Season 2023

SCIENTIFIC REPORT OF THE ITALIAN-PALESTINIAN EXPEDITION TO TELL ES-SULTAN (2023), PALESTINE

XIX Campaign - 2023

Lorenzo Nigro - Sapienza University of Rome 

1. INTRODUCTION

The nineteenth campaign of archaeological activities in Tell es-Sultan/Jericho was carried out starting from 11 February and until 2 May 2023 and was financed by Sapienza and co-financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI). The field work was conducted in collaboration with Palestinian partners and saw the participation of local workers and members of MoTA as well as students and staff of the University.

The main objectives of the nineteenth campaign (2023) were:

a) exposure and restoration in Areas A and E of the Cyclopean Wall (W.4) towards the west and north and exposure of the Curvilinear Stone Structure (CSS), i.e. the supporting wall of the second Middle Bronze Age embankment; including safety measures with regularization of unsafe sections (§ 2.1);

b) restoration of Building B1, of the adjacent section of Ancient Bronze IIIB walls and maintenance of the adjacent tourist route (§ 2.2);

c) protection intervention of a section of the Early Bronze Age walls  in Trench II(§ 2.3);

d) exhibition and restoration of the emerging structures of the "Hyksos Palace" and completion of the restoration of the central and western rooms of the Ancient Bronze Age III Palace (§ 2.4);

e) examination and evaluation of the state of conservation of the Neolithic Tower in Trench I (§ 2.5) and maintenance of the new stone wall built east of the metal bridge;

f) expansion of the excavation site in the northernmost square of Area T (§ 2.6);

g) training activities for Palestinian archaeologists and restorers in all phases of documentation, publication and public archeology activities (§ 3.).

2. REHABILITATION AND RESTORATION OF MONUMENTS IN AREAS A-E, B AND B-WEST, F AND G

In the XIX excavation campaign, the restoration and arrangement of the drains from the 20th century excavations continued with the help of workers and mechanical means. In this way, a large sector south-west of the tell was completely cleared, exposing a long stretch of the crest of Cyclopean Wall W.4, which was subsequently restored.

The conservation works and removal of the spoil affected: Area A, on the southern slopes of the tell (§ 2.1); Area B and B-West, along the mighty structures of the Early Bronze Age III walls, where an important restoration work was carried out (§ 2.2); Trench II, where an important intervention was undertaken to protect a threatened section of the Early Bronze Age walls (§ 2. 3); Area G, on the eastern flank of the so-called "Spring Hill", where restoration activities were concentrated in the central and western compartments of the Early Bronze Age Palace and in the northernmost compartments of the "Hyksos Palace" (§ 2.4); Trench I, at the western end (§ 2.5.).

2.1. Areas A and E: the Curvilinear Stone Structure and the Cyclopean Wall W.4

A major excavation was carried out in the section between the Cyclopean Wall W.4 to the south and the Curvilinear Stone Structure from Area A to Area E. Further to the west, a long section of the crest of the Cyclopean Wall was brought to light (Fig.2), recognising the presence of a rectangular structure made of small stones at the top of the latter, resting on the head of W.4. The newly identified structure. together with the head of the Cyclopean Wall were objects of restoration.

2.2. Area B and B West: Fortifications from the Early Bronze Age III (2700-2300 BC)

In Area B and B West, work consisted of the restoration of Building B1, which also involved the floors of the rooms, protected with gravel, and the important installations (mortars and basalt hearth, Fig.3). The activities then focused on the double walls from the Sultan IIIc period (Early Bronze III, 2700-2300 B.C.), which were unfortunately subject to collapse during the winter months due to climate change. A roofing intervention was therefore planned for the 'Main Inner Wall' and the 'Outer Wall', recomposing the wall structure and the elevation, characterised by the installation of the characteristic large reddish coloured bricks (0.60 x 0.40 m).

2.3. Trench II: Protection of the Early Bronze Age walls (3000-2350 BC)

In the XIX campaign (2023), documentation and restoration work was carried out on the section of wall brought to light at the southern end of Trench II (Fig. 4). Two walls are juxtaposed at this point, both apparently part of the 'Main Inner Wall'. The northern wall (ODR) is remarkably preserved in elevation and is constructed of very durable light beige bricks. It insists on a wall of brown bricks, of inferior quality, laid with grey mortar (not named by Kenyon 1981, pl. 259). Both encapsulate within them an earlier structure probably belonging to the Early Bronze II system (OCD wall).

2.4. Area G: Bronze Age Buildings from the G Palace to the 'Hyksos Palace' and More Recent Structures

The work in Area G was concentrated in the northernmost squares where the structures of an Iron Age IIA (960-840 BC) building extend above. Further north, there are the remains of a staircase and an associated structure of the Middle Bronze Age III palace, which came to light in square H IV (the so-called 'Hyksos Palace') made of roughly squared stones.

2.5. Trench I: Neolithic Tower

During the XIX campaign (2023), a new inspection of Trench I was carried out, where the recent damage caused by the violent winter rainfall and runoff is evident. In particular, the precarious state of the Round Tower on the southern side was noted and a 3D survey was carried out. During the inspection, artefacts were collected and some Neolithic architectural samples (brick fragments, mortar and plaster) were taken for archaeometric analysis.

2.6. Area T: the Middle Bronze Age tower

An intervention to secure the remains excavated in the 2012-2014 campaigns in Area T, at the south-eastern foot of the tell, in correspondence with the road that cuts it off to the east, led to the discovery in square T I of an imposing mud-brick structure, leaning against a tooth built of large stone blocks. This structure is founded on a stone base and is very similar in construction technique to Tower A1, a fact that leads one to believe that this structure pertains to the defensive system of the early Middle Bronze Age city.

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

During the campaign, several visits to the site were organized for MoTA staff, students from Palestinian universities and schools and research institutions in Jerusalem (Studium Biblicum Franciscanum, Ecole Biblique et Archéologique de Jerusalem), sharing objectives of conservation and valorisation of the site and implementing the visit system with new panels and indications. Long joint work sessions were then dedicated to restoration interventions. An important meeting was held at the Jericho Municipality.