Gath (also known as “Gath of the Philistines”) is a biblical Philistine city identified with Tel es-Safi (formerly the Arab village of es-Safi) near Kfar Menachem in the Shephelah region. The site covers an area of some 40-50 hectares. The identification of Tel es-Safi with Gath was first proposed in the mid-19th century by the Irish scholar Josaias Porter, but over the course of the 20th century other proposals were put forward for the location of Gath, such as Tel Erani and Ra’s Abu Hamid.
History of the Research
Thus far the site has been excavated by two expeditions: In 1899 by an expedition from the PEF led by the American archaeologist Frederick Bliss and the Irish archaeologist Robert Macalister, and in the years 1996-2021 (except for 2003) by an expedition led by Aren Maeir of Bar-Ilan University. Maeir continues to hold localized excavations around the tel. It should be noted that over the course of the 50s and 60s Moshe Dayan held several illegal excavations at the site. Selected findings from his excavations are on display at the museum erected in his home.
The Site in the Early, Intermediate and Middle Bronze Ages
The site was only minimally active in prehistoric times. Significant activity began in the Early Bronze Age (3500-2500 BCE), and circa the end of the Early Bronze III period (2900-2500 BCE) the acropolis of the tel was already vast and fortified. Other than impressive buildings, small artifacts were also uncovered such as an ivory signet ring with a lion carving. In the Intermediate Bronze Age (2500-2000 BCE) the settlement at the site greatly dwindled in size and slowly expanded once more over the course of the Middle Bronze Age (2000-1500 BCE).
The Site in the Late Bronze Age
In the Late Bronze Age (1500-1200 BCE) the site became a regional center, as reflected in a few mentions of Gath in the El-Amarna Letters. It seems likely that Abdi-Ashirta, one of the leaders of the ‘Apiru that ebelled against the Egyptian control of Canaan, was the son of Shuwardata, king of Gath. Various findings from the site also demonstrate the importance of the site during that period, including: Two Egyptian inscriptions, Cypriot and Aegean pottery, and an Egyptian governor’s house.
The Site in the Iron Age
In the transition period from the Late Bronze Age to the Iron I period (end of the 13th century-mid-12th century BCE) the Canaanite material culture at Gath was largely replaced by the Philistine material culture which reflects the Philistine conquest of Tel es-Safi and other sites in the area which will eventually be known as “Land of the Philistines”. In the Iron I (12th-11th centuries BCE) the site was one of the two most important Philistine sites, along with Tel Miqne (Ekron). At the onset of the period only the upper city was inhabited, but over the course of the period the settlement was expanded to the lower city, and at its height the city covered an area of some 40-50 hectares. Findings from this period include decorated Philistine pottery, a temple and other structures. In the Iron IIa (1000-950 BCE) metal, oil and bone tools industries were developed at the site. To this period are ascribed a few ostraca found written in a Indo-European language with Semite letters. Other than another temple that was discovered, several cultic objects were also found such as figurines, zoomorphic vessels and horned altars. In 830 BCE Hazael king of Aram laid siege upon the city with a massive siege system uncovered during excavations, and finally conquered the city and destroyed it.
The Site in Later Periods
After the Aramean destruction, the site partially rebuilt and may have been controlled by Ashdod. In the middle of the 8th century BCE or at its end Gath came to be controlled by the Kingdom of Judah, which is reflected in Judahite pillared houses and Judahite pottery, including ‘LMLK’ jar handles. It is unknown whether the site was active during the Babylonian period (end of the 7th-mid-6th centuries BCE). The site was resettled in the Persian period (mid-6th century-332 BCE). From the Hellenistic period and onwards activity at the site dwindled dramatically.
Bibliography
A. M. Maeir and others, ‘The Late Bronze Age at Tell es-Safi/Gath and the Site’s Role in Southwestern Canaan’, in: A. M. Maeir and others (eds.), The Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages of Southern Canaan, Berlin and Boston 2019, pp. 1-18.
A. M. Maeir and others, ‘The Tell es-Sâfi/Gath Archaeological Project’, Near Eastern Archaeology 80 (2017), pp. 212-301 and Near Eastern Archeology 81 (2018), pp. 1-93.
A. M. Maeir and others, Tell es-Safi/Gath I: The 1996-2005 Seasons, Munich 2012.