Kinneret: Registration and Documentation of Finds

Support of the Documentation under the Auspices of the „Kinneret Regional Project“

Stefan Münger (Bern)

The finds and findings from Strata VI – IV at Tệl Kinrōt / Tell el-ʿOrēme are undoubtedly among the most important Early Iron Age (ca. 1130-950 BCE) assemblages of the greater region. The respective settlement layers were excavated from 1994 until 2001 by the late Volkmar Fritz (Mainz/Giessen/Jerusalem) and from 2003 until 2008 by the Kinneret Regional Project. The archaeological exploration of the material culture of Early Iron Age ancient Kinneret was exceptionally rich in finds. Especially the destruction layers of Stratum V (ca. 1050 – 950 BCE) produced many dozens of restorable artifacts that needed to be fully registered and documented for the final publication of the excavations.

Therefore, a registration and documentation project was initiated at the close of the last excavation season at the site. The project – which could not have been realized without the initial funding by the Deutscher Palästina-Verein – included the following goals: Analyse of the ceramic material from relevant loci, partial or full restoration of the pottery, the graphic and photographic documentation of artifacts, their full description and finally their adequate storage. The team consisted of Irina Gutman (restoration; Beer-Sheva); Christa Lennert (graphic artist; Mainz); Inga Müller (registration; Leipzig) and Daniella Vos (registration; Leiden).

Further Information

• The final publication of this project is in preparation for the “Monograph Series of the Society for the Exploration of Palestine (ADPV)” .
• S. Münger, „Handle with Care“. Notes on Stamp-Seal Impressions on Jar Handles and a Bulla from Early Iron Age Tell el-ʿOrēme / Tệl Kinrōt, in: ZDPV 125/2 (2009), 116 – 18.
• Kinneret Regional Project