Tall Zira'a

32.62083333333335.656111111111Koordinaten: 32 ° 37 ' 15 " N, 35 ° 39' 22" E

The Tall Zira'a ( تل زرعة / Tall Zar ʿ a; Tell Zera'a in the Jordanian- Arabic dialect, Arabic for " hill farming " ) is a major historic settlement site in northern Jordan on the border of Syria and Israel. For over 5000 years the hill was inhabited again, this is cultural layers of up to 16 meters have built. Since 2001, the history of the Tall and the region is explored archaeologically within the Gadara Region Project.

• 8.1 Virtual Reconstruction
• 8.2 Children's Book

Topography

The Tall Zira'a is located in the north of Jordan about 20 km northwest of the city of Irbid and 10 km southeast of the Sea of ​​Galilee. The settlement mound had in the Bronze and Iron Ages in an economically favorable position in the Wadi el -'Arab, which stretches from the heights of Ostjordanlands Jordan. As part of an ancient trade route from Egypt to Mesopotamia made ​​it possible with its easy climb to overcome the height difference of 290 meters below lake level in the Jordan Valley to 550 meters above the sea level in the highlands east of the Jordan. The region was inhabited from the Palaeolithic to the Islamic period. More than a hundred sites (channels, water mills, tanks, oil presses, wine presses, watchtowers, grave sites and settlements ) bear witness to this.

The Tall has an almost circular settlement mound with a diameter of about 240 meters at its base and about 160 meters on its plateau. Its surface is 17 meters below sea level. He rises ( depending on the direction 22 to 45 meters) above the surrounding landscape, and it dominates the entire rugged valley of the Wadi el -'Arab at the confluence of the neighboring Wadi al-Zahar. In the center of the hill is an artesian spring. For a particularly good basis for a settlement was given early and long term.

Name

In the recent past the Tall Zira'a was only used for agricultural purposes, of which he received his name: Zira'a is only to sow, grow, plants, Tall Zira'a so hills of agriculture, agriculture. Since the beginning of the excavations of the cereal growing on the plateau is set. In spring it is still of sheep and goat herds of the Bedouin families who traditionally live in their tents at the foot of the Talls, grazing.

During the New Kingdom, the region was ( Canaan ) under Egyptian rule. Therefore, indications were examined for the name of the Late Bronze Age city at Tall in Egyptian inscriptions. A scenic report with place names was Pharaoh Seti I (1290-1279 BC) in the temple at Karnak install on his campaigns in Palestine, where he conquered among others Beit She'an, which is 20 km south-west of Tall Zira'a located on the right side of the Jordan. Another source with place names of the region is one discovered in Beit Shean stele. In this context, a city is qa - dú -ru called, which corresponds to the sound of " Gadara ". Excavations in a good four kilometers north of Tall located Hellenistic foundation Gadara no Bronze Age predecessor settlement was found. Some researchers suggest, therefore, that qa - dú -ru in the Bronze Age marked the fortified city at Tall Zira'a and the name has remained in the region.

History of Research

1885 explored the engineer Gottlieb Schumacher Transjordan he realized that an archaeological significance of the Wadi el -'Arab. He describes the valley as rich in water and reported by several ruins of water -powered mills. During this time the region was only sparsely populated and Wadi as he reported Bedouins of degenerating " a popular haven for all sorts of refugees and criminal scum". From Schumacher the first statement of the Tall Zira'a, its location and the source comes in its center. He also portrays wall traces and remains of an attachment on the Plateau.

Nelson Glueck came in 1942 through the Wadi el -'Arab. He calls the " singularly imposing and completely Call isolated hill of Tell Zera'ah ... " ( German: "unique imposing and entirely unique mound of Tell Zera'ah " ) and mentions the source on the plateau as the "result of a natural siphon phenomenon leading the underground flow of the water from the higher level of the hills beyond down to below the bottom and, as through a pipe piercing its center, up to the top of Tell Zera'ah " ( German: ". outcome of a natural siphon phenomenon, which leads the flow of groundwater from the higher level of the surrounding hills down below the base and how through a tube that runs through its center to the surface of the Tell Zera'ah. " )

As part of the State of Israel and the Six Day War in 1967, parts of the valley a closed military zone. Only in 1994 after the agreement between Jordan and Israel peace treaty, it was generally accessible again. Since 2001, the exploration of the Tall Zira'a within the Gadara Region Project takes place, which is designed for a period of about 20 years.

First archaeological excavations at Tall Zira'a led a Dutch team led by Karel Vriezen through in the years 2001 and 2002. Here, a test section of six times seven meters was opened on the western hill edge. On the surface, walls could be exposed from the Islamic Middle Ages, then a Roman- Byzantine stratum with two bread ovens and including an Iron Age layer in which several phases were observed. In the spatially narrow sounding were numerous refuse pits, the more difficult each of younger strata in older ranged down and assessing the stratigraphy.

For a detailed survey the entire surface of the Talls in 127 squares of 20 meters edge length was divided in 2001, which were individually searched thoroughly after pottery shards and other surface finds. All fragments were determined over time. The assignment of the shards quantities from the different eras to the square grid was at certain points distinct clusters for the ceramic of an era. Thus, predictions about the expected architectural remains could be made. The geophysical survey brought on resistance measurements in the soil statements about structures in the soil. Both have been used for planning the excavations.

In autumn 2003 the Biblical Archaeological Institute Wuppertal began (BAI ) with his first excavation campaign. The thereby obtained extensive results prompted the BAI and the German Protestant Institute of Archaeology in the Holy Land ( DEIAHL ) in Amman, enter into a partnership in 2004 to continue the project in the following years together in a larger scale. This work concluded in 2006 and the DEIAHL in Jerusalem. The project is since 2004 under the joint leadership of Dieter and Jutta Vieweger Häser. Each spring and summer several weeks of excavation campaigns have been organized.

From 2009 to 2011, an environmental survey explored the Wadi al'Arab and Wadi al-Zahar. Survey and excavations in 2011 brought to a temporary end to develop a comprehensive publication of the results so far. From 2015, fieldwork continue.

Archaeological importance

The story of North Jordan from the early Bronze Age to the Islamic modern times - and thus a period of more than five millennia ( 3200 BC -1900 AD) - can be examined in a single settlement site at Tall Zira'a first time. The settlement mound provides both an insight into the Early Bronze Age urban culture, as well as in the period of re-urbanization after the decline of urban life at the end of the Early Bronze Age ( 2150 BC). The urban culture of the middle (2150-1550 BC) and Late (1550-1200 BC) Bronze Age is here - as the step cut on the western slope ( Area I ) shows - in nordjordanischen area for the first time consistently palpable. According to biblical and extra-biblical messages, this time is usually referred to as " Canaanite era ".

Meantime below is the Tall Zira'a the profound incision understand that arose with the triggered by the Sea Peoples in Palestine decay of the Late Bronze Age city-states system. A new beginning after this upheaval changed during the Iron Age I and II, the nature of the settlement at Tall Zira'a. During the Iron Age I (1200-1000 BC) suggests only a loose construction to a small settlement was built in the Iron Age II (1000-520 BC), again a walled city.

Following the destruction of this city, there seems to have been under the previous excavation results a settlement pause before the Romans began rebuilding a closed settlement. Later in the Byzantine period was not the entire surface of the Talls settled in the Islamic period, there are, on the surface findings - especially in the area of the source - have been even individual buildings.

Basically interested in archaeological exploration of the Talls, such as adapting the residents in the course of the millennia with very different climatic conditions, their survival strategies on the inherent requirements of the valley, and how they reacted to the changes of their resources. This includes an examination of the technical possibilities of the inhabitants of the Talls through 5,000 years of its settlement, particularly in the manufacture of ceramics, glass, faience and quartz frit and metal processing. In addition, the agricultural conditions, flora and fauna, and geology (water, rock formations and soil types ) of Wadisystems be explored.

Excavations since 2003

It was first created the excavation area I in the northwest of Tall Zira'a 2003. The preliminary investigations had found particularly good conditions for the uncovering of a long stratigraphic sequence and the prospect of significant architectural remains here. The topographical conditions seemed particularly suitable at this point. At this place the natural protection of the residents was not as big as the other edges of the Talls. Only 22 to 25 m height difference remain in this area up to the foot of the hill. For this reason, was to be expected that the former residents had created a settlement fixing here. This could also take the geophysical prospecting. In addition, it could be presumed that an access to the sub- cities was at this point that lay west and north at the foot of the hill. Another aspect that could give hope for a dense residential development, were the climatic conditions. Meet on this side of the settlement mound from midday until well into the evening, the thermally induced, coming from the Mediterranean, onshore winds on the Tall and create a very comfortable living environment.

By the summer of 2010 1750 m excavation area were demolished in stages up to a maximum depth of 11 meters in Area I already. The archaeological exploration is thus penetrated into the Middle Bronze Age. Since the excavation is on a slope, could hang in the side outer areas already older architecture residues ( BC from 3200) date back to the Early Bronze Age, can be detected.

During the spring campaign of 2006, the excavation site II was created in the north of Tall Zira'a. There, an area of ​​1500 m² was opened in spring 2010. It is one of the highest areas on the plateau of the Talls, which is also protected by a 44 meter high steep drop to the north. Due to this prominent position here representational are expected.

In the summer of 2008, the excavation area was III opened on a surface of 600 m² in the south of Tallplateaus. In this case, an already accessible cistern of 12 m length, 6 m wide and 5.75 m headroom was included and it was shown that it is in the courtyard of a Byzantine building complex. A partially intact mosaic floor and several adjacent to the court premises were exposed. The building had been built over at least three times in the following years. Specific findings include the Byzantine architecture door structure, a water collector in the courtyard and an oil mill.

Results by period

The overall stratigraphy of the Talls is explored in Area I. Of the approximately 16 meters cultural layer there up to eleven meters have already been explored on an area of 1750 m2. Near the surface the remains showed omayyadischer development (stratum 1), including the classical eras ( Strata 2-3). There are two phases of the Iron Age II ( Stratum 4a / b ) and the Iron Age I ( Stratum 5). The Bronze Age is represented by several Middle to Late Bronze Age Strata (6-13 ) and at least one Early Bronze Age phase ( Stratum 14).

Early and Middle Bronze Age

The stratum 14 is until now only been on the slopes of Talls. There, a glacis -like Early Bronze Age fortifications were unearthed at a height of 4.85 meters. The massive stone wall is pierced by a vertical water disposal well the middle or late Bronze Age, the outward bends after 5 meters height to the slope and ends up as a brick tunnel.

In step cut of the area I 3 Middle Bronze Age Strata (11-13) were exposed. Two of them showed residues of residential architecture that was severely eroded slope-sided, so no outside walls could be determined.

Late Bronze Age (1550-1200 BC)

The Late Bronze Age, Canaanite era are assigned on Tall the Strata 6-10. The youngest Late Bronze Age stratum (6 ) has already been explored in detail. It shows a well-secured estate with a strong attachment. The extensive residential buildings, a functioning sewage system as well as the wealth of finds suggest that the Tall in the Late Bronze Age was a city facility that served as a regional center.

At the northwest edge of the city was protected by a massive casemate wall. She was exposed to a length of 23 meters and consisted of an outer, two -meter-thick wall and an inner of about one and a half meters thick. The two -meter-wide gap was divided into intervals of less than three meters with cross walls in small spaces. These were suitable in peacetime, for example, for storing supplies. In danger of attack they could be filled with earth and stones, and the whole wall was reinforced to almost six feet.

Inside the casemate wall house architecture of the Late Bronze Age was discovered. Their floorplans extended - unlike later in the Iron Age - over considerable areas. The wall thicknesses of very solid construction undertaken suggest that these houses originally had an upper floor. So far, three courtyard houses have been excavated. To a part of a large courtyard, through which attracted three covered with flat stones channels. This initiated the water that gathered in the rain outside the city walls, in one of the casemates. There it was collected in a semi-circular stone of unhewn boulders stilling basin initially and eventually flowed into a deep, also stone of unhewn boulders, not completely circular, vertical chute of about 45 cm diameter. The chute has been explored to a depth of about 2.6 m, without that the lower edge has been reached.

At the southern end of the casemate wall strong foundations of a city side facing the tower were uncovered. It was divided in ground plan: The northern area was completely paved; the south side shows a large room, which had multiple tags. A low wall divides this room and leaves a passage which is flanked by two carefully carved column bases of basalt. The special character of this long- divided space reminiscent of a Torheiligtum, that is a sanctuary near the city gate, where you could lie down when entering or leaving the city offerings or ignite incense. A hewn at the base, tapering towards the top massive limestone, which was found next to the two columns in the inverted state can be interpreted in the context of similar finds from Palestine as Mazzebe (cult stone). Before the entrance of the sanctuary, an altar within a cobbled Temenos was found.

South of the " Torheiligtums " a 2.75 m wide passage through the gate was found. Here is - as expected - the shortest walkable connection between the sub cities in the north and west, and the fortified town. Further south leads the casemate wall discontinued, however, form the small spaces of the courtyard houses with a continuous outer wall of a similar structure.

House complexes discovered two more in the north and south of the area I in the spring of 2008 are monumental. Due to their design and the geoelectric prospecting is expected that they occupy a large area and also in its height to be reconstructed are far greater than the later building. Located in the north of the house, which can be thoroughly examined in the context of the excavations, in a room containing 23 cylinder seals - also in adjacent rooms, five other cylinder seals, one of which was not engraved and another was only half engraved.

The older strata of the Late Bronze Age are explored in the central area of the site I. After acceptance of the casemate wall the excavators came across at least ten layers of 30-45 cm of soil, which were always covered with a stone pavement. Slope side led the pavement into a retaining wall. The layers (stratum 7 ) proved to be repairs after a landslide at the beginning of the 14th century BC, because the mountain side destroyed house foundations themselves in the Strata 8-10 days, which lacked external walls and floors were torn. The Strata 12 and 13 of the Middle Bronze Age appear to have been thereby affected.

The elaborate Aufterrassierung by the numerous earth / stone layers was carried out intermittently over several years so that the Erdlagen were able to put sufficient. This is indicated by smaller structures - like a bread oven - on the stone layers down. Since the ceramic came within the packed beds, 75% of the Early Bronze Age, it is believed that the earth was carried up by the inhabitants from the foot of the Talls.

Iron Age I (1200-1000 BC)

The breaks between Bronze and Iron Ages show up in the stratum 5 Before Israelite tribes were settled on the central hill country, the Late Bronze Age city found on Tall Zira'a around 1200 BC. their end. Whether this was done by an earthquake, a hostile conquest or an accidental fire disaster, is not to say. The builders of the new settlement did not reach the cultural level of their predecessors. Instead of a municipal facility now resulted in an open, no longer protected by a wall village, inhabited by farmers and ranchers.

In the center of the excavation area I notice that the inhabitants of the early Iron Age took the remains of walls of the Late Bronze Age settlement. This suggests that between the destruction of the city and the resettlement can not have been for many years. Therefore, the surviving foundations of the Late Bronze Age city walls were provided with new installations or new houses are built on the ruined walls of the Canaanite house ruins. In the central part of the excavation dominate with flat stones laid out grain silos and various agricultural equipment, stables with internals and simple huts with thin little wall. One could speak of an agrarian labor, housing and storage area. This finding fits the traditional research opinion that at the beginning of the Iron Age Israelite and Judean settlements in the central hill country regions arise.

In the southern section of the excavation area I sound architecture is encountered at the same time. There is a large double building emerges with walls of carefully placed boulders. Also, the walls of which took advantage of the Late Bronze Age ruins as foundations. Access to the house had a paved entrance area. The pivot stone was still in its original location. The northern part of the house was conceived as a courtyard building and architectural highlights as the very close connection to the design of the Late Bronze Age. In the courtyard area was located in the center a large water vessel, in a corner of a bread oven and a millstone. The house included a large oven which was constructed with multiple layers of clay, lime and large pottery sherds. A ( grain? ) Silo, built of mud bricks and with a capacity of about 10 m3, completed the establishment. Special ceramic finds from this area were an almost complete kernos and gods house for private worship.

In the north of the area I was met with another big house. Its ground plan corresponds largely to the Iron Age Four room house. Overall, the findings indicate a rapid recolonization of the Talls in the early Iron Age, after the destruction of the Late Bronze Age city in stratum 5. The excavators suggest that " this is negotiated by the indigenous population."

Iron Age II (1000-700 BC)

As further south the territorial kingdoms of Ammon, Moab, and ( somewhat later ) of Edom were out during the classic Old Testament times, the area belonged to the Tall Zira'a in the influence area of ​​the ruled from Samaria from the kingdom of Israel. During this time - the Iron Age IIA / B - have the Israelite kings, according to the Bible (1 Kings 4:13 LUT) " threescore great cities, walled and with iron bars " dominated in Gilead. Gilead is called in the Old Testament and in the Neo-Assyrian texts Transjordan north of the Jabbok (cf. Num 32.39-42 LUT; Deuteronomy 3:13-15 LUT; Jos 13.29-31 LUT LUT Ri 10:3-5; 1 Chr 2:21-23 LUT).

Many buildings in this stratum have two phases. It is therefore assumed that parts of the city towards the end of the 10th century BC, were destroyed by earthquake, fire or enemy attack. If this is negotiated to a military event that would coincide with the time documented in the Old Testament books of Kings and on the Tel Dan stele Israelite- Aramean fighting. Evidence for this hypothesis are still lacking. During the reconstruction of the settlement, some changes were made within the housing units. Thus, the Iron Age settlement (stratum 4a/4b ) can be divided into two phases.

For both strata of the Iron Age II four to five houses and a likely publicly-used area are detected in Area I. Double foundation walls show the limits of the directly adjacent buildings. To slope towards the house walls formed at the same time the city wall or led into it. The dense development refers to population growth and, in contrast to the Iron Age I again urban character, without the massive construction of the Late Bronze Age to reach.

In the houses various craft activities had been exercised. One room contained, for example, four bread ovens that could be operated simultaneously. That metal was processed, shows a still filled crucible on a cobblestone fireplace. Other thick-walled " industrial vessels " and finds of raw glass also point to glass making, or at least processing. In the north of the area I have been excavated in an area without typical building structures over twelve simple bread ovens and two large furnaces with multi-layered, well insulated wall. In one of the two, a ceramic pot found with multiple handles. Whether these ovens were used to manual work or cooking, is not yet clear.

In a house area three column bases were made ​​of massive boulders in series and aligned exactly on the row in front of them, a Mazzebe in situ. The cult stone was thus included in the daily life. Further references to the religious- cultic life make some small finds is: a Bronzefigurine in the form of a seated god ( El- type) with gold and silver layers, the upper part of a female terracotta figurine with Hathor hairdo and a seal impression with a god of Baal - type (see individual finds ).

After the conquest of the region by the Syrians ( in the 9th century BC), and especially after the nationwide conquest by the Assyrians ( 8th century BC), the whole area was marked only by village settlements. From the Persian period, some pottery shards were found in Area I, but not architecture.

Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine eras

During the Hellenistic period, the settlement pattern changed completely again. The Wadi el -'Arab, with its settlements became the surroundings of the Hellenistic foundation Gadara, the ( Decapolis ) belonged to the Roman period the ten Association of Cities and came to a large bloom. Even the Roman road layout was directed against the topographic features of the new center of the metropolitan area - by Qais - from. Which was even wall - On the Tall a Hellenistic settlement, later a densely built- Roman-Byzantine settlement arose. The Roman - Byzantine settlement went without a break in the Umayyad period.

In Area I, the Hellenistic phase leaving behind typical pottery sherds, numerous refuse pits and in the north of the area more carefully walled storage silos. The center of the settlement area in the Hellenistic and Roman periods is complex II

In ( late Roman ) Byzantine Tall Zira'a is to speak again as a city. In the complex I is a single- closed building was exposed. In the complex II showed several construction and remodeling phases. Many coins found there give good clues to dating ( post quem ). In the complex III has been found from the Byzantine period a large courtyard with a cistern and surrounding areas.

Islamic time

The courtyard house in Area III has undergone several renovations in Umayyad period. Even complex II Byzantine buildings were re-used for the Umayyad period and adapted to the needs of the residents. In the south of Area I original Umayyad architecture was exposed. A scattered settlement of Tall at this time is occupied with it.

Pottery from the time of the Mamluks was found in several mines in the area II, but no architectural remains of this period. Since an accumulation of late Islamic pottery was found in the survey in the area of ​​the source, it is anticipated there with settlement residues.

The flower of the city of Gadara, who had come to the Battle of Yarmuk in 636 under Arab influence, ended by a devastating earthquake in the 8th century AD In addition, the fundamental political changes came in early Islamic times. The Wadi el -'Arab won because of its excellent conditions for agriculture now turn more and more important, but these remained regional. In the ebb and the Islamic Middle Ages and the Ottoman era Tall Zira'a remained a village settlement site.

Selected individual finds

In a house of the late Bronze Age, the excavators discovered an unusually dense accumulation fund. In an area of ​​little more than two square meters 23 cylinder seals and dozens of glass beads were recovered, plus a scarab and an oval 3.4 x 5.8 cm large silver pendant with a relief image of a woman. At this Fund accumulation can be the special significance of the house and the wealth of the Bronze Age city read.

Another important finding from the same stratum is a painted, zweihenkliger pitcher who could be restored from over 200 shards. Between ornamentally arranged sand vipers animal scenes are depicted on it. Here, a man sits on a four-legged stool and playing a kind of lyre. The presentation is reminiscent of the Greek Orpheus myth, but it can not be interpreted for the 14th century BC. Comparable figures are not known from this period.

In a house of the Iron Age II is a 5 × 5 cm fragment of a terracotta statuette was unearthed, which shows a plan view head and shoulder area of ​​a female figure. It represents the fertility goddess Astarte or Asherah is with the hairstyle of the Egyptian Hathor. In the lateral view of the head of a lioness can recognize and thus also the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet is shown in the figure. The statuette must therefore have been a powerful pocket deity.

Representations of male deities were also detected in the stratum of the Iron Age II. Stored as foundation deposits at the foot of a house wall was a small bronze figure with gold plating, which represents the seated god El with blessing gesture. Not far away was a Lehmabdruck a seal with the weather god Baal or Hadad - standing on a bull. On the back of the impression the traces of bindings are yet to realize that was sealed with the sign of God.

Visualization and educational preparation

Virtual Reconstruction

An archaeological excavation, especially on a multi-layered hills as Tall Zira'a is always associated with a destruction of findings. While the scientific literature contains numerous drawings and photos, but it needs the constructive imagination of professionals to leave arise from the image of an ancient city. In collaboration of architects and archaeologists a virtual, three-dimensional reconstruction was created using the example of the Late Bronze Age city. In the further progress of the excavation it should be adapted to reflect the new findings.

Children's book

The Tall Zira'a was also the inspiration for the children's book The Secret of the tell, written by excavation director Vieweger and one student in collaboration with a sixth grade class. Two children from Cologne to visit is the archaeological site of her grandfather in the Orient, the Tall Zira'a looks very much not random. Based on an exposed iron age four room house and other typical architecture of the period, the book gives an introduction to the life during Israel's monarchy ( Iron Age II). Richly detailed illustrations illustrate this among other reconstructions of findings of other Talls west of the Jordan.