‘En Esur (Asawir), Roman Remains

Itai Elad and Juan Alejo Sánchez Streger

20/03/2022

Final Report

In 2017–2019, large-scale trial and salvage excavations were conducted at the site of ‘En Esur (Asawir; Permit Nos. A-7888, A-8185, A-8441; map ref. 20199/70940; Fig. 1). The excavations, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and funded by Netivei Israel—the National Transportation Infrastructure Company, were conducted by I. Elad, Y. Paz and D. Shalem, with the assistance of L. Brilovsky, M. Krakovsky, S. Davidov, S. Emanuelov, S. Elbaz, O. Segal, A. Gorzalczany, O. Drori, Y. Alexandre, A. Efron, N. Feig, J. Gosker, J.A. Sánchez Streger, N. Getzov, G. Tal, D. Kirzner, Y. Marmelstein, E. Oren, A. Chocron, S. Dallasheh, A. Massarwa, A. Sa‘id, A. Yaroshevich, A. Gabay, G. Leyfirer, K. Rafael, R. Kapul, C. Segal, Y. Gur, A. Kleiner, T. Badichi, N. Harash, R. Abu-Raya, B. Tzin and E.C.M. van den Brink (area supervision), E. Oren (preliminary inspections and field preparation), Z. Lotan, Y. Amrani, E. Bachar and R. Abu-Salah (administration), T. Harpak (registration), Y. Shmidov, M. Kunin, R. Mishayev , M. Kahan, M. Abu, S. Emanuelov and Y. Marmelstein (surveying, drafting and photogrammetry), M. Abu (plans and maps), A. Peretz (field and aerial photography), O. Ackermann (geomorphology), G. Tal (flotation), P. Gendelman and Y. Tepper (consultation and guidance), Y. Maor and Y. Asscher (laboratory analysis), E. Yannai (Early Bronze Age pottery), L. Brailovsky (flints), Y. Nagar (physical anthropology), M. Pines and R. Buchnik (archaeozoology), G. Haklay (stone tools), N. Sukenik (archaeobotany), E. Kameisky and J. Bukengolts (restoration), L. Kupershmidt (coin cleaning), I. Taxel (Roman-period pottery) and A. Freiberg (pottery scanning), as well as M. Massarwa and K. Sa‘id of the IAA Haifa District.

The proto-historic site of ‘En Esur (approximately 650 dunams) extends across a large flat area around and to the south of Tel Esur, at the western outlet of Nahal ‘Iron (Wadi ‘Ara) and approximately 1 km east of Moshav ‘En ‘Iron; in the center of the site is a small hilllock, c. 220 m to the south of the tell. Tel Esur (c. 28 dunams) lies between two springs, ‘En Esur (‘En Arubot) to the east and an unnamed spring to the west. A small tell is located c. 50 m southeast of the tell. Several excavations conducted on both tells (Zertal 2003; Bar 2016; 2021) uncovered settlement layers dating from the Early Bronze Age through the Hellenistic period. Previous excavations conducted at ‘En Esur revealed remains from the Pottery Neolithic to the Intermediate Bronze Age (Yannai 2006; 2016a; 2016b). Dozens of rock-hewn burial caves from various periods were revealed in hills to the east and the south of the site (Yannai 2016c; Dagan and Sadeh 2021). Architectural remains dating from the Byzantine period were discovered near the eastern spring (Sa‘id 2011).

In 2017–2019, extensive excavations conducted at the ‘En Esur site revealed diverse remains dating from the Pottery Neolithic, Early Chalcolithic and Late Chalcolithic periods, Early Bronze IA, Early Bronze IB, the Intermediate Bronze Age and the Roman period (Elad and Paz 2018; Elad, Paz and Shalem 2018; 2019; 2020a; 2020b). Most of the remains from these excavations are dated to the proto-historic period. The following report is the final publication of the Early and Late Roman remains in Areas K and L, and additional remains in Area N that postdate the proto-historic period but could not be dated with precision (Fig. 2). The Roman and Byzantine remains in Area P will be published separately.

Area K3

The excavation area was opened near the course of the water flowing from the site’s eastern spring. The Roman remains were discovered directly above remains from the Early Chalcolithic and EB IB; four phases were identified (4–1).

Phase 4. Squares ED58–59 and EE59 contained part of a surface of small stones (L12112, L12120; 8 × 15 m; Figs. 3, 4), whose original area cannot be clearly determined, but which apparently extended southward and westward, beyond the excavation limits. Early Roman pottery, including bases of imported bowls (Fig. 5:1, 2) and a jar (Fig. 5:3), was discovered during the removal of parts of the surface.

Phase 3. A surface of small and medium-sized stones (L12032, L12095, L12099, L12101–L12103, L12107, L12108, L12118, L12124; c. 14 × 28 m; Figs. 6, 7) was revealed across the entire area, directly on top of the Phase 4 surface. The surface was not uniformly thick, and it extended beyond the excavation boundaries on all sides. Early Roman pottery from the top of the surface and its dismantled segments includes jars (Fig. 8:1–3), a rim and a handle of imported amphorae (Fig. 8:4, 5, respectively; they may belong to the same amphora), juglets (Fig. 8:6, 7) and a Herodian oil lamp (Fig. 8:8). Early Roman coins (below), including a coin from 6–12 CE (L12101) and a coin from 68 CE (L12102), were also discovered when the surface was dismantled.

Phase 2. A refuse pit that was partially excavated in Sqs EE57–58 (L12014, L12015, L12035; 0.1–0.3 m; Fig. 9) evidently extended westward and southward, beyond the excavation limits. The area of the pit was shallow (depth 0.10–0.15 m) except on its western side, which was deeper (L12014; depth 0.3 m). The pits yielded small, worn potsherds (not drawn), non-diagnostic glass fragments and fourth-century CE coins (below).

Phase 1. Square EE57 contained an oval installation (L12036; Figs. 9, 10) enclosed by a wall built of two rows of medium-sized fieldstones; the installation’s function was unclear. The installation was built on top of pottery from the Phase 2 refuse pit, an indication that it postdates the pit. The installation is thus no earlier than the fourth century CE, but its exact date could not be established.

Area L4

Meager remains of a building were uncovered (Fig. 11). Squares EE142–143 contained two parallel walls (W23018, W23019) built along a southeast–northwest alignment from two rows of medium-sized stones and a core of small stones; they probably belonged to the same building. In Sq EE142, a stone surface (L23028), probably the building’s floor, was uncovered to the southwest of W23018. The surface was laid directly on top of an earlier wall dating from EB IB; the surface may also have been incorporated in the foundation of the wall. Meager pottery sherds found during the dismantling of Surface 23028 include only one diagnostic fragment, belonging to a Roman jug (Fig. 12:4). In Sq EE143, a soil accumulation (L23009) to the southwest of W23019 yielded sparse, non-diagnostic pottery.

Part of a truncated stone surface (L23038) was uncovered in Sq EE141. This was overlain by a soil accumulation (L23002) that yielded Hellenistic pottery, including two bowl rims (Fig. 12:1, 2), and Early Roman pottery, including the base of an Eastern Terra Sigillata bowl (Fig. 12:3; Hayes 1985:66–67, Pl.15:1, Type 70) bearing a potter’s mark (“ENA”), which dates from the mid-first to the early second century CE. No diagnostic pottery was found when Surface 23038 was dismantled.

Square EE140 contained a surface of small and medium-sized stones (L23012) delimited on the southwest by a row of stones. This surface yielded meager pottery dating from the Hellenistic or the Early Roman period, but it is impossible to determine whether it is contemporary with the architectural remains and the stone surfaces discovered to its southwest.

Area N8

The excavation uncovered remains of a north–south terrace wall (W47091; preserved length 11 m, width 0.45–1.10 m; Fig. 13) built of small and medium-sized fieldstones; it is unclear where the wall ends. The wall was carelessly built, as were other terrace walls excavated in the area (below), and they probably formed part of the same terrace complex. Soil accumulations on both sides of the wall (L47023, L47068, L47073) yielded no diagnostic finds.

Area N13

The excavation uncovered a terrace wall (W72016; Fig. 14) built of small and medium-sized stones along an east–west alignment, perpendicular to the southward slope. Soil accumulations on both sides of the wall (L72003, L72006, L72012, L72018) yielded no diagnostic finds. The wall was not dismantled. The wall was carelessly built and probably belonged to the complex of terraces discovered in the excavation area.

Area N15

A terrace wall (W74021; Figs. 15, 16), found near the surface, was built of small and medium-sized stones along an east–west alignment, perpendicular to the moderately southward-sloping gradient. Some of the wall’s stones were apparently taken from earlier, Early Bronze Age walls. The wall was carelessly built and for most of its length it was not clearly delineated. Soil accumulations on both sides of the wall (L74010, L74014, L74017, L74020, L74216, L74230) were devoid of diagnostic finds. When it was dismantled, the terrace wall yielded very meager finds that could not be used to date the wall. The wall’s construction and alignment are similar to those of the terrace wall in Area N13, and it was likely part of the same terrace complex.

The Coins

Fifty coins were discovered during the excavation, 28 of which were identified; four of the identified coins are attributed to the twentieth century CE. From the areas where Roman layers were discovered, only Area K3 yielded coins in clear archaeological contexts: 17 bronze coins, 13 of which were identified (Table 1). Of these, one dates from the fourth century BCE (No. 1), and the others date from the first–fourth centuries CE.

Coin Nos. 3–5, two of which date from the first century CE and the third from the third century CE, were found while dismantling parts of the stone surface attributed to Phase 3. Coin Nos. 8–11 and 13 were recovered from the refuse pit attributed to Phase 2, and all date from the second half of the fourth century CE. Coin Nos. 2, 6, 7 and 12, which are dated to the Roman period, were found in Area K3 but lacked a clear context. An unusual find is Coin No. 1, dated to the rule of Alexander the Great (332–323 BCE), which is the earliest coin discovered in the entire excavation.

Table 1. Coins recovered from Area K3

No.	Ruler	Date	Mint	Locus	IAA No.
1	Alexander the Great	332–323 BCE		12000	167862
2		First or second century CE		12107	167874
3	Procurator appointed by Augustus	6–12 CE		12101	167869
4	Nero	68 CE	Caesarea	12102	167870
5	Gallienus	264–265 CE	Antioch	12107	167873
6	Licinius I	315–316 CE		12047	167868
7		330–337 CE		12029	167865
8	Constantine II	351–361 CE		12035	167867
9		364–375 CE		12015	167864
10		364–375 CE		12035	167866
11		Fourth century CE		12014	167863
12		Fourth century CE		13091	167871
13		Fourth century CE		12015	167872

The Roman remains discovered during the excavations at ‘En Esur are meager and appear to be mostly related to farming. It seems that the activity at the site in the Roman and Byzantine periods was concentrated mostly around the water sources, either near the source of the spring (Sa‘id 2011) or beside its watercourse (Areas K3, L4). This indicates that the water from the spring followed the same course in antiquity as it does today. It is impossible to determine the function of the stone surfaces from the Early Roman period discovered in Area K3 (Phases 4 and 3), although previous excavations conducted at Tel Esur also uncovered two phases from this period (Bar 2016: Area A, Layers AIII–AIV). Nor do the sparse architectural remains from this period discovered in Area L4 provide any indication of their use.

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Bar S. 2021. Tel Esur 2017–2018. HA-ESI 133.

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Elad I. and Paz Y. 2018. ‘En Esur (Asawir). HA-ESI 130.

Elad I., Paz Y. and Shalem D. 2018. ‘En Esur (Asawir), Area M. HA-ESI 130.

Elad I., Paz Y. and Shalem D. 2019. ‘En Esur (Asawir), Area O. HA-ESI 131.

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Yannai E. 2016b. Remains of the Wadi Rabah culture, Early Bronze Age IB and the Intermediate Bronze Age in Area J at ‘En Esur (‘Ein Assawir). ‘Atiqot 85:23*–43* (Hebrew; English summary, pp. 104–106).

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