Bronze Age Winepresses and Roman-Period Burial Caves near Nein, Giv‘at Ha-More

• Published in: עתיקות Vol. 114; pp. 215 - 256
• Main Authors: Bisharat, Eyad, Alexandre, Yardenna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Israel Antiquities Authority 01.01.2024
• Subjects: Excavation Reports
• ISSN: 0792-8424

An excavation carried out near Nein, a village located between Jezreel Valley and Galilee, exposed a concentration of 10 simple rock-cut winepressing installations, possibly dating to the Middle Bronze Age. Three Roman-period burial caves with kokhim, whose vertical access shafts cut through the pressing installations, were partially excavated, yielding stone ossuaries and accompanying grave goods, comprising a variety of pottery vessels including many lamps, and a few glass and metal artifacts. The pottery assemblage dates from the first to the third century CE and is composed of vessels, some characteristic of Jewish Galilee and others, of the Jezreel valley and southern Carmel Range, thus reflecting the geographical location of the site. The oil lamps exhibit many different types, some specifically Jewish, whilst some of the later lamps may reflect the presence of a Samaritan population at the site in the third century CE.