Tel Qiri

Location and Identification

Tel Qiri is situated within Kibbutz ha-Zorea’, approximately 2 km south of Tel Jokneam and west of the Jokneam-Megiddo road.

The site, located at the western edge of Kibbutz ha-Zorea’, is not a typical archaeological mound. It is established at the eastern end of a spur of the Carmel Range, descending steeply to Nahal Shofet.

History

The area has seen continuous occupation from the end of the Neolithic to the Ottoman period, thanks to abundant water, moderate climate, and fertile soil.

Excavations

The site of Tel Qiri was excavated as part of the Jokneam Regional Project, an archaeological investigation of the western Jezreel Valley. These excavations were conducted from 1975 to 1977 under the direction of A. Ben-Tor, on behalf of the Institute of Archaeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Tel Qiri was the first site to be excavated in this project.

Findings

Late Neolithic to Early Chalcolithic Period (Stratum XI):

  • The earliest agricultural village at Tel Qiri dates back to the second half of the fifth millennium BCE, possibly extending into the early fourth millennium BCE.
  • Archaeological evidence includes segments of narrow stone walls, a silo, a rich assemblage of stone tools, and pottery. The pottery findings feature dark-faced burnished ware.

Middle Bronze Age II (Stratum X):

  • Finds from this period, primarily sherds, were discovered in most excavated areas and concentrated in the eastern slope section.
  • The remains likely represent a village from the 18th to 16th centuries BCE, with no indications of fortification.

Late Bronze Age:

  • Sherds from this period, including bichrome, Cypriot, and Mycenaean sherds, were found out of context in Iron Age levels.
  • It’s uncertain whether these sherds indicate a Late Bronze Age settlement at the site or if they were brought in with fill material from nearby areas.

Iron Age (Strata V-IX):

  • The Iron Age remains constitute the bulk of the findings and are noted for their fine state of preservation.
  • The settlement during this period was an unfortified village, characterized by broadhouses with brick walls laid on stone foundations. These findings indicate a fairly well-to-do and continuous population.
  • Notable discoveries from the Iron Age include cooking pots with incised signs, resembling the Phoenician alphabet, and a variety of cultic vessels.

Persian Period to Byzantine Period (Strata IV-I):

  • The remains from these periods, although fragmentary, include residential buildings, a cemetery, and various artifacts.
  • The Persian period is notable for its rock-hewn tombs, while the Byzantine period featured residential buildings and a medieval Arab cemetery

Sources

Stern, Ephraim-New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land 4-Israel Exploration Society (1993)