Taanach II: The Iron Age Stratigraphy

Paul Lapp's team last excavated at Tell Ta'annek in 1968, over fifty years ago. During that time, much effort has been expended on the final publication of the site's stratigraphy and material, even though few final manuscripts have reached the publication stage. Walter Rast's work with the Iron Age pottery was the notable exception and was published in 1978. The present volume uses Rast's ceramic chronology as the basis for the periodization of the Iron Age strata excavated by Lapp in 1963, 1966, and 1968. After covering the background of the site and Sellin's excavation of it in the early twentieth century, Meehl presents the Iron Age stratigraphy area by area, period by period, based on the field notes, reports, plans, and photographs of the excavators. Two chapters describe the Iron Age occupations on Tell Ta'annek, setting them in their regional contexts. Appendices addressing the date of the Iron Age fortifications and fire installations and pits follow. Iron Age pottery forms and drainpipes not included in Rast's book are included in a third appendix.