Tel Qashish



Tel Qashish, also spelled Tel Kashish (תל קשיש) or Tell el-Qassis in Arabic, is a tell (ancient mound) in the northwestern Jezreel Valley, on the north bank of the Kishon River. The ancient settlement at Tel Qashish is believed to be a satellite of the nearby city of Yokneam, located about 2 km south.

Archaeologist Yohanan Aharoni proposed that the site corresponds to "Helkath", one of the 119 cities conquered by Pharaoh Thutmose III. However, other scholars suggest it may be identified with "Dabeshet" mentioned in the Book of Joshua. Adjacent to the mound is Ein Qashish, a spring with evidence of prehistorical human activity dating back to the Middle Palaeolithic period.

Geography


Tel Qashish occupies a strategically advantageous position on the north bank of the Kishon River, where the bend of the stream forms a natural boundary on its southern and western flanks. Situated approximately 2 km from Tel Yokneam, the region's major settlement, Tel Qashish likely held a dependent relationship with its larger neighbour.

The elongated mound covers an area of 10.7 acre and measures 270 by at its base. The western half of the mound stands roughly 5 m higher than the eastern half. Steep slopes define all sides of the mound except the northeast, where the approach road to the site was likely situated.

Historically, most settlements within the Jezreel Valley, including Tel Qashish, were established on the periphery rather than the central valley floor. This pattern may be attributed to several factors, including drainage issues leading to unstable soil conditions, the presence of seasonal swamps, and the increased vulnerability to attacks in the valley centre.

Archaeology
Annual ploughing by farmers from nearby agricultural settlements has damaged the remains of later settlements located on the tell. In some instances, this activity has even impacted Late Bronze Age archaeological layers.

Palaeolithic (Mousterian)
Ein Qashish contains multiple campsites dating to the Mousterian culture (70,000–60,000BCE). The site's layered stratigraphy indicates repeated human occupation throughout the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic periods. These nomadic inhabitants, likely drawn to the area during the summer months when the Kishon River was not prone to flooding, primarily subsisted on hunting, as evidenced by the abundance of animal bones. As with other similar sites, they left behind a significant assemblage of stone tools, a study of which suggests the flint was procured from a western source near Mount Carmel. A unique discovery at Ein Qashish was a cluster of human bones alongside traces of clay-based paint, hinting at a possible ritualistic activity. The presence of Neanderthal remains, dated to 70,000–60,000BP, further underscores the site's repeated use by early humans.

Neolithic
Archaeological excavations have revealed flint tools, including microliths and arrowheads, dating to the Neolithic period (12,000–4,500BCE), resting directly on the bedrock foundation of the mound.

Early Bronze Age
Tel Qashish's earliest excavated settlement dates to the Early Bronze Age I period (3300–3000BCE). This unfortified settlement appears to have covered the largest area in the site's history. Although the unearthed remains are insufficient to determine the settlement's layout, the presence of randomly placed, single-roomed houses suggests a dense plan, similar to other sites from this period. The ceramics are predominantly domestic Canaanite ware, with influences from northern, possibly Lebanese, cultures, likely due to the site's location on an international trade route. The settlement was self-sufficient, relying on agriculture.

Uniquely among sites in the Jezreel Valley, Tel Qashish remained populated during the transition from the Early Bronze Age I to the Early Bronze Age II period (3000–2700 BCE), possibly due to its strategic location. However, the settlement contracted during this period, no longer encompassing the surrounding area but confined to the mound itself. Unlike the earlier settlement, the new iteration was planned and fortified. Differences in the layout of structures between the lower and upper parts of the mound may indicate a social distinction between the residents of these areas. However, no such distinction is evident in the ceramic finds, which consist mainly of plates, bowls, and jars. The settlement possessed a small, likely household-based pottery industry. Evidence suggests a lack of luxury goods among the villagers, with only a single carnelian bead and a decorated bone unearthed from the entire Early Bronze Age period.

The transition to the Early Bronze Age III period (2700–2200 BCE) was peaceful and gradual. The village layout remained largely unchanged, with some extensions to the fortifications, enlarged rooms, and the construction of new installations. The village was likely abandoned sometime before the end of the Early Bronze Age III period, as there are no signs of destruction. This period coincides with the rise of the nearby, more significant settlement of Tel Yokneam. The Tel Qashish villagers may have chosen to relocate to this better-defended settlement. Alternatively, the unstable political climate of the time, marked by competition between cities due to the disruption of economic ties with Egypt during the Early Bronze Age II period, may have factored into their decision.

The importance of agriculture in the Early Bronze Age settlement is evident in the stone tools. Forty percent of these implements are sickle blades, exhibiting intensive wear patterns indicative of frequent use. Recovered plant remains include olive stones, barley, wheat, and vetch seeds, suggesting cultivation near the mound. These crops (excluding vetch) were likely grown throughout the entire Early Bronze Age period (3300–2200 BCE).

Middle Bronze Age
The Middle Bronze Age saw a reoccupation of the settlement at Tel Qashish. The earliest purported layer from this period consists solely of floors, lacking any clear architectural features like buildings or walls. A substantial amount of pottery was unearthed on these floors, raising the possibility that additional structures or a defensive system from this layer lie outside the excavated area. Ceramic dating places this layer at the tail end of the Middle Bronze Age IIA period (2000–1750 BCE), implying that Tel Qashish was either completely or very sparsely settled for nearly five centuries.

A fortified settlement emerged at Tel Qashish during the transitional period between Middle Bronze Age IIA and IIB. The stone-built wall measured 1.7 metres in width and incorporated a glacis for added fortification. One of the wall's towers has been identified. Following a common Canaanite burial practice, the inhabitants of this settlement interred their dead in jars within tombs. Two well-preserved tombs were discovered, one containing the remains of a two-year-old infant and the other those of a forty-year-old woman.

Late Bronze Age
Following the transition to the Late Bronze Age I period (1550–1400 BCE), the Middle Bronze Age fortification system fell into disuse. Houses were subsequently built upon its remains, featuring thicker walls than those of preceding periods.

North of the mound, a small cave was discovered containing ceramics attributable to the Late Bronze Age II period (1400–1200 BCE). The cave measures 3 metres in length, with a width ranging from 1.4 to 2 metres, and a maximum height of 3 metres. Its ceiling collapsed in antiquity. Within the cave, approximately 200 complete ritual implements were found. These included six tall pedestals featuring "windows," likely serving as bases for other ceramics. The pedestals' height, ranging from 60 to 80 centimetres, and the presence of "windows" suggest a possible depiction of towers. Additionally, some 40 goblets were unearthed, one of which exhibits a remarkably detailed facial design. These finds collectively point towards a limited period of minor ritual activity, potentially coinciding with a peaceful era.

Iron Age
The Iron Age remains at Tel Qashish are in a poor state of preservation with significant damage. This evidence suggests that the settlement was much less substantial during the Iron Age compared to the preceding Bronze Age. During the early Iron Age (1200–1000 BCE), Tel Qashish functioned primarily as a farm with only a handful of structures. Most archaeological finds from this period are concentrated on the higher mound, potentially indicating this area served as the central zone of the small village. The settlement expanded in the late Iron Age (1000–539 BCE), occupying both the higher and lower elevations of the mound. Notably, the ceramics unearthed from this later period include pottery likely used for ritualistic purposes rather than everyday domestic activities.

Later periods
Archaeological evidence suggests that the site may have been occupied during the Persian period (539–332 BCE), although only minor artefacts from this era were unearthed in pits. Similarly, the Hellenistic period (332–70 BCE) has left behind just a few coins. Surface finds indicate some human activity during the Mamluk and Ottoman periods, but no architectural remains from any of these earlier eras have been identified.

The site saw use during the 1947–1949 Palestine war as a military outpost. Evidence of this includes defensive positions and trenches, while a concrete bunker constructed at the highest point remains standing today.

History of archaeological research
British archaeologist John Garstang undertook a small-scale excavation in the 1920s, uncovering pottery solely from the Early Bronze Age (3300–2100 BCE). In the early 1950s, German-Israeli archaeologist Raphael Giveon conducted a survey of the site, identifying pottery spanning a much broader timeframe, ranging from the Middle Bronze Age (2100–1550 BCE) to the Hellenistic period (330–31 BCE). Avner Raban's survey in the 1970s, as part of the Yoqne'am Regional Project encompassing Tel Yokneam, Tel Qiri, and the western Jezreel Valley alongside Tel Qashish, corroborated Giveon's findings. The most extensive archaeological work occurred between 1978 and 1987, with eight seasons of excavations led by Amnon Ben-Tor under the auspices of the Institute of Archaeology of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Israel Exploration Society.

In February 2004, the Israel Antiquities Authority, in advance of a major road and railway project, surveyed the location of Ein Qashish, situated approximately 100 metres south of the mound and the Kishon River. This survey yielded scattered flint tools dating to the Middle Palaeolithic period. In 2010, another rescue excavation by the Israel Antiquities Authority, prompted by the construction of a gas pipeline north of the mound, unearthed evidence of ritual activity from the Early Bronze Age.