Tel Shimron Discoveries

As we look forward to the 2019 field season, we asked staff members to share a memorable discovery or moment from the 2017 season.

Carbonized fig, Grid 23/24, 2017

In 2017 we found a carbonized fig in a flotation sample taken from the Byzantine-Umayyad street in Grid 23! You can see the seeds and everything in this photo taken through a small magnifying lens. That such a delicate fruit preserved for over 700 years hints at the great preservation of other fruits used by the ancient inhabitants of Tel Shimron. I can't wait to see what archaeological plant remains we recover this season!

Kathleen Forste, Archaeobotanist

Mikvah, Grid 23/24, 2017

I would be remiss not to mention the mikvah as one of our more memorable finds from 2017. This find in particular reshaped our understanding of the way this space was used during the Roman period. More than that, excavating it required the skills of not only our volunteers, but also our onsite conservator as well. She was able to show us that the bath had multiple layers of painted plaster over the years it was in use, details which I thought brought it to life.

Emily Erickson, Square Supervisor