Tel Mevorakh is a small site uniquely located at the ancient interface of land, sea, and river in the Carmel coastal plain's southern margins. The site, situated less than two kilometers from the current coastline, borders the Tanininim river and the ancient Kabara wetlands. The Jisr az-Zarqa Kurkar ridge to its west separates the area from the open waters of the Mediterranean. Possible raw materials for pottery and mudbricks around the site are characterized by clay-rich sediments deposited during seasonal floods, suggesting that seasonality was a key factor shaping the landscape.
Archaeological Background: Topography, Location, and Excavations
Tel Mevorakh, situated on the southern bank of Nahal Tanninim, acts as a geographical delineator between the Carmel coast and the Sharon Plain (map reference 14412156). Covering an area of roughly 1 dunam (1,000 square meters), the mound rises 15 meters above its neighboring terrain. The site's strategic placement emphasizes its historical significance, positioned at the intersection of the expansive Sharon Plain and the constricted coastal strip of Carmel.
Early Excavations: 1973-1976: The primary excavations at Tel Mevorakh were carried out by E. Stern from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem between 1973 and 1976. The findings were comprehensively documented in two volumes of the Qedem Series (Stern 1978, 1984). The excavation strategy revolved around two specific areas, supplemented by an eastern trench. This comprehensive effort revealed an occupation timeline spanning from Neolithic times to the Byzantine era. During this process, at least fifteen distinct stratigraphic layers were discerned. Follow-up, smaller-scale salvage excavations commissioned by the IAA in 1997 and again in 2005-2006 (as referenced in Shadman 2014) primarily uncovered remnants from the Iron Age.
Recent Excavation (2017-2019): In the fall of 2017, a pilot excavation was launched, with efforts resuming in spring 2019. This initiative, co-led by P. Waiman-Barak from the University of Haifa and S. Matskevich of the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, concentrated on the mound's eastern slope. This area had previously been explored by Stern, where predominant findings were from the Middle Bronze Age. Among the significant discoveries were a collapsed mudbrick structure and Middle Bronze Ahe Jars.
Contributor: Paula Waiman-Barak, October 2019
