Tell es-Safi/Gath 2008: Update for the 2008 Season
By Aren M. Maeir
Director, The Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project
The Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology
Co-Director, Joint Bar-Ilan University/Weizmann Institute of Science Program in Archaeological Science
(www.dig-gath.org)
September, 2008
Early Bronze Age
(3rd
mill. BCE):
In addition to excavating additional portions of the
well-preserved late EB quarter on the eastern side of the tell (Area
E), we can now say quite clearly that in addition to 2-3 EB III
phases, there is an EB II presence in this area. Also, we excavated
what may be the earliest known equid (probably a donkey) burial in
the Levant, placed in a pit within one of the excavated buildings.
Since we have uncovered several building complexes and an alleyway
that separates them, we placed an emphasis on conducting a fine-tuned
excavation, sieving all material with 1mm sieves, in an attempt to
differentiate between the activities and waste found within the
houses and in the alleyway. Importantly, we have now found evidence
for the EB on the opposite side of the tell - in Area F, just below
the MB fortifications. This further strengthens our understanding
that Gath was a very large and important city during the EB (perhaps
somewhat similar to the regional role of nearby Tel Yarmut). We may
have found evidence of an EB fortification wall below the MB
fortification, although this will be seen for sure only in further
seasons. Unfortunately, while I had hoped that we would expose a
portion of the EB fortifications in the new Area G, we appear to have
uncovered a terrace wall only (whose date is not yet clear).

Middle Bronze Age
(1st
half of 2nd
mill. BCE):
We continued to expose the MB fortification wall and
associated glacis (sloping revetment), which may be based on an
earlier EB fortification. From the pottery that was found in
association with these features, we can say that there was activity
on the site during the mid/late MB IIA and MB IIB/C. The finds
included a wide assortment of local and imported pottery typical of
this period, including “Tell el-Yahudiyeh Ware” and “Red, White
and Blue Ware.”

Late Bronze Age
(ca. 1500-1200 BCE):
We did not work in many LB contexts this
season. Nevertheless, several noteworthy finds can be noted. In Area
A and G, several interesting LB objects were found (in later
contexts), such as figurines and imported Cypriote and Mycenaean
pottery. In Area P, below the very interesting Iron I food storage
area (see below), we have the remains of what appears to be a very
large LB building, with rich LB pottery on its floors, possible
evidence of the final stage of LB Gath (as found already in previous
seasons in Area E).
Iron Age I
(1200-1000 BCE):
Several interesting finds date to this period: In
Area P, we uncovered parts of a large stone-built building (or maybe
a casemate fortification?) which seems to have been used already
during the LB, but was reused in the Iron Age I. On the floors of the
Iron I level, we uncovered one, as well as a possible second, room
with a rich layer of “phytoliths” (the non-organic skeletal parts
of plants), evidence that the room was used for vegetal food storage
during the Iron I. Associated with the phytoliths, we also found
quite a lot of minute skeletal remains of rodents, who were clearly
“feasting” on the foodstuffs in the room. This find is quite
important since we have very few remains of food storage relating to
the early Philistine culture. Hopefully, the finds from this context
will shed important light on the foodways of the early Philistines
(which we know are so different from the local Canaanites and
Israelites). In Area A, we excavated mid/late Iron I remains, mostly
courtyard deposits and garbage pits of the Iron I, with a rich
collection of animal and fish bones, charred materials, pottery and
other finds. These finds will also provide us with important evidence
on the food habits of the Philistines, as well as other aspects of
their daily life. In Area F, we have apparent evidence of two very
early Iron I phases. One represents the earliest stage of the
Philistine culture, the period in which the locally made Mycenaean
IIIC pottery appears. In addition to showing quite clearly that this
stage exists at Tell es-Safi/Gath, we may have found evidence of a
plastered bath (or other, similar installation) which is reminiscent
of similar features from Cyprus and the Aegean (from where the
Philistines appear to have originated).
Iron Age IIA
(1000-800 BCE):
We had several very important finds from this
period. First of all, in Area A, we uncovered a clear level dating to
the early Iron IIA, below the later phase of the Iron IIA that is
dated to the late 9th century BCE and connected to the conquest of
the site by Hazael of Aram (see below). In this earlier level, we
uncovered a round Philistine pebbled hearth, perhaps the latest
evidence so far of the continuation of this method of cooking in the
Philistine culture (brought with them from their places of origin
when they arrived in Canaan). In addition, and most importantly, in
this level we found clear early Iron IIA pottery, a well-dated
fragment of a seal impression (of the late 21st Dynasty in Egypt, ca.
mid-10th cent BCE), and several nice clusters of carbonized grape
pips. This latter find should be able to provide robust 14C datings
for this phase. One cannot overemphasize the importance of the finds
in this level, since it may provide the first concrete, well-dated
(from several perspectives) context from the early Iron Age IIA in
Philistia. In fact, the finds from this level may serve as a central
key to solving the “hot debate” on the chronology of the Iron
Age, raging for now for more than a decade. Hopefully, the 14C
results will be available by late 2008.
The later phase of the Iron Age IIA was
excavated in several areas on the site. In Area A, we continued
excavating the Stratum A3 structure that was found last year in which
a collection of cultic objects was discovered. Although we are far
from understanding this structure, it is looking more and more like a
cult-related structure, one that has a long history (pre-A3?). In
Area D, in the lower city, we continued to expose impressive remains
of this same stratum, the late 9th century BCE destruction of the
site, which we relate to Hazael’s siege and conquest of Gath (see
II Kings 12:17-18). Impressive remains of this destruction were
found, including parts of several large structures, scores of vessels
(including quite a few that were complete) and a selection of various
other finds. Besides displaying evidence of this destruction, similar
to that found previously in Area A, these finds demonstrate
conclusively that our original assumption that the city of Gath was
very large during the Iron Age IIA, reaching ca. 45-50 hectares in
size, was correct. This makes it perhaps the largest site in
Philistia, and perhaps in the entire Land of Israel during this
period. As such, it appears to match the image of Gath that is
portrayed in the biblical texts that relate to the early monarchy, in
which the city is described as the largest and most important of five
cities of the Philistine Pentapolis,
the primus inter pares
among the five cities. This serves as evidence that these biblical
texts, even if completed and edited at much later stages, include
distinctly preserved kernels of historical memory of the city and its
role.
Finally, in Area F, on the top of the
tell, evidence of this stage is emerging, beneath the late
8th-century
BCE levels.
Iron Age IIB
(late 8th
century BCE):
While we previously found a late 8th-century
BCE level in Area A, above the 9th-century
destruction level, in Area F we now have two clear levels dating to
the late 8th century BCE. Both levels appear to contain pottery
similar to the Lachish, Stratum III horizon (which was destroyed by
Sennacherib in 701 BCE) and appear to be oriented to the Judean
culture. It would appear that these two levels mirror the
post-Philistine history of Gath in the Iron Age. Apparently, after
the Hazael destruction, the site was abondoned for awhile, and then
resettled, for a short time, under Judean rule (as seen in the
clearly Judean-oriented finds, such as the LMLK handles – typical
features of the Royal Judean bureaucracy of the late 8th
century BCE). These two levels may perhaps have been destroyed
respectively by Sargon II and Sennacherib during their campaigns to
the region. Interestingly, above the 9th
century BCE destruction level and below these two Iron IIB levels,
there is possible evidence of an earthquake discussion, which perhaps
ties in with previous evidence (biblical and archaeological) of a
major earthquake in the region in the mid-8th
century BCE.
Crusader Period
(12th
century CE):
Additional portions of the very large Crusader period
tower in Area F were discovered this year. This tower, part of the
outer fortifications of the Crusader fort “Blanche Garde” had
been uncovered in previous seasons, and this year we uncovered an
additional section of it.
Other aspects:
In
addition to the regular excavations, we had some very interesting
additional activities on site. In particular, the work of the
archaeological science team, members of the joint Bar-Ilan
University/Weizmann Institute Program in Archaeological Science is to
be noted. This work, directed by Drs. Steve Weiner, Elisabetta
Boaretto and Ruth Shachak Gross, included several aspects: 1) A
“decapage” (meticulous, horizontal excavation using methods
usually seen in Prehistoric Archaeology) of a square in Area A,
excavating part of the A3 destruction level. This excavating enabled
a very fine-tuned analysis of the destruction and related finds and
will hopefully assist us in understanding the processes connected to
the destruction and the various functions carried out in this area.
In particular the in-field laboratory (including an IR spectrometer
in the field), which was supplemented by the additional laboratories
back in the base camp, provided us with “on-line” results of
these analyses - which enabled “real-time” understanding of the
archaeological finds. This joint program is unparalleled at ANY
excavation in Israel, and in fact, in the world. The close
integration of a “regular” excavation team with a wide team of
archaeological scientists IN THE FIELD, is simply unparalleled
anywhere; 2) In addition, the archaeological science team conducted
on-site analyses in the various excavation areas, providing important
answers about the physical and chemical properties of various finds;
3) A very interesting program on experimental archaeology was
conducted in relationship to this program. Shira Gur-Arieh, one of
the project staff members, was in charge of an attempt to replicate
and study the use of the Philistine rounded pebble hearths.
Throughout the season, she carried out a wide range of experiments,
attempting to recreate and understand, how exactly these hearths were
used, and how they affected vessels that were placed on them.