GEOPHYSICAL AND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF TEL SHIMRON, ISRAEL

Tel Shimron is an archaeological site in the Lower Galilee region of northern Israel. The tel is located on the northern margin of the Jezreel Valley and was inhabited from the Early Bronze Age to Islamic Period. Summer 2017 marked the first season of excavation and the start of this research. This study’s purpose was to provide the archaeological team information on the local geology as it pertains to settlement patterns and ancient resources through both surficial mapping and geophysical prospection of the bedrock. The regional geology includes Eocene chalks of the Avedat Group with localized pedogenic alteration to calcrete (known regionally as nari) as well as Miocene basalt. The substantial exposure of basalt adjacent to the tel is of poor quality and was not used for tools, but rather extensively quarried for rampart construction and paving material. Hard nari was used for building stone and both chalk bedrock and nari are a local source of flint for tools.

Three geophysical methods were used to construct a partial subsurface model of the tel: electrical resistivity, seismic refraction and seismoelectric. Processed data revealed varying thickness of cultural “fill” over bedrock and suggested that the original topography beneath the tel may have influenced development patterns and rampart construction. Shallow buried structures, such as walls and broad floors were revealed in transects on the southwestern edge of the tel. This information will be used to influence archaeological decision-making and promote a multifaceted approach to site excavation in future seasons.