Nelson Glueck's 1938-1940 Excavations at Tell el-Kheleifeh: A Reappraisal

The low mudbrick mound known today as Tell el-Kheleifeh is approximately 500 m from the northern shore of the Gulf of Aqaba, roughly equidistant between modern Eilat and Aqaba. It was first surveyed in 1933 by Fritz Frank, who identified Tell el-Kheleifeh with biblical Ezion-geber. Glueck directed three seasons of excavation there between 1938 and 1940. Accepting Frank's identification Glueck discerned five major occupational periods, which he dated between the 10th and 5th centuries B. C. The biblical site provided the historical and cultural context for interpretation of Tell el-Kheleifeh's archaeological data. The results of Glueck's three seasons have not been technically published. This study reappraises his excavations with special attention to the site's stratigraphy, architecture, and pottery traditions. The data suggest that Tell el-Kheleifeh was occupied in two major phases; casemate fortress and fortified settlement. The pottery horizons suggest an occupational history from the 8th to the 6th centuries B. C. with a postscript of uncertain duration. Identification of the site is both an archaeological and an historical problem.

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