|
|
|
|
(click to enlarge) |
(click to enlarge) |
|
|
Tell en-Nasbeh, 12 km north of Jerusalem in the West Bank, is biblical Mizpah of Benjamin. It was excavated in five seasons between 1926 - 1935 by Professor William F. Badè of Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. Approximately 70% of the site was excavated, giving scholars a wide spread exposure of a typical Iron Age Israelite hill country town. Unfortunately Badè died the year after the excavation closed. Due to this, and other uncontrollable factors, the resulting final report was deficient in its presentation and interpretation of the site’s stratigraphy and material culture.
Excavation staff, Badè seated front right
|
 (click to enlarge)
 (click to enlarge)
|
|
 |
|
(click to enlarge) |
For his Ph.D. dissertation Dr. Zorn reanalyzed the site’s architecture and presented a new understanding of the site’s stratigraphy. He was able to isolate material from the Early Bronze I (Stratum 5, ca. 3100 BC) and Iron I (Stratum 4, ca. 1200-1000 BC) periods, and greatly clarified the main ring-road phase (Stratum 3A-C, ca. 1000-586 BC). Especially important was his identification of an inner-outer gate complex. |
|
|
The most significant aspect of the reanalysis, however, was the identification of a Babylonian to Persian period settlement (Stratum 2, ca. 586-400 BC), corresponding to Mizpah’s prominent role as the region’s capital following the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem. Remains of several large public buildings were identified, as were half a dozen homes of the local elite. So far, this is the only site in ancient Judah to provide clear and significant material from this period, and has served as the basis for several new studies of the Babylonian period itself. |
 |
|
| Additional post-dissertation work on the Tell en-Nasbeh material by Dr. Zorn focused on stamp impressions, Mesopotamian style burials, kilns, wine presses, pottery, and fortifications. |
|
 |
 |
 |
| Seal of the royal official Jaazaniah |
MW(S)H stamp impression of the Babylonian administration |
Fragment of Mesopotamian
style “bathtub” coffin |
|
|
|
|
| All of Dr. Zorn’s studies on Tell en-Nasbeh, including
his dissertation, are available on his research website. |
|
