From a Fortified Canaanite City-State to “a City and a Mother” in Israel: Five Seasons of Excavation at Tel Abel Beth Maacah

Tel Abel Beth Maacah, located on the border of Israel, Syria, and Lebanon, stands out for its continuous settlement from the Late Bronze Age to Iron Age II—a rare phenomenon in the region. Excavations spanning five seasons reveal a strategic site transitioning from a fortified Canaanite city-state to an Iron Age territorial kingdom, bridging the Israelite kingdom and Aram-Damascus. This study highlights the site's geopolitical significance among ancient Canaanites, Israelites, Arameans, and Phoenicians, with peak occupation during MB IIB and Iron Age I–IIA periods.

Yahalom-Mack, N., Panitz-Cohen, N., & Mullins, R. (2018). From a Fortified Canaanite City-State to “a City and a Mother” in Israel: Five Seasons of Excavation at Tel Abel Beth Maacah. Near Eastern Archaeology, 81(2), 145–156. https://doi.org/10.5615/neareastarch.81.2.0145