Early Bronze Age pebble installations from Tell es-Safi/Gath, Israel: evidence for their function and utilization

Adi Eliyahu-Behar; Itzick Shai; Shira Gur-Arieh; Suembikya Frumin; Shira Albaz; Ehud Weiss; Francesca Manclossi; Steve Rosen; Tina L. Greenfield; Haskel J. Greenfield; Aren M. Maeir

doi:10.1080/00758914.2017.1279495

Early Bronze Age pebble installations from Tell es-Safi/Gath, Israel: evidence for their function and utilization

Adi Eliyahu-Behar, Itzick Shai, Shira Gur-Arieh, Suembikya Frumin, Shira Albaz, Ehud Weiss, Francesca Manclossi, Steve Rosen, Tina L. Greenfield, Haskel J. Greenfield, Aren M. Maeir

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Pebble stone installations are commonly found at various Early Bronze Age sites in the southern Levant. However, their function is often assumed or unknown. Thirteen circular pebble installations were found scattered throughout a residential neighbourhood dating to the Early Bronze Age III at Tell es-Safi/Gath. Five such installations were recently studied by implementing an integrated micro-archaeological approach by which all micro- and macro-artefacts were analysed using various analytical techniques. Based on the analysis of ash-micro remains identified in the sediments, associated plant remains, flint and pottery, we suggest that these installations were used for food-processing, cooking and/or other domestic low-heat tasks. The installations first appear at Tell es-Safi/Gath during the Early Bronze Age III, and seem to disappear during later periods. The functional roles of these installations are discussed in comparison to finds from other Early Bronze Age sites, and of other food preparation traditions known from other periods and cultures.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	46-63
Number of pages	18
Journal	Levant
Volume	49
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/00758914.2017.1279495
State	Published - 2 Jan 2017
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The excavations of the Early Bronze Age remains at Tell es-Safi/Gath, a component of the Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project, are administratively supported and/or funded by many institutions and sources including: Bar-Ilan University (the Kushitzky Fund; Ackerman Family grant), the University of Manitoba, the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (grants # 410-2009-1303 to H. GREENFIELD and # 895-2011-1005 to H. GREENFIELD and A. MAEIR), St. Paul's College (University of Manitoba), the Jewish and Catholic Foundations of Manitoba, and several private donors. We would like to thank the devoted professional staff and team of the project for their work in the field and in post-excavation processing.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, © Council for British Research in the Levant 2017.

Keywords

Early Bronze Age
cooking
micro-remains
pebble installations
southern Levant

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Archaeology
History
Archaeology

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10.1080/00758914.2017.1279495

Cite this

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title = "Early Bronze Age pebble installations from Tell es-Safi/Gath, Israel: evidence for their function and utilization",

abstract = "Pebble stone installations are commonly found at various Early Bronze Age sites in the southern Levant. However, their function is often assumed or unknown. Thirteen circular pebble installations were found scattered throughout a residential neighbourhood dating to the Early Bronze Age III at Tell es-Safi/Gath. Five such installations were recently studied by implementing an integrated micro-archaeological approach by which all micro- and macro-artefacts were analysed using various analytical techniques. Based on the analysis of ash-micro remains identified in the sediments, associated plant remains, flint and pottery, we suggest that these installations were used for food-processing, cooking and/or other domestic low-heat tasks. The installations first appear at Tell es-Safi/Gath during the Early Bronze Age III, and seem to disappear during later periods. The functional roles of these installations are discussed in comparison to finds from other Early Bronze Age sites, and of other food preparation traditions known from other periods and cultures.",

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author = "Adi Eliyahu-Behar and Itzick Shai and Shira Gur-Arieh and Suembikya Frumin and Shira Albaz and Ehud Weiss and Francesca Manclossi and Steve Rosen and Greenfield, {Tina L.} and Greenfield, {Haskel J.} and Maeir, {Aren M.}",

note = "Funding Information: The excavations of the Early Bronze Age remains at Tell es-Safi/Gath, a component of the Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project, are administratively supported and/or funded by many institutions and sources including: Bar-Ilan University (the Kushitzky Fund; Ackerman Family grant), the University of Manitoba, the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (grants # 410-2009-1303 to H. GREENFIELD and # 895-2011-1005 to H. GREENFIELD and A. MAEIR), St. Paul's College (University of Manitoba), the Jewish and Catholic Foundations of Manitoba, and several private donors. We would like to thank the devoted professional staff and team of the project for their work in the field and in post-excavation processing. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017, {\textcopyright} Council for British Research in the Levant 2017.",

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AU - Frumin, Suembikya

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N2 - Pebble stone installations are commonly found at various Early Bronze Age sites in the southern Levant. However, their function is often assumed or unknown. Thirteen circular pebble installations were found scattered throughout a residential neighbourhood dating to the Early Bronze Age III at Tell es-Safi/Gath. Five such installations were recently studied by implementing an integrated micro-archaeological approach by which all micro- and macro-artefacts were analysed using various analytical techniques. Based on the analysis of ash-micro remains identified in the sediments, associated plant remains, flint and pottery, we suggest that these installations were used for food-processing, cooking and/or other domestic low-heat tasks. The installations first appear at Tell es-Safi/Gath during the Early Bronze Age III, and seem to disappear during later periods. The functional roles of these installations are discussed in comparison to finds from other Early Bronze Age sites, and of other food preparation traditions known from other periods and cultures.

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Early Bronze Age pebble installations from Tell es-Safi/Gath, Israel: evidence for their function and utilization

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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