Contextualizing an Iron Age IIA Hoard of Astragali from Tel Abel Beth Maacah, Israel

Abstract

Astragali, the knuckle or ankle bones of mammals, have been collected, used and modified by humans in different parts of the world for millennia. Large hoards dating from Iron Age IIA (tenth–ninth centuries BC) are attested at a number of sites in the southern Levant, and a recently discovered hoard of 406 astragali at Tel Abel Beth Maacah in northern Israel presents an opportunity to investigate this phenomenon, shedding light on the function of these bones and why they bore special status and meaning that crossed cultural and temporal boundaries. In this study, the zooarchaeological analysis of the astragali provides the basis for an extensive discussion of the hoard’s formation process and function that explores ethnographic literature, archaeological data and ancient Near Eastern and classical documentary sources. The findings of this study demonstrate that while the individual bones had many different functions, once deposited together the astragali took on a new meaning, possibly related to divinatory practices.

The contribution of Mediterranean connectivity to morphological variability in Iron Age sheep of the Eastern Mediterranean

“…Excavations uncovered a sequence from the Bronze Age through the Ottoman period, with peaks in the MBA and IA1–2a (Panitz-Cohen et al, 2013; Yahalom-Mack et al, 2018). In the IA1–2a (12 th –9 th centuries BCE), the site was a major urban center (Susnow et al, 2021, with refs.). The GMM sample comes from a hoard of astragali found in an IA2a (10 th –9 th centuries BCE) cultic context (Susnow et al, 2021).…”

“…In the IA1–2a (12 th –9 th centuries BCE), the site was a major urban center (Susnow et al, 2021, with refs.). The GMM sample comes from a hoard of astragali found in an IA2a (10 th –9 th centuries BCE) cultic context (Susnow et al, 2021).…”

Between Rocks and ‘High Places’: On Religious Architecture in the Iron Age Southern Levant

“…However, the caching of astragali is a well-known phenomenon in the Levant and Eastern Mediterranean. While by no means exclusively found in ritualized contexts, this is one of the more common places to find large caches (Gilmour 1997b;Susnow et al 2021). When studied carefully, these caches often show side preferences (rather than left/right pairing) and intentional modification (see below) that might actually inhibit the attachment of thread.…”

“…When studied carefully, these caches often show side preferences (rather than left/right pairing) and intentional modification (see below) that might actually inhibit the attachment of thread. A variety of textual and iconographic sources suggest that, while astragali could have had a variety of uses, they were often used for casting lots in both games of chance and divination (Gilmour 1997b;Susnow et al 2021).…”

“…74-75). Intentional modification is not uncommon in astragali caches and may relate to improving their performance as dice or their ability to signify in divination (Susnow et al 2021). Walter Rast (1994) argues for a middle position in which the "Cultic Structure" served as storage space for priestly families.…”