Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T07:22:56.316Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Stable Isotope Dietary Analysis on Human Remains: A case Study at Khirbet Aqabet Al Qadi Burial Chamber, Nablus, Palestine

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2019

Loay Abu Alsaud ,
Awni Shawamra ,
Amer Qobbaj ,
Jehad Yasin ,
Mohammad Al-Khateeb ,
Abdul Khaliq Issa ,
Alfonso Fanjul Peraza  and
Verónica Pérez de Dios
Loay Abu Alsaud*
Affiliation:
Department of Tourism and Archaeology, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Awni Shawamra
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeological Sites Registration, Palestinian Ministry of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage, Ramallah, Palestine
Amer Qobbaj
Affiliation:
Department of History, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Jehad Yasin
Affiliation:
General Directorate of Excavations and Museums, Palestinian Ministry of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage, Ramallah, Palestine
Mohammad Al-Khateeb
Affiliation:
Department of History, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Abdul Khaliq Issa
Affiliation:
Faculty of Humanities, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Alfonso Fanjul Peraza
Affiliation:
Archaeologist, Oviedo City Council, Oviedo, Spain
Verónica Pérez de Dios
Affiliation:
Freelance archaeologist, Salamanca, Spain
*
*Corresponding author. Email: Loayabualsaud@najah.edu.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In 2016, a burial chamber hewn into limestone was discovered at Khirbet Aqabet Al Qadi on the northwestern slope of Mount Ebal, 2km north of the city center of Nablus. The floor of the chamber is 3.15 × 2.9 m and the height averages 1.8 m. A movable closure at the entrance consists of a limestone slab. The burial chamber houses four sarcophagi. The aim of this case study is to give information not only on the burial chamber but also, for the first time in the region, on human remains. Stable isotope analysis of a human bone sample enabled us to obtain dietary information on one individual. Due to low collagen content, the sample did not allow precise dating but it can be placed between 50 BC and 50 AD. Systematic illegal excavation and looting at funerary sites in the Nablus area has caused material for potential information to be missing at the site. Nonetheless, the dietary information obtained supports other material finds indicating Mediterranean agricultural use of the land. Our evidence demonstrates that the site dates to between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD.

Keywords

burial cavefunerary sitehuman bonesNablusPalestinesarcophagiskeletal remains
Type
Case Study
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 61 , Issue 4 , August 2019 , pp. 1107 - 1120
Copyright
© 2019 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Abel, FM. 1923. Naplouse. Essai de Topographie. Revue Biblique XXXII: 120–132. Paris.Google Scholar
Abu Sood, L. 2007. Estudio arqueológico del urbanismo y arquitectura antiguos de la ciudad de Neápolis (nablus/territorios palestinos) [doctoral dissertation]. Universidad de Salamanca.Google Scholar
Adler, N. 2004. A comprehensive catalogue of oil lamps of the Holy Land from the Adler collections. Jerusalem: Old City Press.Google Scholar
Al-Fanni, I. 1998. Alfatrat Al-Helenistya, Al-Romanya, Wa Al-Bezantya Fi Nablús Wa muhafathatiha. Nablus. In Arabic.Google Scholar
Al-Fanni, I. 1999. Nablus Fi Al-Fatratayn Al-Yunanya Wa Al-Romanya, Baladeyat Nablus. In Arabic.Google Scholar
Al-Houdalieh, S. 2009. Political crisis and palestine’s cultural heritage: a case study from the Khirbet el-Lauz Site in Area C. Journal of Field of Archaeology 43:338–359.10.1179/009346909791070899CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Al-Muheisen, Z. 2008. Archaeological Excavations at the Yasileh Site in Northern Jordan: the Necropolis. Syria Archéologie, art et histoire 85:315–337.Google Scholar
Ambrose, SH. 1990. Preparation and characterization of bone and tooth collagen for stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis. Journal of Archaeological Science 17:431–451.Google Scholar
Aviam, M. 1997. Appendix: The significance of the coin of Agrippa II from cave 3 near Kabri. Atiqot XXXIII:23.Google Scholar
Aviam, M, Goren-Rosen, Y. 1997. Three burial caves from the Roman period at Hurfeish. Atiqot XXXIII:25–37.Google Scholar
Avi-Yohah, M. 2001. A history of Israel and the Holy Land. New York: Continuum.Google Scholar
Avi-Yonah, M. 1946. Newly discovered Latin and Greek inscription. Quarterly of the Department of Antiquities in Palestine 12 (15–17):84–102.Google Scholar
Barkay, G. 1991a. Excavations at Ketef Hinnom in Jerusalem. Ancient Jerusalem Revealed. London. p. 85–106.Google Scholar
Barkay, R. 1991b. Samaritan sarcophagi of the Roman period. First International Congress of the Société d´Études Samaritaines. Tel-Aviv. p. 83–98.Google Scholar
Bocherens, H., et al. 1997. Paleobiological implications of the isotopic signatures (13C, 15N) of fossil mammal collagen in Scladina Cave (Sclayn, Belgium). Quaternary Research 48:370–380.10.1006/qres.1997.1927CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Broshi, M. 1991. Iron Age remains in the Chapel of St. Vartan in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Ancient Jerusalem revealed. London. p. 82–84.Google Scholar
Clermont-Ganneau, C. 1896. Archaeological researches in Palestine during the years 1873–1874. Volume 2. London: Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund.Google Scholar
Damati, I. 1972. Askar, notes and news. Israel Exploration Journal 22:174.Google Scholar
Damati, I. 1973. A Roman mausoleum at ‘Askar’, Qadmoniot: A journal of the Antiquities of Eretz-Israel and Bible Lands 6 (3–4):118–119. In Hebrew.Google Scholar
Damati, I. 1985–1986. Samaritan Sarcophagi in mausoleums. Yisraél Ám Wa-Ares Israel People and Land 20/21:87–106. In Hebrew.Google Scholar
De Niro, MJ. 1985. Post mortem preservation and alteration of in vivo bone collagen isotope ratios in relation to paleodietary reconstruction. Nature 317:806–809.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gill, D. 1991. Subterranean waterworks of Biblical Jerusalem: adaptation of a karst system. Science 254:1467–1471.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hachlili, R, Killebrew, AE. 1999. Jericho – the Jewish cemetery of the Second Temple period. Jerusalem: Israel Antiquities Authority.10.2307/j.ctt1fzhdx8CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kloner, A, Davis, D. 1991. A burial cave of the first temple period on the slope of mount Zion. Ancient Jerusalem revealed. London. p. 107–110.Google Scholar
Lederman, Z, Aviam, M. 1997. Rock-cut tombs from the Byzantine period in the Tefen region. Atiqot XXXIII:137–149.Google Scholar
Loffreda, S. 1968. Iron Age rock-cut tombs in Palestine. Liber Annus 1968:244–287.Google Scholar
Longin, R. 1971. New method of collagen extraction for radiocarbon dating. Nature 230:241–242.10.1038/230241a0CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Magen, Y. 1987. The Western Mausoleum at Neapolis. Eretz-Israel 19:72–91. In Hebrew.Google Scholar
Magen, Y. 1993a. Neapolis. In: Stern, E, et al., editors. The New Encyclopaedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land. Vol. 4. Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society. p. 1354–1359.Google Scholar
Magen, Y. 1993b. The Samaritan Sarcophagi. In: Manns, F, Alliata, E, editors. Early: Studium Biblicum Franciscanum, Collectio Maior 38. Jerusalem: Franciscan Printing Press. p. 149–166.Google Scholar
Magen, Y. 2009. Flavia Neapolis – Shechem in the Roman Period. Vol. 2. Judea & Samaria publications series 11. Jerusalem: Israel Antiquities Authority.Google Scholar
Mati, E. 2001. The prehistory of the Holy Land (until 3200 B. C.). A history of Israel and the Holy Land. New York. p. 9–35.Google Scholar
Nadal, MC. 2001. El sarcófago romano. Cuestiones de tipología, iconografía y centros de producción. In: Celdrán, JMN, Guerri, EC, editors. El sarcófago romano: contribuciones al estudio de su tipología, iconografía y centros de producción. Proceedings of study conference Murcia University, Murcia, May 2000. p. 8–17.Google Scholar
Opait, A. 2010. Sinopean, Heraklean and Chersonesan “carrot” amphorae. Ancient Cilvilizations from Scythia to Siberia 16(1–2):371–556.10.1163/157005711X560417CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Romero, MS. 2008. El consumo de alimento como estrategia social: recetas para la construcción de la memoria y la creación de identidades. Cuadernos de prehistoria y arqueología de la Universidad de Granada 18:17–39.Google Scholar
Smith, RH. 1973. An Early Roman sarcophagus of Palestine and its school. Palestine Exploration Quarterly 1(January–June):71–82.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stern, EJ, Gorin-Rosen, Y. 1997. Burial caves near Kabri. Atiqot XXXIII:1–22.Google Scholar
Sussman, V. 1983. The Samaritan oil lamps from Apollonia-Arsuf. Tel Aviv 10:71–96.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sutcliffe, SJE. 1960. The monks of Qumran. London.Google Scholar
Toynbee, JMC. 1971. Death and burial in the Roman world. London: Thames & Hudson.Google Scholar
Van Klinken, GJ. 1999. Bone collagen quality indicators for palaeodietary and radiocarbon measurements. Journal of Archaeological Science 26:687–695.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vincent, LH. 1920. Un hypogée Antique A Naplouse – Nouvelles Diverses. Revue Biblique XXIX: 126–137.Google Scholar
Wicenciak, U. 2016. Porphyreon: Hellenistic and Roman pottery production in the Sidon Hinterland. Warsaw: Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archeology, University of Warsaw.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Abu Alsaud et al. supplementary material

Abu Alsaud et al. supplementary material 1

Download Abu Alsaud et al. supplementary material(File)
File 30.6 MB