Season 3

2005

The 3rd season of the Ein Gedi Oasis Excavations

During four weeks in January 2005 we almost completed exposing the Pebbled House, exposed most of

the Northern House and began the excavation of the Southern House. It appears that this neighbourhood

existed for a long period, as occupation levels were found down to a depth of approximately half a meter in

the courtyards, along with many ovens and cooking stoves. Other evidence of long-term habitation was

found in the changes or repairs that were made to the walls of the houses.

In the Pebbled House we cleaned the ovens and continued peeling the floor layer of the courtyard.

In the Western House, we exposed the entire floor of the courtyard with the oven and shattered vessels

around it. In the adjacent room we exposed a built installation under the floor whose significance is still not

clear.    

In the plan of the Northern House, there appears to be a frontal courtyard, inner courtyard and living room in

which we found a cooking stove and shattered vessels next to it. Under the floor of the room two drainage

channels were uncovered. In the courtyard we exposed additional ovens and cooking stoves.

The pebbled building and the northern building from the south

The finds this season include pottery and soft limestone vessels, characteristic of the Second Temple

period. In two locations much charcoaled wood was uncovered, along with many iron nails in the courtyard

of the Western House and the room of the Northern House. An iron knife blade, or dagger blade, was

found near one of the ovens, and also a grinding stone for knives from Nubian sandstone. Additionally,

many bronze coins which await cleaning and identification. Again this year we found melted pieces of lead

scattered in the area of the site.    

The double oven in the courtyard of the pebbled house

In conclusion, we came to realize that a large residential area existed in this place, whose houses continue

north and west of the ones we exposed. The many cooking installations on site emphasize the day to day

life at the site during the Second Temple period and conform to the Jewish Law (Halacha) in the laws of

impurity and Sabbath concerning ovens and cooking stoves.

Next season we will continue to expose the Southern House and complete the peeling of the floor layer of

the Northern House’s courtyard.    

Reconstruction – clay vessels in the kitchen