5,000-year-old cult worship site and pottery kiln unearthed near Beit Shemesh | The Jewish Press – JewishPress.com | David Israel | 27 Tishri 5785 – Tuesday, October 29, 2024

In a major discovery that sheds light on the early stages of urbanization in the region, Israeli archaeologists have unearthed a 5,000-year-old settlement in Hurvat Husham, located near Beit Shemesh. Excavations led by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) revealed what is believed to be a well-organized community from the Early Bronze Age, a period that marked the emergence of complex societies in the Land of Israel. The site, located in the path of a planned expansion of the city’s western industrial zone, was excavated prior to development led by the Shamir Engineering Group and the Bet Shemesh Economic Development Company.

The findings will be formally presented this week at the 17th “Discoveries in the Archeology of Jerusalem and its Environments Conference,” hosted at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archeology of Israel.

Excavation directors Ariel Shatil, Maayan Hamed and Danny Benayoun of the IAA revealed that the settlement includes a public structure that likely served a ritual function. Within this building was a carefully preserved room containing approximately 40 intact ships, many of which were miniatures used for symbolic rather than practical purposes. The ships were found exactly as they had been left almost five thousand years ago, abandoned during the last days of the Early Bronze Age.

“It is fascinating to imagine which inhabitants placed these pots and jars here,” the archaeologists noted. “Shortly afterwards they left this place forever. While the precise events leading to this abandonment remain unknown, evidence of fires and the chaotic arrangement of fallen vessels indicate a sudden or disruptive event.”

The team plans to conduct laboratory analyzes on the ships’ residues to understand their original contents. Such tests could reveal whether they contain oil, water, grain or perhaps rarer substances such as exotic oils. These insights can further illuminate the lifestyle and rituals of this ancient community and provide a rare glimpse into a time when early urban centers were beginning to emerge in Israel.

“The size and design of this structure suggest that it was no ordinary building,” said site excavation leaders. “We know of virtually no other public buildings from this period in Israel. Indeed, this may be one of the earliest temples discovered in the lowlands of Judea.”

Just beyond the temple-like structure was found a field of large standing stones arranged in orderly rows. Dr. Yitzhak Paz, an Early Bronze Age specialist with the Israel Antiquities Authority, explained that the stones predate the enclosed building. “These standing stones likely represent an earlier phase of open cultic activity for the community, which later evolved into a more private, restricted space,” said Dr. Paz. “This shift reflects an increase in social complexity at the site, marking an early step in urbanization in Israel.”

The excavation also uncovered two pottery kilns, among the oldest ever discovered in Israel, providing further evidence of advanced craftsmanship and trade during this formative period. According to researchers, these findings suggest a society on the cusp of urban development, where public and religious structures began to play a central role.

The ancient settlement at Hurvat Husham was first discovered in 2021 and has become a focal point for archaeologists seeking to understand the early roots of urbanization in Israel. Initial excavations by Marion Zindel and Natan Ben-Ari of the Israel Antiquities Authority uncovered evidence of the site’s significance, leading to an extensive excavation over the past three years that uncovered an impressive array of structures and artifacts brought. Researchers now believe that Hurvat Husham contains some of the earliest indicators of urban society in the region.

The Early Bronze Age, a transformative era in Israel’s history, saw dramatic shifts in the lifestyle and social structures of its inhabitants. Population growth increased sharply, marking the rise of hierarchical societies with organized political structures. At the height of the period, urban centers began to emerge, characterized by public buildings, fortifications and specialized industries. Trade routes extended to regions such as Egypt, Syria, Anatolia and Mesopotamia, demonstrating a growing web of regional connections.

“The site of Hurvat Husham is striking not only for its scale, but also for what it tells us about the transition from village to city life,” said the dig’s leaders. “Here we see some of the first steps toward urban development, including a society beginning to organize itself in complex ways.”

Archaeologists note that within a few generations after Hurvat Husham settled, larger fortified cities with palaces and public buildings emerged, such as nearby Tel Yarmuth. “The transition at Hurvat Husham offers a glimpse into the development of urban society in the lowlands of Judea,” researchers said, underscoring the settlement’s role as a bridge between village life and the organized cities that followed.