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Popular Archaeology After a century, archaeologists finally return to Biblical Tel Azekah to unearth answers to questions about this important monumental site. 
For the first time since the historic excavations conducted there in 1898 by British archaeologists F.J. Bliss and R.A.S. Macalister, a team of archaeologists, students and volunteers will return with new methods and technology to uncover what remains of the historic Biblical Judahite stronghold of Azekah.Azekah was an important strategic Judahite border-stronghold during the turbulent times of the Assyrian and Babylonian invasions, which brought destruction on the kingdoms of Israel and Judah centuries before the time of Christ. The mighty Assyrian king Sennacherib called it "an eagle's nest& with towers that project to the sky like swords". The town continued to play a strategic role hundreds of years later during the Hasmonean period, as was evidenced by the the Bliss/Macalister excavations when they uncovered part of a massive fortress built by the Hasmonean king, John Hyrcanus 1. Now, preliminary surveys conducted by a joint Israel-Germany excavation team in the area of the site have recovered a number of new tell-tale signs, including pottery shards and, interestingly, a silver Athenian Tetra Drachma coin which was used as universal currency in the 5th and 4th centuries BCE (very much like the dollar or the euro today). Heavy for its size, one side of the coin depicts a profile of Athena, the patron goddess of Athens. The other side depicts an owl, the goddess' symbol. Closer examination revealed that the core of the coin is actually made of bronze. The coin was only silver-plated, creating the illusion of pure silver. It could be an early example of a counterfeit coin. The team will begin full-scale excavations in July, 2012. Among its objectives will be exploration of questions related to the early State formation process of ancient Israel, shedding light on the historicity of the kingdoms of David and Solomon of the Biblical account. "The archaeological and historical record implied that Judah was not a full blown state before the 9th century" [the traditionally accepted time of David and Solomon], writes the excavation team leadership. "Recent excavations in the Lowland region [where Azekah and other key sites are located] shed some light on this question, demonstrating the slow and gradual process of the monarchy and its expansion from the hill country of Jerusalem to the much more fertile lowlands. Digging Azekah a site that was a major Judahite fortress at the late 8th century will certainly provide us with new data on that process, advancing some new theories about the rise and fall of the Levantine territorial kingdoms of the Biblical Period." The new expedition directorship also plan to explore later periods during which Azekah and its surrounding area were settled, such as the Hellenistic period, including the Hasmonian citadel at the summit of the Tel, the Roman period, the site's underground cave-shelters, and the Byzantine and Muslim periods of occupation. Individuals interested in learning more about the excavations and the opportunity to join may find more information at http://archaeology.tau.ac.il/azekah/.
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