An Assemblage of Metal Artifacts on the Hill of Šēh_˘ Abrēk (Beth She arim), Its Landscape and Archaeological Context

The site of Beth She arim, located in the Lower Galilee, Israel, is famous for its Late Roman – Early Byzantine Necropolis, with its lavish network of catacombs cut into the hillside. The urban settlement of Beth She arim was situated mainly on the hill of Abrēk. This hill dominates the Jezreel Valley from the west and the road system leading to it. An assemblage Šēh_˘ of metal artifacts dating to the 12^th to the 14^th cent. C.E. was excavated during the 2014 excavation season. The finds and their location open a window into medieval Beth She arim, a rarely discussed historical period in the history of the site. The aim of this paper is to present the assemblage and identify its significance in its landscape context. Analysis of the finds and their location point to the strategic importance of the hill of Abrēk as a dominating observation point which controls the “gates“ to the Jezreel Valley. Šēh_˘.