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‘Atiqot 89 (2017)
ISBN 2948-040X
Evidence of a Flourishing Ancient Viticulture in Light of the Excavations near Khirbat el-Hashash (Midrakh ‘Oz), in the Rural Area between Gevaʻ and Legio
(Hebrew, pp. 75*–132*; English summary, pp. 119–122)
Nimrod Getzov, Yotam Tepper and Yigal Tepper
Keywords: Jezreel Valley, agriculture, hinterland, winepress,
Khirbat el-Hashash is situated on the western border of the Jezreel Valley. The finds at the site include mainly installations, quarries and caves characteristic of the ancient rural landscape, attesting to intensive and specialized vine cultivation during the Roman and Early Byzantine periods. This report documents the finds at 40 different units, all of which yielded surface-find potsherds from domestic waste scattered by farmers to improve the soil. The potsherds date from the Early to the Late Roman periods. The region around the site provided the local inhabitants with most of their economic needs. Of special interest are three distinct features: ‘Mishmar Ha-ʻEmeq’ and ‘Midrah ‘Oz’ installations, and ‘stone bridges’. The site was probably part of the agricultural hinterland of two central towns, Geva‘ and Legio/Maximianopolis, and provided them with farm produce.