Tell el-Burak: New Light on the Economy of Phoenician Sidon
Tell el-Burak is located 9km south of Sidon and 5km north of Sarepta. Lebanese-German excavations on-going since 2001 have exposed a Middle Bronze Age palace and a small Phoenician settlement. The focus of my research is on the Iron Age remains of the site which are dated from the 8th to the 4th century BCE. Recent excavations have exposed several installations which indicate that the site was a main economic center in the territory of Phoenician Sidon specializing in agro-industries. Storage rooms filled with in situ broken amphorae, small vats, a pebble floored room, and a well preserved and impressive wine press were exposed. Another similar press, as well as other, yet unidentified, industrial installations, were revealed by recent electrical resistivity tomography investigation. Using the archaeological evidence and the results of botanical and residue analyses, the project intends to investigate the various industries attested on the site, in particular, the wine industry. With the help of the petrographic and typological analysis of the Tell el-Burak amphorae the project shall try to identify, where possible, the areas in the Levant and/or the eastern Mediterranean to which these products were exported. This project will enhance our understanding of the economy of the Phoenician kingdom of Sidon.