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Tell Qasile is an archaeology site near the Yarkon River in Tel Aviv, Israel. Over 3,000 years old, the site contains the remains of a port city founded by the Philistines in the 12th century BC.
Prior to 1948, it was on the village lands of Al-Shaykh Muwannis, which was depopulated in the 1948 war. While the war was still ongoing, in late 1948, the site was given the first archaeological permit by the newly declared of state of Israel. Today it is located on the grounds of the Eretz Israel Museum, which was built in 1953.
Prior to these first excavations, two important ostraca were discovered at the site in 1945-96, by Jacob Kaplan and Robert Hoff.Maisler, B. “Two Hebrew Ostraca from Tell Qasîle.” Journal of Near Eastern Studies 10, no. 4 (1951): 265–67. http://www.jstor.org/stable/542173.
Archeologist Dr. Dror Ben-Yosef suggested identifying the site as "Beit Haran" based on the two 7th century BCE ostraca found at the site as they read: "Gold of Ophir to Beit Haran, 30 shekels". He claimed that this was a shipment destinated to Beith Haran, located in that area.
In 1946 the Tell was rediscovered by Jacob Kaplan who found two Ostracon written in Hebrew language dating to the First Temple period. Both of them were shipping certificates, On the first was a description if the weight of thirty Shekel of Ophir gold being sent to Bethoron. The second mentioned one thousand one hundred units of oil being sent to the king. The second Ostracone was signed but all left of the signature were the letters: "חיהו"
Benjamin Mazar received the first archaeological exploration permit issued by the state of
Accessed 19 Apr. 2022. He directed subsequent excavation at the site in 1971 to 1974 and again from 1982 to 1990.Amihai Mazar, "Excavations at Tell Qasile, 1982-1984, Preliminary Report", Israel Exploration Journal, vol. 36, pp. 1-15, 1986Amihai Mazar, "Excavations at Tell Qasile, 1971-1972 (Preliminary Report)", Israel Exploration Journal, vol. 23, pp. 65-71, 1973Amihai Mazar, "Excavations at Tell Qasile 1973-1974 (Preliminary Report)", Israel Exploration Journal, vol. 25, pp. 15-26, 1975Amihai Mazar, "A Philistine Temple at Tell Qasile", The Biblical Archaeologist, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 42-48, 1973 In 1955 a Byzantine Empire grave was found by chance which led to another excavation at the Tell. In 1957 another excavation was conducted by Jacob Kaplan who uncovered two Hasmonean rock cut tombs. Further excavation were held in 1959. Between the years 1970-1974 and from 1982 to the 90's, further excavations were done which uncovered the Philistine temples.The excavations revealed the gradual development of the Philistine city over 150 years, from its founding (Level XII) to the peak of its growth (Level X) at the end of the 11th century BC.
The settlement layout was of a temple located at its center and a dense core round it. The residential houses were built around it. The small temple building had a single hall and a large courtyard. Next to the temple was another building known as "Beit HaAch", Known at that period from places like Ashkelon, Ashdod and several regions of the Aegean world
"At the site, the remains of three temples were discovered that were built one on top of the other, and each of them was an extension of the previous one, which probably indicates an increase in the number of residents in the city".A secondary smaller temple was built next to the main one. South of the temples were the residential houses of about 100 sqm, built in the Four-room house design. Many of the findings in the Tell and temple, like clay jugs for oil and wine, bronze vessels and seals. These finds testify for the Philistine and Aegean influence on the Land of Israel as well as the lifestyle and trade relations with Tyre, Sidon, ancient Egypt and Cyprus. On this it is written:
"The Philistine culture, as it is revealed to our eyes from the excavations at Tell Qasila and other Philistine sites, is a developed urban culture. At Tell Qasila you can see the signs of careful urban planning... This developed culture existed at a time when many Canaanite cities, such as Hazor in the Galilee and Kish in the Lowlands, were in ruins , and the tribes of Israel lived in the mountain areas and the interior lowlands in agricultural villages and in a tribal framework, before the establishment of the monarchy".
"Blessings and peace on Israel and on this place. Amen".
During the early Muslim period in the Land of Israel there was a Khan on the Tell and that is the latest building documented. The latest structure known to stand on the mound is the khan that lived there during the early Muslim period in the Land of Israel. After it was destroyed, the mound was not inhabited again, except during the First World War, when the mound was used as a pillar in the western part of the line of the two Aujas, along which the Ottoman army forces that were arrayed against the Egyptian expeditionary force stationed south of Yarkon dug in. The Turks dug trenches in the mound, and fragments of British shells were also discovered there.
Only the northern part of the building was excavated, the rest only visible as robber trenches. robber trench From the excavated parts, it is estimated that the building was 28 meters square. A paved entrance in the middle of the north wall led to a courtyard, paved with gravel. The courtyard had arcades on the east and west sides, supported by . In the northwest corner of the courtyard were the remains of a staircase. Several small rooms lining the courtyard were exposed.
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