The archaeology of the Dead Sea valley in the Late Hellenistic and Early Roman periods

Hirschfeld, Yizhar

doi:10.1130/2006.2401(14)

Cited by 4 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Historical features such as piers or harbors can also be used for this purpose. At the Dead Sea, classic (Hirschfeld 2006). A pioneering investigation into Dead Sea levels was attempted by measuring and dating wide versus narrow cave passages in the Mt.…”

Section: Generalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dead Sea Levels during the Bronze and Iron Ages

et al. 2015

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The history of lake-level changes at the Dead Sea during the Holocene was determined mainly by radiocarbon dating of terrestrial organic debris. This article reviews the various studies that have been devoted over the past 2 decades to defining the Dead Sea levels during the Bronze and Iron Ages (~5.5 to 2.5 ka cal BP) and adds new data and interpretation. In particular, we focus on research efforts devoted to refining the chronology of the sedimentary sequence in the Ze'elim Gully, a key site of paleoclimate investigation in the European Research Council project titled Reconstructing Ancient Israel. The Bronze and Iron Ages are characterized by significant changes in human culture, reflected in archaeological records in which sharp settlement oscillations over relatively short periods of time are evident. During the Early Bronze, Intermediate Bronze, Middle Bronze, and Late Bronze Ages, the Dead Sea saw significant level fluctuations, reaching in the Middle Bronze an elevation of ~370 m below mean sea level (bmsl), and declining in the Late Bronze to below 414 m bmsl. At the end of the Late Bronze Age and upon the transition to the Iron Age, the lake recovered slightly and rose to ~408 m bmsl. This recovery reflected the resumption of freshwater activity in the Judean Hills, which was likely accompanied by more favorable hydrological-environmental conditions that seem to have facilitated the wave of Iron Age settlement in the region.

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Section: Generalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dead Sea Levels during the Bronze and Iron Ages

et al. 2015

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“…Greek and Roman accounts (Diodorus, History , 19.99.1–3, 100.1–4; Josephus, Wars , 4.8.2–4; Strabo, Geography , 16.2.42–43) and modern archaeological research in the Dead Sea basin show a continuous human presence in this area from the Neolithic Period onwards (Gichon, : 1–6; Nissenbaum, ; Beit‐Arieh, ; Zangenberg, ; Hirschfeld, ; Schaub and Chesson, ). This activity is related to the region's natural resources, including salt, bitumen, and fresh water, as well as the cultivation of dates and aromatic plants.…”

Section: Historical and Archaeological Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The broad range of human activities in the Dead Sea basin was greatly influenced by the lake's unusual geophysical characteristics. The rise and fall of the water level affected the availability of fresh‐water sources (Yechieli, ) and agricultural land along these shores (Hirschfeld, : 215–16). It also shaped the region's road system.…”

Section: Historical and Archaeological Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The northern shore of the Dead Sea occupies an important place within the Dead Sea basin. Its close proximity to the region's key roads, linking it to the Mediterranean, Trans‐Jordan and the fertile territories to the north (Roll, ; Hirschfeld, : 217), and the large ancient urban sites of Jericho and Jerusalem, made it an ideal transit zone to and from the lake. Its use as such was assisted by its topographic setting: unlike other parts of the lake which were mostly cliff‐bound, the open landscape along this part of Dead Sea facilitated an easy land‐to‐lake approach.…”

Section: Maritime Activity On the North Shorementioning

confidence: 99%

“…, C). While the latter site has been known for some time, and its use for maritime traffic on the lake recognized (Schneller, ; Schult, : 139–44; Bar‐Adon, : 3–14; Hirschfeld, : 221–2; Hadas, : 32–3, : 163–6), the reasons behind its initial design and its positioning offshore in this area of the lake were not fully explored.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Two Artificial Anchorages off the Northern Shore of the Dead Sea: a specific feature of an ancient maritime cultural landscape

Oron

Galili

Hadas

et al. 2014

International Journal of Nautical Archaeology

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A recently discovered artificial stone mound on the northern shore of the Dead Sea is a maritime feature exposed by the drying of the lake. Lake-level fluctuations, a loose silt bottom, lack of natural anchorages, and onshore prevailing winds, prevented the long-term planning, construction and maintenance of shore-based harbour installations in this area. This and a similar mound nearby, Rujum el Bahr, are interpreted as structures once used for open-water mooring, providing a firm anchor-hold over a range of lake levels and wind directions. As such, they enabled the use of this economically and strategically important part of the lake by maritime traffic.

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Millennial multi-proxy reconstruction of oasis dynamics in Jordan, by the Dead Sea

Eggenberger

Gobet

Leeuwen

et al. 2017

Veget Hist Archaeobot

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Vegetation reconstructions in the Dead Sea region based on sediment records are potentially biased, because the vast majority of them derive from the western side of the sea, and only focus on large areas and time spans, while little is known about extra-local (< 1,000 m radius) to local (< 20 m radius) changes. To fill this gap, we compared a vegetation survey with modern pollen assemblages from the "Palm Terrace" oasis ca. 300 m b.s.l. (below sea level), at the eastern edge of the Dead Sea. This revealed how the oasis vegetation is reflected in pollen assemblages. In addition, two sediment cores were collected from the centre and the edge of a mire at the oasis to reconstruct past vegetation dynamics. We analysed sedimentary pollen and microscopic charcoal, as well as the sediment chemistry by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and conductivity, focusing on the past ~ 1,000 years. Pollen results suggest that mesophilous Phoenix dactylifera (date palm) stands and wetland vegetation expanded there around ad 1300-1500 and 1700-1900. During the past ca. 100 years, drought-adapted Chenopodiaceae gained ground, partly replacing the palms. Results from elemental analysis, especially of elements such as chlorine, provide evidence of enhanced evaporative salinization. Increasing desertification and the associated decline of mesophilous date palm stands during the past ca. 50 years is probably related to a decrease in annual precipitation and also corresponds to decreasing water levels in the Dead Sea. These have mainly been caused by increasing extraction of fresh water from tributaries and wells, mainly for local agriculture and industry. In the future, with hotter and drier conditions as well as increased use of water, oasis vegetation along the Dead Sea might be at further risk of contraction or even extinction.

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The archaeology of the Dead Sea valley in the Late Hellenistic and Early Roman periods

Cited by 4 publications

References 10 publications

Dead Sea Levels during the Bronze and Iron Ages

Dead Sea Levels during the Bronze and Iron Ages

Two Artificial Anchorages off the Northern Shore of the Dead Sea: a specific feature of an ancient maritime cultural landscape

Millennial multi-proxy reconstruction of oasis dynamics in Jordan, by the Dead Sea

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