The circles building (Granary) at Tel Bet Yerah (Khirbet el-Kerak): A new synthesis (Excavations of 1945-1946, 2003-2015)

By: Greenberg R., Ashkenazi H., Berger A., Iserlis M., Paz Y., Rotem Y., Shimelmitz R., Tan M., Paz S.
Published in: Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research
SDGs : SDG 11  |  Units:   | Time: 2017 |  Link
Description: New excavations conducted in the Circles Building (Granary) at Tel Bet Yerah, first excavated in 1946, form the basis fo r a revised, detailed description of the construction and use of this unique structure. Stratigraphic soundings have established that the structure consisted of three platforms with seven circles sunk into them, enclosing a paved courtyard that was open toward the east. The structure was constructed in a single operation, at the transition between Early Bronze Age II and III, but it seems to have been abandoned before it was completed and given over to new tenants who changed the trajectory of its use. These new inhabitants are responsible for the bulk of the deposits excavated in and around the building, which are characterized by large quantities of Khirbet Kerak Ware and complementary lithic and other assemblages. We suggest that the building was conceived as part of the corporate urbanizing project of Early Bronze Age II, but was overtaken by a crisis that deflected the urban trajectory of Tel Bet Yerah in Early Bronze Age III and allowed the entry of migrant groups, such as those bearing the Khirbet Kerak Ware tradition. © 2017 American Schools of Oriental Research.