Books by Alexander Fantalkin
Tel Aviv, 2001
For book review, see Boardman, J. 2002. Ancient West and East 1: 489-490.
For book reviews, see Kelder, J.M. 2010. AJA 114/2; Hawkins, R.K. 2010. Catholic Biblical Quarte... more For book reviews, see Kelder, J.M. 2010. AJA 114/2; Hawkins, R.K. 2010. Catholic Biblical Quarterly 72/4: 626-628; Maeir, A.M. 2013. Ancient West and East 12: 376-378.
For book reviews, see Hudon, J.P. 2017. AUSS 55/2: 310–312; Fales, M. 2018. PEQ 150/1: 80–84; Pierce, G.A. 2018. BASOR 380: 250–252. , Jan 2015
This monograph presents the final excavation report of Tell Qudadi (Tell esh-Shuna) located on th... more This monograph presents the final excavation report of Tell Qudadi (Tell esh-Shuna) located on the northern bank of the Yarkon river estuary into the central Mediterranean coast of Israel. As excavations were conducted in 1937-38 and were published only in a very preliminary form, the current authors offer a new chronological scheme for the impressive Iron Age fortress which shows two architectural phases. Their chronological down-dating assigns the fortress to the period between the second half of the 8th and the first half of the 7th centuries BC when the area was under Neo-Assyrian rule. Accordingly, the site formed part of a series of fortresses that were built on behalf of the Neo-Assyrian regime (sometimes by local vassals) at the estuaries of the major Palestinian rivers into the Mediterranean, which aimed at serving imperial goals and imperialistic policies, among which were protecting trade routes and emporia, projecting imperial power by a 'new architectural landscape' and supervising Phoenician trading activities. Based on the presence of Greek imports , the study of the site's Iron Age pottery assemblages allows one to reassess a number of contested chronological issues in a wider Mediterranean setting.
Papers by Alexander Fantalkin
Tel Aviv 51/2: 238-278, 2024
Ashdod-Yam is an important archaeological site with a history spanning the Late Bronze Age to the... more Ashdod-Yam is an important archaeological site with a history spanning the Late Bronze Age to the early Islamic period. The Hellenistic period marked an important phase for the site, when its acropolis served as a military base. This report presents the interim results of recent excavations that focused on the Hellenistic period at Ashdod-Yam. Based on the numismatic and ceramic evidence, the stronghold was established in the first half of the 2nd century BCE and should be considered within the framework of Seleucid military activity. Although it is difficult to determine under which Seleucid king this military stronghold was initially commissioned, it was most probably reinforced in the days of Antiochus VII Sidetes by his general Cendebaeus and then destroyed by John Hyrcanus I towards the end of his reign. The precision in dating the Hellenistic occupation at Ashdod-Yam offers a rare window into the life of a 2nd-century BCE coastal military settlement, enriching our knowledge of the site and contributing new insights into the region’s historical and cultural developments.
Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology and Heritage Studies , 2024
The remains of the Iron Age at Ashdod-Yam (Ashdod-by the-Sea), located at the southern coastal pl... more The remains of the Iron Age at Ashdod-Yam (Ashdod-by the-Sea), located at the southern coastal plain of Israel, were first investigated by Jacob Kaplan between 1965 and 1968. Renewed excavations at the Iron Age compound
of Ashdod-Yam and at additional areas across the site were initiated in 2013, on behalf of the Institute of Archaeology at Tel Aviv University. This article presents an interim report of architectural remains and accompanying finds associated with the Iron Age sequence at Ashdod-Yam. The remains were attributed to two strata: Stratum IV (Iron Age IIB) and Stratum III (Iron Age IIC). This endeavor enables a new assessment and analysis of the site’s significance in a broader regional context during various stages of the late Iron Age.
STAR: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH, 2024
In this study we show the successful deployment of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) together with E... more In this study we show the successful deployment of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) together with Electrical Resistivity Surveys (ERS) in guiding the archeological excavations at Ashdod-Yam (southern coast of Israel). This approach enabled the precise identification of excavation targets relating to an Early Byzantine ecclesiastical complex located in a residential neighborhood of the modern city of Ashdod. Applied over the course of five years, the combined use of GPR and ERS, interspersed with phases of archeological excavation, not only facilitated an efficient exploration but also ensured the preservation of valuable historical structures. The geophysical data, corroborated by drone images of the post-excavation site, revealed a striking correlation between excavation and non-intrusive survey data. This study not only charts a successful excavation journey but serves as a methodological blueprint for future archeological explorations. The techniques and strategies detailed here have broader implications for the preservation and public presentation of historical sites.
In: Deutsch, R. and Lemaire, A. eds. Gabriel Tell this Man the Meaning of his Vision: Studies in Archaeology, Epigraphy, Iconography and the Biblical World in Honor of Gabriel Barkay, 2024
Journal of Late Antiquity, 2024
This paper introduces a technological and cultural biography of an exceptional copper-based belt ... more This paper introduces a technological and cultural biography of an exceptional copper-based belt buckle plate from ancient Jaffa. The exploration of intricate metalworking techniques and the cultural significance of this find provide new insights into late antique material culture in the Levant. Although similar buckles appear in museum collections around the world, few have archaeological provenience and, to date, none have been analyzed and published in terms of their material characteristics. This study establishes a metallurgical database for future comparative analyses, employing X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to characterize the buckle’s composition and manufacture. The results reveal the use of recycled metals, casting, cold fastening, and decorative finishing techniques, including contouring of the openwork shapes. The analysis finds no evidence of enameling, challenging existing theories about these buckles. A comparison of the crafting techniques and design elements of this belt buckle plate with those of similar buckles shows evidence of distinctive artisanal traditions. The socio-cultural inferences of its art and iconography are also explored in light of the geopolitical landscape after the Arab conquests. This study sheds light on the production and distribution of Levantine buckles and enriches understanding of their use in late antique culture and society.
Geoarchaeology, 2023
Excavations at Ashdod-Yam exposed a fortification system that features a massive mudbrick wall wi... more Excavations at Ashdod-Yam exposed a fortification system that features a massive mudbrick wall with large earthen ramparts laid on either side. This fortified horseshoe-shaped enclosure once surrounded what was likely a human-made harbor and an adjacent acropolis with complex earthen architecture, constructed and active during Iron Age IIB-C (eighth-seventh centuries B.C.E.). These Iron Age public structures are at the center of the current research. In this paper, we present the geoarchaeological analyses of Ashdod-Yam's earthen architecture. We applied a multidisciplinary methodology to new evidence for mudbrick manufacture with the goal of understanding the relationship between governing bodies and craftsmen. The analyses combine X‐ray fluorescence, loss on ignition, environmental scanning electron microscopy, and thin‐section petrography to investigate raw material procurement, manufacturing choices, and labor organization at Ashdod‐Yam during Iron IIB–C. Construction techniques and the standardization of the mudbrick recipe point to a local enterprise regarding the site's public earthen architecture. Furthermore, the degree of labor organization must have been closely observed and supervised by a central political power. Thus, it is argued here that construction and maintenance of the site was carried out by the kingdom of Ashdod, either as a part of its own local initiative or on behalf of the Neo‐Assyrian empire.
Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology and Heritage Studies , 2023
This study presents an assemblage of complete and fragmented clay-made boat models uncovered duri... more This study presents an assemblage of complete and fragmented clay-made boat models uncovered during controlled archaeological excavations from Yavneh-Yam, which is located on the southern coastal plain of Israel.
First, the relevant contexts from the Persian and early Hellenistic periods at the site that yielded these models are contextualized within the framework of contemporary geopolitical dynamics. Th is is in order to clarify the
geopolitical status of Yavneh-Yam during these periods and the crucial role of the Phoenician agency. A detailed presentation of the boat models follows, including their typology, petrography (thin-section), and technological examination. Finally, we discuss a possible function and use of this group of votive objects, with far-reaching implications for deciphering the possible Phoenician ritual practices related to Phoenician seafaring activity in the Mediterranean.
Liber Annuus , 2023
The recently discovered church at Ashdod Yam is unique in several respects. One is its early date... more The recently discovered church at Ashdod Yam is unique in several respects. One is its early date, the beginning of the fifth century at the latest, as is revealed by its rich epigraphic yield. Second, the large proportion of women among the dead buried within its walls, most if not all of them deaconesses. The third unexpected feature in the church inscriptions dated by an era year (five out of thirteen) is the chronological system consistently used in them all and confirmed by the accordance between the resulting CE year and the indiction. The epoch is 248/9 CE, the millennium of Rome, which was never employed for dating purposed, except as an anchor for the national era and the cosmic era of creation of the Georgians. As an hypothesis, we suggest that Georgian monks, disciples of Peter the Iberian, who frequented this part of the Palestinian coast, became acquainted with the chronological system revealed in this church (possibly adopted by Azotian Christians under Roman influence), chose it as a base for the elaboration of their national systems and later introduced these systems in Georgia, where they are documented only in the eighth century.
In: Horn, C. and Bäbler, B. eds. Wort und Raum. Religionsdiskurse und Materialität im Palästina des 4.– 9. Jahrhunderts n. Chr. , 2023
WORD AND SPACE INTERACTING drei Schiffe besais. Nach der ersten Grabungskampagne konnte nicht aus... more WORD AND SPACE INTERACTING drei Schiffe besais. Nach der ersten Grabungskampagne konnte nicht ausgeschlossen werden, dass die Kirche fun£ Schiffe besais. Zusammenfassend !asst sich sagen, dass die bisherigen Untersuchungen die Rekonstruktion einer dreischiffigen Basilika und eines angrenzenden, etwas breiteren Atriums im Westen ermoglichen. Auf der nordlichen Seite der Kirche existierten weitere Raume unbekannter Funktion. Der Bau der Kirche erfolgte, wie die Straisenschichten vermuten lassen, in der ersten Halfte des 5. Jahrhunderts n. Chr., wahrend in der zweiten Halfte des 5. oder im friihen 6. Jahrhundert n. Chr. eine aufwendige Renovierung stattfand. Die Keramikfunde lieferten kein aussagekraftiges Material. Sie unterstiitzen die Datierung der Kirche in die Blii.tephase der Stadt im 4. bis 6. Jahrhundert. Das Gebaude wurde wahrscheinlich am Ende der spatbyzantinischen Zeit verlassen. Dass mit Basilika B ein zweiter flachenmiillig sehr grofser und weitlaufiger Kirchenraum in Elusa gefunden wurde, !asst die Frage aufkommen, ob dies eine Besonderheit an diesem Ort darstellt, ob die Gemeinden dieser beiden Kirchen besonders reich waren und ein ausgepragtes Reprasentationsbedii.rfnis hatten oder ob Pilgerstrome mit vielen Glaubigen grofse christliche Versammlungshauser bedingten. Die wenigen Schriftquellen ergehen sich in volligem Schweigen hierzu.12 Archaologische Untersuchungen an weiteren vermuteten christlichen Sakralgebauden in Elusa sollen in Zukunft die Bedeutung des Christentums in Elusa klaren, auch in wirtschaftlicher Hinsicht.
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2023
This paper, jointly written by participants of a workshop held in 2021, argues for an increased r... more This paper, jointly written by participants of a workshop held in 2021, argues for an increased recognition and application of neutron activation analysis (NAA) in the archaeology of the ancient Mediterranean. Discussing the methodological strengths and challenges, it highlights the great potential NAA has for collecting proxy data from ceramics in order to develop progressive concepts of archaeological research within and beyond the Mediterranean Bronze and Iron Age, pointing out opportunities to revisit long-held assumptions of scholarship and to refine visual/macroscopic provenance determinations of pottery. To take full advantage of NAA's strengths toward a better understanding of the socioeconomic background of ceramics production, distribution, and consumption, the paper emphasises the need for both interdisciplinary collaboration and basic data publication requirements.
PNAS 119/44: e2209117119, 2022
The Hebrew Bible and other ancient Near Eastern texts describe Egyptian, Aramean, Assyrian, and B... more The Hebrew Bible and other ancient Near Eastern texts describe Egyptian, Aramean, Assyrian, and Babylonian military campaigns to the Southern Levant during the 10th to sixth centuries BCE. Indeed, many destruction layers dated to this period have been unearthed in archaeological excavations. Several of these layers are securely linked to specific campaigns and are widely accepted as chronological anchors. However, the dating of many other destruction layers is often debated, challenging the ability to accurately reconstruct the different military campaigns and raising questions regarding the historicity of the biblical narrative. Here, we present a synchronization of the historically dated chronological anchors and other destruction layers and artifacts using the direction and/or intensity of the ancient geomagnetic field recorded in mud bricks from 20 burnt destruction layers and in two ceramic assemblages. During the period in question, the geomagnetic field in this region was extremely anomalous with rapid changes and high intensity values, including spikes of more than twice the intensity of today’s field. The data are useful in the effort to pinpoint these short-term variations on the timescale, and they resolve chronological debates regarding the campaigns against the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the relationship between the two kingdoms, and their administrations.
In: Boardman, J., Hargrave, J., Avram, A. and Podossinov, A. (eds.). Connecting the Ancient West and East. Studies Presented to Gocha R. Tsetskhladze. Leuven., 2022
The term 'Yannai Line' (Alexander Jannaeus' defensive line against Antiochus XII Dionysus) was co... more The term 'Yannai Line' (Alexander Jannaeus' defensive line against Antiochus XII Dionysus) was coined by Kaplan in a series of publications that appeared from the early 1950s onwards. Some 20 years ago, based on the analyses of Josephus' testimony and archaeological finds from Kaplan's excavations, we offered a re-examination of the historical and archaeological data, concluding that Kaplan's interpretation of the excavated remains, which used to be widely accepted by scholars dealing with the Late Hellenistic period in ancient Israel, is misleading. However, several new studies challenged our interpretation, trying to validate once again the historicity of the 'Yannai Line'. In this contribution we return to the main arguments presented in our original study, adding new information collected in a number of archaeological excavations which were conducted in the area in question during the last two decades. It is our intention to demonstrate that our original reconstruction should be maintained.
Some 40 years ago, Peyton Randolph Helm, in his PhD dissertation, arrived at the conclusion that ... more Some 40 years ago, Peyton Randolph Helm, in his PhD dissertation, arrived at the conclusion that mercenaries of Aegean origin were most probably not employed in the Neo-Assyrian army, certainly not on a regular basis. To the contrary, in recent years the view that Greek (basically Ionian) and Carian mercenaries did serve in the Neo-Assyrian army has gained considerable support. Have new data been gathered since Helm's work that renders such reconstructions possible? As we shall see, except for a few novel but misleading suggestions, this does not appear to be the case. For the most part, the same data have been selectively reinterpreted and re-evaluated. The fact that regions such as Ionia and Caria lay far beyond direct Neo-Assyrian rule appears to be of decisive importance for deliberate Assyrian unwillingness to employ mercenaries of Greek or Carian origin in their army.
In: Megiddo VI: The 2010–2014 Seasons , 2022
In: Hensel, B., Ben Zvi, E. and D.V. Edelman 2022 (eds.), About Edom and Idumea in the Persian Period. Recent Research and Approaches from Archaeology. Equinox: pp. 177-214., 2022
“A Tale of Two Provinces: Judah and Edom During the Persian Period” by Alexander Fantalkin and Or... more “A Tale of Two Provinces: Judah and Edom During the Persian Period” by Alexander Fantalkin and Oren Tal addresses the material evidence of the Persian-period provinces of Judah and Edom against the contemporary geopolitical conditions. Following the Egyptian rebellion of 404–400 BCE, southern Palestine underwent a major transformation as a result of becoming the southwestern frontier of the Persian Empire. Fantalkin and Tal offer a reconstruction of the political history and its social and economic manifestations that focuses on the inland regions of the inhabited land of Palestine. Sites, administrative centers, architectural remains, pottery, and epigraphic finds are used to reconstruct the period’s Zeitgeist.
Radiocarbon, Vol 64, Nr 1, 2022, p 101–134, 2022
We present a new method for creating an OxCal Bayesian model that bypasses the complex task of wr... more We present a new method for creating an OxCal Bayesian model that bypasses the complex task of writing OxCal code. Our methodology employs the recent CHRONOLOG software as a graphical front-end for generating OxCal scripts. This approach enables archaeologists to create complex Bayesian models-including termini post and ante quem, duration bounds and synchronisms with the help of a user-friendly interface. The target audience can be divided into beginners, who might struggle to create chronological models using OxCal directly, and experienced OxCal users, who should find that CHRONOLOG saves time when coding complex models. Three case-studies from recent publications are presented.
Te‘uda 43, 2021
In this article, I review the available evidence from a variety of written and archaeological sou... more In this article, I review the available evidence from a variety of written and archaeological sources pertaining to the general presence of Greeks in the Neo-Babylonian Empire, and in particular, the possible employment of Greek mercenaries in the Neo-Babylonian army, whose struggles against the Egyptian army and its Greek mercenaries reshaped the Levant during the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE.
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Books by Alexander Fantalkin
Papers by Alexander Fantalkin
of Ashdod-Yam and at additional areas across the site were initiated in 2013, on behalf of the Institute of Archaeology at Tel Aviv University. This article presents an interim report of architectural remains and accompanying finds associated with the Iron Age sequence at Ashdod-Yam. The remains were attributed to two strata: Stratum IV (Iron Age IIB) and Stratum III (Iron Age IIC). This endeavor enables a new assessment and analysis of the site’s significance in a broader regional context during various stages of the late Iron Age.
First, the relevant contexts from the Persian and early Hellenistic periods at the site that yielded these models are contextualized within the framework of contemporary geopolitical dynamics. Th is is in order to clarify the
geopolitical status of Yavneh-Yam during these periods and the crucial role of the Phoenician agency. A detailed presentation of the boat models follows, including their typology, petrography (thin-section), and technological examination. Finally, we discuss a possible function and use of this group of votive objects, with far-reaching implications for deciphering the possible Phoenician ritual practices related to Phoenician seafaring activity in the Mediterranean.
of Ashdod-Yam and at additional areas across the site were initiated in 2013, on behalf of the Institute of Archaeology at Tel Aviv University. This article presents an interim report of architectural remains and accompanying finds associated with the Iron Age sequence at Ashdod-Yam. The remains were attributed to two strata: Stratum IV (Iron Age IIB) and Stratum III (Iron Age IIC). This endeavor enables a new assessment and analysis of the site’s significance in a broader regional context during various stages of the late Iron Age.
First, the relevant contexts from the Persian and early Hellenistic periods at the site that yielded these models are contextualized within the framework of contemporary geopolitical dynamics. Th is is in order to clarify the
geopolitical status of Yavneh-Yam during these periods and the crucial role of the Phoenician agency. A detailed presentation of the boat models follows, including their typology, petrography (thin-section), and technological examination. Finally, we discuss a possible function and use of this group of votive objects, with far-reaching implications for deciphering the possible Phoenician ritual practices related to Phoenician seafaring activity in the Mediterranean.
https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/MAGAZINE-byzantine-basilica-with-female-ministers-and-baffling-burials-found-in-israel-1.10387014