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

by Matthew J. Adams (Editor), Melissa S. Cradic (Editor), Israel Finkelstein (Editor)

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781646023172
Publisher:	The Institute of Archaeology of Tel Aviv University
Publication date:	03/11/2025
Series:	Monograph Series of the Sonia and Marco Nadler Institute of Archaeology , #43
Pages:	422
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 1.42(d)

About the Author

Matthew J. Adams is Director of the Center for the Mediterranean World and Codirector of the Megiddo Expedition. He is also Director of the Jezreel Valley Regional Project and Codirector of the JVRP Excavations at Legio.

Melissa S. Cradic is Curator at the Badè Museum of Biblical Archaeology at the Pacific School of Religion and Associate Director of Research and Partnerships at Alexandria Archive Institute / Open Context. She teaches at SUNY Albany and Sonoma State University.

Israel Finkelstein is Professor Emeritus of Archaeology at Tel Aviv University and Head of the School of Archaeology and Maritime Cultures at the University of Haifa. Among his many published books, he is the coeditor of Megiddo VI, which won the 2023 Hershel Hanks Award for Best Dig Report from the Biblical Archaeology Society.