"As for me, I will dwell at Mizpah ...": The Tell en-Naṣbeh Excavations after 85 Years

Tell en-Nasbeh (biblical Mizpah of Benjamin) was excavated on a grand scale by William F. Badè of Pacific School of Religion between 1926 and 1935. His team uncovered approximately two-thirds of this eight-acre site, providing an unmatched view of a typical rural Israelite town in the hill country in the Iron Age. The studies included in this volume provide insights into the life ways of the inhabitants of this important border town. Until relatively recently excavations in the ancient Near East have focused on macro level questions involving political history and chronology. Often these efforts in Israel focused on elucidating biblical history itself and tying that world into the larger ancient world. Very often the daily lives of average Israelites were ignored, and materials associated with them left largely unstudied and relegated to lists at the ends of site reports. Since 1990, efforts have been underway to restudy Tell en-Nasbeh to better understand aspects of daily life centered at this town. The present volume includes studies originally presented in a special session devoted to Tell en-Nasbeh at the annual meeting of the American Schools of Oriental Research in 2011. The studies incorporate aspects of trade and economy, death and burial, metals, cooking, and water management. Also included are a study of the curation of the Tell en-Nasbeh materials and records in Berkeley, California; the recollections of Professor Badè's children who were at the excavation in 1935; two articles on finds and excavations from the Roman and Byzantine periods; and an up to date bibliography of publications related to the site. Tell En-naṣbeh (biblical Mizpah Of Benjamin) Was Excavated On A Grand Scale By William F. Badè Of Pacific School Of Religion Between 1926 And 1935. His Team Uncovered Approximately Two-thirds Of This Eight-acre Site, Providing An Unmatched View Of A Typical Rural Israelite Town In The Hill Country In The Iron Age. The Studies Included In This Volume Provide Insights Into The Life Ways Of The Inhabitants Of This Important Border Town. Until Relatively Recently Excavations In The Ancient Near East Have Focused On Macro Level Questions Involving Political History And Chronology. Often These Efforts In Israel Focused On Elucidating Biblical History Itself And Tying That World Into The Larger Ancient World. Very Often The Daily Lives Of Average Israelites Were Ignored, And Materials Associated With Them Left Largely Unstudied And Relegated To Lists At The Ends Of Site Reports. Since 1990, Efforts Have Been Underway To Restudy Tell En-naṣbeh To Better Understand Aspects Of Daily Life Centered At This Town. The Present Volume Includes Studies Originally Presented In A Special Session Devoted To Tell En-naṣbeh At The Annual Meeting Of The American Schools Of Oriental Research In 2011. The Studies Incorporate Aspects Of Trade And Economy, Death And Burial, Metals, Cooking, And Water Management. Also Included Are A Study Of The Curation Of The Tell En-naṣbeh Materials And Records In Berkeley, California; An Interview With William Badè Jr., Who Was At The Excavations In 1935; And An Up-to-date Bibliography Of Publications Related To The Site--provided By Publisher. Tell En-naṣbeh In The 20th And 21st Centuries / Jeffrey R. Zorn -- Memories From Tell En-naṣbeh / Aaron J. Brody -- Life And Death At Tell En-naṣbeh : A Bioarchaeological Analysis / Alexis T. Boutin, Whitney R. Mcclellan And Daniel A. Cusimano -- Transjordanian Commerce With Northern Judah In The Iron Ii-persian Period : Ceramic Indicators, Interregional Interaction, And Modes Of Exchange At Tell En-naṣbeh / Aaron J. Brody -- Iron In The Iron Age : The Life-cycle Of Agricultural Implements From Tell En-naṣbeh / Stephanie H. Brown -- Curating Badè's Legacy : Management Of The Tell En-nasbeh Collection / Catherine P. Foster -- Let Me Eat Some Of That Red Stuff, For I Am Famished! (gen 25:30) : Preliminary Insights Into Iron Age Cooking Practices At Tell En-naṣbeh Resulting From Gas Chromatography/mass Spectrometry Analyses / Mary Larkum -- Observations Regarding An Oil Lamp Of The Late Roman-byzantine Period From Tell En-naṣbeh / Varda Sussman -- On The Use And Reuse Of Rock-cut Tombs And A Ritual Bath At Tell En-naṣbeh : New Perspectives On The Roman And Byzantine Necropoleis / Boaz Zissu And Eitan Klein -- Tell En-naṣbeh's Contributions To Understanding Iron Age Israelite Water Systems / Jeffrey R. Zorn. Edited By Jeffrey R. Zorn, Aaron J. Brody. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "Tell en-Nasbeh (biblical Mizpah of Benjamin) was excavated on a grand scale by William F. Badè of Pacific School of Religion between 1926 and 1935. His team uncovered approximately two-thirds of this eight-acre site, providing an unmatched view of a typical rural Israelite town in the hill country in the Iron Age. The studies included in this volume provide insights into the life ways of the inhabitants of this important border town. Until relatively recently excavations in the ancient Near East have focused on macro level questions involving political history and chronology. Often these efforts in Israel focused on elucidating biblical history itself and tying that world into the larger ancient world. Very often the daily lives of average Israelites were ignored, and materials associated with them left largely unstudied and relegated to lists at the ends of site reports. Since 1990, efforts have been underway to restudy Tell en-Nasbeh to better understand aspects of daily life centered at this town. The present volume includes studies originally presented in a special session devoted to Tell en-Nasbeh at the annual meeting of the American Schools of Oriental Research in 2011. The studies incorporate aspects of trade and economy, death and burial, metals, cooking, and water management. Also included are a study of the curation of the Tell en-Nasbeh materials and records in Berkeley, California; an interview with William Badè Jr., who was at the excavations in 1935; and an up-to-date bibliography of publications related to the site"--Provided by publisher Jeffrey R. Zorn: Tell en-Naṣbeh in the 20th and 21st Centuries Aaron J. Brody: Memories from Tell en-Naṣbeh Alexis T. Boutin, Whitney R. McClellan and Daniel A. Cusimano: Life and Death at Tell en-Naṣbeh: A Bioarchaeological Analysis Aaron J. Brody: Transjordanian Commerce with Northern Judah in the Iron II–Persian Period: Ceramic Indicators, Interregional Interaction, and Modes of Exchange at Tell en-Naṣbeh Stephanie H. Brown: Iron in the Iron Age: The Life-Cycle of Agricultural Implements from Tell en-Naṣbeh Catherine P. Foster: Curating Badè’s Legacy: Management of the Tell en-Naṣbeh Collection Mary Larkum: “Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!” (Gen. 25:30): Preliminary Insights into Iron Age Cooking Practices at Tell en-Naṣbeh Resulting from Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry Analyses Varda Sussman: Observations Regarding an Oil Lamp of the Late Roman–Byzantine Period from Tell en-Naṣbeh Boaz Zissu and Eitan Klein: On the Use and Reuse of Rock-Cut Tombs and a Ritual Bath at Tell en-Naṣbeh: New Perspectives on the Roman and Byzantine Necropoleis Jeffrey R. Zorn: Tell en-Naṣbeh’s Contributions to Understanding Iron Age Israelite Water Systems