Yavneh-yam
1:
YAVNEH-YAM (M.R. 121147). An ancient coastal city (Minât Rubin) located some 15 km S of Joppa. According to one theory, Yavneh-Yam was the harbor suburb (or “port”) of the city of JABNEEL (M.R. 126141) situated 8 km to the SW. According to another theory, the site was called Heb mḥwz (= “port”), which is attested in Egyptian inscriptions as Mukkazi (a name that has also been attributed to Tell Abu-Sultan 6 km E of Yavneh-Yam). From the Hellenistic period on, Yavneh-Yam was known by the name Iamnētōn . . . limēn, which persisted to the end of the Crusader period.
A square enclosure bounded by freestanding ramparts constitutes the most impressive remains at this site. More than half of this enclosure has been eroded due to the slowly rising sea level. However, the entire E rampart (800 m long) and parts of the N and S ramparts are still preserved, and it can be reasonably assumed that the entire enclosure was a square of 640 dunams. A complete square enclosure of this type was first observed at el-Mishrefe in Syria (Mesnil de Buisson 1926; 1927).
The Yavneh-Yam fortifications were excavated between 1967 and 1969 with the purpose of examining the method and materials used to construct the enclosure. Work was concentrated in two areas: in the N rampart (area A), and in the S half of the E rampart (area H). In area A, a vertical cut was made from the top of the rampart down to its base. Apparently the rampart was constructed first by leveling the whitish sand covering the virgin soil along the intended line of the rampart. Then a 12-cm-thick layer of khamra (red clay soil of the coastal plain) was laid down along the line to serve as the core of the rampart; it was then encased by a sheath of khamra. On the outer face the glacis originally consisted of two layers. The first (or interior) layer was made of heavy clay soil approximately 60–70 cm thick, extending from the top of the rampart down to virgin soil. The second (or covering) layer was made of crushed kurkar 50 cm thick, probably intended to prevent the damp clay from drying out and crumbling. At a later stage an additional glacis (or third layer) was applied over the crushed kurkar layer (see the schematic drawing in EAEHL 4: 1217).
On the analogy of the el-Mishrefe enclosure, the Yavneh-Yam fortification was assumed to have one entrance gate on each of its four sides. Indeed, in area H three superimposed gates were uncovered, indicating that the enclosure was entered from the space during each of the periods it was used as a fortification. The two lower gates (II and III) were built of sun-dried brick, were protected on the exterior by heavy walls of rubble, and were flanked by towers. The bottom gate (III) contained three pairs of gate piers. The lower part of gate II, with only two pairs of gate piers, was especially well preserved. The plan of one of the defensive towers of gate II is thus far unattested elsewhere. The walls of the right-hand tower were 2.4 m thick, and the narrow space between its walls and its central massive structure apparently contained a staircase leading to the upper story. Half of a smaller rubble-stone gate (I), dating to LB II, was exposed above the ruins of gate II.
Although this enclosure, like that of el-Mishrefe, was apparently intended to house large numbers of troops and their families and livestock, no traces of occupation were uncovered inside the open enclosure. However, in addition to occupational remains on and around the small mound of Minât Rubin, building remains and graves were found lined only along part of the inner rampart slope. In area A, for example, 9 layers were uncovered along and near the inner rampart slope. The earliest layer (9) contained no building remains and yielded only some MB I sherds. Layers 3–8 yielded sherds and a few vessels dating from MB II–III, while layers 1–2 contained LB I sherds, especially of “Tell el-Ajjul ware.” In a small area of virgin soil in front of gate III (area H) were found the remains of hearths. Inside and around them were found MB I sherds, fragments of an incense burner, and a number of ivory plaques incised with designs. MB I sherds were also found on the lowest floor of one of the chambers of the gate towers and in the foundation trench of one of the tower walls.
The Yavneh-Yam excavations have thus furnished information about the construction method of the terre pisee ramparts, glacis, and gate structures of the MB I square enclosures (Kaplan 1975). It is now evident that the square enclosure with the three-pier gates made its first appearance in MB I between 2000 and 1800 b.c. The small quantities of pottery found in the two excavated areas indicate that the Yavneh-Yam enclosure was used intermittently, with alterations and repairs, throughout the remainder of the MB Age, and that the enclosure ceased to function as a fortification at the beginning of the LB Age.
Bibliography
Dothan, M. 1952. An Archaeological Survey of the Lower Rubin River. IEJ 2: 104–117.
Kaplan, J. 1975. Further Aspects of the MB II Fortifications in Palestine. ZDPV 91: 1–17.
Mesnil de Buisson, R. du. 1926. Les ruines d’el-Mishrife. Syria 7: 289–325.
———. 1927. L’Ancienne Qatna. Syria 8: 277–301.
Jacob Kaplan
Freedman, D. N. (1996, c1992). The Anchor Bible Dictionary (6:1020). New York: Doubleday.
