Pharaoh [i.e., Siamun], king of Egypt, had attacked and captured Gezer. He had set it on fire. He killed its Canaanite inhabitants and then gave it as a wedding gift to his daughter, Solomon’s wife. And Solomon rebuilt Gezer. (I Kings 9:15–16) Gezer is a site from ancient Israel that has yielded 10 monumental megaliths [...]

A city on the Orontes, well known from a mass of clay tables excavated there.

British Museum. Image by L. M. Clancy ©. ‘Ain Ghazal is a large Neolithic site in the Wadi Zarqa on the outskirts of northeast Amman in Jordan. Excavations began in 1982 by a joint American-Jordanian expedition under the direction of Gary Rollefson, Alan Simmons and Zeidan Kafafi. Four main phases of occupation were uncovered, lasting [...]

One of the largest Early Bronze IV settlements of the east Jordan Valley was Tell Umm Hammad, on the north side of the river Zarqa, close to its confluence with the Jordan. Its cemetery is known locally as Tiwal esh-Sharqi. Most tombs were of the traditional shaft type, though two were rectangular trenches lined on [...]

In the central Jordan Valley near the river Jordan, the large double mound of Tell es-Sa’idiyeh has been identified as ancient Zarethan. Early Bronze Age Extensive palace complex. Palace Destroyed 2700 BC Palace destroyed by fire. Excavation 1985-Present Excavations by Jonathan Tubb on behalf of the British Museum. Palace at Tell es-Sa’idiyeh Excavations on the [...]

Located on the plain southeast of the Dead Sea in Jordan, Bab edh-Dhrâ has been identified as likely biblical Sodom, one of the so-called Cities of the Plain. Proto-Urban Period 3300 BC First occupation. Early Bronze Age Height of prosperity. Included a sanctuary and was defended by a 7m thick stone wall. Destruction 2400 BC [...]

Tell el-’Ajjul (aka Tell Sharuhen; Ancient Gaza) is a Bronze Age site in Southern Palestine at the mouth of the Ghazzah Wadi just south of the town of Gaza1. Tell el-’Ajjul was excavated 1930-1934 by a British team led by Sir Flinders Petrie. The earliest remains at Tell el-’Ajjul date from ~2100 BC, with the [...]

Sarcophagus of Tabnit (?), king of Sidon (5th cent. BC) I, Tabnit, priest of Astarte, king of Sidon, the son of Eshmuun’azar, priest of Astarte, king of Sidon, am lying in this sarcophagus. Whoever you are who might find this sarcophagus, don’t, don’t open it and don’t disturb me, for no silver has been given [...]

Byblos was a Phoenician city. Stele of Yehawmilk of Byblos, 5th century BC I am Yehawmilk, king of Byblos, the son of Yeharba’al the grandson of son of Yeharbaal, the grandson of Urimilk, king of Byblos, whom the mistress, the Lady of Byblos, made king over Byblos … [Whoever you are,] ruler and (ordinary) man, [...]

© Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery. Used with permission. Tel Dor, the best-preserved Persian Period settlement, was a very sophisticated port city (there were even special structures for boats to pull into). The Eastern mound was residential and had a Hippodamian plan that heralds from a late Persian style. The architecture itself is heavily Phoenician. [...]

Ekron is modern Tell Miqne. Padi was installed as ruler of Ekron, part of the Philistine pentapolis, in attempt by Assyrian king Sennacherib to exert hegemony over the Philistine-heavy region and thereby control Judah. Padi’s reign over the area was important for Assyria to maintain control. Ruling from Ekron, Padi was a vassal of Assyria [...]

Samaria was the capital of Israel and Sargon (721-705) had to finish the siege of it. Sargon finished the siege of Samaria, Israelites resettled in Gozan, in Media and possibly near his new capital of Dur Sharruken. Moves toward Turkey to Tarsus and Malatya on the Anatolian plateau. Moves to the east into Elamite and [...]

Megiddo was an Early Bronze Age village noted for having the largest alter of the Bronze Age. Many animal bones were found on and near the altar indicating that animals were sacrificed and then swept aside to rot. Also, Middle Bronze Age I (aka Middle Bronze Age IIA) red burnish ware was found at Megiddo. [...]

Shiqmin dates as far back as the early Chalcolithic. Phase III (4,520-4,400 BC) has subterranean houses and 2 semicircular alters). Phase II (4,240-3,990 BC) shifts to an open-air village (as opposed to subterranean). Shiqmin was mostly destroyed at the end of Phase II, with Phase I (3,940-3,700) indicated uneven site oocupation followed by abandonment.

Gilat was a 10ha settlement.

Ebla (originally tel Mardeep) was an ancient city in modern Tell Mardikh (65 km south of Aleppo in Syria) whose destruction in ~2250 BC by a Mesopotamian king preserved an archive in Eblaite, a Semitic cuneiform found only in Ebla (after this destruction, Ebla was immediately rebuilt). When Ebla was at its peak and keeping [...]

Arad is 8.9 hectares, surrounded by a wall that is 2/2.5 m wide, 4/5 m high and 1,176 m long, and which is elaborated with semi-circular and, later, rectilinear towers. Arad III Arad III represents Early Bronze Age II of the Southern Levant. Petrographic links with Sinai, shells from Red Sea, slags andmetallurgical materials from [...]

Jericho (Tell es-Sultan) is a Levantine site given great Biblical weight as the first site conquered by the Israelites. It has a Pre-Pottery Neolithic fortification, suggesting the presence of chiefdoms in this era. Also, it has a remarkable Middle Bronze Age wall that is five meters thick. Anatolian obsidian was found at Jericho, indicating some [...]

One thing characteristic of Chalcolithic culture in the Beersheba area is the chalcolythic urn. Ceramic churns are present only in the Chalcolythic era (until Classic era) and otherwise would have been made from skin, hung from a tree and whacked back and forth. These churns indicate the secondary product revolution. Also, there are ceramic cult [...]