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THE FOURTH EXPEDITION TO LACHISH

History of Research
The Fourth Expedition to Lachish builds on three previous expeditions. The British began investigation at Lachish from 1932–1938, directed by James Leslie Starkey and his assistant Olga Tufnell. From 1966-68 an Israeli expedition was mounted by Yohanan Aharoni of Tel Aviv University, for two seasons focusing on the solar shrine in the northeast quadrant of the site. The third expedition, under the superb direction of David Ussishkin of Tel Aviv University, excavated the site between the years 1974 and 1987. The Starkey-Tufnell and Ussishkin expeditions set new standards in excavation and publication. They revolutionized the understanding of various aspects of Lachish, such as the later history of Judah and the Late Bronze Age Canaanite city from a pre-Israelite period. Highlights of these excavations include the impressive approach ramp and triple-chambered monumental gate, Sennacherib’s siege ramp that was built during the Assyrian attack on the city in 701 BCE (Level III), the impressive Iron Age palace at the summit of the tel, the famous cache of ostraca that became known as the Lachish Letters dramatically illustrating the final days of Judah before the Babylonian destruction by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BCE (Level II), and the solar shrine from the Hellenistic period (Level I).
Research Design

Lachish is the key site for understanding the development and expansion of the Kingdom of Judah to the south and west of Jerusalem. During earlier excavations, four Iron Age layers were uncovered. Levels V and IV are traditionally dated to the late 10th and the ninth centuries BCE. Minimalist approaches suggest that these layers be dated to the eighth century BCE. Levels III and II are traditionally dated to the eighth and seventh centuries BCE. Only Layers III and II were excavated on a relatively large scale. The earlier sequence at this site is not clear. The expedition will try to answer questions like: When was Lachish inhabited for the first time in the Iron Age? When was Lachish first fortified in the Iron Age? How did the economy, administration, international connections, writing, cult and art develop in the first 200 years of the Kingdom of Judah? What is the connection between archaeology and the biblical narrative of the 10th and ninth century BCE? Was there a fortified city dating to the projects associated with Rehoboam (2 Chron 11:5-12)? The Fourth Expedition to Lachish will address these questions from the following perspectives:

  • Stratigraphy, Ceramic Typology, and Dating
    Previous stratigraphic excavations at Tel Lachish have left unresolved questions due to the limited horizontal exposure of Levels V and IV. By focusing specifically on a wide exposure of Levels V and IV with careful stratigraphic excavation this may provide samples for 14C dating, which can be compared to the ceramic and material culture corpus.
  • Regional and National Development and Relationships
    The major question addressed by the Fourth Expedition of Lachish is how the Kingdom of Judah expanded in the early 10th century BCE from sites like Jerusalem and Khirbet Qeiyafa to cities like Lachish. Our approach will seek to integrate comparative data from neighboring sites, seeking to understand the early history of Judah. How do the material culture and architecture compare at the different sites and in what way are they similar or dissimilar?
Methodology
The expedition comprises of an interdisciplinary staff of archaeologists, surveyors, 3-D animators, IT personnel, ceramic, lithic and metallurgy specialists, a zooarchaeologist, epigraphers, and conservators who will employ their expertise to answer the research questions. Every square supervisor will have a computer to enter information into the CIRC database specifically developed for the expedition. Surveyors will employ the high-precision GPS receivers, a reflectorless TopCon total station, and a Hoverfly quadcopter to map out the site and produce daily digital top plans, 3-D reconstructions, and final plans.
Educational Field School
The project serves as an important international field school involving lectures from excavation staff, directors of other excavations in the surrounding area, and field trips to other sites throughout the Shephelah.