ArtDependence | Archaeologists Unearth Earliest Monumental City Gate in Israel, From 5,500 Years Ago

Tuesday, August 15, 2023

The impressive stone gate at Tel Erani was built to deter invaders from attacking. Based on the findings of Egyptian pottery in the area, it seemingly failed in its mission.

A monumental city gate dating to about 5,500 years ago has been found at Tel Erani in southern Israel, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Tuesday. That makes it Israel’s earliest city gate by centuries.

Dating to the Early Bronze Age, this stone gate was built from imported giant stone blocks, augmented by the usual local mud-brick. But the rationale behind what had to have been vast construction effort remains enigmatic.

“This is the first time that such a large gate dating to the Early Bronze IB has been uncovered,” said Emily Bischoff, the director of the excavation on behalf of the IAA. It was more than a meter and a half (nearly 5 feet) in height and consisted of a stone-tiled passageway through the city wall into the ancient town. It also featured two stone-built guard towers.

One of the most puzzling aspects of the gate is that the city wall was mud-brick. So, we have a monumental stone gate – with stone tiling, no less – at the northern entrance to the city surrounded by a mud-brick wall. Not a stone wall. Mud-brick was typical of city walls at the time, but their gates were mud-brick too.

Image : The site of the 5,500-year-old gate at Tel Erani, Israel. Credit: Emil Aladjem/IAA

ArtDependence WhatsApp Group

Get the latest ArtDependence updates directly in WhatsApp by joining the ArtDependence WhatsApp Group by clicking the link or scanning the QR code below

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Event Map

See all upcoming events on an easy to use google map

Image of the Day

Anna Melnykova, "Palace of Labor (palats praci), architector I. Pretro, 1916", shot with analog Canon camera, 35 mm Fuji film in March 2022.

Search

About ArtDependence

ArtDependence Magazine is an international magazine covering all spheres of contemporary art, as well as modern and classical art.

ArtDependence features the latest art news, highlighting interviews with today’s most influential artists, galleries, curators, collectors, fair directors and individuals at the axis of the arts.

The magazine also covers series of articles and reviews on critical art events, new publications and other foremost happenings in the art world.

If you would like to submit events or editorial content to ArtDependence Magazine, please feel free to reach the magazine via the contact page.