Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Tel Megiddo has a lot more to tell us


Complete article


Excavations at the site of Tel Megiddo, one of Israel's oldest and largest archaeological excavations, have yielded finds that have added greatly to ancient Levantine archaeological history and established standards for exploration of early Bronze Age settlements in present-day Israel for decades. There, one of the Levant's largest Canaanite temple complexes was discovered and systematically uncovered, and current excavations under the auspices of Tel Aviv University and the directorship of Israel Finkelstein and David Ussishkin have recently uncovered much more, including a large Iron IIA (1000 - 925 BCE) building featuring rows of a total of 18 pillars...

Inhabited from 7000 BC to 586 BC, Megiddo was a strategically significant site in the ancient world of the Levant. It sat astride a narrow pass and trade route connecting ancient Egypt and Assyria. It is mentioned in Ancient Egyptian texts related to the military campaign of Egypt's Thutmose III, who attacked the city in 1478 BC. The battle is described on the walls of his temple in Upper Egypt. Megiddo was also the site of two other famous battles, including one fought between Egypt and the Kingdom of Judah in 609 BC and the Battle of Megiddo in World War I, fought between allied troops under General Allenby and Ottoman forces.

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