Khirbet el-Mastarah

Khirbet el-Mastarah is an archeological site that includes the largest of the complex oval compound type habitation sites located in the middle Jordan Valley in the West Bank.[2]

Khirbet el-Mastarah
Shown within West Bank
RegionWest Bank
Coordinates31.961393°N 35.408925°E / 31.961393; 35.408925
Altitude7 – −3 m (23 – −10 ft)
TypeComplex oval compound
Length70-100m
Area2.5 acres
History
FoundedIron Age I
PeriodsIron Age I and II
CulturesIsraelite[1]
Site notes
DiscoveredApril 2004
Excavation dates5th-29th June 2017
ArchaeologistsAdam Zertal, David Ben-Shlomo, Ralph K. Hawkins
ConditionRuins
Websitehttps://www.jvep.org/khirbetel-mastarah

Location

Khirbet el-Masratah is located 8km north of Jericho and 2km west of Ain Aujah in Wadi Auja on a small hill hidden by 3 larger hills. These surrounding hills cause the 2.5 acre site to be hidden from view.[3]

Excavation History

The site was discovered and surveyed in April 2004 by Adam Zertal during the course of the Manasseh Hill Country Survey.[4]

An excavation directed by David Ben-Shlomo and Ralph K. Hawkins took place in June 2017.[5] During the course of the excavation a number of large and small rounded and oval enclosures of single-course limestone rubble walls were discovered, all of them almost entirely empty of finds.[6]

Significance

The site's hidden location most probably indicates the presence of a new population migrating to the central hill country from the east during Iron I, avoiding contact with the native population.[2] On this basis the excavation directors believe the site is representative of an early Israelite site and is part of the Israelite Settlement.[1]

References
  1. Ben-Shlomo & Hawkins 2018, p. 46.
  2. Ben-Shlomo & Hawkins 2017, p. 54.
  3. Ben-Shlomo & Hawkins 2017, p. 51-52.
  4. Zertal 2012, pp. 323–326.
  5. Ben-Shlomo & Hawkins 2017, p. 49.
  6. Ben-Shlomo & Hawkins 2017, p. 55.

Bibliography
  • Ben-Shlomo, David; Hawkins, Ralph K. (2017). "Excavations at Khirbet el Mastarah, the Jordan Valley, 2017". Judea and Samaria Studies. Ariel University Publishing. 26 (2). Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  • Ben-Shlomo, David; Hawkins (July–August 2018). "Khirbet el-Mastarah: An Early Israelite Settlement?". Biblical Archaeology Review. 9 (5).CS1 maint: date format (link)
  • Zertal, Adam (2012). The Manasseh Hill Country Survey, Vol. V: The Middle Jordan Valley (from Wadi Fasael to Wadi ’Aujah) (in Hebrew). University of Haifa.
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