Tel Bareket yields important finds
The Antiquities Authority has revealed two extraordinary findings in the emergency excacations carried out at Tel Bareket, in the Modiin industrial area, located midway between Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv: a large Jewish village from the Second Temple period, and a large fortified Canaanite city from the early Bronze Age.
The large-scale rescue dig in conjunction with Tel Aviv University has been conducted for the past three months.
The archaeological excavations were carried out by the IAA and were financed by the Economic Company for Development of the Modiin Region which is constructing a major industrial zone there.
A large Jewish village of the Second Temple period:
(Dig by the IAA, led by Dr David Amit, Hagit Truga and Peter Gendelman)
This was an ancient village from the time of the Hasmonean monarchy (end of the second century BCE) which survived until the Bar Kochba revolt (early second century CE).
The excavations revealed major architectural and planning elements of the entire village:
Housing units,courtyards,streets, water channels and reservoirs, agricultural terraces and production facilities, including olive-oil presses, wine-presses, many stone flour-mills and a columbarium (dovecote). That the village was Jewish was shown by the ritual "mikveh" baths, and coins both Hasmonean as well as from the time of the revolt against the Romans. In the excavations were found pottery as well as stoneware cups and bowls, proof of strict adherence to Jewish ritual purity in those days.
Excavation director Dr. David Amit of the IAA notes that although other cities from the period have been uncovered in Israel (e.g. Tiberias, Beit She'an and Caesarea), this is the first time such a large rural settlement has come to light.
A big fortified town from the early Bronze age:
(Dig by the IAA led by Sarit Paz and Yitzhaq Paz accompanied by Professor Ram Gofna of the Israel Archaeology Institute of Tel Aviv University)
The site revealed a large, well-fortified town from the second early Bronze Age (roughly 2700-3100/3050 BCE). It comprised an upper and larger lower city. The present dig was limited to the lower city.
As work proceeded, an impressive fortification system was revealed including a three metre thick wall, large towers and a gateway. Inside the fortified town there were residential quarters, indicating a dynamic and phased development in the town's history. The excavated areas were well-planned with a network of streets, lanes, open areas and homes. On the floors of some of the homes were found many utensils in situ, representing the variety of pottery characteristic of the period. In addition there were several copper tools (an axe, a spear and chisels), effigies of animals and various beads.
Tel Bareket is one of the largest sites excavated dating from the second early Bronze Age in the Lod valley and the entire country. Its character, the finds and the scope of the excavation made there make Tel Bareket a most important place, representing the beginning of large fortified towns in the region of the Land of Israel.
Dr. Sarit Paz, excavation director of the Bronze Age site, says: "It is simply amazing to learn how people lives here 5,000 years ago in fortified cities."