TELL AL-MASHHAD

The 2010 archaeological campaign

at Tell al-Mashhad/Khirbet ‘Ayun Musa

The 2010 season of the Project of Archaeological Researches in the site of Tell al-Mashhad ('Ayun Musa – Madaba -) was carried out from July 28th to August 12th.
The staff was composed of a number of specialists from the Associazione OLIM (Rome. Italy): Dr. Angelo Ghiroldi (archaeologist), Dr. Simona Bracci (archaeologist), Dr. Dario Scarpati (archaeologist), Dr. Giacomo Tabita (archaeologist), Mr. Nicolò Pini (archaeologist) and Dr. Francesco M. Benedettucci (archaeologist and Director). The representative from the Department of Antiquities of Jordan was Dr. Hamada al-Mour.

The activities carried out during the 2010 research campaign at the site of Tell al-Mashhad were focused on the following main objectives:

1) the completation of a preliminary, systematic sketchplan of the squared building on the top of the hill;
2) the excavation of the building;
3) preliminary study of the objects (pottery and grinding stones) collected during the campaigns.

The main results of these activities may be summed up as follows:

The sketchplan of the fortress. The remains of a large structure, almost squared in shape, are visible on the top of Tell al-Mashhad. This building should probably be extremely important in the frame of the village activities, because of its preminent position, dominating the first sector of the ‘Ayun Musa valley, starting just from the perennial spring.
Such a building has been object of a very preliminary architectonical survey during the 2003 season, a very difficult work, because of the presence of a large amount of collapsed stones. The building shows an almost squared plan, whose side is about 22 meters and with the presence of small retaining walls in the eastern and northern side.
It has not been possible, during the last season, recognize the presence of a central courtyard, as one can expect. In any case, the buiding shows great similarities, in the plan, with the very well known typology of the “Hofbau”, with a large diffusion, for several purposes, in the entire Palestinian region. Exemples of such a type are the famous Late Bronze Age temple of the old Amman airport, or the residential buildings discovered in the sites of Tell es-Sa’idiyeh and Tell al-Mazar, both in the Jordan Valley, and the al-Mabrak building, probably connected with agricultural purposes, and the not far edifice of Rujm al-Mukhayyat (just opposite to Khirbet al-Mukhayyat), excavated in the Sixties by J. Ripamonti, with a squared courtyard and several rooms surrounding it.

The excavation of the fortress on the top of the hill.The most important activities carried out during the 2010 campaign at Tell al-Mashhad were focused on the opening of soundings in the area of the building dominating the site.
During a preliminary visit of the site, it was noted the presence of a very recent robber’s activity with the presence of a very deep trench (down to m. 6), excavated just in the middle of the site (Fg. 1).

Figure 1: The robber’s trench opened in the middle of the fortress

This presence was a danger not only for the archaeological evidence, but also for the safety of people involved in the excavation activities. As a consequence, it was decided to re-fill the big hole with the same soil extracted from it, after its examination to collect a possible pottery sequence, and to concentrate our efforts on the enclosure wall.
This has been completely excavated on two sides, North and West.

In the Northern side (Fgs. 2-3),

Figure 2: The Northern Wall of the Fortress after the excavation

Figure 3: Detail of the Northern Wall of the Fortress after the excavation

it was erected directly on the bedrock and emerging from the ground to a height of at least 2.5-3.00 m. It runs in an E-W direction and is built of large, roughly-dressed dry-laid stones. It was composed by a double line of stones, creating, in the vicinity of the North-West corner of the building, a smaller corner (Fg. 4).

Figure 4: Detail of the Northern Wall of the Fortress after the excavation

About 1 m. far from the wall, it was noted the presence of a smaller wall, whose height was not exceeding 0.70 m., probably retaining a sidewalk (Fg. 5).

Figure 5: The small wall facing the Northern side of the Fortress

Also in the Western side, the wall was erected directly on the bedrock; it emerged for about 1.20 m., and at its foot was possible to note the presence of collapsed stones from the upper lines. (Fg. 6).

Figure 6: The collapsed stones of the Western side from North

On the Eastern side, the surrounding wall was excavated only in two sectors, starting from the two corners, North-East and South-East. In the central sector of the side, the presence of remains of an outer wall, similar to the one facing the Northern side, but in a danger of a possible collapse, made impossible the continuation of the excavation.
The Southern side, facing the ancient village, was not excavated. It is possible that the gate of the building could be discovered on this side on next season.
The objects collected during the 2010 campaign. The most of the objects from the excavated area seems to be datable to the latest phase of Iron Age II (VIII-VI century B.C.). The best represented types are the Ridged Neck Jars and kraters with a large mouth. From a most general point of view, the pottery objects from Tell al-Mashhad can be considered quite typical in the frame of the Iron Age II Palestinian production, with strict similarities with the ceramic production from the northern Palestinian region, and, in Transjordan, with the pottery from the ancient kingdoms of Ammon and Moab.
During this season it was also collected a number of grinding stones. It was possible to recognize at least four groups: a) the upper grinding stones, usually enlonged, cigar-shaped, and often with a flat side; b) the lower grinding stones, usually a rectangular, flat stone, whose use is associated with the one of the previous typology; c) the pestels, usually a ball-shaped, or cylindrical pebble; d) the mortars, probably the most interesting type, due to the fact that the mortars can be very different in size and shape, from the basalt dish with a ring base, to the large limestone mortar with a deep hole in the centre. All these objects are usually realized in limestone or basalt.
In the group of other objects found during the excavations, we should note the presence of a small number of spindle whorls and a small fragment of a glazed object, an unidentified part of a possible egyptian or egyptianizing amulet.
During the 2010 season, moreover, in the immediate surroundings of the site a nice glazed potsherd dated to the Mamluk period (XIII-XIV century A.D.) was collected. It can testify the frequentation of the region during the Middle Age.

Realizzato nel 2004 a cura della missione archeologica a TELL AL-MASHHAD
info: fmg_benedettucci@libero.it