Tell el-Badawiya is among the largest complex tell-sites in northern Israel, dating from the Bronze and Iron Ages. It is strategically located on the ancient route that connects the Hauran and the Akko Plain and known in more recent times as the Darb el-Hawarna. The site is unanimously identified as the location of ancient Hannathon/Ḫinatuna, mentioned in the Amarna Letters (EA 8 and 245), the royal annals of Tiglath-Pileser III (Ann. 18, Line 5), and the Hebrew Bible (Josh 19:14).
Despite its favorable characteristics, Tell el-Badawiya/Hannathon remained unexplored for many years and was visited infrequently by early travelers. A field survey carried out at the site in the mid-1970s revealed its long settlement history, stretching from the fifth millennium to recent times.
The Tell el-Badawiya/Hannathon Archaeological Project (TBH-AP) aims to explore the history and material culture of the site in the Bronze and Iron Ages, with a special focus on processes of collapse, resilience, and regeneration of human activity. The project’s first stage will focus primarily on the late Iron Age and the Persian period (c. eighth-fourth centuries BCE).
Central Galilee, Israel
August 4 – August 29, 2024
1 Week
Sunday, June 30, 2024
Volunteers will stay at Kibbutz Hannathon, a beautiful settlement in the Beth-Netopha Valley, only a few minutes away from Tell el-Badawiya/Hannathon. All the rooms are fully air-conditioned and have a private bathroom. During regular working days, three meals are provided (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). Vegetarian dishes are available.
Assaf Kleiman: Ben-Gurion University
Ron Be'eri: Israel Antiquities Authority
Angelika Berlejung: Leipzig University