Tell el Hammeh
Tell el Hammeh is an archaeological tell in the West Bank. It is located about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) north-west of the Israeli settlement of Mehola, on the southern edge of Beit She'an valley, some 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south of the city. The tell is elevated about 30 metres (98 ft) from the surrounding plain; its top has an area of 5 dunams (1.2 acres).[1]
It is identified with the Canaanite city state of Hammath, known from a stela of Seti I describing a military campaign.[2][3] The idea originates in William F. Albright.[1]
The tell was excavated in 1985-1988 by Jane Cahill, who reported of layers of the Iron Age, or 11th to 7th centuries BC, separated by the remains of major fires. One layer, from the 9th century or later, revealed a stone building, while earlier ones only had mud-bricks. Unusual concentrations of loom weights and spindles from different periods suggest the city maintained a weaving industry.[1]
References and further reading
- 1 2 3 Cahill, Jane; Lipton, G.; Tarler, D. (1987-01-01). "Tell el-Hammah, 1985-1987 [NOTES AND NEWS]". Israel Exploration Journal. 37 (4): 280–284. ISSN 0021-2059. JSTOR 27926080.
- ↑ Hallo, William W; Younger, K. Lawson, eds. (2003). The Context of Scripture: Canonical compositions, monumental inscriptions and archival documents from the biblical world. II. Brill. p. 26, note 1. ISBN 1423714490.
- ↑ "Seti I quells a rebellion in the Beth-shean Valley, 1291 B.C - Historical Maps". CARTA MAP BANK. Retrieved 2014-08-04.
- Zertal, A., 2005. The Manasseh Hill-Country Survey, vol. IV – From Nahal Bezeq to the Sartaba, Tel-Aviv and Haifa (Hebrew). Site 30.
- Cahill Jane M., "The excavations at Tell el-Hammah: a prelude to Amihai Mazar's Beth-Shean Valley regional project". In Aren M. Maeir (ed.) I will speak the riddles of ancient times, volume II. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 2006. Pages 429-459.
- Tell el Hammeh site record, in the Digital Archaeological Atlas of the Holy Land.
Coordinates: 32°22′30″N 35°30′30″E / 32.3751003°N 35.5082064°E