light on the transformation of Eastern Mediterranean cuisines during the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, we analyzed microremains and proteins preserved in the dental calculus of individuals who lived during the second millennium BCE in the Southern Levant. Our results provide clear evidence for the consumption of expected staple foods, such as cereals (Triticeae), sesame (Sesamum), and dates (Phoenix). We additionally report evidence for the consumption of soybean (Glycine), probable banana (Musa), and turmeric (Curcuma), which pushes back the earliest evidence of these foods in the Mediterranean by centuries (turmeric) or even millennia (soybean). We find that, from the early second millennium onwards, at least some people in the Eastern Mediterranean had access to ...
Megiddo (Israel) is a key site for the study of the stratigraphy, chronology, and history of the ... more Megiddo (Israel) is a key site for the study of the stratigraphy, chronology, and history of the Bronze and Iron ages in the Levant. The article presents a Bayesian chronological model for seven ceramic typology phases and 10 stratigraphic horizons at this site, covering the Late Bronze and much of the Iron Age. The model is based on 78 samples, which provided 190 determinations —the most thorough set of radiocarbon determinations known so far in a single site in the Levant. This set of data provides a reliable skeleton for the discussion of cultural processes and historical events in the region and beyond, including the periods of the Egyptian Empire in Canaan and the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
Regional and global geomagnetic models of the Holocene, which describe the time evolution of the ... more Regional and global geomagnetic models of the Holocene, which describe the time evolution of the geomagnetic field vector, are of interest to a number of research fields, including exploration of the geodynamo
Megiddo, with its tight stratigraphy and well-controlled ceramic typology, yielded more than half... more Megiddo, with its tight stratigraphy and well-controlled ceramic typology, yielded more than half of the radiocarbon determinations for the time span of the Middle Bronze II to the Iron I in the southern Levant. Here we present two radiocarbon models for this entire sequence, focusing on the Late Bronze Age-1) for Megiddo; 2) for Megiddo and Beth-Shean-adding a third model for sites which provide results relevant to the Middle Bronze III/Late Bronze I transition. We then discuss the impact of the results on the material culture and history of Megiddo in particular and the southern Levant (and eastern Mediterranean) in general.
Although the key role of long-distance trade in the transformation of cuisines worldwide has been... more Although the key role of long-distance trade in the transformation of cuisines worldwide has been well-documented since at least the Roman era, the prehistory of the Eurasian food trade is less visible. In order to shed light on the transformation of Eastern Mediterranean cuisines during the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, we analyzed microremains and proteins preserved in the dental calculus of individuals who lived during the second millennium BCE in the Southern Levant. Our results provide clear evidence for the consumption of expected staple foods, such as cereals (Triticeae), sesame (Sesamum), and dates (Phoenix). We additionally report evidence for the consumption of soybean (Glycine), probable banana (Musa), and turmeric (Curcuma), which pushes back the earliest evidence of these foods in the Mediterranean by centuries (turmeric) or even millennia (soybean). We find that, from the early second millennium onwards, at least some people in the Eastern Mediterranean had access to ...
Agypten Und Levante Internationale Zeitschrift Fur Agyptische Archaologie Und Deren Nachbargebeite, 2008
Page 1. Abstract The 2004 excavations of the Leon Levy Expedition in Grid 38 at Ashkelon uncovere... more Page 1. Abstract The 2004 excavations of the Leon Levy Expedition in Grid 38 at Ashkelon uncovered a mudbrick wall of what appears to be another 'Egyptian fortress' in Late Bronze Age Canaan. In context with this building ...
This paper presents the earliest evidence for the exploitation of lignite (brown coal) in Europe ... more This paper presents the earliest evidence for the exploitation of lignite (brown coal) in Europe and sheds new light on the use of combustion fuel sources in the 2nd millennium BCE Eastern Mediterranean. We applied Thermal Desorption/Pyrolysis–Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Polarizing Microscopy to the dental calculus of 67 individuals and we identified clear evidence for combustion markers embedded within this calculus. In contrast to the scant evidence for combustion markers within the calculus samples from Egypt, all other individuals show the inhalation of smoke from fires burning wood identified as Pinaceae, in addition to hardwood, such as oak and olive, and/or dung. Importantly, individuals from the Palatial Period at the Mycenaean citadel of Tiryns and the Cretan harbour site of Chania also show the inhalation of fire-smoke from lignite, consistent with the chemical signature of sources in the northwestern Peloponnese and Western Crete respectively. This first evid...
Bulletin of the American Society of Overseas Research, 2022
This paper addresses the question of the date of appearance of Philistine Bichrome pottery at Meg... more This paper addresses the question of the date of appearance of Philistine Bichrome pottery at Megiddo through a new computational approach, using recently developed chronology software. Based on historical dates, we obtain a terminus post quem of 1183 b.c.e. for the start of Philistine Bichrome at Megiddo using a broad model, and a terminus post quem of 1124 b.c.e. under stronger chronological hypotheses. Adding radiocarbon results at 68.2% confidence level to the model yields a narrow range of 1111–1086 b.c.e. for the appearance of Bichrome (1128—1079 b.c.e. for 95.4%). The paper also presents results suggesting that Stratum VIIB ended during, or only slightly before, the reign of Ramesses III (1184–1153 b.c.e.).
Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, 2021
From 1985–2014, the Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon excavated a trench on the north side of Ashk... more From 1985–2014, the Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon excavated a trench on the north side of Ashkelon’s central mound (Grid 38) exposing a Bronze and Iron Age sequence over an area of some 450 m2. By combining different radiocarbon sampling strategies used over the years of excavation, an absolute chrono-cultural scheme is constructed for the latter half of the 2nd millennium b.c.e. with a focus on the transition to the Iron Age. This chronology is then synchronized with several nearby sites.
A jewelry hoard was recently uncovered in Megiddo in destruction debris securely dated to the Ear... more A jewelry hoard was recently uncovered in Megiddo in destruction debris securely dated to the Early Iron Age I. The hoard was found only about 30 m from the Canaanite palace of the city of Stratum VIIA. Three groups of objects contained in the hoard are presented: a bundle of silver objects; a necklace made of electrum, carnelian, and silver beads; and ten elaborate electrum jewelry pieces. An earring from the latter group is a work of art that has never been seen before in the jewelry discovered in the region. In light of the accurate excavation methods of the hoard, its good stratigraphical affiliation, and several additional examinations, such as metallurgy, petrography, and residue analysis, the authors discuss the stages of hoarding and point out the social, economic, and historical circumstances of this unique find.
Here we present the paleopathological profiles of two young adult males, identified as brothers t... more Here we present the paleopathological profiles of two young adult males, identified as brothers through ancient DNA analysis, who were buried together beneath the floor of an elite early Late Bronze Age I (ca. 1550–1450 BC) domestic structure at the urban center of Megiddo (modern Israel). Both individuals displayed uncommon morphological variants related to developmental conditions, and each exhibited extensive bone remodeling consistent with chronic infectious disease. Additionally, one brother had a healed fracture of the nose, as well as a large square piece of bone cut from the frontal bone (cranial trephination). We consider the potential etiologies for the appearance of the skeletal anomalies and lesions. Based on the bioarchaeological context, we propose that a shared epigenetic landscape predisposed the brothers to acquiring an infectious disease and their elite status privileged them enough to endure it. We then contextualize these potential illnesses and disorders with th...
Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, 2020
Megiddo, with its tight stratigraphy and well-controlled ceramic typology, yielded more than half... more Megiddo, with its tight stratigraphy and well-controlled ceramic typology, yielded more than half of the radiocarbon determinations for the time span of the Middle Bronze II to the Iron I in the southern Levant. Here we present two radiocarbon models for this entire sequence, focusing on the Late Bronze Age—1) for Megiddo; 2) for Megiddo and Beth-Shean—adding a third model for sites which provide results relevant to the Middle Bronze III/Late Bronze I transition. We then discuss the impact of the results on the material culture and history of Megiddo in particular and the southern Levant (and eastern Mediterranean) in general.
... 12.4:12) of FISCHER's “CW I” style (1999: 11, table 2) was presented in Level F-... more ... 12.4:12) of FISCHER's “CW I” style (1999: 11, table 2) was presented in Level F-10a but, according to the locus index (BLOCKMAN and FINKELSTEIN 2006: 439), actually belongs to (the earlier ... 37:14, 38:8), Lachish Fosse Temple I (TUFNELL, INGE and HARDING 1940: pl. ...
Bulletin of the American Schools of Overseas Research, 2022
This paper addresses the question of the date of appearance of Philistine Bichrome pottery at Meg... more This paper addresses the question of the date of appearance of Philistine Bichrome pottery at Megiddo through a new computational approach, using recently developed chronology software. Based on historical dates, we obtain a terminus post quem of 1183 B.C.E. for the start of Philistine Bichrome at Megiddo using a broad model, and a terminus post quem of 1124 B.C.E. under stronger chronological hypotheses. Adding radiocarbon results at 68.2% confidence level to the model yields a narrow range of 1111-1086 B.C.E. for the appearance of Bichrome (1128-1079 B.C.E. for 95.4%). The paper also presents results suggesting that Stratum VIIB ended during, or only slightly before, the reign of Ramesses III (1184-1153 B.C.E.).
Although the key role of long-distance trade in the transformation of cuisines worldwide has been... more Although the key role of long-distance trade in the transformation of cuisines worldwide has been well-documented since at least the Roman era, the prehistory of the Eurasian food trade is less visible. In order to shed light on the transformation of Eastern Mediterranean cuisines during the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, we analyzed microremains and proteins preserved in the dental calculus of individuals who lived during the second millennium BCE in the Southern Levant. Our results provide clear evidence for the consumption of expected staple foods, such as cereals (Triticeae), sesame (Sesamum), and dates (Phoenix). We additionally report evidence for the consumption of soybean (Glycine), probable banana (Musa), and turmeric (Curcuma), which pushes back the earliest evidence of these foods in the Mediterranean by centuries (turmeric) or even millennia (soybean). We find that, from the early second millennium onwards, at least some people in the Eastern Mediterranean had access to ...
Megiddo (Israel) is a key site for the study of the stratigraphy, chronology, and history of the ... more Megiddo (Israel) is a key site for the study of the stratigraphy, chronology, and history of the Bronze and Iron ages in the Levant. The article presents a Bayesian chronological model for seven ceramic typology phases and 10 stratigraphic horizons at this site, covering the Late Bronze and much of the Iron Age. The model is based on 78 samples, which provided 190 determinations —the most thorough set of radiocarbon determinations known so far in a single site in the Levant. This set of data provides a reliable skeleton for the discussion of cultural processes and historical events in the region and beyond, including the periods of the Egyptian Empire in Canaan and the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
Regional and global geomagnetic models of the Holocene, which describe the time evolution of the ... more Regional and global geomagnetic models of the Holocene, which describe the time evolution of the geomagnetic field vector, are of interest to a number of research fields, including exploration of the geodynamo
Megiddo, with its tight stratigraphy and well-controlled ceramic typology, yielded more than half... more Megiddo, with its tight stratigraphy and well-controlled ceramic typology, yielded more than half of the radiocarbon determinations for the time span of the Middle Bronze II to the Iron I in the southern Levant. Here we present two radiocarbon models for this entire sequence, focusing on the Late Bronze Age-1) for Megiddo; 2) for Megiddo and Beth-Shean-adding a third model for sites which provide results relevant to the Middle Bronze III/Late Bronze I transition. We then discuss the impact of the results on the material culture and history of Megiddo in particular and the southern Levant (and eastern Mediterranean) in general.
Although the key role of long-distance trade in the transformation of cuisines worldwide has been... more Although the key role of long-distance trade in the transformation of cuisines worldwide has been well-documented since at least the Roman era, the prehistory of the Eurasian food trade is less visible. In order to shed light on the transformation of Eastern Mediterranean cuisines during the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, we analyzed microremains and proteins preserved in the dental calculus of individuals who lived during the second millennium BCE in the Southern Levant. Our results provide clear evidence for the consumption of expected staple foods, such as cereals (Triticeae), sesame (Sesamum), and dates (Phoenix). We additionally report evidence for the consumption of soybean (Glycine), probable banana (Musa), and turmeric (Curcuma), which pushes back the earliest evidence of these foods in the Mediterranean by centuries (turmeric) or even millennia (soybean). We find that, from the early second millennium onwards, at least some people in the Eastern Mediterranean had access to ...
Agypten Und Levante Internationale Zeitschrift Fur Agyptische Archaologie Und Deren Nachbargebeite, 2008
Page 1. Abstract The 2004 excavations of the Leon Levy Expedition in Grid 38 at Ashkelon uncovere... more Page 1. Abstract The 2004 excavations of the Leon Levy Expedition in Grid 38 at Ashkelon uncovered a mudbrick wall of what appears to be another 'Egyptian fortress' in Late Bronze Age Canaan. In context with this building ...
An undisturbed elite tomb discovered in ancient Armageddon is replete with gold offerings—and the... more An undisturbed elite tomb discovered in ancient Armageddon is replete with gold offerings—and the promise of unlocking secrets with DNA analysis.
Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2022
Our understanding of geomagnetic field intensity prior to the era of direct instrumental measurem... more Our understanding of geomagnetic field intensity prior to the era of direct instrumental measurements relies on paleointensity analysis of rocks and archaeological materials that serve as magnetic recorders. Only in rare cases are absolute paleointensity data sets continuous over millennial timescales, in sub-centennial resolution, and directly dated using radiocarbon. As a result, fundamental properties of the geomagnetic field, such as its maximum intensity and rate of change have remained a subject of lively discussion. Here, we place firm constraints on these two quantities using Bayesian modeling of well-dated archaeomagnetic intensity data from the Levant and Upper Mesopotamia. We report new data from 23 groups of pottery collected from 18 consecutive radiocarbon-dated archaeological strata from Tel Megiddo, Israel. In the Near East, the period of 1700–550 BCE is represented by 84 groups of archaeological artifacts, 55 of which were dated using radiocarbon or a direct link to clear historically dated events, providing unprecedented sub-century resolution. Moreover, stratigraphic relationships between samples collected from multi-layered sites enable further refinement of the data ages. The Bayesian curve shows four geomagnetic spikes between 1050 and 600 BCE, with virtual axial dipole moment (VADM) reaching values of 155–162 ZAm2, much higher than any prediction from geomagnetic field models. Rates of change associated with the four spikes are ∼0.35–0.55 μT/year (∼0.7–1.1 ZAm2/year), at least twice the maximum rate inferred from direct observations spanning the past 180 years. The increase from 1750 to 1030 BCE (73–161 ZAm2) depicts the Holocene's largest change in field intensity.
Hadashot Arkheologiyot – Excavations and Surveys in Israel, 2021
Brief report on the Tel Aviv University Megiddo Expedition 2018 season. Six areas were excavated ... more Brief report on the Tel Aviv University Megiddo Expedition 2018 season. Six areas were excavated in the 2018 season (Fig. 1): Area H (the stratigraphic section in the northwest of the tell), where the excavation was brought to a close; and in Areas K (the stratigraphic section in the southeast of the tell), S (inside Area AA of the University of Chicago’s 1930s excavations), T (in the vicinity of the Assyrian palace), X (west of the Assyrian palace), where the excavation was planned to continue; and in a new area—Area Z in the Iron Age gate area—which was excavated in collaboration with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority prior to the reconstruction of the west wing of the gate, which had been removed by the University of Chicago expedition.
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