Ex-territorial rituals and inter-cultural encounters in the Early Bronze Age Levant: a reconsideration of the Mitzpe Shalem site cluster

Figures & data

Figure 1 Map of the Mitzpe Shalem Early Bronze Age site cluster.

Figure 2 Google earth 3-D view of the environs of the cluster, looking south-west.

Figure 3 Aerial drone photography of the site cluster. The upper left image shows Site A, looking north. The upper right image shows Site B, looking south. The lower image shows Site A in the foreground, looking south-east towards Site C, while Site B is concealed from Site A, beyond a curve in the hillside.

Figure 4 Orthophoto of Site A. The upper image is a superimposition of Bar-Adon’s site plan (1989: fig 2).

Figure 5 Orthophoto of Site B. The upper image is a superimposition of Bar-Adon’s site plan (1989: fig. 2).

Figure 6 Large and medium storage vessels, and one holemouth cooking pot.

Table 1 Ceramic descriptions and typological parallels

Fig.	Type	Site	Reg.	Description	Selected Parallels
6:1	Medium storage jar	B-I	120	Buff-orange clay, large, poorly sorted grains of calcite	Dalit (Gophna 1996: fig. 40:9), Far’ah (de Vaux 1955: fig. 13:14), Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 35:40), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 230:4)
6:2	Vestigial ledge handle	B-I	167	Pink-red clay, large grog fragments	Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: pl. 22:7)
6:3	Ledge handle	B-I	193	Buff-orange clay, crushed calcium carbonate	Arad (Amiran 1978: pl. 36:7), Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 68:22), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 230:2)
6:4	Flat base (medium storage jar)	B-I	42	Buff clay, poorly sorted calcite sand	Arad (Amiran 1978: pl. 26:8), Dalit (Gophna 1996: fig. 46:8), ʿAi (Callaway 1972: fig. 64:26), Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 35:41)
6:5	Flat base (medium storage jar)	B-I	44	Pink-red clay, coarse calcium carbonate grains	Arad (Amiran 1978: pl. 26:7), Dalit (Gophna 1996: fig. 47:2), ʿAi (Callaway 1972: fig. 64:28), Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 35:9)
6:6	Holemouth jar	—	135	Buff clay, coarse calcite and grog	Arad (Amiran 1978: pl. 8:36), Dalit (Gophna 1996: fig. 41:4), Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 68:23), Um Hammad (Betts 1992: fig. 167:5)
7:1	Bowl	B-I	35	Buff clay, int. and ext. red slip and burnish, fine grog	ʿAi (Callaway 1980: fig. 127:23), Jericho (Kenyon and Holland 1982: fig. 35:16), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 203:19)
7:2	Bowl	B-II	101	Cream clay, poorly sorted calcite sand	ʿAi (Callaway 1972: fig. 16:4), Jericho (Kenyon and Holland 1982: fig. 36:6), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 203:2)
7:3	Small bowl	C	14	Pink-red clay, red line painted, grog and crushed calcium carbonate	ʿAi (Callaway 1972: fig. 26:11), Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 38:15), Um Hammad (Betts 1992: fig. 212:4), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 204:19)
7:4	Carinated Platter	—	158	Brown clay, extremely coarse calcite grains	ʿAi (Callaway 1972: fig. 36:6), Jericho (Kenyon and Holland 1982: fig. 35:21), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 233:46)
7:5	Small bowl	B-I	198	Buff-orange clay, medium-sized grog	ʿAi (Callaway 1972: fig. 16:12), Jericho (Kenyon and Holland 1982: fig. 43:17), Um Hammad (Betts 1992: fig. 212:7), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 233:22)
7:6	Carinated cup-bowl	B-I	149	Buff-orange clay, int. and ext. red slip, grog and calcium carbonate	Dalit (Gophna 1996: fig. 39:6), Far’ah (de Vaux 1955: fig. 14:8), Jericho (Kenyon and Holland 1982: fig. 51:7), Um Hammad (Betts 1992: fig. 227:4)
7:7	Small bowl	—	130	Buff-orange clay, calcite and grog grains	Dalit (Gophna 1996: fig. 39:2), ʿAi (Callaway 1972: fig. 35:7), Um Hammad (Betts 1992: fig. 214:4), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 233:25)
7:8	Carinated cup-bowl/lamp	B-I	229	Buff clay, grog and wadi sand	Dalit (Gophna 1996: fig. 65:1), ʿAi (Callaway 1972: fig. 35:8), Um Hammad (Betts 1992: fig. 227:8), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 245:20)
8:1	Juglet	—	221	Buff clay, ext. red slip, grog	Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 231:36)
8:2	Juglet	B-I	82	Red clay, ext. red slip, fine grog	Arad (Amiran 1978: pl. 25:3), Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 34:20), ʿAi (Callaway 1964: pl. XVII:683), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 226:18)
8:3	Juglet	B-I	224	Red clay, ext. red slip, coarse calcium carbonate, grog, wadi sand	Arad (Amiran 1978: pl. 25:17), Far’ah North (de Vaux 1951: fig. 11:15), ʿAi (Callaway 1964: pl. XVI:558), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 220:34)
8:4	Juglet	B-I	208	Red clay, fine calcium carbonate and grog	Arad (Amiran 1978: pl. 25:5), Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 34:24), ʿAi (Callaway 1964: pl. XVI:153), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 231:12)
8:5	Juglet	B-I	143	Buff clay, grog and wadi sand	Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 25:12), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 226:16)
8:6	Juglet	B-I	46	Gray clay, very fine grog and grit	Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 34:26), ʿAi (Callaway 1964: pl. XVI:519), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 231:18)
8:7	Miniature	B-I	176	Buff clay, fine grog	Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 35:20), ʿAi (Callaway 1964: pl. XIX:4589), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 231:34)
8:8	Miniature	B-II	116	Pink-red clay, fine grog	Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 35:22), ʿAi (Callaway 1964: pl. XIX:4589), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 231:36)
8:9	Miniature	B-I	47	Buff clay, fine grog and wadi sand	Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 35:26), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 202:12)
8:10	Juglet	B-I	48	Buff clay, ext. red slip, fine grog and wadi sand	Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 219:7)
8:11	Juglet	B-I	54	Buff clay, fine grog and wadi sand	Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 219:15)
8:12	Round base (juglet)	B-I	67	Pink-red clay, grog and wadi sand	Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 25:22), ʿAi (Callaway 1964: pl. XVI:648), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 226:15)
8:13	Round base (juglet)	B-I	211	Buff-orange clay, grog and wadi sand	Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 25:18), ʿAi (Callaway 1964: pl. XVI:458), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 230:12)
8:14	Round base (juglet)	B-I	173	Red clay, arkose sand	Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 25:15), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 231:11)
8:15	Pointed base (juglet)	B-I	89	Buff clay, coarse wadi sand	Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 35:3), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 202:20)
8:16	Pointed base (miniature)	B-I	183	Buff clay, crushed calcium carbonate	Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 35:22), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 202:22)
8:17	Pointed base (miniature)	B-I	33	Red clay, grog	Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 35:20), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 202:23)
8:18	Pointed base (miniature)	B-I	3	Buff-orange clay, crushed calcium carbonate	Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 35:22), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 202:27)
8:19	Flat base (juglet)	B-I	79	Buff clay, ext. red slip, grog and wadi sand	Arad (Amiran 1978: pl. 25:29), Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 34:29), ʿAi (Callaway 1964: pl. XVI:523), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 202:9)
8:20	Flat base (juglet)	B-I	45	Buff clay, ext. red slip, pattern burnish, grog and wadi sand	Arad (Amiran 1978: pl. 25:25), Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 34:23), ʿAi (Callaway 1964: pl. XIX:4589), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 220:26)
8:21	Flat base (miniature)	B-I	2	Buff clay, ext. brown slip, grog	Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 34:30), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 220:14)
8:22	Flat base (juglet)	B-I	78	Brown clay, grog and wadi sand	Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 25:13), ʿAi (Callaway 1964: pl. XI:16.956), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 220:22)
8:23	Flat base (juglet)	B-I	136	Buff clay, grog and calcium carbonate	Arad (Amiran 1978: pl. 26:19), Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 25:14), ʿAi (Callaway 1964: pl. XIX:4589), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 220:9)
8:24	Button base (juglet)	B-I	87	Red clay, ext. red slip, pattern burnish, wadi sand	Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 35:31), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 202:10)
8:25	Button base (miniature)	B-I	141	Pink-red clay, ext. red slip, fine grog	Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 35:19), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 231:24)
8:26	Button base (miniature	B-II	113	Buff clay, ext. red slip, fine grog	Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 35:19), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 231:25)
8:27	Button base (juglet)	B-I	40	Buff clay, grog and calcium carbonate	Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 35:37), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 231:29)
8:28	Button base (juglet)	B-I	172	Buff clay, ext. red slip, fine grog and wadi sand	Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 35:29), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 202:232)
9:1	Miniature juglet	B-I	26	Buff clay, ext. red slip, fine grog and wadi sand	Arad (Amiran 1978: pl. 26:19), Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 25:32), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 231:37)
9:2	Miniature amphoriskos	B-I	27	Buff clay, grog and wadi sand	Arad (Amiran 1978: pl. 10:1), Dalit (Gophna 1996: fig. 46:5), ʿAi (Callaway 1964: pl. XI:871), Far’ah North (de Vaux and Steve 1948: fig. 8:1), Jericho (Kenyon 1960: fig. 23:18), Bâb edh-Dhrâʿ (Schaub and Rast 1989: fig. 219:29)

Figure 7 Bowls.

Figure 8 Juglets and miniature vessels.

Figure 9 Two complete miniature vessels.

Figure 10 Painted pottery.

Figure 11 Functional distribution of the ceramic assemblage overall (pie chart) and by area (bar chart).

Figure 12 Functional distribution of flint tools, as recorded in Bar-Adon’s unpublished finds lists and illustrated here: overall (pie chart) and by area (bar chart).

Figure 13 Canaanean blades from Mitzpe Shalem, illustrations from Bar-Adon’s unpublished documentation.

Figure 14 Sample of tabular scrapers from Mitzpe Shalem.

Figure 15 Tabular scraper distribution analysis: (upper image) intra-site distribution of tabular scrapers; (lower image) intra-site distribution of incised tabular scrapers.

Figure 16 Tabular scraper incisions type distribution analysis: (left pie and bar charts) distribution of tabular scraper incision types in entire assemblage; (right bar chart) intra-site distribution of tabular scraper incision types.

Figure 17 Small finds.

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