Lecture to be followed by a barbecue dinner, sponsored by OREA, the Austrian Academy of Sciences
RSVP REQUIRED to sarah.fairman@aiar.org
LECTURE:
The Austro-Israeli Expedition to Lachish: First Results after Two Seasons of Excavations
Felix Höflmayer, Research Group Leader, Institute of Oriental and European Archaeology, Austrian Academy of Sciences
AND
Katharina Streit, Post-Doctoral Researcher, The Martin Buber Society of Fellows in the Humanities and Social Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
In 2017, a joint team of researchers from Hebrew University, the Austrian Academy of Sciences, and University of Vienna have started new excavations at Tel Lachish as part of the project ‘Tracing Transformations in the Southern Levant’ hosted by the Austrian Academy of Sciences. The project focuses on the Middle-Late Bronze Age transition, exploring chronological aspects, material culture and political history of this major site in the Shephelah.
In the first two seasons 2017 and 2018, two excavation areas on the western slope (Area S) and north of the Judean palace/fort (Area P) were explored. First results include substantial architectural remains from several phases within the Late Bronze Age phases of Area S, the continuation of the late Middle Bronze Age palace in Area P, and a rich assemblage of both local and important pottery and small finds.
This lecture summarizes first results and discusses them in light of the prevalent historical narrative of Egyptian-Levantine connections. Finally, open research questions of the project, as well as the excavation strategy for future seasons 2019 and 2020 will be outlined.
