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Preliminary geoarchaeological observations of the Magdala Archaeological Project; one of the most important archeological discoveries of the last 50 years in Israel.TRANSCRIPT
Preliminary geoarchaeological observations of the Magdala Archaeological Project; one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the last 50 years in Israel.
M. Plaza-Toledo1 and M. Zapata-Meza2
Abstract
In 2009 in the town of Magdala, located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee in Israel, archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority discovered a first century synagogue (63 BCE - 70 CE) with unique features such as an engraved stone with a seven branched menorah (candelabrum): the first of its kind to be found in northern Israel from the 1st Century. Further excavations performed by the Universidad Anáhuac México Sur in association with the Institute Anthropologic Investigations of the UNAM, revealed an habitational complex including houses, market and a harbor. Of particular interest are three traditional ritual Jewish baths (mikva’ot). These are the first unearthed mikva’ot in such close proximity to the Sea of Galilee and, the first that operate with groundwater instead of collected rainwater, from the 1st century through the 12th century CE in the world.
Historical records indicate that Magdala played a significant role during the Jewish revolt from 67-70 CE and that after the battle the town was abandoned, although there is evidence that the town had a small occupation at the south after the revolt until the 2nd Century. One theory suggests that the population abandoned the site due to a landslide from the adjacent Mount Arbel. Archaeologist formulated this theory based on several prehistoric flinstones tools found in the site whose provenance assume are from Mt. Arbel. Sedimentological analyses performed in an adjacent archaeological site (Sarti, G., et al. 2013) revealed sudden changes in the stratigraphy that suggest the possibility of tectonic activity in the site such as the earthquakes that occurred in 363 CE and 749 CE (Marco et al., 2003). Further investigations are needed to gain more insight on the geoarchaeological history of the site.
1 Plaza-‐Toledo, Meralis, HC 01 Box 3605 Adjuntas, P.R. 00601, [email protected] 2 Zapata-‐Meza, Marcela, Universidad Anáhuac México Sur, [email protected].
Preliminary geoarchaeological observa2ons of the Magdala Archaeological Project: One of the most important archaeological discoveries of
the last 50 years in Israel.!
Meralis Plaza-‐Toledo Marcela Zapata-‐Meza!
Loca2on!
The Migdal or Taricheae an/qui/es site extends across the northwestern shore of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), at the foot of the eastern slope of Mount Arbel.
• Prior to the founda/on of the city of Tiberias by Herod An/pas in 19 CE, Magdala was the only urban center on the western bank of the Kinneret.
• The seIlement from the Early Roman period is men/oned in Jewish sources; also historian Josephus Flavius’ refered to Magdala as a military base which played an ac/ve role in the Great Revolt.
• The seIlement is also men/oned in Chris/an sources because, according to Chris/an tradi/on, Mary Magdalene was born in Magdala.
History!
Loca/on of the Kinneret, in rela/on to Roman -‐Byzan/ne ci/es and small piers.
• The ancient city of Magdala was built around the 3rd century BCE.
• Ideal posi/on along the western shore of the Kinneret, the main trade route connec/ng Egypt via Damascus with Mesopotamia (Via Maris).
• Since Hellenis/c /mes its economic supremacy in the region was probably related to the ac/vity of an important harbour. Before 19 CE, Magdala, which extended over 10 hectares, was the main urban centre of the western coast of the Lake.
History!
• The Magdala Archaeological Project directed by Anáhuac México Sur University in colabora/on with the Na/onal Autonomous University of México as well as the 1st century synagogue discovered in 2009 by the Israeli An/qui/es Authority, are part of the Magdala Center that belongs to the Arke New Gate company. • The Magdala Archaeological Project is part of an interna/onal project that includes geophysical surveys, extensive excava/ons, restora/on, conserva/on, and interpreta/ons of all the archaeological materials recovered throughout the different field seasons. • It is the first /me the Israel An/qui/es Authority gives Mexico a license to lead a project of Biblical Archaeology.!
Background!
1 and Fig. 1: Synagogue and Bet Midrash 1 and Fig. 2: Pools and fish industry 2 Market 3 and Fig. 3: Mikva'ot and ritual space
4 Domes/c and storage areas 5 and Fig. 5: Produc/on area and fishing ac/vi/es 6 Harbor !
What we found!
• The 7th synagogue from the first century found in Israel and the most beau/ful one (frescoes, mosaics).
• The first representa/on of the
menorah outside the Temple of Jerusalem from the first century.
• The first spring-‐fed Mikva’ot (ritual
purifica/on baths) in all Israel and therefore the purest.
• The last opportunity to excavate a first-‐century Kinneret port.!
Bimá or altar-‐stone!
Mikva’ot and ritual space!
Historical Implica2ons!
What happened to Magdala?!
Theories • The northern quarter of the city including the synagogue was probably abandoned around the /me of the Great Revolt (67 CE). The building stones were apparently removed to be used as building material in the southern quarter of the town. • To protect the sacred spaces from the imminent Roman invasion, the Jews blocked and covered the sites to avoid their desacra/on. • Afer the year 70 CE, for inexplicable reasons, the popula/on of the western sector lef their houses while the people gathered at the southeast zone occupying the domes/c, produc/on and commercial areas un/l the 2nd Century CE. • In 2009 the site was discovered underneath heavy brown alluvial fill.
• This region contains three main geomorphological regions, from west to rastrear: – the Mediterranean Coastal Plain – the Central Mountain Range – the Jordan Valley
• The main tectonic structure in the region is the Dead Sea Transform Fault which marks the boundary between the Arabian plate to the east, and the African plate to the west.
• As a consequence, the area is characterized by strong seismic ac/vity associated with the Dead Sea transform fault.!
Geology!
• The Magdala site is near the lakeshore on the south side of a small alluvial plain consis/ng of gravel, sand and clay.
• The site is nearby Mt. Arbel which is composed of Eocene limestone and Pliocene basalts.
• Mt. Arbel has kars/c areas with caves that were used in ancient /mes.
Geology map!
Mount Arbel!
Mount Arbel view from Magdala’s Synagogue!
Mount Arbel cliff and cave!
Mount Arbel cave!
Three main earthquakes affected the Galilee area in ancient /mes (31 BCE, 363 CE and 749 CE) their damage is observed in sites such as Bet Shean, and Hippos however there is no par/cular evidence of an earthquake disturbance in Magdala such as:
– Aligned fallen columns and walls – Horizontal shif of heavy masonry blocks – Complete burial of ceramic pots and tools beneath fallen ceilings!
Bet Shean
Hippos
Geology !
Aereal view of the Magdala site!
• During the excava/on at the Magdala site, archaeologists found objects and tools made of flintstone, the majority in a thick alluvial layer and a few in first century archaeological context.
• Somehow these tools ended up in Magdala, however there are s/ll ques/ons on what process made this happen; perhaps it was regular erosion or a landslide triggered by an earthquake.
• There is also the ques/on if these tools were re-‐used during the Hellenis/c and Roman periods or were naturally inserted.!
Knife!
Landslide in Magdala?!
Percutor!
Flintstone tools!
Arrow heads!
Flintstone tools!
Stratigraphic profile!
• Ver/cal profile showing alluvial sediment layer (I) and layers showing cultural occupa/on (II, III and IV).
• Flintstone tools were mostly found in Layer I.
• Sedimentological studies performed by Sar/ et al. (2013) in the archaeological adjoining site located to the south, owned by the Franciscan friars, revealed a sudden transi/on from sands to conglomerate layers; they concluded that these varia/ons occurred afer the Late Roman period and could be related to changes in sediment supply associated to a climate change or a tectonic event such as the earthquakes that occurred in 363 CE and 749 CE.
• Drill holes in the Magdala site revealed what soil scien/st called “a layer of fragmented rocks and boulders in a mass of clay, with thickness varying from several cen/meters to approximately 3.0m. It may be assumed that the stones came from rocks that rolled down from Mount Arbel during earthquakes and subsequently were eroded.”
• These arguments, suggest the possibility that the flintstone tools found at the Magdala site may be due to a landslide triggered by a tectonic event.!
Independent observations!
• There are no observable damages in the excavated structures sugges/ng that a landslide or an earthquake affected the Magdala site.
• Possibly no major landslides occurred
at the site but small events not strong enough to damage structures but capable of dragging sediments including the flintstone tools.!
Synagogue context!
Observations!
• How to assess and reconstruct a Jewish-‐Roman landscape, much altered by physical movements of the soil and by a two-‐millennia long period of human interference.
• This needs to be assessed in a mul/disciplinary way making use of all relevant cartographic material, aerial photographs, relevant satellite images and all important pre-‐exis/ng archaeological informa/on and field work.
• Detailed research is needed to determine not only the provenance and possible uses of the flintstone tools but also why the city of Magdala was abandoned in the first Century.
Challenge!
It is important to keep in mind that at the /me being, the area has not been completely excavated, therefore as it has been men/oned, the informa/on given must be considered preliminary. It must also be kept in mind that in the future, a joint work must take place with the archaeologists from the Israel An/qui/es Authority and the Franciscans to have a complete vision of the history of Magdala. !
Challenge!
MAGDALA ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT
For further informa2on:
hUp://www.magdalacenter.com
hUp://issuu.com/proyectomagdala
Meralis Plaza-‐Toledo: [email protected] Marcela Zapata-‐Meza: [email protected]
!