AREA S1

When the Breeze Blows South:

Life and Death in Area S1

Aerial View: End of Season 2019
 Early Bronze Age III ca. 25 th century BCE
Discovery of two donkeys (North and South); their heads severed and positioned 180
degrees from the orientation of the body.

Discover more! Explore the publication:

Sapir-Hen, L., Gadot, Y. and Lipschits,

O., 2017. Ceremonial Donkey Burial,
Social Status, and Settlement
Hierarchy in the Early Bronze III: The
Case of Tel Azekah. The Wide Lens in
Archaeology: Honoring Brian Hesse’s
Contributions to Anthropological
Archaeology, pp.259-70.
Late Bronze Age II
ca. 13 t h century BCE
Discovery of standing
architecture, walls, street, and
steps. A ‘monumental
ascent’ (path) to the upper
mound from the south.
Iron Age IIB 701 BCE Destruction
A destroyed building that was likely used for textile production. Recovered remains reveal a
‘frozen moment’ with debris, crushed ceramic vessels, dozens of loom weights, pillared figurines,
and ash across the area.
 Notable Finds: Area S1
1. 2. 3.

1. ‘Blank’ amethyst 3. Concentric Circle

2. Late Bronze Age “Plaque Figurine” – Fertility
scarab: recovered out Stamp Impression
of context Judahite
Administration
Iron IIC ca. mid 7th
century BCE
 ’Judean Pillared Figurine’
Iron IIB S1-4a destruction ca. 701 BCE

Goals for 2022 Season

• Excavate the final area with Iron IIB (ca. 701 BCE)
destruction debris.
• Excavate the ‘mysterious’ Late Bronze sediment layers:
possible waste of a production activity?
• Further explore the stratigraphy surrounding the
‘missing’ Late Bronze III destruction in the area.
• Reveal the potential continuation of the Late Bronze II
Monumental Southern Ascent.
• Attempt to expose the ‘Early Bronze Age’ layers of
Area S1.
End of Season 2019