Abstract:

The excavation of Prof. E.L. Sukenik at Tell Jerishe (in present-day Ramat Gan) was one of the pioneering archaeological undertakings during the days of the British Mandate; a final season took place in 1951. Since the excavator died before he could work on the stratigraphy and finds, the results of his labors did not receive the recognition due to them. During the 1951 season, Sukenik had concentrated on the fortifications, a combination of wall and glacis that was little known at the time. Three decades later, S. Geva accomplished the formidable task of publishing this important Middle Bronze II fortification complex. In order to clarify certain points, she conducted a short season at Tell Jerishe in 1976. Her stratigraphic and structural analysis is copiously illustrated with plans and sections from both the 1951 and 1976 excavations. A large collection of sherds from four strata is presented in order to establish the date of construction of the fortification complex.