Archaeologists Find Ancient Village Near Tel-Aviv

Jerusalem Post ^ | 12-27-2004 | AP

[blam]

Dec. 26, 2004 19:29

Archeologists find ancient village near Tel-Aviv

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

Archeologists have discovered a village near the Mediterranean coast dating from the 4th century B.C., the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Sunday - a rare find.

The discovery provides an unusual insight into a turbulent period when there were intense struggles for control over the area, said Uzi Ad, who led the dig.

During this period the region was under the rule of the Egyptian Ptolemy empire and then the Selucid Greeks from Syria before it was conquered by the Jewish Hasmonean dynasty in the second century B.C.

"The village was abandoned after the area was conquered by the Hasmoneans," Ad said. It was found just south of Tel Aviv, about 4 kilometers (2 1/2 miles) inland from the Mediterranean Sea.

While there are a number of towns from this period, there have been very few villages from this period found, said archaeologist Shimon Gibson, who was not involved in the excavations.

"When it comes to villages, we really don't have a lot of information," Gibson said. "This will shed light on how villages at that time functioned, so that's an important insight," he said.

At the site, that spans five acres, the archeologists have uncovered an industrial area for producing clay pots, a large mausoleum, a cemetery and several buildings built out of mud bricks, Ad said.

Archeologists also found 11 pits, apparently dug to hold garbage, placed downwind to the east of the village so that the smell would bother the residents, Ad said.

[blam]

GGG Ping.

[Tax-chick]

Cool!

[Bella_Bru]

ping

[DManA]

Rare find? Everywhere you dig overthere you find an old city don't ya?

[wolficatZ]

"Archeologists also found 11 pits, apparently dug to hold garbage, placed downwind to the east of the village so that the smell would bother the residents, Ad said."

 

Hmmmmmmm...

[Spok]

"Archeologists also found 11 pits, apparently dug to hold garbage,"

It's a good thing this wasn't found in America; we don't need another Superfund cite...

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[commonguymd]

Or a cemetary.

[ASA Vet]

Archeologists also found 11 pits, apparently dug to hold garbage, placed downwind

If they find the pits were under small buildings with cresent moons cut into the door than they'll have found the origin of islam.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Well, maybe it was their ancient way of fighting urban sprawl?

[malakhi]

"Archeologists also found 11 pits, apparently dug to hold garbage," It's a good thing this wasn't found in America; we don't need another Superfund cite...

The difference between garbage and archaeological relics is the length of time they've been in the ground. :o)

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks blam.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
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[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[oldcomputerguy]

a turbulent period when there were intense struggles for control over the area,

Some things never change over there.

[Thinkin' Gal]

The discovery provides an unusual insight into a turbulent period when there were intense struggles for control over the area, said Uzi Ad, who led the dig.

Hey Palis, take a number.

[cricket]

So to the 'inescapable's of life - 'death and taxes'; we can now add, garbage. . .

[derheimwill]

Pre-roman stuff is relatively rare. Small villages are also rare - the remains tend to be less hardy.