The Bronze and Iron Ages in Jerusalem

Most evidence for the Bronze Age, Iron Age and Post-Exilic settlement of Jerusalem came from Site A on the south-east ridge, and Kenyon unearthed and dated material of almost all these periods, but very little of the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age I. This settlement pattern is reflected to a lesser extent on other sites, but elsewhere occupation of the region appears to continue, in a more dispersed fashion, perhaps partly related to diversification of the inhabitants to a more pastoral economy. Whether the centrality of Jerusalem is linked to its being an ancient place of burial is considered. Other evidence from the archive relates to the reigns of David, Solomon and Nehemiah. Specific issues are addressed, such as the location of the principal administrative buildings and fortifications, the use of volute capitals, the importance of water supply and drainage, and the problem of residuality affecting archaeological dating in Iron Age Jerusalem, which places the emphasis on C14 dating.

The Archive

This chapter describes the scale of the project in Jerusalem and the size of the archive created during the seven seasons of excavation which occupied two years in total, with a large staff. The considerations which formed the basis of the archive’s composition, the degree of contemporary subjectivity involved in the process, and the current state of the archive are outlined. It consists of both paper and photographic records, as well as a major study collection of fragmentary pottery, animal bones, coins and diverse materials. Much of the work of publication was based in Toronto and Leiden, and relevant sections of the archive were copied or located there. The major registered finds were retained in Jordan and Israel, the rest distributed widely to supporting institutions. Original card indexes have been replaced by digitisation of the archive. There are some supporting files, metadata relating to the financing and staff. Issues relating to the preservation of archaeological archives and their importance are considered.

Crisis and Transition in Jerusalem under Rome, Byzantium, Islam and the Crusades

Comparing historical and archaeological evidence based on findings from the Kenyon excavations provides some information on the impact of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ transitions on the contemporary populations. An overview of the archaeological evidence illustrates both the processes and results of crisis, transition and aftermath. Jerusalem provides a case study of four major and several lesser episodes affecting ethnicity, politics, economy and religion over less than 1,500 years, from the Roman destruction in AD 70 and the establishment of Aelia Capitolina. There were major demographic changes resulting from the ‘hard’ transitions, but for all there is clear archaeological evidence of material and cultural transmission and survivals, visible not just in elite structures such as the major shrines, but widespread through a city with an ancient role as a central place of burial.

Introduction

This chapter briefly describes the setting up by Dame Kathleen Kenyon of a major project of archaeological excavation in Jerusalem in 1961, and its contemporary aims based on scientific processes. Archaeological knowledge of the city at the time was very limited, based on old excavations, mostly inadequately published. Kenyon’s technical competence to achieve this was based on archaeological experience gained during excavation in Great Britain, Palestine and North Africa. The result was the creation of an archival record and study collection for future research.

The Islamic City, AD 1187–1516: Archaeology and the Human Story

Personal knowledge of three archaeological sites in different contexts in Jerusalem offered a rare opportunity for an overview of life in the city during the Ayyubid and Mamluk periods. This has permitted a study of intra-site variation, hinting at different communities and their lifestyles. In particular, aspects of craft and trading activities illustrate the economy of the city. The importation of luxury ceramics from Italy and from Syria, and a suggestion of a role in the important silk trade between East and West, illustrate part of a trading network in which pilgrimage to Jerusalem played a significant role. Local commodities, health and the processing and consumption of food also illustrate living standards in a city where there was considerable poverty.