The excavation of Tell Beit Mirsim in Palestine

Abstract

After the author’s first three campaigns of excavation at Tell Belt Mirsim, it was so much archaeological material has been gathered. Author decided to begin with the pottery, especially since this site is unique in the great number of conflagration levels and other means of distinguishing between periods and sub-periods. The new information is of fundamental importance for the succession of phases in the Middle Bronze and Early Iron I; the Early Iron II may be said to appear clearly for the first time as a homogeneous group of certain age. By the comparison of our pottery with similar ceramic from other parts of Palestine, as well as from Egypt, Syria, and Cyprus, the expedition has not only obtained absolute dates almost throughout, but have also succeeded in determining the approximate chrono- logical scope of most of our types.