Principal Investigator: Dr. Itzick Shai, Ariel University

Project Co-Directors: Dr. Itzick Shai and Dr. Steven Ortiz

Research Goals

We received an ISF grant to study the agricultural fields around ʿEther, which enables research on this fascinating site. Ether is a smaller site that Tel Burna/Libnah and was either not fortified or not as well fortified. In the Iron Age, it seems that it was the next tier down from Libnah, which itself is only a fortified town compared to the administrative center of nearby Lachish (the second-most important town in Judah during the period). What will be the nature of the finds at Khirbet ʿEther? How will this site compare to Tel Burna and Lachish? What surprises await us that differ from our expectations?

Few studies deal with agricultural customs and those which focus on ancient fields are very rare. Hence, this new project aims to investigate this aspect of the ancient local economy by comparing and analyzing the various finds in two nearby sites of Tel Burna and Tel ‘Ether and the agricultural installations and fields surrounding these sites. Our research will consist of surveying and collecting data on each side of the river, as well as the excavations of Khirbet ‘Ether.

Goals for the upcoming season

As our first season of excavations, our goals consist of:

1. Gridding the site and setting up fields

2. Surveying the land between 'Ether and Burna, on both sides of the Nahal Guvrin

3. Excavating some of the agricultural installations found on the survey

4. Excavating a sondage (or cut) on the tel that will give us the most comprehensive picture of the site's history

Timeline of the Project

• 2020: the team conducted a survey of the site

• 2025: first season of excavations

Results so far

Survey Results

The survey was conducted through the collection of pottery sherds and documentation of architectural features, while satellite and drone images were used to produce 3D images of the site and its surrounding areas. The survey results indicate that human activity at the site in the Iron Age was essentially contemporaneous with that which was exposed at Tel Burna, from the late Iron Age IIA through the Iron Age IIC.

Excavation Areas

Coming soon

Staff and Consortium Schools

Principal Investigator: Dr. Itzick Shai, Ariel University

Co-Directors: Dr. Itzick Shai, Ariel University and Dr. Steven Ortiz, Lanier Center for Archaeology at Lipscomb University

Senior Staff:

• Dr. Oren Ackermann

• Marcella Barbosa Rigsby, PhD Candidate

• Dr. Debi Cassuto

• Dr. Chris McKinny

Specialists:

• Dr. Michal Hejcman

• Leah Tramer, pottery restorer

Consortium Schools:

• Ariel University

• Lipscomb University

Project Website

The project hosts its website in conjunction with the Burna website at https://telburna.wordpress.com/