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‘Atiqot 55 (2007)
ISBN 2948-040X
A Late Roman Period Burial Cave and Dump at Tell Qasile
(Hebrew, pp. 29–36; English summary, pp. 54–55)
Etan Ayalon and Semadar Harpazi-Ofer
Keywords: coastal plain, cemetery, burial goods, burial customs, ethnicity
On the southwestern fringes of Tell Qasile, a burial cave hewn in sandstone (
kurkar
) was exposed. It was almost completely destroyed in the past, and only the lower eastern part was preserved. The pottery and coins found in the cave dated to the Late Roman period (third–fourth centuries CE). The upper parts of some of the jars had been purposely removed, attesting that they may have served as ossuaries. The numerous animal bones and rampant disorder indicate that the cave was used a dump in a later phase. The finds from the cave point at either a Jewish or Samaritan population.