Live Blog: Kh. Qeiyafa

Garfinkel showed some beautiful pictures of the ostracon.  Perhaps missing one or two lines.  Longest proto-Canaanite inscription ever found, earliest hebrew inscription known to date.  It is likely a letter (he also mentions the words already known).  The pottery represented: has no late Philistine bichrome, many Ashdod ware vessels (including pixides and beer jug) 11th-10th cent, no late Philistine decorated ware, early Iron IIA according to collection of well-known archaeologists in Jerusalem.  C14 dates 1026-975 BC 56% or 1051-954 BC (?) 96%.  Garfinkel then announced that the minimalist, low-chronology is dead (to much laughter and applause from small section of the crowd).

Conclusions derived from findings: Iron IIA starts at 1000 BC, evidence of centralized political organization, literacy in Judah early 10th cent BC.

Adataim (Dagan), Azekah (Ganor), Sha’arayim (Adams, Rainey), Efes Damim (blog), Gob (Na’aman)?  The answer is in Area C: a second gate was found (with 10 ton stones for the piers).  Only city/fort in Judah or Israel with two gates.  This gate was only excavated in the last weeks before the conference, more needs to be done (obviously), but whole building phase of fortification system, including both gates, appears to be contemporary.