Tell Abu Hawam: News from the Late Bronze Age
Michal Artzy

Tell Abu Hawam, a site on the estuary of the Qishon River north of the Carmel Ridge in modern Israel, has been a constant companion to archaeologists in the quest of international contacts and trade, especially between the Aegean in the Late Bronze Age. The estuary and its general position at the foot of the Carmel Ridge is tempting for an anchorage. Major maritime and terrestrial routes linked to form a convenient contact of the the lands beyond the sea, via the valleys, across the Jordan River. It was a major harbor/entrepôt during the 13^th century. Its relationship to Akko, which is located on the same bay is yet to be ascertained. Following Hamilton's salvage excavation in the 1930's, it was relegated bythe British Mandate for industrial usage. It remained to Balensi, following an extensive study of its remains, to insist that parts of the site existed. Excavations in the 1980's proved her assumptions to be right.
In 2001/2, salvage archaeological work was carried out in the northern part of the site, in an area, which has been covered by construction even before Hamilton's work in the area. Several 5 x 5 metal caissons were placed to combat the high ground water table which allowed for excavations below sea level. The new exploration, possibly in an anchorage area, added new data to that already gained from previous excavations. Among which are the environmental setting of the site, its size and its international contacts during the Late Bronze. The nature of the area excavated supplied closed loci in which the copious numbers of imported ceramics, might further refine our understanding of eastern Mediterranean cross-chronology in the Late Bronze II period.

Imports include the usual Cypriote wares: Base Ring, White Slip, Monochrome, White Shaved and Red Lustrous Wares. Mycenaean IIIa and early IIIb pieces, some Minoan wares, a very small number of recognized Egyptian wares were also noted as was Anatolian Grey Ware. Others not recognized in Israel among which are the Plain White Wheel Made of which there are numerous examples and which might well be of Cypriote origin. There is yet another family, of which there might be sub-groups, usually handmade, often burnished Possible proveniences range from Cyprus to Cilicia to Western Anatolia or even further west.