Tel-Hazor Overview

Amnon Ben-Tor

A wide scale archaeological investigation of Tel-Hazor in northern Israel (Grid Points: South-West 204300-1269500; North-East 202500-1268600), the most important biblical site in Israel, was carried out by the late Yigael Yadin of the Hebrew University during the 1950’s and 60’s. The results obtained by the excavations have a bearing on almost every aspect of Biblical Archaeology, be it history, chronology, ancient architecture, pottery typology, art history, cult, to name but a few. No wonder that the results and conclusions arrived at by Yadin’s expedition aroused great interest in the scholarly world, resulting in a vast amount of publications, some accepting others rejecting them.

In 1990, 35 years after Yadin began his excavations, a renewed excavation named in memory of Yigael Yadin began at the site, and has been in the field continuously every summer since. The excavations, named "The Selz Foundation Hazor Excavations in Memory of Yigael Yadin" are a joint project of the Berman Center for Biblical Archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology of the Hebrew University, the Israel Exploration Society, under the direction of Prof. Amnon Ben-Tor.

The excavations had three main objectives: first — to check the stratigraphy, chronology and historical conclusions as outlined by Yadin. Second, to explore several important issues not resolved by Yadin’s excavations, or some of Yadin’s conclusions, which were disputed since publication. Noteworthy among these are several chronological issues such as: the date of the Iron II fortifications (gate and casemate wall), attributed by Yadin to the tenth century B.C. (to the time of King Solomon), the date of the fall of Canaanite Hazor, the rise of 'greater Hazor' and others. The third objective of the renewed excavations is to preserve and partially restore some of the most important monuments uncovered at Hazor, so as to save them from deterioration (which has already severely affected some of the buildings uncovered by Yadin). The aim is to make Hazor an attractive site to visitors, professionals and laymen alike.

Parallel to the field work the Hazor excavation staff prepares the publication of the results of the renewed excavations 1990-2005. Two volumes are being prepared concurrently: one dealing with Hazor in the Iron Age (Hazor vol.VI) , the other with Hazor in the Bronze Age (Hazor vol. VII). The manuscripts of these two volumes will be completed and ready to go to print in 2011.

Statement of Purpose:

The importance of the site and the significance of the discoveries made by the renewed Hazor excavations, were outlined in the abstract.

The purpose of the present application is to enable the publication of the results obtained during the seasons of 1990 -2005.