“Zubeibah” Report (Before Editing)
In January XXXX a salvage excavation was held at Zubeibah (Coordinates) on behalf of the XXX. The
excavation was directed by XXX with the help of (Photography) … (surveying) … (GPS) … (Drawing of Finds)
and … (shells).
Trench probes were made in the area, revealing hewn Kurkar stones. The surface level was removed with the
help of a mechanical tool until the head of the stones. Seven squares were excavated (two 5x5 and five 5x2.5 m).
The Tombs (Plan 2). Twelve cist graves were revealed in the excavation, hewn in the rock. Some were hewn in
an E-W direction and some in an S-N direction. Their length was 2.3 m (the longest) and 0.78 m (the shortest); and
width was 1.32 (widest) and 0.59 (narrowest). The two excavated graves were 0.6-1 m deep. Each grave was
covered by long, hewn stone slabs. The natural rock at the top of each grave was leveled to fit the stone cover. Two
of all of the graves were excavated, tombs nos. 8 and 10 (see Plan 3). No pottery or other finds were discovered in
the tombs, and perhaps the tombs were prepared for burial but not used. The sherds found near the tombs – the
material is homogeneous [meaning not mixed - RK] – there was no gap of time between the Hellenistic period and
the use of the graves. In the entire area we did not find even one fragment of pottery from the Iron, Canaanite or
Persian period, which can be defined as pre-Hellenistic, hence it is probable that the graves are of the Hellenistic
period. As is well known graves have been hewn in that period. Furthermore, there was no separating layer between
the pottery and the graves; hence we assume that the graves are Hellenistic.
Finds include sherds of pottery, glass, metal and sea-shells.
Pottery finds in the excavated squares included jars and amphorae, not found in relation to the tombs. Bottles,
lamps and glass vessels that are typical to burial assemblages were not discovered. Hence perhaps the graves were
prepared for burial but not used. Possibly the fragments of jars and amphorae reached the area under other
circumstances, not in the process of burial (Fig. 4)
Glass finds (still in treatment).
Metal finds (still in treatment).
Shells. Dozens of common Mediterranean shells were found outside the tombs; their use is unclear but possibly
they (with the rest of the finds outside the tombs) were brought to the area after the burial, for some unknown
reason. In L.203, Area A Square 2A, we found 195 shells identified as [Latin and common name+description by
an expert]… concentration of shells in one spot and near a certain grave may indicate that they were a burial gift
for a certain individual… It seems that the shells were collected from a nearby beach and brought on purpose to
the burial site….
Conclusions. No finds were discovered inside the graves and possibly they were prepared for burial, but not
used. Pottery near the graves includes jars and amphorae. Lamps and bottles, typical to graves, were not found.
Furthermore, the pottery was not found in relation to the graves but distributed along the entire area from the
head of the stones till close to the surface. According to the [preservation?] state of the pottery, there is no direct
stratigraphic correlation between the burials and the pottery. Hence it is likely that the pottery was not thrown in
the area after the graves had been covered by earth. Since nothing in the area is pre-Hellenistic, it is reasonable
that the graves were hewn in the Hellenistic period.
So far, two similar complexes of burial are known from the northern coastal plain. One group of hewn
tombs was found near Tell er-Ras … (REF). A more similar group to the present burials was found at Achho
(Ref). In view of these comparisons, tombs hewn into the Kurkar rock and covered by dressed slabs of stone are
typical to the northern coastal plain in the Hellenistic and Persian periods. The Zubeibah cemetery, although the
finds were not found in direct relation to the tombs, can be dated to the Persian or Hellenistic periods.
Bibliography
[Two incomplete References]