A Lacustrine Harbour case study: Magdala on the Kinneret Lake (Israel). Urban development of a Harbour City from Late Hellenistic to Islamic period

Summary

The Magdala Project excavations, directed by the writers in the city of Magdala/Taricheae (which was the main urban site along the W shore of the Lake of Galilee prior the foundation of Tiberias as capital of the Region), have identified a sequence of phases of a well planned city, strictly interconnected with the development, use and abandonment of its harbour. In this sense the harbour represents an excellent archive of information about the city life. Since the archaeological remains of the harbour (which are among the few examples of lacustrine port structures where a tentative application of the model of AHP was carried out ‘ see Part I) date over a span of time from the Late Hellenistic to the Byzantine/Islamic age, these represent the “right track” for tracing the history of the human interaction with the lacustrine environment and to verify the phases of development of the city and of its planning. Within this history, the Hellenistic port-tower and quadriporticus, the Hellenistic/Early Roman roads and water network, the public fountains, the Roman public bath, the dwelling quarter and the Byzantine pilgrimage sanctuary dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, are presented.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2014   •
• Maritime Archaeology Project Updates from Around the World

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): SYM-40,09