Nymphaion in ancient city of Side undergoing restoration

Restoration and conversation is set to start again at the Monumental Fountain (Nymphaion) in the ancient city of Side in the southern Turkish province of Antalya.

The Nymphaion of Side [Credit: AA]

The Monumental Fountain dates back to the 2nd century AD and has undergone a series of restorations since 2004.

Antalya Surveying and Monuments Director Cemil Karabayram, who recently visited the ancient site, said only 20 percent of the restoration has so far been completed, but the work will be finished in the coming period.

Karabayram said a financial allocation for the project had been provided under the auspices of Culture and Tourism Minister Professor Numan Kurtulmuş, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Antalya Governor Münir Karalıoğlu, and a tender will be initiated in the coming days.

He said there are a number of large stone blocks in the area, which have each been documented with a separate number, adding that the blocks and the arch structure at the front of the site will be placed on the upper columns.

Karabayram said the restoration team strongly suspects that new blocks will be found under the layer of soil right behind the fountain.

“Excavations will unearth these new blocks. I hope that we will make the fountain complete by finishing the work. Tourists will be able to enter the area and visit the fountain. Almost 12 million Turkish Liras have been allocated for the entire Side region and its monumental structures,” he added.

The restoration team plans to restore the pool system in front of the fountain to its original state, while the asphalt in the gate of the castle, which is located at the entrance of Side, will be removed.

Karabayram said the excavations at the ancient site of Side were first initiated by Professor Arif Müfit Mansel, whose words and articles about Side are very important.

“Mansel said a copy of this fountain was constructed in Italy by Italians. Of course this was a matter of debate but we are carrying out work for it. We are talking with art historians about this issue, and whether the fountain here was a source of inspiration for the fountain in Rome,” he added.

Karabayram also said some columns of the fountain have been preserved throughout history.

“All of these columns are original and new materials will never be used in the restoration. But some extra blocks could be placed in order to provide balance,” he added.

Source: Hurriyet Daily News [September 22, 2017]

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Urartian necropolis reveals burial customs

Excavations in a Urartian necropolis in the eastern province of Van’s Çavuştepe Castle, which has been plundered by treasure hunters in recent years, provide important details about Urartian burial customs.

AA Photo

The Culture and Tourism Ministry has initiated excavations to rescue the necropolis in the castle. During the excavations, a tomb was unearthed with the skeletons of a man and a woman. Officials believe they were husband and wife because they were buried together. A bronze belt, tray, seal and several bronze jewelries were also found in the tomb.

Along with the tomb of the wife and husband, a horse skeleton was also found in the search. Officials say it is the first horse skeleton unearthed in a Urartian tomb, making it the most important finding among other discoveries in the castle. Samples from the horse skeleton will be analyzed to determine the age and species of the horse.

Close to the horse skeleton, the excavation team found many oxidized and deformed iron pieces and bronze nails. The first observations on the pieces show that these findings may have belonged to a horse carriage.

AA Photo

Illegal excavations in the necropolis have so far given extensive damage to the field, erasing the traces of thousands of years of customs.

The main purpose of the recent works was to rescue the necropolis from treasure hunters and also to obtain information about people’s social lives, faiths and burial customs. Two different types of burial methods have been determined in the field.

The first one is the urn-type burial, in which the dead people are cremated and their ashes are buried. Eight urn-type tombs were unearthed in the southern part of the excavation field. The tombs were found in an underground of nearly half a meter depth and most of them were broken.

AA Photo

In the second type of burial method, the dead are placed in a tomb in hocker position, just like in a mother’s womb. The Çavuştepe Castle, where the Urartian people were buried after death, was built in 750 B.C. by the Urartian King Sarduri II. The necropolis in the castle was used by people who lived there for the next 200 years.

Recent excavations in the castle have been carried out by Yüzüncü Yıl University Archaeology Department academic Associate Professor Rafet Çavuşoğlu.

Source: Hurriyet Daily News [September 21, 2017]

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Searching for the Temple of Athena at ancient Aigai in Manisa

In the Yuntdağı region of the western Turkish province of Manisa (Greek Magnesia), excavation works have commenced to unearth the Temple of Athena in the ancient city of Aigai.

AA Photo

Archaeologists have rolled up their sleeves to find the Temple of Athena, in the 2,800-year-old ancient city of Aigai, which appeared in 19th-century excavation research by German archaeologists.

The excavation works are being conducted under the supervision of Yusuf Sezgin, assistant professor of archaeology at Manisa Celal Bayar University. The Temple of Athena is expected to be erected in at least two months after the definite localization of the temple.

In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Yusuf Sezgin indicated this was the first time since 2004 that there was excavation work for the discovery of the temple and they are trying to understand whether the temple was dedicated to Athena, the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom. Sezgin remarked that the region on which they were continuing the excavations signaled a carefully selected location for a temple.

“It is not known whether there are Temples of Athena in all of the 12 cities built by the Aeolian Greeks south of Smyrna (Turkish İzmir) during ancient times. On the other hand, the Goddess Athena’s head was depicted on the coins from the Hellenistic-period in Aigai. In this respect, it can be deduced that she was one of the most important and protective goddesses of the city,” he said.

Emphasizing “pagan” beliefs in ancient times, Sezgin stated the discovery of the temple was key in understanding their beliefs. “That is the reason why we seek to understand what kind of a temple and belief Athena had. We think we will gain important information about the beliefs held in the region. There is no center of excavation in the Aeolis region except for the excavation of Aigai. In that respect, the archaeological data acquired in Aigai are key in understanding the beliefs held during ancient times. It is thought that there is another Temple of Athena in the ancient city of Larissa in the region, yet we are not sure, since there have not been any archaeological excavations. We are conducting an excavation in a sanctuary in the ancient city for the first time,” he said.

Sezgin also noted that numerous artefacts, such as glasses and ceramics, had been unearthed during the excavation. “However, we have a big problem. Since there is no archaeological museum in Manisa, we have not had the chance to display the artefacts we had discovered. I hope that, God willing, we will be able to display the artefacts by building an archaeological museum,” he said.

Aigai, which is 49 kilometers away from Manisa, is located near the Köseler neighborhood in the Yunusemre district. The ancient city dates back to the eighth century B.C. and was one of the 12 Ionian cities mentioned by Herodotus. It is sometimes known as “Nemrut Castle.” The city was a significant center of trade in the Hellenistic era.

Excavations have so far unearthed the city’s walls, a three-story agora, an assembly building, a stadium, a theater and the Temple of Demeter.

One of the recent findings in the ancient city was a sarcophagus. It was revealed to have belonged to the administrator of a school after its pieces were reunited.

Source: Hurriyet Daily News [September 18, 2017]

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Statues of senior civil servants discovered in ancient city of Side

Three unique ancient statues from the third century A.D. have been discovered during archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Side located in Antalya's Manavgat district, Culture and Tourism Ministry said Saturday.

DHA Photo

According to a statement by the ministry, the artifacts were immediately taken under preservation for further research.

Two of the statues discovered in Side are males while the other one is a female and all of them are dressed.

Experts believe the statues represented senior civil servants in the Roman Empire.

Furthermore, archaeologists are researching why the statues, which were supposed to be standing upright inside the niches were found lying on the ground.

In this regard, researchers note that during renovations of the southern portico of the structure [referred to as the M building] in the fourth century A.D., the Romans could have used the statues but re-sculpted the head part and came up with new portraits.

The excavations at Side are conducted in cooperation with the Culture and Tourism Ministry and Anadolu University [represented by Professor H. Sabri Alanyalı].

Professor Alanyalı told Ihlas News Agency that the practice of re-sculpting the heads of old statues was a common practice in the late Roman Empire as a result of economic crisis during the period.

The ancient city of Side is located on the eastern part of Pamphylian coast, and was founded by ancient Greek settlers.

Source: Daily Sabah [September 17, 2017]

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Ruins of 1,700 year old villa discovered in ancient city of Arykanda

Villa ruins that are almost 2,000 years old were uncovered during excavations in the ancient city of Arykanda, located in the Finike district of Antalya in southwestern Turkey, where significant remains reveal the importance of the region.

A villa structure that is thought to have been built in the early fourth century 
was unearthed during the excavations [Credit: AA]

Associate Professor Macit Tekinalp, who leads the excavation, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that Arykanda was an ancient city built on terraces due to the topographical features of the region. Indicating that public buildings were also built on terraces that were created particularly for that purpose, Tekinalp said that Arykanda, meaning "the place next to the high rock," got its name from a huge rock located next to it.

Emphasizing that the place was named after that spot, while most ancient cities were named after their founders, Tekinalp said that excavations had been going on in the region for 47 years.

He noted that the ancient city was known as "the place where lotus eaters live" in some resources and added: "There were six public baths in this ancient city. The expression 'lotus-eater' might have been used due to the high number of bath houses. The city is located on the mountainside and is difficult to reach. We do not have much proof that there was a very luxurious life here."

In addition to saying that Arykanda was an ancient city not located on Alexander the Great's route and did not witness many wars, Tekinalp stressed that it had all the advantages of being located on a main road. He said that a villa structure that is thought to have been built in the early 4th century was unearthed during the excavations, and it provided them with very interesting data about the period even though it might have been destroyed in a fire.

"We think the villa was ruined by a fire around the year 435. It gave us interesting archaeological data. Ancient cities that suffered from fires and earthquakes are very significant for archaeologists because we can see items that people weren't able to take away. We found the name of the person who used this villa, as information about this person was written on mosaics dug up from the floor of the building. The name on the inscription is Pieros, who must have had a big family. The structure was a huge villa with eight large rooms and a second floor, which we think was destroyed in a fire," said Tekinalp.

In addition to saying that the villa benefitted from a city view and was one of the most prestigious houses in that period, Tekinalp added: "Pieros had a private bath house for himself and his family. When they didn't use the bath house themselves, the family used it for commercial reasons and rented it out. The villa was later turned into two-room housing. There was a pool in the garden of the villa, and that pool had a view. Those findings are resources which shed light on the daily life of an aristocrat who lived in the 4th century." He said that they think the second floor of the villa was built on wood and mosaics were engraved into the wood.

Pointing out that even though it was medium-sized, the city had six bath houses, Tekinalp added: "Bath houses create an attraction center in a city. People from seaside towns preferred to come to the city to cool off and get clean. The site is located on a plateau. We think there was domestic tourism in the region even in that period. Otherwise, we cannot explain the existence of six bath houses. The population was insufficient for those bath houses. It was the most significant linking road in the Lycia region connecting the seaside to the Anatolian plateau. It was a place where those who used this road stayed. Being located in a region between Finike and the Anatolian plateau enabled this city to be a place where those who passed through stayed and rested."

Source: Daily Sabah [September 17, 2017]

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Mass burial found at ancient Parion

The skeletons of a total of 24 people, including one child, have been unearthed from a chamber tomb opened during this year’s excavations in the ancient Greek city of Parion in the northwestern Turkish province of Canakkale.

AA Photo

The mystery of this multi-burial tomb, which has surprised archaeologists and is estimated to date back to a period between the 1st and 3rd centuries, will be solved by anthropological research to be carried out next year.

This year’s excavations have recently ended after they were initiated on July 3 in the 2,600-year-old ancient city of Parion, located in the Biga district’s Kemer village.

Headed by Ondokuz Mayis University Archaeology Department Professor Vedat Keles, the excavations unearthed new findings this year. Among them, the most interesting one was the skeletons found in a chamber grave. The tomb was unearthed in 2011 during illegal excavations and the last tomb was opened this year.

“A chamber tomb was uncovered here in 2011. We started excavations in the same year and found six 2,600-year-old chamber tombs. Their architectures are similar to each other. But particularly the one that we opened this year and named OM-5 is very interesting in terms of its burial method. Even though the other five have the same architectural features, their burial methods are different. We found the skeletons of 23 adults and a child inside this one,” Keles said.

He noted that they believe the people were buried at a time between the 1st and 3rd centuries. “It shows us that there was a significant demographic increase in Parion during those years. The skulls of 15 skeletons were found on one side of the tomb. Seven were buried in the northeast direction. We also found the skeleton of a child. The existence of six chamber tombs next to each other shows that people with special statuses were buried in this field,” he added.

The professor said they also found some objects inside the tombs, which were put as gifts for the dead.

“We found ancient items, including three tear bottles, one of which is a glass, a plate, an amphora and a pitcher. We also found a strigil, used by ancient people to clean their bodies,” he added.

Keles said they closed the chamber tombs to prevent damages on them, adding that the skeletons will be removed next year.

Source: Hurriyet Daily News [September 16, 2017]

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Thieves break into Latin Church in Istanbul’s Beyoglu, steal artefacts

Four thieves broke into a Latin Catholic Church in the Beyoglu district of Istanbul, stealing a number of religious artefacts on Sept. 15 but were caught later in the day.

AA Photo

Two of the thieves managed to break into the Catholic Church in the Karakoy neighbourhood from a derelict building behind the church after initially failing to enter the shrine from the front door at around 7:30 a.m. The other two had been watching the surroundings for any threat to their robbery attempt.

The thieves later took the religious artefacts outside the church and loaded them into vehicles, which included a statue, a cross, many paintings and several religious books.

Meanwhile, police examined city surveillance cameras around the scene, determining the vehicles they used in the attempt and their subsequent addresses.

The four, identified only as Osman Adnan K., Adem H., Bekir M. and Karim M., of Uzbek-origin, were detained at three different addresses in the Zeytinburnu district.

They pleaded guilty and said they had sold a carpet stolen from the church to an auctioneer in Beyoglu. It was later taken back before being sold.

While performing a search at their addresses, police also seized books and symbols, which had previously been stolen from different churches.

Their proceedings at the police headquarters have been ongoing.

In addition, the Catholic Church had reportedly been closed for five years due to renovations.

Source: Hurriyet Daily News [September 15, 2017]

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Two-storey Byzantine structure discovered in ancient city of Myra

Archaeologists have unearthed a multi-level building after two years of excavation work around the Saint Nicholas Memorial Museum, Turkey's southern Antalya province.

DHA Photo

The excavation work in Antalya's Demre (formerly Greek Myra) district has been ongoing for 27 years, with the most recent dig being conducted by a team from Hacettepe University lead by Professor Sema Doğan. Along with a team of five scientists, 10 students and 13 site workers, Doğan has been working to unearth the western part of the site for two years.

The recent find of a two-story building at the site is an exciting discovery for the team. The vaulted structure with a monumental entrance was found to the west of the Saint Nicholas Memorial Museum's courtyard. The outer courtyard also contained a special water well.

A full ancient graveyard was also unearthed at the building's entrance. Two of the burial places have been opened, revealing the remains of eight people in one of the graves. Priests or clergymen were likely laid to rest in the front graves, evidence suggests.

Drawings have also been located on the walls of the structure, which are believed to depict Jesus Christ, Mary, and Saint Nicholas. A team of Anthropologists have begun studying the newfound wall-etchings.

Assistant leader of the excavation Sema Fındık told DHA, "In 2017, we continued digging on the western flank of the church, this is how we found this new two-story building. We then figured out that there was a graveyard at the entrance of the building,"

"After that, we came across the drawings, when we continued digging we realized the structure was far bigger than we initially thought. We'll continue our excavation work and discover the full extent of this new building," she said.

Saint Nicholas, also known as Nikolaos of Myra, was a 4th century Christian saint and Greek bishop in Myra, located on modern-day Turkey's southern Mediterranean coast. Known for his habit of gift giving he served as inspiration for the Dutch figure of "Sinterklaas," which eventually was shortened to "Santa Claus."

Source: Daily Sabah [September 15, 2017]

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Byzantine church ruins unearthed at ancient city of Adramytteion

Ruins of a church dating back 800 years have been unearthed at the ancient Greek city of Adramytteion in the northwestern Turkish province of Balıkesir’s Burhaniye district. The find comes just two weeks before the end of this year’s seasonal works.

AA Photo

Murat Özgen, the director of the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Northern Aegean Research and Application Center, said excavations at Adramytteion have been continuing since 2012.

“This year excavations have continued in a field on the Ören Hill, which we call ‘Region C.’ A large church was found during excavations between 2000 and 2006, dating back to the 11th century. During the works two years ago we found the apse of the church. We already knew there was destruction in the 11th century. The latest church we have found confirms this knowledge as it was destroyed. Now we have two weeks to finish the works here. Our reconstruction plan for protection has also been approved,” Özgen said.

Source: Hurriyet Daily News [September 14, 2017]

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‘Sarcophagus of Heracles’ returned to Turkey after 50 years

The Sarcophagus of Heracles, which was smuggled out of Turkey after being found during an illegal excavation in the Aksu district of Antalya in the 1960s, has been returned to Turkey, the Karar daily reported on Thursday.

AA Photo

The sculpture, which was seized by Swiss authorities during an inventory check at the Port of Geneva in 2010, has been returned to Turkey’s culture and tourism ministry officials in Geneva.

The sarcophagus was taken to Zurich on Wednesday morning after packing and sealing was completed in Geneva Consulate and was brought to Atatürk Airport in İstanbul on Wednesday evening.

The sculpture will be transferred to Antalya to be exhibited at the Antalya Museum.

The Sarcophagus of Heracles, which is believed to have originated in the ancient city of Perge near Antalya in the second century BC, is a Roman marble sarcophagus depicting the Twelve Labors of Hercules.

It was seized at the Geneva Freeport warehouse following an inventory check. The Geneva Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, which investigated the case, ordered the return of the Heracles sculpture to Turkey in 2015.

The decision was challenged by the Swiss Federal Court, but the appeal was withdrawn and a final decision was made in May 2016 for the return of the sarcophagus to Turkey.

Source: Turkish Minute [Sepember 14, 2017]

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Roman era baby bottle found in ancient city of Parion

Excavations in one of the most important coastal towns of the Hellenistic era, the ancient city of Parion in the northwestern Turkish province of Çanakkale’s Biga district, have unearthed a 2,000-year-old feeding bottle.

AA Photo

Hasan Kasapoğlu, a member of the Parion excavation team and associated professor in the Archaeology Department of Atatürk University, said the baby bottle is among the most significant findings in this year’s excavations at the site.

The bottle found in a baby grave has single handle and pacifier in its mouth, Kasapoğlu added.

“The baby bottles from the Roman era were made of earthenware and were oven dried. We found a number of them in some baby graves in previous years. It is possible to see them especially in the early Roman era.

They were often left in baby graves as a gift to the dead,” he said. Kasapoğlu said the baby bottles, which had a capacity of up to 100 millimeters, have various different models.

“The ones we have found so far are generally from the Roman era. They have a very small pacifier mouth. When the kiln was wet, they were given shape on a mold and dried,” he added.

Source: Hurriyet Daily News [September 13, 2017]

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Hellenistic towers of Perge being restored

Conservation, restoration and integration works have been initiated for the Hellenistic towers in the ancient city of Perge in the southern Turkish province of Antalya. The work has been carried out by the Antalya Directorate of Surveying and Monuments.

Hellenistic Towers, Perge [Credit: Konrad Busslinger]

Antalya Surveying and Monuments Director Cemil Karabayram said the ancient city dates back to the second and third B.C. and that the Hellenistic towers needed to be restored.

He said the tender had been finished for the restoration of the towers and the ancient structure was one of the most magnificent structures in the Pamphylia era.

Karabayram said the towers were not built to show off but for defense.

He also said the restoration project had a budget of 2.5 million Turkish Liras and the work in the towers was actually initiated in the beginning of the 2000s.

“Nearly 2,000 stones in the tower were classified. Now the proper stones will be used again in the restoration,” he said.

Karabayram said their restoration will be complete in mid-2019 and the towers will open for tourism.

He said the towers were taken under protection in 2007 with the steel construction method in order to prevent the stones from falling or a possible collapse.

“After the restoration, the steel frames will be removed from the towers. The stones were examined one by one and the project was approved by the relevant preservation board. At the moment, it is evident where most of the stones will go. When the work is complete, we will be able to open 70-80 percent of the Hellenistic towers for tourism. The project will be carried out under the consultancy of academics and scientists,” said Karabayram.

Karabayram noted there is also other restoration work in the ancient city of Perge.

“We are planning to open the theater section for use. Work has also started on the stadium with the support of the Culture and Tourism Ministry. In addition, we have a street going through the center of the ancient city. It will also go out to tender. Perge is undergoing serious restoration and improvement,” he said.

Professor Jale İnan, Professor Haluk Abbasoğlu and the head of excavations, the Antalya Museum Director Mustafa Demirel, have had an impact on the work in Perge, said Karabayram. He also said the restorations in the area will not be a complete restoration, but will only be made using the available materials.

Source: Hurriyet Daily News [September 12, 2017]

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3,500 year old tomb discovered in Draa Abul Naga necropolis on Luxor's west bank

Egypt on Saturday announced the discovery in the southern city of Luxor of a pharaonic tomb belonging to a royal goldsmith who lived more than 3,500 years ago during the reign of the 18th dynasty.

The remains of three mummies and a wooden coffin were found inside the 3,500-year-old tomb discovered
at the cemetery of Dra' Abu el-Naga in Luxor [Credit: Egyptian Antiquities Ministry]

The tomb, located on the west bank of the river Nile in a cemetery for noblemen and top officials, is a relatively modest discovery, but one that authorities has announced with a great deal of fanfare in a bid to boost the country’s slowly recovering tourism industry.

The principal occupant of the tomb was a goldsmith named Amenemhat from the
18th Dynasty (1550BC to 1292BC) [Credit: Egyptian Antiquities Ministry]

“We want tomorrow’s newspapers to speak about Egypt and make people want to come to Egypt,” Antiquities Minister Khaled el-Anani told reporters.

Numerous skeletal remains were also found in the goldsmith's tomb [Credit: Egyptian Antiquities Ministry]

El-Anani said the tomb was not in good condition, but it contains a statue of the goldsmith and his wife as well as a funerary mask.

An Egyptian archaeologist cleans the wooden sarcophagus [Credit: Khaled Desouki/AFP/Getty Images]

He said a shaft inside the tomb contained pottery as well as mummies and coffins belonging to ancient Egyptian people who lived during the 21st and 22nd dynasties.

A statue of Amenemhat, the goldsmith, and his wife Amenhoteb 
[Credit: Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters]

The minister identified the goldsmith as Amunhat. The tomb was discovered by Egyptian archaeologists, something that a senior official at the Antiquities Ministry hailed as evidence of their growing professionalism and expertise.

“We used to escort foreign archeologists as observers, but that’s now in the past. We are the leaders now,” said Mustafa Waziri, Luxor’s chief archaeologist.

Source: The Associated Press [September 09, 2017]

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4,000 year old clay tablets discovered in central Turkey

Clay tablets dating back 4,000 years show the beginning of writing and literacy in ancient Anatolia, in the middle of modern-day Turkey, according to researchers.

AA Photo

Excavations in the province of Kayseri, southeast of Turkey's capital Ankara, at an ancient settlement or burial mound shed light on writing from around the year 2000 B.C., said Fikri Kulakoğlu, a professor of archaeology at Ankara University and head of the excavation team.

In 70 years of excavations at the Kültepe settlement, 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) northeast of Kayseri, some 23,000 cuneiform-script tablets have been found.

"These are the first written tablets in Anatolia. Anatolian people learned how to read and write in Kültepe. The first-ever literate people in Anatolia are from Kayseri," said Kulakoğlu.

Many of the tablets excavated are exercise tablets, apparently used by children to practice their writing.

The reading exercises in scripted tablets are signs of school-like instruction, he said.

Ancient day traders

Alongside the practice tablets are ones used for trade or business, Kulakoğlu said.

The tablets were used to record anything "valuable," he explained.

These tablets show that local merchants made their presence in Anatolia alongside the Assyrians," who come from a civilization in ancient Mesopotamia, he said.

Kulakoğlu added that the clay tablets excavated from Kültepe are among the rarest in the world.

Kültepe has been a candidate for the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2014.

According to UNESCO's website, the site of Kültepe was the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Kanesh and center of a complex network of Assyrian trade colonies in the 2nd millennium B.C

Source: Anadolu Agency [September 07, 2017]

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7,200 year old 'unusual pottery vessel' unearthed in Israel

The oldest evidence of food storage rituals has been found by researchers from the University and the German Archaeological Institute (DAI) in Berlin during excavations at the prehistoric site of Tel Tsaf: an unusual pottery vessel. The vessel, which is over 7,000 years old, reveals for the first time the ritual and political significance of large scale food storage in the Ancient Near East.

A 7,200-year-old model of a grain silo unearthed at Tel Tsaf in the Jordan Valley 
[Credit: Haifa University]

“Until now, discussions of the early transition to complex societies in this area have focused mainly on later periods and on the connection between the development of socioeconomic elites and the ability of certain individuals or families to store large quantities of food, beyond their own needs for survival. In this context, the findings at Tel Tsaf provide first hand evidence of the early connection between food storage on a large scale and the observance of a ritual associated with the successful storage and preservation of agricultural yields,” explains Prof. Danny Rosenberg of the Zinman Institute of Archaeology, who heads the research project at Tel Tsaf together with Dr. Florian Klimscha from the German Archaeological Institute in Berlin for the last five years.

Tel Tsaf archaeological site is located in the Jordan Valley, at the Jordan River and Israel’s border with the Kingdom of Jordan. The site was first documented in the late 1940s and has been excavated since the late 1970s, and later in 2004-2007. Since 2013, Rosenberg and Klimscha lead a multidisciplinary project at the site, one that focuses on the site’s economy and its ancient environment, with the assistance of an international team of experts and the use of advanced scientific methods. Of the unique findings at Tel Tsaf, notable are the numerous silos used for large-scale grain storage, found in the courtyards of the buildings. The silos are evidence of the storage of food on a scale not previously documented at sites from this period.

“The wish and ability to store food certainly constitutes an important step in the transition of humans to societies characterized by more complex social organization. It also seems that Tel Tsaf's location near a major water source such as the Jordan River is no coincidence, considering the site's potential to accumulate such a large amount of crops," the researchers noted. “The significance of storage for development of complex societies is evident by later testimonies from our own region, but even more so from Mesopotamia and Egypt, where complex, pre-state and state level societies emerged and engaged in the intensive storage of food, as an essential condition for the development of a social hierarchy. However, with the exception of Tel Tsaf, we have not yet found evidence of mass food storage in the region from 7,500 – 6,500 years ago in our region.”

Haifa University Prof. Danny Rosenberg holds the 7,200-year-old model clay grain silo found 
at Tel Tsaf in the Jordan Valley [Credit: Haifa University]

Prof. Rosenberg explains that there has been a debate among researchers for many years concerning the early emergence of societies characterized by social and economic elites – a phenomenon that is frequently associated in our region with the Bronze Age. However, no evidence has previously been found showing that large-scale food storage in earlier societies was accompanied by social or ritual acts intended to ensure the successful storage and distribution of produce. During the excavation season at Tel Tsaf two years ago, researchers found numerous pottery shards in a room situated in the center of a cluster of silos and cooking installations. The fragments appeared to belong to a single vessel. After painstaking work, they managed to reassemble the fragments, and were surprised to find a unique miniature vessel with a height of around 20 centimeters and a small window-like aperture on its side. “All the pottery vessels we are familiar with from this period have an opening on the top, facing up, just like most pots and cups in any modern kitchen. But this vessel is dome shaped, closed on the top, and covered with red-painted clay balls, whose significance is unclear to us,” Prof. Rosenberg notes.

The researchers believe that the vessel is actually a model of the silos themselves: “This vessel is not “functional” and was found in a building that was used for intensive storage, on the floor, in a room surrounded by numerous silos similar to those we are familiar with from archaeological and ethnographic records from various parts of the world. We can hypothesize that this vessel was associated in some way with the silos, and particularly with the act of storage. From later evidence, we know that humans created vessels symbolizing larger storage structures, and indeed pottery vessels similar to this one, though larger, appear a few centuries later in our own region, used for secondary burial. The size and characteristics of this vessel, together with the archaeological context in which it was found, reinforce our assumption that this vessel symbolized the silos and was probably used in a ritual setting, perhaps as part of the ceremonies that preceded the placement of grains of wheat and barley in the silos, or their removal from storage,” the researcher explained.

The connection between the growth of food storage capacity and the human cycle of life and death is well known to researchers from various sources, including later findings from the Ancient Near East.
“Tel Tsaf offers a glimpse into a unique time capsule, with excellent preservation of organic remains and other archaeological findings that reflect a thriving community practicing long-distance trade. Putting together all these findings, the picture reveals an increasingly strong connection between ritual and intense food storage and consumption. We believe that the economic prosperity reflected by the astonishing findings from Tel Tsaf was accompanied by notable changes in the way the community of Tel Tsaf organized itself, and by rituals and ceremonies that were practiced in order to ensure that this prosperity will last. The model silo found in Tel Tsaf would seem to be one of the best examples of the connection between the wish to store large amounts of agricultural crops in order to gain social and economic advantage and rituals aimed to sustain and ensure economic prosperity” Rosenberg and Klimscha concluded.

The findings are published in Antiquity Journal.

Source: University of Haifa [September 07, 2017]

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