Articles by Greg Leyfirer (Sobolev)
Three Types of Early Chalcolithic Prestige Stone Vessels from the southern Levant
Peleorient, 2022
Three types of stone vessels from surveyed and excavated sites in Israel are presented and discus... more Three types of stone vessels from surveyed and excavated sites in Israel are presented and discussed: bowls with very small lug handles attached to the rim, bowls decorated with an incised row of lozenges on their exterior and chalices with a solid pedestaled base. The first two types are usually made of limestone, while the chalices are made of basalt. Each of the types was found in at least two sites and are associated only with Early Chalcolithic (ca. 5800-4500 BCE) remains, thus proposed to be characteristics of the period in central and northern Israel. Moreover, their high quality, relative scarcity and significance suggest they were prestige vessels.
Tel Aviv, 2021
A complete Latin funerary inscription was found during an infrastructure development excavation n... more A complete Latin funerary inscription was found during an infrastructure development excavation near the legionary base of the Legio VI Ferrata at Legio. This funerary epitaph for a miles of the VIth Legion is the only complete inscription of its kind from Legio and, therefore, is an important contribution to the history of the legion during its tenure in Syria-Palaestina. In the epigraphic study of the inscription, a specific set of metrological characteristics were identified that have previously only been documented in formal imperial inscriptions. This raises questions about the availability of high-level lapidaries to ordinary soldiers in the context of their service. A review of the existing inscriptions attesting legionaries of Legio VI Ferrata is further provided to contextualize the epitaph.
Papers by Greg Leyfirer (Sobolev)
Giv'at Rabbi excavations report, 2025
Giv'at Rabbi In May 2020, a salvage excavation was conducted on the northeastern slopes of Giv'at... more Giv'at Rabbi In May 2020, a salvage excavation was conducted on the northeastern slopes of Giv'at Rabbi (Permit No. A-8754; map ref. 225354-667/737492-698; Fig. 1), following damage to antiquities during development works to widen Road 79. The excavation, on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and funded by Netivei Israel National Transport Infrastructure Company, was directed by G. Leyfirer (field photography and flint processing), with the assistance of Y. Ya'akobi (administration), M. Cohen (surveying and drafting), A. Shapiro (GIS), H. Tahan-Rosen (pottery drawing); L. Perry-Gal (zooarchaeology), N. Getzov, I. Milevski and D. Shalem (pottery), L. Porat (pottery restoration), D. Gazit (studio photography), R. Be'eri (scientific guidance) and E. Shukron and B. Hana from the IAA North Region.
Atiqot, 2025
The Greek name for the pig is ὕς, once called θῦς from the verb θῦειν, that is, 'to sacrifice' (V... more The Greek name for the pig is ὕς, once called θῦς from the verb θῦειν, that is, 'to sacrifice' (Varro, Rust. 4.9) Excavations in the Roman cemetery near the Legio VI Ferrata legionary base, dated to the second-third centuries CE, exposed a pit containing the remains of at least 13 domestic pigs represented by jaws, primarily mandibles. This study presents new evidence of the role of pigs in Roman military ceremonies, specifically in funerary practices, based on comparable archaeological data and historical and iconographic evidence. The discovery provides valuable insights into the role of pigs in Roman burial practices, suggesting that these remains do not represent the economic waste of mundane consumption activities, but rather reflect practices associated with funerary ceremonies conducted at this Roman cemetery. The new evidence sheds light on burial practices within the Eastern Roman provinces in the Levant, particularly of Roman legions in the province of Syria Palastina.
Three Types of Early Chalcolithic Prestige Stone Vessels from the southern Levant
Paléorient
Three types of stone vessels from surveyed and excavated sites in Israel are presented and discus... more Three types of stone vessels from surveyed and excavated sites in Israel are presented and discussed: bowls with very small lug handles attached to the rim, bowls decorated with an incised row of lozenges on their exterior and chalices with a solid pedestaled base. The first two types are usually made of limestone, while the chalices are made of basalt. Each of the types was found in at least two sites and are associated only with Early Chalcolithic (ca. 5800-4500 BCE) remains, thus proposed to be characteristics of the period in central and northern Israel. Moreover, their high quality, relative scarcity and significance suggest they were prestige vessels.
A Roman Military Funerary Inscription from the Legionary Base of the VI Ferrata at Legio, Israel
Tel Aviv, 2021
A complete Latin funerary inscription was found during an infrastructure development excavation n... more A complete Latin funerary inscription was found during an infrastructure development excavation near the legionary base of the Legio VI Ferrata at Legio. This funerary epitaph for a miles of the VIth Legion is the only complete inscription of its kind from Legio and, therefore, is an important contribution to the history of the legion during its tenure in Syria-Palaestina. In the epigraphic study of the inscription, a specific set of metrological characteristics were identified that have previously only been documented in formal imperial inscriptions. This raises questions about the availability of high-level lapidaries to ordinary soldiers in the context of their service. A review of the existing inscriptions attesting legionaries of Legio VI Ferrata is further provided to contextualize the epitaph.
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Articles by Greg Leyfirer (Sobolev)
Papers by Greg Leyfirer (Sobolev)