Volume 125 Year 2013 (reports_eng.aspx?

id=120)

Megiddo, Survey
Yotam Tepper 28/11/2013
Final Report

During April and June 2004, an archaeological survey was conducted in an area slated for
development in Qibbuz Megiddo (Permit No. A-4136; map ref. 2170-80/7200-20). The survey,

undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and underwritten by Qibbuz Megiddo, was
directed by Y. Tepper, with the assistance of U. Ben-Zioni (survey and field photography) and A.
Shapiro (GPS and maps).

Qibbuz Megiddo is situated on two hills southwest of Tel Megiddo and north of Nahal Qini.
The survey areas were designated north, west and east of the Qibbuz, and areas adjacent
to the northwestern side of the Qibbuz and the built-up areas of the Qibbuz on the northern
and southern hills were also explored. A tiered seating structure that has been identified as
an amphitheater had previously been excavated on the eastern slope where the Qibbuz
was subsequently established. Granite columns, architectural elements and finds that
dated to the Roman, Byzantine and Islamic periods were also documented on the two hills
and their slopes (Schumacher 1908).
A previous survey conducted in the region identified burial caves and potsherds from the
Roman and Byzantine periods on the northern slopes of the Qibbuz; remains of an open
settlement from the Hellenistic period and installations, architectural elements and
ceramics from the Roman and Byzantine periods on the southern hill; remains of a modern
settlement, coins and potsherds from the Roman to the Ottoman periods on the southern
hilltop and the slopes facing Nahal Qini (Raban 2000; Sites 161, 163, 164, 166). The
findings of a prior survey (Tepper 2002, 2003) have indicated that the hills and slopes on
which Qibbuz Megiddo is situated and extensive areas to its east were occupied by the site
of Legio—a Roman legion camp and its adjacent civilian settlement, as well as the
Roman-Byzantine city of Maximianopolis. It has also been suggested that the remains of
the village Lajjun, which was located there from the Early Islamic period until the modern
era, can be identified in the area.
A salvage excavation was conducted along the upper part of the southern hill of the Qibbuz
in 2007 and architectural remains that ranged in date from the Hellenistic to the Mamluk
periods were exposed (Permit No. A-5320). Archaeological excavations were carried out in
the northern expansion of the Qibbuz in 2009 (Permit No. A-5680); quarries, shaft tombs
and burial caves were documented; rock-hewn cist graves covered with stone slabs and
ossuaries were noted on the floor of one of the caves. A winepress and an ancient road
were also excavated.

The survey was divided into two stages; in the first, a systematic survey was performed by
a three member team and remains were documented; in the second stage, trial trenches
were dug for the purpose of locating and identifying the extent of the remains underground,
particularly north and west of the Qibbuz. Areas for quarrying, burial and installations,
utilized by important sites located nearby, were documented. In addition, it was determined
that the southern hill of Qibbuz Megiddo is a multi-period archaeological site and remains
on it range in date from the Roman period to the modern era. A Middle Bronze Age site,
situated next to a source of water in Nahal Qini, was documented southwest of the Qibbuz.

Field Survey
The survey was performed in the planned expansions east, north and west of the Qibbuz,
within the precincts of the Qibbuz and in areas contiguous with the regions slated for future
development (Table 1; Fig. 1).

The Eastern Expansion Areas. Potsherds, roof tiles and fragments of glass vessels
dating to the Roman and Byzantine periods were gathered on the eastern slopes of the
Qibbuz. Three concentrations of building stones and architectural items (Fig. 1: 1 , 2 , 11, 12,
15, 16) were documented, including a stone seat and cornice (0.5x0.7 m; Fig. 2). The
items might have been used in a nearby amphitheater that extended across a minimum
area of 50x70 m (Figs. 1: 17; 3) or in another building. The amphitheater is located at the
foot of the Qibbuz’ soccer field; its western part was covered with soil fill in recent years. A
cave opening (Fig. 1:18) and ten rock-cutting clusters (Fig. 1: 3-10, 13, 14) were also
documented.

The Northern Expansion Areas. Fragments of pottery vessels dating to the Bronze, Iron,
Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Early Islamic, Mamluk and Ottoman periods were
documented on a hilltop between the Qibbuz and Tel Megiddo and along its northern and
western slopes. A rectangular shaft that is at least 2 m deep was noted; it was probably
used as an entrance to a tomb (Figs. 1: 20; 4). In addition, blocked cave openings (Fig. 1:
21, 26, 27, 32, 45), stone heaps (Fig. 1: 46-50), construction lines that are probably
boundary walls, perhaps a building or a road (Fig. 1: 43, 44) and rock-hewn installations
(Fig. 1: 22, 25, 30-32, 39) were documented. An installation (?), cupmark, channel and
rock-cuttings were identified next to Installation 25. Due to the conditions in which the
survey was performed, it was only possible to identify some of the installations;
Installations 30 and 32 are believed to be small extracting installations or bodedot.
Seventeen stone quarrying clusters were also documented (Fig. 1:19, 20, 23-25, 28, 29,
33-38, 40-42,51; Fig. 5).

The Western Expansion Areas. Pottery from the Persian, Roman and Byzantine periods
was gathered along the western fringes of Qibbuz Megiddo and on leveled ground
northwest and west of it. The top of a wall (Fig. 1: 62), two caves with collapsed openings
(Fig. 1: 52, 59) and six rock-cutting clusters (Fig. 1: 53-58) were documented.
Concentrations of masonry stones and architectural elements were also noted at the gate
of the Qibbuz (Fig. 1: 60, 61).

The Built-up Area of the Qibbuz and nearby Areas to the Northeast that are
Contiguous with the Development Areas
Installations (Fig. 1: 63, 70), burial caves (Fig. 1: 73, 74) and a blocked opening of a cave
(Fig. 1: 75) were documented on the northern hill of the Qibbuz. Eleven rock-cutting
clusters (Fig. 1: 64-69, 71, 76-79) were documented; a hewn game board is located next
to Rock-cutting 79. A potsherd scatter that mainly includes fragments from the Roman and
Byzantine periods was identified (Fig. 1: 72). Wall remains (Fig. 1: 80-83) and potsherds
dating to the Bronze, Iron, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Early Islamic, Mamluk, Crusader
and Ottoman periods were documented on the southern hill of the Qibbuz.
Rock-cut cist graves (Fig. 1: 93, 110), a burial cave (Fig. 1: 88), hewn shafts, perhaps for
burial (Fig. 1: 91, 94, 105-107) and other caves with blocked openings (Fig. 1: 104, 108)
were documented on the hill northeast of the Qibbuz, along a dirt road leading to the
modern cemetery. In addition, rock-hewn installations (Fig. 1: 85-87, 94-98) were
documented and cupmarks were identified alongside Installations 95-97. Rock-cutting
clusters (Fig. 1: 89, 90, 92, 101, 102, 110-115), stone heaps (Fig. 1: 99, 100, 109) and a
wall (Fig. 1: 103) were identified. Bronze Age potsherds (Fig. 1: 84) were documented near
the modern cemetery.

Table 1. The Survey Finds (Fig. 1)

Survey Site Map Reference Description

1 217524/720425 Architectural elements
2 217534/720439 Architectural elements
3 217552/720458 Cave
4 217544/720464 Quarry
5 217551/720477 Quarry
6 217508/720498 Quarry
7 217456/720460 Quarry
8 217435/720461 Quarry
9 217427/720463 Quarry
10 217430/720468 Quarry
11 217407/720454 Architectural elements
12 217401/720461 Architectural elements
13 217522/720533 Quarry
14 217569/720530 Quarry
15 217583/710505 Architectural elements
16 217598/720510 Architectural elements
17 217539/720722 Amphitheater
18 217481/720703 Quarry, opening of cave
19 217055/721000 Quarry
20 217058/720991 Quarry and square shaft
21 217077/720998 Cave
22 217059/721008 Extracting installation
23 217070/721009 Quarry
24 217077/721014 Quarry
25 217091/721005 Installation (?), cupmark, channel
and rock-cuttings
26 217085/720990 Cave
27 217084/720986 Cave
28 217095/720971 Quarry
29 217079/720967 Quarry
30 217088/720968 Extracting installation—‘bodeda’
31 217101/720971 Installation (?)
32 217111/720975 Cave and installation
33 217111/720999 Quarry
34 217113/721017 Quarry
35 217129/721017 Quarry
36 217139/721017 Quarry
37 217143/721052 Quarry
38 217144/721060 Quarry
39 217128/721064 Installation (?)
40 217157/721057 Quarry
41 217188/721021 Quarry
42 217191/721012 Quarry
43 217253/720994 Longitudinal stone heap (wall?
building?)
44 217254/720997 Longitudinal stone heap (wall?
building?)
45 217252/720962 Cave
46 217287/720931 Stone heap
47 217311/720909 Stone heap
48 217322/720896 Stone heap
49 217328/720883 Stone heap
50 217350/720907 Stone heap
51 217141/720978 Quarry
52 216997/720820 Cave
53 216995/720859 Quarry
54 217005/720858 Quarry
55 217013/720912 Quarry
56 217014/720937 Quarry
57 217018/720945 Quarry
58 217037/720963 Quarry
59 217043/720951 Cave
60 216976/720619 Architectural elements
61 216985/720595 Architectural elements
62 216965/720445 Wall
63 217131/720703 Installation (?)
64 217128/720739 Quarry
65 217193/720868 Quarry
66 217167/720887 Quarry
67 217119/720933 Quarry
68 217116/720924 Quarry
69 217108/720924 Quarry
70 217087/720910 Installation (?)
71 217074/720892 Quarry
72 217068/720866 Sherd scatter
73 217053/720853 Tomb
74 217045/720843 Burial cave
75 217039/720820 Cave
76 217031/720811 Quarry
77 217025/720789 Quarry
78 217039/720769 Quarry
79 217017/720716 Rock-cutting and hewn game
board
80 217178/720123 Wall
81 217187/720122 Wall
82 217133/720129 Wall
83 217147/720125 Wall
84 217521/720970 Potsherd scatter
85 217461/720983 Extracting installation
86 217461/720972 Extracting installation
87 217462/720966 Extracting installation
88 217468/720967 Burial cave
89 217446/720967 Quarry
90 217442/720960 Quarry
91 217447/720956 Hewn shaft
92 217452/720948 Quarry
93 217452/720920 Rock-cut tomb
94 217447/720911 Rock-cutting and reservoir
(water?), installation (?)
95 217435/720923 Cupmark
96 217429/720928 Cupmark
97 217429/720935 Cupmark
98 217423/720946 Extracting installation
99 217389/720891 Stone heap
100 217401/720844 Stone heap
101 217417/720834 Quarry
102 217420/720843 Quarry
103 217437/720845 Wall
104 217447/720861 Quarry
105 217483/720862 Shaft (tomb?)
106 217515/720869 Shaft (tomb?)
107 217523/720873 Shaft (tomb?)
108 217538/720877 Cave
109 217531/720860 Stone heap
110 217530/720854 Rock-cuttings and tomb
111 217528/720847 Quarry
112 217548/720846 Quarry
113 217555/720863 Quarry
114 217537/720829 Rock-cuttings
115 217531/720825 Rock-cuttings

Trial Trenches (Table 2; Fig. 6)

The survey finds show that the rocky slopes north, northwest and southeast of the Qibbuz
were used for burial and installations. To delineate the ancient areas northwest, north, west
and southwest of the Qibbuz, underground examinations were carried out. Potsherds from
the Roman and Byzantine periods were found in the upper layer of soil in the trial trenches
(Trenches 1-34; each 5 m long, 0.6 m wide; Trenches 35-40: each 10 m long, 0.6 m wide).
Seven trenches (Fig. 6: 25-31) were excavated in the northern expansion to determine the
depth of the soil and boundaries of the areas with rock-cuttings and installations in this
region. The examinations revealed a shallow layer of soil on top of the bedrock that
contained potsherds, mainly from the Roman and Byzantine period.

Nine trenches were opened in the northwestern expansion (Fig. 6: 1-6, 32-34). Potsherds
were found on the surface (max. depth c. 1 m) in the area northwest of the Qibbuz. Natural
soil (max. depth 2.65 m) was documented below this level. The field sherds found in the
upper layer of soil were dated to the Roman and Byzantine periods and included roof tiles.

Seventeen trenches were excavated in a narrow strip that extended north of Nahal Qini, in
the agricultural fields west and southwest of the Qibbuz (Fig. 6: 7-23). Archaeological
remains were exposed in Trenches 8 and 9, among them stones and potsherds dating from
the Roman-Byzantine periods to the modern era (max. depth 1.2 m). A surface leveled
layer (max. depth 1.1 m) with finds from the Byzantine, Crusader and Mamluk periods was
documented in Trench 10; a crushed chalk floor (thickness c. 10 cm; Fig. 7), which
contained potsherds from the Middle Bronze Age, was exposed at a depth of 1.2 m.
Potsherds dating to the Roman, Crusader and Mamluk periods were found in the surface
layer of Trenches 11 and 12; a level of crushed chalk devoid of potsherds was found at a
depth o f c . 1.2 m. Stones and potsherds from the Roman and Byzantine periods (max.
depth 1 m), probably architectural remains or tombs, were found in Trenches 13, 15, 17,
and 18.

Six trenches were excavated on the northern hill (Fig. 6: 35-40). Rock-cutting clusters
were documented in Trenches 35, 36, and 39; the depth of the bedrock beneath the
surface varies (1-2 m). Furthermore, potsherds dating to the Roman and Byzantine
periods were found.

A single trial trench (Fig. 6: 24) was excavated on the southern hill and gray soil (max.
depth 0.9 m) that contained potsherds from the Byzantine and Early Islamic periods was
exposed. At a depth of 0.95 m, a number of superposed layers of crushed chalk alternating
with levels of gray soil were exposed; these layers were documented to a depth of 2.6 m
below the surface and they contained similar ceramic material, mainly from the Early
Islamic period. Below these layers, gray soil and potsherds from the Byzantine period were
documented to a depth of 2.1 m, where the top of an ashlar-built wall was identified.

Table 2: The Trial Trenches (Fig. 6)

Trench No. Map Reference Depth (in
meters)
1 216961/720744 2.65
2 216943/720603 0.95
3 216884/720565 1.3
4 216862/720446 2.1
5 216867/720363 1.25
6 216889/720358 2.0
7 216875/720290 1.3
8 216919/720288 2.8
9 216902/720182 1.35
10 216906/720114 3.2
11 216892/720111 0.55
12 216911/720051 0.9
13 216893/720053 2.2
14 216863/720049 0.65
15 216907/720004 2.1
16 216875/720005 0.6
17 216890/719972 0.5
18 216891/720926 0.5
19 216870/720926 2.9
20 216888/720878 2.5
21 216917/720476 1.1
22 216927/720422 0.95
23 216933/720504 0.95
24 217127/720277 2.1
25 217354/720912 0.5
26 217345/720920 0.5
27 217277/720983 0.55
28 217229/721010 0.6
29 217174/721028 0.55
30 217124/721020 1.8
31 217091/721040 1.0
32 217035/721042 2.3
33 216978/721016 2.8
34 216963/720951 2.9
35 217049/720782 2.0
36 217105/720874 1.8
37 217169/720925 0.5
38 217255/720832 0.6
39 217145/720853 1.2
40 217254/720519 2.3

The survey showed that the northern hill of Qibbuz Megiddo and its northern and western
slopes were used mainly for quarrying and burial. The installations indicate the residents’
livelihood at the time and it is likely that this area, close to Tel Megiddo, fulfilled a variety of
needs throughout long historical periods. The northeastern, eastern and southeastern
slopes of the Qibbuz were part of an extensive site, which had an amphitheater that might
have been used by the residents of Legio and Maximianopolis. The southern area of the
Qibbuz, facing Nahal Qini, is a large archaeological tell where finds from the Middle Bronze
Age to the Ottoman period were documented. Architectural remains and pottery from the
Middle Bronze Age were found on the northern bank of Nahal Qini, southwest of Qibbuz
Megiddo. Potsherds dating to the Bronze Age were found on the fringes of the Qibbuz
cemetery, southwest of Tel Megiddo.
The survey finds supplement our information about the archaeological remains in the
Legio-Megiddo region, around Qibbuz Megiddo, and further contribute to the recognition of
the important historical sites in its vicinity.

Raban A. 1999. Map of Mishmar Ha-Emeq [32] (Archaeological Survey of Israel).

Jerusalem.
Schumacher, G. 1908. Tell el-Mutesellim: Report of the Excavations Conducted from 1903
to 1905. I. Report of Finds'. A, Text. Leipzig.
Tepper, Y. 2002. Lajjun - Legio in Israel: Results of a Survey in and Around the Military
Camp Area. In P. Freman, J. Bennett, T.F. Zbigniew and B. Hoffmann, eds.. Proceedings of
the XVIllth International Congress of Roman Frontier Studies. Amman, September 2000
[Limes XVII; BAR LS. 1084 (1)]. Pp. 231-242.
Tepper Y. 2003. Survey of the Legio Region. HA-ES1 115:29*-31*.

1. Survey map. (Images//4136-1.jpg)

2. Architectural item. (Images//4136-2.jpg)

3. A Roman amphitheater on the eastern hill of Qibbuz Megiddo, looking southeast. (Images//4136-

3.jp.g)
4. A rock-cut shaft tomb, looking northwest. (Images//4136-4.jpg).
5. An ashlar quarry, looking east. (Images//4136-5.jpg)

6. The trial trenches, map. (Images//4136-6.jpg)

7. Trial Trench 10, looking northwest (lmages//4136-7.jpg)
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2. Architectural item.
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3. A Roman amphitheater on the eastern hill of Qibbuz Megiddo, looking southeast.

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4. A rock-cut shaft tomb, looking northwest.
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5. An ashlar quarry, looking east.
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6. The trial trenches, map.

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7. Trial Trench 10, looking northwest.
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