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A Middle Bronze Age Temple in Sidon. Ritual and Communal Feasting

This document provides an overview of the excavation of a Middle Bronze Age temple building discovered in Sidon, Lebanon. Some key details include: - The 39-meter long building contained 5 rooms and had platforms that may have been used for ritual performances. - Animal bones and pottery found in Room 2 indicate communal feasting took place there, while Room 3 contained evidence of burnt offerings. - Further excavation of the building could provide more information about its original size and layout before later expansions.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
88 views29 pages

A Middle Bronze Age Temple in Sidon. Ritual and Communal Feasting

This document provides an overview of the excavation of a Middle Bronze Age temple building discovered in Sidon, Lebanon. Some key details include: - The 39-meter long building contained 5 rooms and had platforms that may have been used for ritual performances. - Animal bones and pottery found in Room 2 indicate communal feasting took place there, while Room 3 contained evidence of burnt offerings. - Further excavation of the building could provide more information about its original size and layout before later expansions.

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A Middle Bronze Age temple in Sidon. Ritual and communal feasting.

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A Middle Bronze Age temple in Sidon
Ritual and communal feasting

Claude Doumet-Serhal (London)1 – Jwana Shahud (Lyon)

Within Sidon’s ‘College site’, a monumental building (Pl. 1) which was identified as
a temple has been under excavation since 20042. This impressive 39 metre-long
building disappears on its eastern side under a street adjacent to the excavation. The
main western wall of the building, which runs north to south, has been exposed but
most of its interior five rooms to the east of the wall have only been partly excavated
and further work will have to be undertaken in future seasons. The north-side wall
which is 1·09 m wide and preserved to a height of 1·22 m is joined at its southern
side by a second north-south returning wall indicating that the building terminates at
this junction. The construction technique uses numerous large flat stones laid firmly
flat but not set in clear courses towards the base (Fig. 1). Massive boulders found on
top of the wall were part of a large levelling process for the construction of an Iron
Age building which extends further than the Middle Bronze Age one (Fig. 2).
Apart from the evidence of feasting activities that took place in this building, the
only structural element3 that indicates it was a temple are two platforms. One was
found at the southern end of the building and the other, measuring about 2·7 m
north-south by 1·4 m east-west, has partly been truncated in room 5 by a modern
foundation pillar. The platform at the end of the building (Fig. 3), situated about 2 m
to the north of the first one, was neatly keyed to the south-western corner of the
building’s east-west returning wall. This large rectangular structure was made of
roughly hewn fairly flat large sandstones irregularly shaped and measuring 3·05 m
by 1·95 m. The largest stones measure 60 x 65 x 15 cm and the smallest are 38 x 20
x 15 cm. The size and well-built condition of the building wall show that structurally
there is no clear reason why it should need any internal reinforcement of this kind.
The platform therefore may well have been used as a base supporting a feature
associated with the ritual of the temple. It is clear from the excavation results that
something was placed on top of the platform and later removed, which would
explain why the middle part of it is slightly demolished with an absent top course. A
possible window was identified in the end wall. The presence of platforms for the
performance of communal feasts is well attested in Nahariyah4.
At the end of the Middle Bronze Age period, the building was considerably
extended to the north. A firm creamy white undulating floor with chalky lumps and

1
Animal remains are an essential part in identifying feasting and ritual activities and I cannot
thank Jwana Shahud enough for the fruitful discussions we were able to have together on
this subject.
2
Doumet-Serhal 2004, 65–71; 2006, 151; 2009, 229–240.
3
Dothan 1981, 79.
4
Dothan 1956, 6–19; Dothan 1981, 77–78; Marchetti – Nigro 1997, 37; Katz 2009, 154.
34 Claude Doumet-Serhal – Jwana Shahud

worn surface, which is part of the last occupational stage of the building, was found
inside all rooms. A great deal of care went into the laying of this floor and it was a
quite substantial surface which also lined the inside of the western wall. The surface
was very well laid and when freshly excavated showed that it was actually a creamy
white clay material quite thick in places. In situ burning was found on top of this
floor which is truncated in many rooms by modern (e. g. foundation school pillars
and a water pipe, rooms 2 and 5) or ancient disturbances (e. g. Late Bronze and Iron
Age pits, rooms 3 and 5). Because of the damage caused by later fills and modern
structures it is possible that floors were disturbed which is perhaps why no column
bases were found on them. Only the floor of room 3 was found to contain carbonized
wood that is probably the remains of the ceiling’s structural timbers. Study of the
microstructure of one sample revealed Olea europaea, olive wood5.
The entrance to the building, which is an addition from a slightly later period
(LBI), consisted of a stone floor mainly composed of limestone interspersed with
some sandstone blocks of varying sizes. Whilst most of the stones were round with a
flat side forming the surface, others were roughly hewn into slabs. Three of these
included two large round flint stones and a rather square limestone slab which had
been placed in a row with equidistant gaps in-between. This area may have formed
part of a portico with the stones acting as pads for columns. The entrance is
intersected from the north-east by what may have been a little pathway. The east-to-
west cut of a possible beam slot was found in front of the supposed portico. This
potential portal beam might have been part of a threshold or may have had another
structural or ornamental purpose. An elaborate entrance with dressed stones is
presumed to have existed with two walls on either side6. It is worth mentioning that
apart from the building’s entrance where Monochrome and Bichrome Wheel Made
Ware were discovered7, no imported or imitated foreign pottery vessels were found
inside the building.
Five rooms have been excavated to date and further excavations are underway to
further examine the partitions between rooms and to try to determine the size of an
earlier building that was considerably enlarged at the end of the Middle Bronze Age
period during the Hyksos era. An overview of rooms 1, 2, 3 and 5 will be presented
here but the material found in room 5, which was excavated in 2008, will be the
focus of this paper.

Room 1
This room was the only room where an installation was found consisting of sloping
communicating shallow pits with the thick white chalky surface. Only two pits had a
substantial depth: the first was subcircular, measured 1·70 m long, 1·45 m wide and
40 cm deep, and is the largest with vertical sides and a flat base. It contained a large
amount of pottery and animal bones and was linked to a smaller circular one with
sloping vertical sides and a concave base measuring 42 x 44 cm and 31 cm deep.
This latter was full of lumps of clay.

5
Allué – Giffiths, 2006, 23–31.
6
Doumet-Serhal 2004, 65.
7
Doumet-Serhal 2004, 69.
A Middle Bronze Age temple in Sidon 35

Room 2
This was established as the most important room in terms of feasting activity and
breakage ceremony, despite the damage caused by a modern water pipe cutting its
floor.
The ceramic assemblage found here consisted of an unusually high number of
some 598 lamps, indicating that either the room had no windows or that ceremonies
took place at night, and 121 platter bowls8 (of which 15 are miniature vessels). In
comparison, relatively few vessels for the storage of liquids were found, namely only
69 juglets; food-preparation vessels such as cooking pots were found in even fewer
numbers9.
The faunal assemblage found in room 2 was not plentiful in content, with only
29 remains recorded which included: a deposit of one limb and trunk parts of a
young goat (under 3 months), the discarded phalanx and teeth remains of an older
goat (2 to 4 years) and three bones of the hind limb and feet of an adult bovine. One
type of bone is noteworthy: the presence of seven polished caprine astragali or
animal knuckle bones. One astragalus bears cut marks which were most likely made
whilst skinning the animal, two others are polished on two sides and only one is
burnt. Furthermore, one additional burnt astragalus belongs to the wild game genus
(Fallow deer). A worked bone (probably a large ungulate) was also found.

Room 3
The floor of the room was cut by a large Late Bronze Age pit irregular in shape with
sides curving sharply in some places and more gently in others. The surviving
Middle Bronze Age floor measured 1·10 – 1·40 m north-south by 2·30 m east-west.
Burnt olive wood beams aligned in a north-south direction along with mud brick and
a quantity of bituminous or clay-like material was lying directly on top of pottery
sherds indicating that these had fallen from the roof10. Aside from the pottery, a
small basalt stone and a gold object in the shape of a duck’s head objet were also
recovered11.
The faunal assemblage consisted of the remains of one young goat (under 3
months) attested by limb parts, two ribs, a vertebra and two metapodial fragments.
One polished goat astragalus and one cattle phalanx were also recorded. All limb
and torso bones of the young goat had been burnt.

Room 4 requires further investigation.

Room 5
This room is the most southerly room of the building. Its floor was cut in the middle
by an Iron Age pit that damaged most of it (Pl. 2). A modern foundation pillar
divides the area into a north and south part, and there is little possibility of rejoining
the two without extending the excavation area to the east which is not possible
because of the street running along the site.

8
Doumet-Serhal 2009, 229.
9
Doumet-Serhal 2009, 230–239.
10
Collins 2006, 106–113.
11
Collins 2006, 111–112.
36 Claude Doumet-Serhal – Jwana Shahud

The area excavated from the original floor of the building is 2·20 m long, 1·50 m
wide and 0·10 cm thick. The soil is reddish brown with clayey silt, occasional chalk
pebbles and a few stones around 0·5 to 0·15 cm in diameter. In the western part of
the area, burnt deposits containing animal bone were found. Scattered on the top
surface were broken potsherds and burnt animal bone (Pl. 3). A few carnelian beads,
flint blades, two steatite scarabs, a worked animal scapula, and a circular stone disk
were also found (Fig. 4).
The faunal assemblage consisted of the remains of a right forelimb and upper
feet of a young goat (under 1 year), the upper foot of an older goat (older than 2
years), three limbs of a sheep (1 to 2 years) along with the ribs and vertebrae of a
caprine. Ten scattered cattle bone remains were also recorded. All remains were
burnt and deposited on the floor of room 5 in semi-articulated clusters (Pl. 4). Feet
elements were isolated from the limb and trunk parts. In addition, seven caprine
astragali were also found (three goats and four sheep) and a worked scapula of a
large adult ungulate. The square-like scapula had chopping marks and burning
patches on some edges.

Animal bones as evidence of ritual or feasting activity


Although not very abundant, the faunal deposits together with the other goods found
in the temple indicate an important special activity that could be related to feasting
or to sacrifice rituals.
Young caprine, which constitute the majority of animal bone remains in Sidon,
are also the predominant type of animal bone offering remains found in the Levant
during the Bronze Age12. The temples at Tel Dan, Tel Haror, Ebla and Tel Dab’a
temples presented mainly young caprine and cattle bones related to temple meal
refuse13. The sacrifice of young caprine and cattle and the deposit of part of limbs are
also mentioned in Neo-Babylonian sacrificial rituals text in the Near East14.
During the initial stages of carcass preparation, the butchering process requires
the separation of foot bones and crania from parts which are rich in meat such as
limbs and trunks. Those parts of the carcass not related to the food preparation
process are probably discarded or carried away with the skin and therefore do not
undergo the same butchering processes or preparation that meaty bones do. Cut
marks recorded on bones are evidence of a disarticulation process which must have
taken place after the slaughter of the animal.

Three arguments from the Sidon animal bones reflect feast and ritual:
1 The selection of parts rich in meat and the presence of articulated feet in the
Sidon rooms indicate the refuse of a butchery process along with consumption which
took place in a single place. This means that the whole butchery process was
conducted on site and that bone remains were probably intentionally thrown in the
same place together with the ceramic remains after they have been used in a ‘single
meal or event’ limited in time and place. The minimal number of animal individuals
(room 2: 3 individuals; room 3: 1 goat) does not evocate a huge quantity of meat and

12
Horwitz 2001, 81.
13
Wapnish – Hesse 1991, 35; Klenck 2002, 76; De Grossi Mazzorin – Minniti 2000, 316;
Kunst in press.
14
Joannès 2000, 335.
A Middle Bronze Age temple in Sidon 37

the nature of the deposit (without weathering marks) might be interpreted as the
refuse of a one-off single feast, a special meal or practice. Refuse-pit remains related
to feasting or special meals are attested in Ebla and in Tell Dab’a, but on a larger
scale in terms of the amount of material found in them15.
2 The cremation and the deposit of isolated clusters of semi-articulated limbs,
trunks and feet in room 5 are particularly important. This is something unique and
not generally attested in the Middle Bronze Age of the Levant. The question that
should be asked is whether the meat was consumed before or burnt as an offering.
Cut marks on this material reflect only the dismemberment of limbs and feet. In
addition, the outer surface of all the bones is burned except the articulated joint zone
where burning effects might have been reduced by the articulation covering the joint
surfaces. In the Iron Age at both Tel Dan16 and Tel Haror17, altar remains seem to
contain a high frequency of totally burnt bones and are interpreted as ‘a whole burnt
sacrifice to the gods’. However, no reference to burnt articulated deposits was found
in the archaeozoological reports. Ugaritic texts mention offerings where sacrificed
animals (caprine 33%, bovine 15% of ninety-two different objects mentioned as
offerings in the Ugaritic texts) were completely burned: “the šurpu, which probably
designates the holocaust or burnt-offering (Hebrew cōlāh)”18.
3 The remarkable number of astragali recovered from these Sidon rooms
(particularly the 15 caprine and 1 fallow deer’s astragali) is important to underline.
Astragali have been found in cultic contexts, namely near the altar of Lachish’s Late
Bronze Age temple19 and in palaces. Notable examples of this include the Late
Bronze Age palaces of Ras Shamra and Qatna and in funeral contexts in the Middle
Bronze Age at Megiddo and Ebla and in the Late Bronze Age in the Beq’a Valley20.
Several interpretations are given to concentrations of seemingly intentionally
collected and deposited astragali in Bronze Age structures. They are usually related
to divination practices or used as gaming pieces, amulets or tokens which were used
for exchange or for counting or as proof of a sacrifice21. Fallow deer astragali were
less frequently present than other domestic species. They were recorded from
temples at Beth Shean, Ras Shamra, Tell Mishrifé/Qatna and Tell Afis22.
Archaoezoological studies and Late Bronze Age iconography have highlighted the
importance of deer in the socio-cultural sphere of ancient Levantine societies23.

Vessels as evidence of ritual or feasting activity


Relics of cultic meals, the ceramic majority of which were platter bowls and bowls,
were also the most frequent type of vessel represented in all the Sidon rooms and
were invariably found together with animal bone deposits. The large amount of
plates in all the rooms points to communal meals or to a ceremony that involved

15
The refuse pit of the temple; De Grossi Mazzorin – Minniti 2000, 316; Kunst in press.
16
Wapnish – Hesse 1991, 36.
17
Klenck 2002, 54.
18
Pardee 2002, 225.
19
Tufnell 1940, 94.
20
Affani 2008, 78.
21
Gilmour 1997, 167–172.
22
Affani 2008, 78; Vila 2008, 76; Baro 2003, 127; Wilkens 2000, 44.
23
Dalix – Vila 2007, 346.
38 Claude Doumet-Serhal – Jwana Shahud

their usage. Plates were deliberately smashed before their deposition. Some bear
traces of fire whilst others reveal that burning occurred after the vessels were broken
and the sherds displaced. Ritual objects were also found.

Ritual objects
Two types of incense burners were found, namely the fenestrated cylindrical stand24
in rooms 325 and 5 (Pl. 5, 1–4) and the hand-held model in room 2 of a type
commonly found in Egypt in the New Kingdom26. A kernos and 15 miniature vessels
hand or wheel-made27 with sharply out-turned rims28 were found in room 2. Room 5
revealed only 4 of the latter (Pl. 5, 5–8). Nonetheless, the bulk of the pottery
consisted of household vessels used for the supply and consumption of food. An
exception to this however is the presence of 598 lamps found in room 2, most
probably indicating that a ceremony took place at night. Lamps of the typically
open-shell type, none of which belonged to the more pinched-lip forms which
developed in the Late Bronze Age period29 were also found in rooms 1 and 3. No
lamps were discovered in room 5.

Common ware pottery


The pottery found in room 5 consists of the following:
Platter bowls and bowls

Platter bowls: large quantities of these standard-sized serving vessels


An important feature of the platter bowls is their standard shape. Medium to large
shallow platter bowls still featured the inverted rim commonly found in Middle
Bronze vessel types from Sidon30 and continued to be in use for a considerable
period of time. The rim diameters generally range from 11 to 23 cm. Platter bowls
with inverted rims were plentiful in room 5 (Pl. 6–8) and less so in the other rooms.
Plain rim platter bowls (Pl. 9–11) are less abundant in room 5 but are found in
rooms 2 and 3. Some have gently rounded or flaring sides whilst others, with
straighter flaring walls31 are characteristic of the transition between the Middle and
Late Bronze Age continuing into the LB I period32 (Fig. 4). Some of the plain rim
platter bowls have a groove on the exterior under the rim (Pl. 11, 1–9). This type, as
well as the bowls with folded outward rims (Pl. 11, 10–11), has parallels in the Late
Bronze Age at Kamid el Loz33. By the LB I period, the inverted rims types are
largely supplanted by plain rims on bowls with more oblique, straight flaring walls34.
Platter bowls (Pl. 11, 12–24; Pl. 12, 25–28) with rims folded inwards35 become very

24
Ben-Dor 1950, 17.
25
Collins 2006, 111.
26
Doumet-Serhal 2009, 230.
27
Seger 1965, 105–106; Ben-Dor 1950, 19–26.
28
Doumet-Serhal 2009, 230.
29
Collins 2006, 110.
30
Seger 1965, 95, Bp. 11.
31
Seger 1965, Bp. 12, Pl. II.
32
Collins 2006, 109; Charaf 2004, for the same evolution at Tell Arqa, 236.
33
Metzger 1993, Pl. 91, 6, Pl. 92, 7, 8.
34
Seger 1965, 95.
35
Megiddo in MB III & LB I, Gadot – Yasur-Landau – Ilan 2006, Fig. 12.2: 1.
A Middle Bronze Age temple in Sidon 39

popular in Sidon in the Late Bronze Age36. The flat base associated with this class of
bowls (Pl. 14, 1–20) and the disc bases (Pl. 14, 21–28) are still present but ring bases
gradually become more common, namely in rooms 2 and 3. Of particular interest in
this category are the more elaborate bases with a ridge37 (Pl. 15, 38–39) which
appear at the end of the Middle Bronze Age. One base (Pl. 15, 40) has an “X” mark
incised after firing. One trumpet base (Pl. 15, 41), a late Middle Bronze Age form38,
was also found.

Rounded bowls
This particular category (Pl. 12, 1–7), of which one is slipped (Pl. 12, 5) includes
bowls with slightly incurving rims (Pl. 12, 6, 7). These compare to the Tell Dab’a
example similar to the ones found in phase 11 of the MB II gate at Ashkelon39.

Globular or carinated closed bowls


Closed bowls are sometimes covered with a slip (Pl. 12, 8, 11, and 14). Rims are
plain (Pl. 12, 8) or outcurved (Pl. 12, 9–11) perpetuating styles found in MBII A in
Palestine40. Three bowls (Pl. 12, 12–14) have an external profiled rim. Carination
appears on closed bowls with a higher ring base (Pl. 12, 15).

Carinated bowls
Open carinated bowls appear in MB II–III and LB I–II41. The bowls have flaring
everted rims that are either sharp (Pl. 12, 17) or less pronounced (Pl. 12, 16).

Straight-sided and necked bowls


These bowls (Pl. 13) belong to the fine ware, some of which may belong to the
necked-bowl category which appear in MB IIB in Palestine42.
Deep bowls
One bowl (Pl. 13, 13) with incurved walls and a rim projecting inside and outside,
commonly found at Jericho is also attested in early MB IIB in Shechem43.
Jars
Jars are divided into five main categories most continuing from the earlier Middle
Bronze Age tradition.
1 Plain rims with rounded edge (Pl. 16, 1–3), one of which (Pl. 16, 4) compares to
Shechem’s high-collared-rim44.
2 Rims with a rounded and square edge grooved on the inside (Pl. 16, 5–10).
3 Rims with a rounded or square edge with a profiled exterior (Pl. 16, 11–19)
and which are comparable to those found in Aphek in MB IIA45 and Shechem in
MB IIB46.

36
Doumet-Serhal 2011–2012, 310.
37
Seger 1965, 97; Cole 1984, Pl. 21– B. 0. 34.
38
Amiran 1969, 303.
39
Kopetzky 2008, 215.
40
Cole 1984, 52.
41
Gadot – Yasur-Landau – Ilan 2006, 173.
42
Cole 1984, 52.
43
Cole 1984, Bd B. 23, Pl. 7, 9.
44
Cole 1984, (Pl. 42), JJ. 5.
45
Kochavi – Yadin 2002, (Fig. 17), 11–23.
40 Claude Doumet-Serhal – Jwana Shahud

4 Triangular (Pl. 16, 20–23; Pl. 17, 1–13) and rounded rims (Pl. 17, 14–20).
Triangular rims are found in the MB IIA at Aphek47 and in the MB IIC at Shechem48.
The triangular grooved rim on (Pl. 17, 12) finds parallels in Sarepta stratum L
(17th – 16th century)49.
5 Everted rims (Pl. 17, 21–23) are comparable to those of the MB IIC50
at Shechem.
Jugs and dipper juglets
Dipper juglets with a burnished red to brown slip represent a very homogeneous type
clearly reflecting the Late Middle Bronze Age51. These juglets, some of which were
found whole in room 2 and measured on average 15 3 cm high and 6 cm wide with a
diameter of 2 6 cm52 have a cylindrical body and a distinctive shoulder. The single
round handle starting at the rim ends in a very pronounced bend of the shoulder. The
base is also very distinctive with a small pronounced knob (Pl. 18, 8–11). This type
of dipper juglet is found at Tell Dab’a at the very end of stratum D/2 (1560–1530
BC)53. The pointed base form (Pl. 18, 5–6) clearly reflects the Late MB pointed
form54.
Only two rim-to-shoulder jug handles (Pl. 18, 12–13) and one shoulder-handled
jug (Pl. 18, 14) were found.
Holemouth/Cooking pots
These wheel-made vessels with or without handles are distinguished on the basis of
the fabric of the ware with some resembling cooking pots and others holemouth jars.
Different clays however do not point to their different usage as the same shape was
used in the Middle Bronze Age in Sidon for the same purpose. Rims measure
between 13 and 19 cm.
The simple round rim (Pl. 19, 1) is comparable to cooking pots from Tell el-
Ghassil level VIII55, dated to the end of MBIIC/III until 1500 BC. Holemouth jars
with an everted plain rim are comparable to kraters of the MB II–III at Megiddo56,
Hazor stratum 357 and Shechem58. These holemouth jars with an everted grooved rim
to hold a lid (Pl. 19, 3–4, 6–8) are comparable to others from MB IIC period at
Shechem59. Incised decoration is found in one case (Pl. 19, 9).
Baking trays
Many baking trays were found in Sidon room 560 (Pl. 19, 11).

46
Cole 1984, (Pl. 41), JJ. 21.
47
Kochavi – Yadin 2002, (Fig. 17), 1–9.
48
Seger 1965, JJ42 a–c.
49
Anderson 1988, (Pl. 20), 13.
50
Seger 1965, JJ 13.
51
Seger 1965, 128.
52
Doumet-Serhal 2009, (Pl. 8), 1–7.
53
Kopetzky 2002, 237.
54
Seger 1965, 128.
55
Doumet-Serhal 1996, Pl. 41, 7.
56
Gadot – Yasur-Landau – Ilan, 2006, Fig. 12.1: 9.
57
Yadin et al., 1960, Pl. CX, 19.
58
Seger 1965, Pl. XLV, Cpr. 3, a–b.
59
Seger 1965, (Pl. XLIVe) / Cole 1984 (Fig. 17), 66 which compare to other examples from
Nahariya MB II.
60
Ben-Dor 1950, (Fig. 44, 45) for examples found in the temple at Nahariya.
A Middle Bronze Age temple in Sidon 41

Conclusion
It is not surprising that the material from room 5 is identical in many instances to
that uncovered in the other Sidon rooms (e. g. rooms 2 and 3). However from the
preliminary results one can already follow the ceramic developments which accord
most probably, with the particular usage of the room. Further excavations and a
comparative study between the material found in each room, the frequency of certain
types (lamps for examples in room 2) and the disappearance of others (no lamps in
room 5) will allow us to clarify the picture of the activity undertaken in each room.
Faunal remains from room 5 are unique. They refer to a ritual deposit of carefully
selected cremated parts of limbs deposited on the floor of the room which is not
generally attested in the Middle Bronze Age of the Levant. Archaeological material
from cult places in the Levant comparable to the Sidon assemblage is found as early
as the Middle Bronze Age at Ebla (Mardikh III A1)61. This tradition also appears in
Tell Dab’a62 and in Palestine in the final phase of the Middle Bronze Age63. Sidon’s
monumental building was most probably a sanctuary for community cultic worship64
and further excavations will allow a further understanding of the ritual undertaken.

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Figures

Fig. 1 North-south wall of building


A Middle Bronze Age temple in Sidon 45

Fig. 2 Iron Age boulders on top of the Middle Bronze Age building
46 Claude Doumet-Serhal – Jwana Shahud

Fig. 3 Platform in room 5

Fig. 4 Cremated bones and scarab on the floor of room 5


A Middle Bronze Age temple in Sidon 47

Plates

Pl. 1 Monumental building in Sidon


48 Claude Doumet-Serhal – Jwana Shahud

Pl 2 Room 5: Iron Age pit


A Middle Bronze Age temple in Sidon 49

Pl. 3 Room 5 Broken potsherds and burnt bones scattered on the floor
50 Claude Doumet-Serhal – Jwana Shahud

Pl. 4 Room 5 Semi-articulated bones on the Middle Bronze Age floor


A Middle Bronze Age temple in Sidon 51

1
3

2 4

5 6 7

8 9

0 10 cm

Pl. 5 Room 5 The pottery


52 Claude Doumet-Serhal – Jwana Shahud

1
14

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7
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9

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0 10 cm
26

Pl. 6 Room 5 The pottery


A Middle Bronze Age temple in Sidon 53

36
27

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33 44

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0 10 cm

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55

0 10 cm
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Pl. 7–8 Room 5 The pottery


54 Claude Doumet-Serhal – Jwana Shahud

14
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2 15

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10 22

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26 30

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0 10 cm

Pl. 9–10 Room 5 The pottery


A Middle Bronze Age temple in Sidon 55

1 13

2 14

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5

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8

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10 23

24
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0 10 cm

12

Pl. 11 Room 5 The pottery


56 Claude Doumet-Serhal – Jwana Shahud

25 27

26 28

14

10 15

11
16

12

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0 10 cm

8
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9
2

3 10

4 11

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Pl. 12–13 Room 5 The pottery


A Middle Bronze Age temple in Sidon 57

1
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36

Pl. 14–15 Room 5 The pottery


58 Claude Doumet-Serhal – Jwana Shahud

12

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5 15

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Pl. 16 Room 5 The pottery


A Middle Bronze Age temple in Sidon 59

1 12

2 13

3 14

15

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8
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9
22

10 23

0 10 cm
11

Pl. 17 Room 5 The pottery


60 Claude Doumet-Serhal – Jwana Shahud

12
2 8

3 9

13
4

10
5

14

6 11

0 10 cm
15

1
7

9
4

10
5

6
11
0 10 cm

Pl. 18–19 Room 5 The pottery

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