Ahwat
Encyclopedia
el-Ahwat is the name of an archaeological site in the Manasseh
region of Israel
, located 10 miles east of Caesarea. The site was discovered in November 1992 during a survey by archaeologist Adam Zertal
. It is considered to be the location of the northwesternmost settlement of the ancient Israelites in the region. The settlement has been dated back to the Bronze
and Iron
Ages.
Zertal's hypothesis is that the site, which resembles late Bronze Age sites in Sardinia
(Italy
), is in fact a Sea Peoples site, namely the Shardana
tribe, a sea-faring culture from the 12th century, as the architecture of the site is similar to Nuraghe
sites in Sardinia. Zertal dates the site to 1160–1150 BCE, which conforms with the alleged date of the Sea Peoples' incursion to Israel, and the Biblical conflict between Sisera
and Barak ben Avinoam
(Judges 4-5). Zertal suggest that the site may have been the city of Harosheth Haggoyim
, mentioned in as Sisera's place of residence. A chariot linchpin found at the site gives further weight to the claim that the site may have been an official residence.
Archaeologist Israel Finkelstein
claims that Zertal erred in his dating of the site by a magnitude of 100 years. By synchronizing ceramic typologies and Radiocarbon dating
with other early Iron Age sites in Israel, Finkelstein assesses the dating to be around 100 years later then Zertal
Tribe of Manasseh
According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Manasseh was one of the Tribes of Israel. Together with the Tribe of Ephraim, Manasseh also formed the House of Joseph....
region of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, located 10 miles east of Caesarea. The site was discovered in November 1992 during a survey by archaeologist Adam Zertal
Adam Zertal
Adam Zertal is an Israeli archaeologist.Zertal grew up in Ein Shemer, a kibbutz affiliated with the Hashomer Hatzair movement. Zertal was severely wounded in the Yom Kippur War. He later told a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, “I spent a year at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, and I became...
. It is considered to be the location of the northwesternmost settlement of the ancient Israelites in the region. The settlement has been dated back to the Bronze
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
and Iron
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
Ages.
Zertal's hypothesis is that the site, which resembles late Bronze Age sites in Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
(Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
), is in fact a Sea Peoples site, namely the Shardana
Shardana
The Sherden are one of several groups of "Sea Peoples" who appear in fragmentary historical records for the Mediterranean region in the second millennium B.C.; little is known about them. On reliefs they are shown carrying a round shield and a long thrusting Naue II type sword...
tribe, a sea-faring culture from the 12th century, as the architecture of the site is similar to Nuraghe
Nuraghe
The nuraghe is the main type of ancient megalithic edifice found in Sardinia. Today it has come to be the symbol of Sardinia and its distinctive culture, the Nuragic civilization...
sites in Sardinia. Zertal dates the site to 1160–1150 BCE, which conforms with the alleged date of the Sea Peoples' incursion to Israel, and the Biblical conflict between Sisera
Sisera
Sisera was commander of the Canaanite army of King Jabin of Hazor mentioned in the of the Hebrew Bible. After being defeated by Barak, Sisera was killed by Jael, who hammered a tent peg into his temple....
and Barak ben Avinoam
Barak
Barak , Al-Burāq the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, was a military general in the Book of Judges in the Bible. He was the commander of the army of Deborah, the prophetess and heroine of the Hebrew Bible...
(Judges 4-5). Zertal suggest that the site may have been the city of Harosheth Haggoyim
Harosheth Haggoyim
Harosheth Haggoyim is a fortress described in the Book of Judges as the fortress or cavalry base of Sisera, commander of the army of "Jabin, King of Canaan.Sisera is described as having had nine hundred iron chariots with which he fought the Israelites...
, mentioned in as Sisera's place of residence. A chariot linchpin found at the site gives further weight to the claim that the site may have been an official residence.
Archaeologist Israel Finkelstein
Israel Finkelstein
Israel Finkelstein is an Israeli archaeologist and academic. He is currently the Jacob M. Alkow Professor of the Archaeology of Israel in the Bronze Age and Iron Ages at Tel Aviv University and is also the co-director of excavations at Megiddo in northern Israel...
claims that Zertal erred in his dating of the site by a magnitude of 100 years. By synchronizing ceramic typologies and Radiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating is a radiometric dating method that uses the naturally occurring radioisotope carbon-14 to estimate the age of carbon-bearing materials up to about 58,000 to 62,000 years. Raw, i.e. uncalibrated, radiocarbon ages are usually reported in radiocarbon years "Before Present" ,...
with other early Iron Age sites in Israel, Finkelstein assesses the dating to be around 100 years later then Zertal