We want to know:
CHRONOLOGY: What are the stages of occupation of Mitzpe Shivta, and what is the chronology which can be imposed on its rock-cut rooms and the built areas of the site?
FUNCTION: What was the original motivation behind human occupation at Mitzpe Shivta? Was the settlement planned as a monastery or did it have other different functions (fortress?) or an earlier predecessor settlement or Nabatean/Roman cult place?
DAILY LIFE: What was the daily life of the inhabitants like – related to monasticism, pilgrimage and economy?
NEGEV SOCIETY & AGRICULTURE: How was Mitzpe Shivta integrated into the agricultural society of the Negev area?
RISE & FALL OF THE NEGEV: What can Mitzpe Shivta with its fortification, religious architecture and agricultural relics tell us about the importance of security, spirituality and economy in times of crisis?
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
In Mitzpe Shivta we aim to follow a holistic research approach that considers the broad range of data sets available at the site including architecture, inscriptions and dipinti and thick anthropogenic deposits containing organic and inorganic macro- and microscopic material culture remains
RESEARCH APPROACH
AERIAL DOCUMENTATION
Using drones, satellite imagery, historical aerial photographs and SfM, we want to create 3D models of the site and its rock-cut architecture and document the evidence of agricultural activity in its vicinity
By recording and analyzing the architectural legacies of Mitzpe Shivta, we will reconstruct functional spaces that give us insight into function, chronology, everyday life and aspects such as economy, worship, housing, food culture, and security.
ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY
In selected areas that were presumably used for everyday activities while suggesting good preservation of organic material we will conduct small-scale but high resolution excavations with subsequent sampling for 14C and OSL dating.
EXCAVATIONS
Petrographic microscopy and FTIR analysis will allow clear-cut identification of dung deposits and their nature (e.g., enclosure deposits vs. dung used as fuel) while phytolith analysis from dung deposits will unravel the feeding habits of livestock which reflect on pasture resources available near the site, grazing habits, and foddering practices. Additionally, ash and fuel as well as wall plaster and pottery will be studied to infer production or trade strategies
MICRO-
GEOARCHAEOLOGY
BIOARCHAEOLOGY& DNA
Analysis of animal bones and plant remains will highlight the husbandry and cultivation strategies of the inhabitants of Mitzpe Shivta. We will gain insight into their consumption habits. Trade networks can be reconstructed, especially through an analysis of the remains of imported fish and molluscs
The rich inscriptions in Mitzpe Shivta reveal the names of the people who visited the site, the places they came from and what they prayed for...Epigraphic analysis of the Greek inscription will provide insight into aspects of literacy, scriptural knowledge and the character of activities at the site.
EPIGRAPHY
COMPARISON
An important mission of our project is to protect the unique cultural heritage of Mitzpe Shivta in cooperation with the IAA.
A particularly urgent issue: the archaeological legacies of the site are currently located within a training area of the Israeli military. Ground exercises but also visits of tourists have left their mark: A veil of garbage, weapon remnants, and graffiti covers Mitzpe Shivta. We arrange the cleaning of the site, its protection and preservation.
Data comparison with the neighboring agricultural village of Shivta will show the nature of mutual influence between both sites and their individual roles during the rise and fall of the Negev region
COMPARISON
