Megiddo VII : The Shmunis Excavations of a Monumental Middle Bronze Tomb and Its Environs

Abstract

Megiddo VII reports in meticulous detail the archaeological findings from two elite, interrelated tombs from the Late Bronze I period, both exceptionally preserved and richly furnished: Tomb 16/H/50, a monumental masonry-constructed chamber tomb from the Middle Bronze III, and Burial 16/H/45, a simpler pit within the former’s mausoleum. Carefully excavated under unusually pristine conditions, these tombs afford a unique opportunity for in-depth study. Directed by experts from Tel Aviv University and supported by an international consortium of institutions, the excavation employed cutting-edge techniques, documentation, and analytical methods to capture, preserve, and study archaeological data. Presented in twenty-four chapters, the report deploys an arsenal of archaeological scientific methods on a targeted area of the mound. It chronicles the architectural and artifactual finds and situates them within their broader temporal, spatial, and cultural contexts. Presenting fresh insights into the funerary practices and societal structures of the Middle and Late Bronze periods, this volume is indispensable for researchers in the fields of Near Eastern archaeology and archaeological science and for those interested in the complexities of ancient funerary practices.