Archaeologists Discover Ancient Complex Near Jaffa in Israel

<p>Archaeologists in Israel have uncovered a 1,300-year-old industrial and commercial complex near a major route connecting historic cities. The complex was discovered in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, according to an announcement from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in August. The excavation was conducted ahead of the construction of a new bus terminal.</p><p>The site is located near a main road connecting Jaffa, Ramla, and Jerusalem. Known as Joppa in biblical times, Jaffa is mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments, including in the accounts of Jonah and St. Peter.</p><p>The complex dates back to the seventh or eighth century A.D., during the Umayyad and Abbasid periods. In a joint statement, the excavation directors noted that the findings exceeded expectations. "The excavation uncovered an organized, planned complex featuring straight, intersecting streets," said Yoav Arbel and Lior Rauchberger, according to the IAA.</p><p>They added that the streets were lined with rooms that served as shops or warehouses, plastered industrial facilities, and pottery kilns. The directors also indicated that the complex appeared to have been carefully planned by engineers and constructed with the knowledge of regional authorities, who may have initiated or funded the project.</p><p>"Possibly, it stood on a secondary road branching off from this central route," the directors stated. "The area also offered fertile agricultural land and available water sources." Images from the excavation show archaeologists working among the exposed remains of the complex, along with artifacts recovered at the site.</p><p>The architectural remains included streets, pottery kilns, shops, and warehouses. The IAA reported that the finds included numerous bronze tableware and cosmetic implements, iron pickaxe heads, a sickle, and numerous nails, as well as dozens of coins and a large quantity of fragments of local and imported pottery and glass vessels.</p><p>According to the IAA, these finds provide a vivid reflection of the culture, trade, and economy of the period. During the Umayyad and Abbasid periods, the region was home to diverse Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and Samaritan communities, although archaeologists are unsure about which group inhabited the site.</p><p>The complex operated for 150 years before being abandoned under circumstances that remain unknown. The site was resettled in the 10th century, with residential buildings and production facilities constructed there, including numerous tabuns — clay-baking ovens.</p><p>The site was abandoned again in the late 11th century, shortly before the arrival of the Crusaders, and was never inhabited again. This complex is one of several significant archaeological discoveries announced in Israel in recent months. Earlier this summer, officials announced the discovery of two 1,700-year-old marble statues near Binyamina, Israel, and prior to that, archaeologists uncovered an ancient tunnel in Jerusalem near a site associated with the biblical Kingdom of Judah.</p>