| |
| |
|
In the first and
second season of Excavation at Sidon nine core samples were taken four
in the inner harbour, two in the outer harbour, two in land and one in
the southern bay. Parallel to the excavation, a multidisciplinary approach
was initiated using three different indicators in order to chronicle the
development of Sidon's ancient harbour.
|
| |
| -Biological
indicators, e.g., macro-fauna, ostracods (small crustaceans), and foraminifera
(single cell marine organism). |
|
-Granulometric indicators,
e.g., grain size, distribution, and shape)
|
|
-Chronological indicators
, e.g., pottery shards and Carbon 14 analysis
|
| |
|
Analyses of these
core samples were undertaken at the University of Aix-en-Provence.
|
| |
| Early
Bronze & Iron Ages |
| The 1998 &
2000 seasons of excavation revealed Early Bronze Age material dating back
to the 3rd millennium BC and Iron Age material (Phoenician) dating back
to the mid 8th and 7thcentury BC in a context that has yet to be explored.
The overall character that emerged from the 3rd millennium installations
was of a long-lived settlement with domestic structures such as ovens, querns
and basins. Some of the floors associated with the walls were composed of
white lime plaster. This is the first time Early Bronze Age pottery of this
kind that has been found in situ at Sidon. Elsewhere in the Lebanon
comparable pottery is known only from Byblos, Tell Arqa and the recent rescue
excavations in Beirut. Other finds included 14 cylinder seal impressions
appearing on fragments of pottery belonging in general to heavy jars. This
is also a distinctive feature of Byblos jars. |
