 Interactive map of Tel Motza | |
| Coordinates | 31°47′40″N35°9′50″E / 31.79444°N 35.16389°E /31.79444; 35.16389 |
|---|---|
| Type | settlement |
Tel Motza orTel Moẓa[1] is anarchaeological site inMotza on the outskirts ofJerusalem, Israel. It includes the remains of a largeNeolithic settlement dated to around 8600–8200 BCE, andIron AgeIsraelite settlement dating to around 1000 to 500 BCE and identified with the biblicalMozah mentioned in theBook of Joshua. In 2012, Israeli archaeologists announced the discovery of atemple from the Iron Age IIA levels at Motza, contemporary with theFirst Temple in Jerusalem.
A 9,000-year-oldNeolithic site was discovered at Motza.[2]
Archaeologists found at Tel Motza remains of a settlement dated to the Neolithic period (about 6000 BCE),[clarification needed] indicating that Motza was part of an ancient economic center.[3][4] The site was called "Big Bang" of Prehistory because of the preservation of the artefacts and the size of its area.[5] It has been discovered that the area was home to about 3,000 residents.[6][7][8][9][10] This Neolithic settlement is considered the largest ever discovered inIsrael, and changed the beliefs about this area being uninhabited during that period. "This is most probably the largest excavation of this time period in the Middle East, which will allow the research to advance leaps and bounds ahead of where we are today, just by the amount of material that we are able to save and preserve from this site", reported archaeologist Lauren Davis from the IAA.[11][12][13][6]
Excavations at Tel Motza took place in 2012–13 and 2019.[14][3][11] The area was excavated by theIsrael Antiquities Authority (IAA) because of the highway construction, and the researches are conducted by IAA archaeologists Hamoudi Khalaily and Jacob Vardi.[11]
Flint tools (arrowheads, axes, blades and knives), figurine of an ox made of clay, a stone-carved human face, seeds, stone bracelets, animal bones and other objects have been found from the site. According to the archaeologists, "Amongst others, unique stone-made objects were found in the tombs, made of an unknown type of stone, as well as items made ofobsidian (volcanic glass) fromAnatolia, and sea-shells, some of which were brought from theMediterranean Sea and some from theRed Sea."[6][7][8][9][10]
Excavations in Motza (2012) unearthed the Tel Motza temple, a large building revealing clear elements of ritual use, dated to the 9th century BCE. A rare cache of ritual objects found near the building included tiny ceramic figurines of men and animals. An analysis of animal bones found at the site indicated that they belonged only tokosher animals.[14] Excavations at the site continued as late as 2013, led by archaeologists Shua Kisilevitz, Zvi Greenhut, and Anna Eirikh-Rose on behalf of theIsrael Antiquities Authority (IAA).[15][16] Some finds, such as the possible presence of a Canaanite storm god, have been interpreted as further evidence thatFirst Temple eraJudahite religion ("Yahwism") was markedly different from the monotheisticJudaism depicted much later in the Bible.[17]
Excavations at Tel Motza carried out prior to construction onHighway 1 revealed a public building, storehouses and silos dating to the days of the monarchic period (Iron Age IIA). A wide, east-facing entrance in the wall of the public building is believed to have been built in accordance with temple construction traditions in theAncient Near East: the sun rising in the east would illuminate an object placed inside the temple, symbolizing the divine presence.[18]
An array of sacred pottery vessels,chalices and small figurines of men and horses were found near the altar of the temple. The cache of sacred vessels has been dated to the early 9th century BCE,[19] that is before the centralizing religious reforms of KingsHezekiah (reign ca. 729–687 BCE) andJosiah (reign ca. 640–609 BCE) of Judah.[18][20]
The temple dates back to theKingdom of Judah of the 9th century BCE, and appears to have operated alongside the First Temple in nearby Jerusalem.[21][22] Jerusalem was the centre of the Kingdom of Judah and, according to theHebrew Bible, the seat of kingsDavid andSolomon.[20] Many historical finds have been discovered in the area of Tel Motza, dating from different periods, and archaeologists have sought to identify it as the Biblical settlement ofMozah mentioned in theBook of Joshua (Joshua 18: 26).[23]
The archaeological site directors said the discoveries provided evidence for the existence of temples and ritual enclosures throughout theKingdom of Judah before the religious reforms centralized ritual practices at theTemple in Jerusalem. The temple was a rare find of remains from theFirst Temple period.[20]
Animal bones were found at the site, and show signs of having been cut, possibly indicating that they weresacrificed.[22]
Occupation earth with one of the first remains of buildings, statuettes and bones ofdomesticated animals in the temple's area and nearby goes back to about 7,000 BC.[24] This older part was to be buried byHighway 16 in 2019 afterdevelopment-led excavation.
Temples in Jewish history | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temples and other sites |
|   | ||||
| Related topics |
| |||||
