Current Excavation Results
The site of Tel Burna is located in the Shephelah region, which served as a border between the kingdoms of Judah and Philistia in the Iron Age. A fertile area that supported agricultural production, the region became known as the breadbasket of the south and as suggested before by some scholars, we believe that the site is the best candidate for Biblical Libnah. The tell’s prominence is notable in its flat-topped shape, extensive size, and fortification which are still visible today. Survey finds from the 2009 season indicate that the city was an important entity in the Bronze and Iron Ages.
Fourteen seasons of fieldwork at the site, including a survey season and thirteen excavation seasons, have presented us with a coherent picture of the site’s past settlement history. Iron Age remains have been revealed in Area A2, located at the center of the summit of the tell, Area B2 and Area A1 where an extensive fortification system, has created a flat, almost square area of 70 by 70 meters, with the city gate on the southern edge in Area G. Evidence for Late Bronze Age occupation has been found in Area B1 below the summit and the west of the fortifications. Area C is located on the eastern slope of the site where agricultural installations can be seen on surface.
