Ben-Shlomo<strong>The</strong> <strong>Cemetery</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Azor</strong>Figure 11Plan <strong>and</strong> section <strong>of</strong> Cremation <strong>Burial</strong> D63XII (Dothan <strong>and</strong> Ben-Shlomo 2005, 118, fig. 3.34:11)<strong>and</strong> possibly from ‘Eitun cemetery (Dothan 1982,237, fig. 10). A good example <strong>of</strong> a double jar/pithoiburial comes from the recent excavations at <strong>Azor</strong>(Buchennino 2006, Area A, fig. 2). <strong>The</strong>re, two largejars or pithoi <strong>of</strong> a unique form were placed as burialcontainers rim to rim; the neck <strong>of</strong> one <strong>of</strong> the jars warcut so it could fit into the neck <strong>of</strong> the other. It shouldbe noted that there is no clear evidence from Area Dfor the use <strong>of</strong> pithoi for burials; in all documentedcases storage jars were used. Some <strong>of</strong> the humanremains in these burials are <strong>of</strong> young children/infants.Possibly the jar burials reflect the practice <strong>of</strong> coveringthe deceased with jar fragments, or child/infantburials in jars. Secondary burial cannot be ruledout, also with relation to complete or partial burningor cremation <strong>of</strong> the body. While there is no directevidence for this practice at <strong>Azor</strong>, other jar/pithoiburials from Sahab, Jordan were found with remains<strong>of</strong> fire (Ibrahim 1972, 32).4. Cremation burials include Tombs D62 <strong>and</strong>D63 <strong>and</strong> an additional possible example. Tomb D63was previously published in relative detail in Hebrew(Dothan 1989). <strong>The</strong> tomb is located in Sq K10 <strong>and</strong>was uncovered about 1 m below the surface (Figs 11–13). Essentially, this is a square structure made <strong>of</strong>stones, measuring 1 . 25 6 1 . 2 m surrounding anupright st<strong>and</strong>ing jar, which is the burial vessel. <strong>The</strong>structure was built <strong>of</strong> large stones measuring up to 606 30 cm; the upper course was not completelypreserved <strong>and</strong> was about 25 cm above the rim <strong>of</strong>the jar. <strong>The</strong> wall was built to a maximum <strong>of</strong> fourcourses <strong>of</strong> stones. <strong>The</strong> base <strong>of</strong> the jar was buriedabout 30 cm below the lower level <strong>of</strong> the lowercourse; the height <strong>of</strong> the jar itself is about 75 cm. <strong>The</strong>lower courses <strong>of</strong> stones were smaller <strong>and</strong> flatter <strong>and</strong> inthe western side the structure was only one coursehigh (Fig. 11: Section 1). Upon discovery the jar’smouth was covered by a basalt slab (Fig. 11; Dothan1989, 165, fig. 17); this was a grinding stone or a flatbowl. Four pottery vessels stood between the easternwall <strong>of</strong> the structure <strong>and</strong> the top <strong>of</strong> the jar (Fig. 12).According to this positioning it seems that a pit wasdug initially, thence the jar was placed in the pit,partly sunk in the ground, <strong>and</strong> about 50 cmprotruding above it; the stone structure was buildaround the jar <strong>and</strong> slightly above it, <strong>and</strong> the spacebetween the jar <strong>and</strong> the structure, <strong>and</strong> possibly the jar38 Levant 2008 VOL 40 NO 1
Ben-Shlomo<strong>The</strong> <strong>Cemetery</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Azor</strong>Figure 12Cremation <strong>Burial</strong> D63, during excavationFigure 13Cremation <strong>Burial</strong> D63, after excavationLevant 2008 VOL 40 NO 1 39
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