Analysis of the plans and photographs from the first excavation of Tel Azekah by archaeologists Frederick J Bliss and R.A. Stewart Macalister in 1898-1899 have raised several conclusions in the attempt to understand Azekah’s acropolis.
First, the highest area of the Tel is located near the southeast corner of the mound, above the Late Bronze Age temple that was exposed in area E3.
Second, on the summit stood a citadel excavated almost entierly by Bliss and Macalister.
Third, the results of their excavations made it clear that at least the later phases of this citadel should be dated to the Hellenistic period, while earlier phases of the structure exist beneath them.
It took several years of analysis to determine precisely where Bliss and Macalister excavated on the acropolis, how deep they reached, and the locations of the walls they uncovered (and subsequently reburied). We gradually came to realize that they did not excavate the entire acropolis, but rather limited portions of the citadel’s interior, employing narrow trenches between walls. We also learned that the citadel did not cover the whole acropolis in its preserved form and that it was not a single structure, but rather a complex of several citadels from different phases. Bliss and Macalister combined these into a single plan, partly based on their excavations and partly on reconstruction.
During the 2022 season, we opened Area A1 in the western part of the acropolis and soon uncovered the western wall of the citadel. This discovery made it clear that Bliss and Macalister had not excavated the entire citadel and, in particular, had not reached the full depth of its walls, which in some cases extend to a depth of up to 4 m. We also found that areas outside the citadel preserve undisturbed stratified deposits from the Persian period and Iron Age IIc–IIb, yielding abundant pottery, stamp impressions, and other significant finds.
Our expectations for this key area of the tell—perhaps its most important—were high. Consequently, during the 2023 season we opened two additional excavation areas within Area A1: A1n, located north of the 2022 Area A1, and A1s, located to its south. In the most recent season, excavations continued in the northernmost part of the citadel.
The results did not disappoint. To learn more check out The Excavations of Azekah’s Acropolis!
The Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition 