Revisiting the Isolated Canaanite Temple of Tel Mevorakh

• Main Author: Weissbein Itamar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sciendo 2017-12-01
• Series: Journal of Landscape Ecology
• Subjects: tel mevorakh; landscape archaeology; sacred landscape; canaanite cult. temple
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1515/jlecol-2017-0026

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.