A CANAANITE TOWN, A JUDAHITE CENTER, AND A PERSIAN PERIOD FORT: Excavating Over Two Thousand Years of History at Tel ‘Eton

Abstract

Tel ‘Eton is a large site in the southeastern Shephelah, Israel, that has been excavated since 2006 by Bar-Ilan University. The site, which is surrounded by large burial fields, is located at the edge of the trough valley that separates the Shephelah (lowlands) from the highlands, and carries great potential for understanding the interaction between the well-known Shephelah and the lesser-known highlands. This article summarizes the history of the mound, as revealed in the excavations, from the Early Bronze Age to the early Hellenistic period (with a few settlement cessations within this long period). In addition, the expedition has methodological objectives, including assessing the advantages and limitations of surveys, shovel tests, and of various remote sensing methods, as well as to study site formation processes, ancient construction techniques, and more; these are also briefly presented in the article.