<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The isolated Late Bronze temple at Tel Mevorakh was interpreted by its excavator, E. Stern, as a “road sanctuary” which sits on an important trading route, and as a daughter site of Tel Dor. This article, wish to reexamine this interpretation by drawing the attention to the ancient natural landscape which surrounds the temple, especially the Taninim River and the Kabara Marsh. Those major water sources where significant natural barriers which prevented the passage of main roads in this area. Probably, they also formed a political border which divides between Tel Mevorakh and the Carmel Coast. Therefore, this paper offers that the Tel Mevorakh temple was part of the settlement system of the northern Sharon, and was isolated from roads. The main reason that led to the establishment of a cult-site at Tel Mevorakh was its unique natural surroundings, which was related in the minds of its worshipers to the mythical world of the gods.</p></abstract>

The isolated Late Bronze temple at Tel Mevorakh was interpreted by its excavator, E. Stern, as a “road sanctuary” which sits on an important trading route, and as a daughter site of Tel Dor. This article, wish to reexamine this interpretation by drawing the attention to the ancient natural landscape which surrounds the temple, especially the Taninim River and the Kabara Marsh. Those major water sources where significant natural barriers which prevented the passage of main roads in this area. Probably, they also formed a political border which divides between Tel Mevorakh and the Carmel Coast. Therefore, this paper offers that the Tel Mevorakh temple was part of the settlement system of the northern Sharon, and was isolated from roads. The main reason that led to the establishment of a cult-site at Tel Mevorakh was its unique natural surroundings, which was related in the minds of its worshipers to the mythical world of the gods.

Revisiting the Isolated Canaanite Temple of Tel Mevorakh

Journal of Landscape Ecology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Revisiting the Isolated Canaanite Temple of Tel Mevorakh"}

The isolated Late Bronze temple at Tel Mevorakh was interpreted by its excavator, E. Stern, as a “road sanctuary” which sits on an important trading route, and...

Revisiting the Isolated Canaanite Temple of Tel Mevorakh

Published Online: Feb 06, 2018

Page range: 58 - 80

Received: May 29, 2017

Accepted: Sep 15, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jlecol-2017-0026

Keywords
Tel Mevorakh, Landscape Archaeology, Sacred Landscape, Canaanite Cult. Temple

© 2017 Itamar Weissbein, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Revisiting the Isolated Canaanite Temple of Tel Mevorakh

Published Online: Feb 06, 2018

Page range: 58 - 80

Received: May 29, 2017

Accepted: Sep 15, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jlecol-2017-0026

KeywordsTel Mevorakh, Landscape Archaeology, Sacred Landscape, Canaanite Cult. Temple

© 2017 Itamar Weissbein, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Tel Mevorakh, Landscape Archaeology, Sacred Landscape, Canaanite Cult. Temple