The Riddle of Ramat Raḥel: The Archaeology of a Royal Persian ...

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8The earliest building phase at Ramat Raḥel should be dated to the late 8th, or better yet, theearly 7th century BCE (Lipschits et al. 2009: 61-64; 2011: 10-14). The “Western Tower” is themain architectural structure assigned to this early phase. It was built in the technique common inIron Age Judah: wide walls constructed of mixed fieldstones of varying sizes, all uncut or cut onlypartially and crudely, with foundations that are sometimes integrated into the bedrock outcropsand sometimes into shallow foundation trenches. This structure probably functioned in buildingphase I as a tower fortress, situated at the top of the hill for all to see, controlling the main roadsleading to Jerusalem (Lipschits et al. 2011: 10-20). To the east of the tower, other structures fromthe early phase were built, but they were later integrated in the complex of buildings thatcomposed the edifice of the second building phase, or were dismantled to their foundations.The profusion of pottery sherds discovered in the fill levels beneath the second phase floorsdate mostly to the 7th century BCE. These sherds were found together with 19 private and 225lmlk jar handles, a third of which come from clear stratigraphic contexts beneath the floors of thesecond building phase. The stamp impressions include representations of all the known varietiesand therefore represent the entire chronological span of the administrative system of which thesestamp impressions were part, at least until the middle, or even until the last third of the 7th centuryBCE (Lipschits, Sergi and Koch 2010).A number of the architectural features found are unique to Ramat Raḥel, indicating thatalready in this early phase, the site served as an administrative and governmental center. The manyvolute capitals (the so-called “Proto-Aeolic” capitals; see Lipschits 2009b), as well as a series ofsmall carved stone columns with tiny palmette capitals that had been part of a window balustrade,similar to those that appear in the reliefs known as “the woman in the window,” are all be part ofthe same architectural assemblage (Lipschits et al. 2011: 19-21).Even at this early stage, the edifice at Ramat Raḥel was unparalleled by any other in theKingdom of Judah. It included a fortress tower in the west and several ashlar stone buildings withornamental volute capitals, small stone columns that decorated a window or windows, and otherstone ornaments. The profusion of stamp impressions on jar handles found at the site testifies to itsrole as the Judahite administrative center for the collection of agricultural produce, probably paidas tax to the Assyrian empire. This administrative role would grow in importance in subsequentstages of its existence.
9Building Phase II – Iron Age and Persian PeriodIn the second building phase, dated to the last third of the 7th and continuing to the 6thcentury BCE, an imposing edifice was built atop the mound (Lipschits et al. 2009: 64-70; 2011:20-34). We have evidence that contrary to the accepted reconstruction, this edifice was notdestroyed at the end of the Iron age and was in continuous use during the 6th-5th centuries BCE,and was even expanded during the Persian period.The palatial compound of building phase II contained the most impressive structure in Judah,built of ashlar blocks, decorated with volute capitals, with magnificent window balustrades, smalllimestone stepped, pyramid-shaped stones, and other stone ornaments, most of them reused fromthe earlier building phase. It was surrounded by a magnificent garden, well built on artificiallyflattened bedrock, with large pools, tunnels, channels, gutters and other water installations(Lipschits et al. 2011: 20-34, and see below). This building phase gave the site its currentmonumental plan and provided it with a grandeur unknown elsewhere in Judah. Its monumentalappearance at this stage was a result of an expression of the general concept of planning a complexand extensive assemblage, of the uniform outline of the plan and the relationship and balancebetween its different parts, and of the quality of building and its extensive complementaryinfrastructure.To implement the comprehensive planning concept at this stage, significant logistical andoperational groundwork was required that altered the shape of the natural hill. The new planlandscaped the palace with a royal garden on the west and extended the palace, including itscourtyards and walls along the sloping eastern side of the hill, all the way to the fortress tower thatalready dominated that part of the summit. The large quantity of material extracted from thequarrying of the natural hill and the material removed in the creation of a garden sunk into thebedrock on the western side, were intended for use as fill and were poured over the eastern slope.This fill created a large level base upon which the palace units and courtyards were constructed.The tower fortress of the first phase was integrated into the new, enlarged plan. At the time of theconstruction of the sunken garden, the fortress was isolated on three sides―south, west, andnorth―and stood upon a prominent rock cube projecting westward out of the palace complex. Theextent of the energy required to adjust the natural outline of the extension to the satisfaction of thearchitects/engineers of the new design is testimony to the grandeur and might of the state involvedin the investment, planning, and construction of the second phase palace at Ramat Raḥel.
Page 1 and 2: 1The Riddle of Ramat Raḥel:The Ar
Page 3 and 4: 3including lmlk and “private” s
Page 5 and 6: 5casemate wall and an additional ca
Page 7: 7seasons were conducted at the site
Page 11 and 12: 11Raḥel in the Persian period. In
Page 13 and 14: 13that forms its inner wall, up to
Page 15 and 16: 15Jerusalem, Samaria continued to e
Page 17 and 18: 17Fig. 4 - Storage Jars found at Pi
Page 19 and 20: 19ConclusionsThe new interpretation
Page 21 and 22: 21Geva, H. 2003b. Summary and Discu

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