Ancient Israeli Fortress Yields Surprise: A Greek Vase

Decades after it was excavated, an ancient fortress in the heart ofTel Aviv, Israel, is offering new hints about its past, archaeologistsat Tel Aviv University say.

New findings suggest the fortress, Tel Qudadi, was establishedcenturies later than believed, and may have served as an intermediatestation fortrade shipstraveling between Egypt and Phoenicia.

"The secrets of this ancient fortress are only beginning to be revealed," said archaeologists Alexander Fantalkin and Oren Tal.

The researchers unearthed anamphora(a large jar used to transport oil or wine) from the Greek isle ofLesbos at the crumbling edifice. The find is the earliest known exampleto date of Lesbian ceramic work in the Mediterranean.

What remains a mystery, the researchers say, is how the Lesbianamphora arrived at Tel Qudadi in the first place. It may have comeaboard a Phoenician ship on a trading voyage around the Mediterranean.

While a single find cannot prove the existence of trade betweenancient Israel and Lesbos, the finding has implications forunderstanding trade routes between different parts of the Mediterranean.

The mysterious amphora, along with other new discoveries about theancient fortress, is causing researchers to reassess the site'stimeline.

Earlier theories of Tel Qudadi's history suggested the fortress wasestablished at the behest ofKing Solomonduring the 10th century B.C.,to protect against sea raids.

The new findings indicate the fortress was built later: the late 8thcentury B.C. or early 7th century B.C. This would mean Tel Qudadi wasnot established by the Israelite Kingdom but instead was part of theAssyrian empire,a powerful civilization centered in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq),which ruled Israel in the late 8th century B.C. and most of the 7thcentury B.C.

The research presents the possibility that Tel Qudadi was an important station along themaritime routebetween Egypt and Phoenicia, the Mediterranean kingdom where Syria, Lebanon and Israel are now located.

These findings are detailed in a recent issue of the journalPalestine Exploration Quarterly and BABESH: Annual Papers onMediterranean Archaeology.

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• Original Story:Ancient Israeli Fortress Yields Surprise: A Greek Vase

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