2019 Season

SCIENTIFIC REPORT OF THE ITALIAN-PALESTINIAN EXPEDITION TO TELL ES-SULTAN (2019), PALESTINE

XV Campaign - 2019

Lorenzo Nigro - Sapienza University of Rome 

1. INTRODUCTION

The fifteenth campaign of archaeological activities at Tell es-Sultan/Jericho (Fig. 1), Palestine, conducted by Sapienza University of Rome and the Department of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage (MOTA - DACH) of the Palestinian National Authority, took place from 9 March to 14 April 2019, and was supported by the aforementioned institutions and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI).

The main objectives of the XV campaign (2019) were:

a) the continuation of the archaeological surveys in Areas A, B West - B North, G (§ 2.1-2.3);

b) the three-dimensional survey of Areas A, E and B, Trench I and G (§ 2.4);

c) the continuation of the restoration works (Palace G) and musealisation and the updating of the explanatory panels and visitor information (§ 3);

d) the training of Palestinian archaeologists and restorers in all phases of documentation, publication and dissemination of the excavation results (§§ 4-5).

2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS IN AREAS A, B WEST, B NORTH AND G

The archaeological investigations concerned four different areas: Area A, on the southern slopes of the tell, where research continued on the western side of Tower A1 (§ 2.1.); Area B and B-West, where investigations on the architectural structure of the Early Bronze III walls were resumed at the south-western corner of the city, then extended to a further essay called B North (§ 2.2. ); Area G, on the eastern flank of the so-called 'Spring Hill', in which the excavation of the overlapping Early Bronze III palaces ('Palace G') continued (§ 2.3.); of the Middle Bronze II-III palace ('Hyksos Palace' § 2.4.); and of a third Late Bronze Age building brought to light above the latter's substantial destruction (§ 2.5.); in Trench I at the Neolithic Tower (§ 2.6.).

2.1. Area A: Tower A1 and the Middle Bronze I-II chronology (Sultan IVa-b 1950-1650 BC)

In the 15th campaign (2019) the archaeological investigations on Tower A1 and the structures adjacent to it continued in order to clarify the dating of the stratigraphy already widely recognised in previous campaigns. For this purpose, burnt samples, primarily seeds, were taken from known archaeological contexts well located in the stratigraphic and construction sequence.

2.2. Area B West and B North: the double fortification walls of the Early Bronze Age III (Sultan IIc 2700 - 2300 BC)

The investigations focused on the double walls of the Sultan IIIc period (Early Bronze III, 2700-2300 BC). The architectural structure of the 'Main Inner Wall' and the 'Outer Wall' respectively were examined in several sections, where it was possible to examine both walls in the prominence from the stone foundations on two or more superimposed courses, to the elevation marked by the use of large bricks (0.60 x 0.40 m), which over time took on a reddish color due to the great final destruction of the Early Bronze IIIB (c. 2350 BC). The 'Main Inner Wall' built on the crest of the tell, along the route of the previous fortification wall of Early Bronze Age II, was characterised by a considerable thickness (3.8-4.2 m) and, therefore, faced important static difficulties that were solved by inserting wooden chains inside it both in a transversal sense (in the upper part) as well as longitudinally, in the lower section, where wooden girders and beams such as the one exposed in Area B West contributed to the absorption of humidity from the base of the wall and made the entire structure cohesive.

2.3. Area G: the 'Hyksos Palace' and more recent structures

Work in Area G resumed in the 15th campaign (2019) in order to extend the exploration of the Middle Bronze II palace (Sultan IVb) identified directly above the Early Bronze III Palace G. In particular, the excavation was extended in squares Bc-dIII4-5, in the space between the tourist shelter and squares H I and H II of the Kenyon excavations. One of the fundamental aims of the research was to clarify the complex stratigraphy of this spot on the Spring Hill, where in about 10 m of difference in height one passes from the Umayyad period to the Bronze Age. The excavation focused on the Palace of Sultan IVb (1800-1650 BC), or 'Palace of the Shepherd Kings', and its more recent reconstruction of Sultan IVc (1650-1550 BC), after a destruction that marks the end of the Middle Bronze Age II (F.2331). The reconstructed palace, called 'Hyksos Palace', still extended northwards with a body of buildings (W.2305, W.2307, W.2335) coming forward in which an entrance with a staircase has been identified (L.2327). The Hyksos Palace also suffered a violent fire, clearly visible in the plug wall W.2301, which pushed to the north-east. Despite its destruction, this structure was partly reused in the Late Bronze Age, when a new building was erected to which walls W.2303 and W.2313 and floor L.2312 belong, from which a fragment of a Cypriot milk bowl (TS.19.G.2308/1), a keeled bowl (TS.19.G.2312/2) and a gobular-bodied jug (TS.19.G.2312/1) come. The Late Bronze Age building, to be identified with John Garstang's 'Middle Building' was also destroyed and was in turn reused in the Early Iron Age, at least judging from walls W.2315 + W.2317 added in axis with W.2313 perpendicular to wall W.2301, rebuilt with Middle Bronze Age burnt brick. 

2.4. The 3D survey

With the photogrammetry technique in the 2019 campaign, the Neolithic tower of Trench I, Palace G and the entire Area A , Area  E and Area B including Trench III were surveyed.

3. RESTORATION AND TOURIST ENHANCEMENT OF TELL ES-SULTAN

The maintenance and restoration works in the 15th campaign (2019) involved all the visitor routes where it was necessary to replace two panels and adapt all the information present. In addition, the fence at the site entrance was reconstructed and a drainage channel was built in Area G immediately below the shelter for tourists.

4. TRAINING AND VALORISATION 

Despite the contextual and more general difficulties in the Near East, also during the XV campaign (2019) of archaeological activities in Jericho the Sapienza Mission, supported by MAECI, carried out training activities for local staff, in collaboration with both MOTA-DACH and the Municipality of Jericho. In particular, the participation of Palestinian archaeologists and students was encouraged both in the individual excavation and prospecting activities, and in the necessary and consequent documentation and finally publication of the results. Local students were also accompanied in activities on other sites in the Territories, where the urgent intervention of archaeologists was needed for the protection of the threatened heritage.

5. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, OUTREACH AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE TERRITORIES

The 15th campaign (2019) was dedicated to a systematic collection of samples for radiocarbon analysis, biologically (metagenome, aDNA, and SEM examination of samples, gas chromatography) and botanically (microscopic analysis and measurements). During 2018 and 2019, the study on the stratigraphy and chronology of the Early Bronze Age was completed and published in the journal Radiocarbon, and other specific studies were also published, both on the mother-of-pearl shells from Nile found in 2017, and on other important finds and contexts from Jericho. During the 15th campaign, new tools for communicating the content of the site were also put into operation at the Info-Point at the entrance to the archaeological site.