The cemeteries of Tell el Dab'a area F/I, strata d/2 and d/1 (= str. H and G/4) cover, in Egyptian terms, late Dynasty 12 to early Dynasty 13 (appr. 1830-1750 BCE). The tombs of these strata not only contained the earliest evidence of substantial imports from the Levant, both ceramics and weapons, but certain features of the burials (e.g. contracted position of the body, donkey burials in front of the tombs) provide evidence of the non-Egyptian background of the people interred. Lacking as of yet an older planned necropolis at Tell el Dab'a, it is with str. d/2 that the "Asiatic sequence" at this site begins.

The two phases (str. d/2 and d/1), however, represent two distinct cemeteries: Stratum d/2 tombs (43 in all) are either associated with residential buildings in the north, or in the southern part, larger tombs serve as focal points for smaller tombs which tend to be grouped around them. Tomb sizes vary considerably. The northern part of the settlement and cemetery was leveled in stratum d/1, in order to make room for a large residence, generally called a palace. To the south of this residence planned gardens, which incorporated the larger tombs of the preceding stratum, were laid out. The original garden layout was eventually abandoned and redesigned in order to accommodate large contemporary tombs, 29 of which have been excavated to date (the so-called "Palace Necropolis"). These are elite tombs whose owners are associated with the palatial structure.

The high degree of plundering, in fact every single tomb of str. d/1 was robbed in antiquity, leaves us with a very fragmented picture to reconstruct both the exact chronological and cultural placement within the Syro-Palestinian MBII A. A presentation of the Levantine imports of these two phases is offered: The corpus of imported ceramic of str. d/2 (H) is very slim - both in range of types and quantity - and encompasses, apart from Levantine Painted Ware and dipper juglets (discussed here by T. BAGH and K. KOPETZKY respectively), only a few fragmented amphorae; the latter not in situ finds and, therefore, can only tentatively be included. To this a small, yet highly significant corpus of exclusively Levantine bronzes can be added: socketted spearheads, a duckbill axe, a two-ribbed dagger and a bronze belt. In str. d/1 (G/4), the above mentioned ceramic imports continue in slightly greater numbers, with the addition of a large group of amphorae, many found in situ. The narrow bladed axe type and the five-ribbed dagger, which remain in use till str. F (trans. MBII A/B), make their first appearances. While imports still constitute a minority amongst the grave goods, the increase compared to the previous stratum is striking. The heavily disturbed ensembles demand cautious interpretations. However, the growth in Levantine trade, which seems suggested by the ceramics of str. d/1, not only reflects the material wealth of these elite tombs, it presumably was one of the main foundations of the prosperity of their owners.