Tell Tayinat
Encyclopedia
Tell Ta'yinat is a low-lying ancient occupation mound
on the east bank at the bend of the ancient Orontes river, in the Hatay
province of present southeastern Turkey about 25 kilometers south east of Antakya (ancient Antioch
). The site lies some 800 meters from Tell Atchana, the site of the ancient city of Alalakh
. It is a possible site of the city of Calneh
mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures.
in the north Syrian river-plain the rulers of Kinalua continued to bear royal Hittite names in the 8th century BCE. At the first Assyrian conquest in the 870s BCE, the victors carried away from Kinalua silver and gold, 100 talents of tin, essential for making bronze, and 100 talents of iron,, 1000 oxen and 10,000 sheep, linen robes and decorated couches and beds of boxwood, as well as "10 female singers, the king's brother's daughter with a rich dowry, a large female monkey and ducks". At a later campaign the Assyrians forced its king Tutammu to submit.
from 1935 to 1938, led by Robert Braidwood.
One of the key finds made at the site was a temple reminiscent in plan to the descriptions of King Solomon's Temple in the Old Testament. Several large palaces in the style known as Bit-hilani
were also excavated. In 1999, the
Oriental Institute returned to the site to conduct a survey and to examine
the original excavations.
New excavations at the site were begun by a team from the University of Toronto
in 2004, after a survey in 2003.
Continued excavations in the summer of 2005 exposed more of the Iron Age temple as well as part of one of the early Iron Age II bit-hilanis. A significant amount of earlier Iron Age I material was also uncovered as well as small amounts of Early Bronze Age material.
Excavations have continued now for a total of 6 seasons, through 2009.
Findings have included a significant Iron Age temple, a number of 1st millennium
BC cuneiform tablets, and initial structures from the earlier Bronze Age
settlement.
Tell
A tell or tel, is a type of archaeological mound created by human occupation and abandonment of a geographical site over many centuries. A classic tell looks like a low, truncated cone with a flat top and sloping sides.-Archaeology:A tell is a hill created by different civilizations living and...
on the east bank at the bend of the ancient Orontes river, in the Hatay
Hatay Province
Hatay Province is a province in southern Turkey, on the Mediterranean coast. It is bordered by Syria to the south and east and the Turkish provinces of Adana and Osmaniye to the north. The province is part of Çukurova, a geographical, economical and cultural region that covers the provinces of...
province of present southeastern Turkey about 25 kilometers south east of Antakya (ancient Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
). The site lies some 800 meters from Tell Atchana, the site of the ancient city of Alalakh
Alalakh
Alalakh is the name of an ancient city-state near modern Antakya in the Amuq River valley of Turkey's Hatay Province.Now represented by an extensive mound, the name of the modern archaeological site is Tell Atchana.-History:...
. It is a possible site of the city of Calneh
Calneh
Calneh was said to be one of the four cities founded by Nimrod, according to Genesis 10:10 in the Bible. Its identity is uncertain, and remains a mystery. The verse in question reads, ...the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar, and W.F...
mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures.
History
The site was a major urban centre in two separate phases, during the Early Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, and is thought likely to be the site of ancient Kinalua, the capital of one of the Neo-Hittite/Aramean city-kingdoms of Walistin (Aramaic) or Palistin (neo-Hittite). Among the culturally diverse Syro-Hittite statesSyro-Hittite states
The states that are called Neo-Hittite, or more recently Syro-Hittite, were Luwian, Aramaic and Phoenician-speaking political entities of the Iron Age northern Syria and southern Anatolia that arose following the collapse of the Hittite Empire around 1180 BC and lasted until roughly 700 BC...
in the north Syrian river-plain the rulers of Kinalua continued to bear royal Hittite names in the 8th century BCE. At the first Assyrian conquest in the 870s BCE, the victors carried away from Kinalua silver and gold, 100 talents of tin, essential for making bronze, and 100 talents of iron,, 1000 oxen and 10,000 sheep, linen robes and decorated couches and beds of boxwood, as well as "10 female singers, the king's brother's daughter with a rich dowry, a large female monkey and ducks". At a later campaign the Assyrians forced its king Tutammu to submit.
Archaeology
Archaeological excavations were conducted at the site by the University of Chicago's Oriental InstituteOriental Institute
Oriental Institute may refer to a number of institutes of Oriental studies:United States* Oriental Institute, Chicago, part of the University of ChicagoEngland* Oriental Institute, Oxford, part of the University of Oxford...
from 1935 to 1938, led by Robert Braidwood.
One of the key finds made at the site was a temple reminiscent in plan to the descriptions of King Solomon's Temple in the Old Testament. Several large palaces in the style known as Bit-hilani
Bit-hilani
A Bit-hilani is an ancient architectural type of palace. It seems to have become popular at the end of the tenth and during the ninth century BCE during the early Iron Age in northern Syria although it may have originated as early as the Bronze Age...
were also excavated. In 1999, the
Oriental Institute returned to the site to conduct a survey and to examine
the original excavations.
New excavations at the site were begun by a team from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
in 2004, after a survey in 2003.
Continued excavations in the summer of 2005 exposed more of the Iron Age temple as well as part of one of the early Iron Age II bit-hilanis. A significant amount of earlier Iron Age I material was also uncovered as well as small amounts of Early Bronze Age material.
Excavations have continued now for a total of 6 seasons, through 2009.
Findings have included a significant Iron Age temple, a number of 1st millennium
BC cuneiform tablets, and initial structures from the earlier Bronze Age
settlement.
External links
- Tayinat Archaeological Project—the website for the current excavations
- Oriental Institute page on Tell Tayinat