Tel Hazor (Hebrew: תל חצור, romanized: Tel Ḥāṣor), called Hasōr in Ancient Greek (Άσώρ) and Tell Waqqas or Tell Qedah el-Gul in Arabic (تل القدح, romanized: Tell el-Qedah), is an archaeological mound located at the site of ancient Hazor. It is found in the Upper Galilee, north of the Sea of Galilee, on the northern Korazim Plateau. From the Middle Bronze Age (around 1750 BCE) to the Iron Age (ninth century BCE), Hazor was the largest fortified city in the region and one of the most important in the Fertile Crescent. It traded with Babylon and Syria and brought in large amounts of tin for the bronze industry. In the Book of Joshua, Hazor is described as "the head of all those kingdoms" (Josh. 11:10), and archaeological findings highlight its significance.
The Hazor expedition, led by Yigael Yadin in the mid-1950s, was the most important archaeological dig in Israel during its early years as a nation. Tel Hazor is the largest archaeological site in northern Israel, with an upper mound covering 12 hectares (30 acres) and a lower city area larger than 70 hectares (175 acres).
In 2005, the remains of Hazor were named a World Heritage Site as part of the Biblical Tels—Megiddo, Hazor, and Beer Sheba.
Excavations
The Hazor site covers about 80 hectares (200 acres). The upper city covers about one-eighth of this area. The upper mound is approximately 40 meters tall. John Garstang first studied the site in 1926.
Major excavations took place from 1955 to 1958 by a team from the Hebrew University, led by Yigael Yadin. Yadin returned to Hazor for one more season of excavation in 1968. These excavations were supported by James A. de Rothschild and published in a five-volume book series by the Israel Exploration Society.
Excavations at Hazor, led by the Hebrew University and joined by the Complutense University of Madrid, began again in 1990 under Amnon Ben-Tor. These excavations are still ongoing today. The work from 1990 to 2012 was described in two books published by the IEF.
In 2010, two pieces of a clay tablet were found during excavation. The tablet dates to the Old Babylonian period of the Middle Bronze Age. The second piece is small and contains only 7 symbols. These symbols are similar to laws found in Hammurabi's Code, the Laws of Eshnunna, and Hittite laws. The fragments describe rules about body injuries and damages, including those involving slaves.
In 2013, excavations focused on areas M-East and M-West from the Late Bronze Age. M-East had evidence of a major destruction event with signs of burning. From 2014 to 2015, excavations worked on layers from the Iron Age II and the 8th century BCE in areas M3 and M4. Unbaked loom weights were found there. In 2016, excavations studied the destruction layer of an administrative palace in area M3. Fragments of an Egyptian statue were discovered. The 10th century BCE standing stone complex and 9th century BCE fortifications, built on top of the Late Bronze Age destruction layer, were also studied. In 2017, work focused on the Late Bronze Age M3 area, which included an administrative palace with a basalt staircase. Excavations also continued on Iron Age II fortifications. In 2018, the 29th season of excavation, which took place from June to July, studied areas M3, M4, and M68. In 2019, the 13th season of current excavations focused on areas M4 and M68, both from the Iron Age.
In total, Hazor has uncovered more cuneiform tablets than any other site in the Southern Levant. These tablets are divided into two groups. Those from the Middle Bronze Age are written in standard Old Babylonian Akkadian, while those from the Late Bronze Age are written in a local dialect similar to that used during New Kingdom Egyptian times.
Artifacts found during the excavations are kept in a museum at Kibbutz Ayelet HaShahar. In 2008, some items in the museum were damaged during an earthquake.
Chronology
This table shows the layers of ancient settlements that formed Tel Hazor, as described by archaeologist Sharon Zuckerman. The colors in the table represent different time periods: the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Persian period, and Hellenistic period. Some layers match descriptions found in historical records from those times.
In a 2021 article, Israel Finkelstein, referencing his earlier work on stratum X at Tel Hazor (shown in the table), often links this layer to the time of King Solomon.
Finkelstein’s view, called the "Low Chronology," is not agreed upon by all archaeologists. For example, William G. Dever believes that while the Bible may exaggerate the power of King Solomon, the kingdom of Judah was likely centralized around 1000 BCE and ruled by Solomon. The traditional dating of stratum X to the 10th century BCE is also supported by Amnon Ben-Tor and Shlomit Bechar, who led the excavations at the site. Avraham Faust and others (2021) suggest that Finkelstein and his critics have narrowed their disagreement, as Finkelstein now agrees that the Iron Age IIA may have started in the 10th century. However, most scholars still use traditional or modified timelines.
Merja Alanne, who supports Finkelstein’s Low Chronology, wrote in her 2017 doctoral dissertation, citing work by Dr. Orna Zimhoni (1997), that stratum X at Tel Hazor aligns with the time of Solomon.
Other scholars, such as Thomas E. Levy and Daniel Frese, argue that pottery evidence from the Jezreel region does not strongly support the Low Chronology.
History
The first settlement found at Tel Hazor dates back to the Early Bronze Age II and III periods, around 2800 to 2400 BCE. It was part of a group of settlements near the Hula Valley, including Abel Beth Maachah, Dan, and Kedesh. Excavations revealed only a few houses in limited areas, suggesting that Early Bronze Age Hazor was not a major settlement. However, a large structure from the Middle Bronze Age was built earlier, during the Early Bronze Age, after 2700 BCE. This suggests Hazor may have been a planned urban center from the start. It also includes some of the earliest examples of basalt slabs used as wall foundations in the Southern Levant, following a temple at Tel Megiddo. During the Early Bronze Age III period, people moved from rural areas to larger cities like Hazor, Dan, and Abel Beth Maachah. Evidence of a possible palace in Hazor and Dan supports this shift.
Much of the pottery from this time belongs to the Khirbet Kerak type. Studies of the pottery show it was made with local clay, and Hazor played a key role in spreading this pottery across the region. Other pottery types used a different local clay, which may indicate separate workshops or technical choices. Some believe the Khirbet Kerak tools were made with clay not controlled by other workshops. Archaeologists found 15 cylinder seal impressions on pottery from this period, along with another found nearby. This large collection, found in a small area, supports the idea that Hazor was an important city during this time.
Compared to other Canaanite cities, Hazor and Megiddo did not show signs of decline during the Intermediate Bronze Age. Hazor had evidence of human settlements and a strong economy, using copper ingots and pottery from the Megiddo Ware family.
In 2021, archaeologists found that Hazor was abandoned for years before the Intermediate Bronze Age, starting in the Early Bronze Age III (around 2500 BCE). The old city was ruined, but the new city built on top followed similar architectural styles.
During the Middle Bronze II period (1820–1550 BCE), Hazor was ruled by Ishi-Addu of Qatna and his son Amutpiel II. Qatna was a rival of the Great Kingdom of Yamhad, which included Ebla and Hamath. Qatna controlled areas near Hazor but faced rebellions in the south, often led by Yamhad. Hazor was strongly influenced by Syrian powers from the north.
A king named Ibni-Addu ruled Hazor around 1770–1765 BCE. Hazor was connected to trade routes involving Zimri-Lim of Mari and Yarim-Lim of Yamhad. Tin was traded with copper to make bronze. A letter fragment addressed to Ibni-Addu of Hazor was discovered.
Hazor is mentioned in Egyptian texts called execration texts. In Mari, letters from the time of Yasmah-Adad and Zimri-Lim (1775–1761 BCE) refer to Hazor as part of a trade route: Hazor-Qatna-Mari. A tablet fragment found at Hazor listed a trade path from Hazor to Mari and then to Ekallatum. A Mari letter listed goods sent from Mari to Hazor.
At the start of Egypt’s New Kingdom, Ahmose I attacked the southern Levant to drive out the Hyksos. Later campaigns by Thutmose I and Thutmose III made Canaan an Egyptian vassal.
During the Amarna Period (around 1350 BCE), the Man of Hazor (LU 2 Hasura) had a petty king named Abdi-Tirshi who swore loyalty to the Egyptian pharaoh. In Amarna Tablet EA 148, Abi-Milku of Tyre accused the pharaoh that Hazor was taken by Habiru, and in EA 228, the king of Hazor asked the pharaoh to help against attacks by Habiru or nearby cities.
The Book of Joshua describes Hazor as the home of Jabin, a Canaanite king who led a confederation against Joshua, an Israelite commander. Joshua defeated the Canaanites and destroyed Hazor. The Book of Judges also mentions Jabin, whose commander, Sisera, was defeated by Barak. Scholars believe the story of Barak and Sisera may be mixed with the story of Jabin’s defeat.
Amnon Ben-Tor of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem believes evidence of burning supports the biblical account of Hazor’s destruction. In 2012, Ben-Tor and Sharon Zuckerman found a scorched palace from the 13th century BCE with burned crops in its storerooms. Zuckerman disagreed, suggesting the fire was caused by internal conflict. Israel Finkelstein argues the Israelites were a subculture in Canaanite society and rejects the biblical conquest story, believing it combines events over centuries. An archaeological layer from around 1200 BCE shows signs of fire, and cuneiform tablets mention a king named Ibni Addi, possibly linked to Jabin. Hazor had grand temples and palaces before its destruction, divided into an upper acropolis and lower city. Finkelstein suggests the destruction may have resulted from civil strife, attacks by the Sea Peoples, or the collapse of the Late Bronze Age civilization. Shlomit Bechar notes a complex of standing stones at Hazor may commemorate the Israelite conquest. She says whether Israelites destroyed Hazor or not, the tradition of conquest likely began early.
Some scholars think the Book of Judges and Book of Joshua describe the same events, not different times, and may refer to the same Jabin, a Canaanite king defeated by Israelites.
Some Christian writers claim the lunar origins of Allah are linked to Hazor, but archaeologists disagree.
Archaeological remains suggest that after its destruction, Hazor was not rebuilt in the same way.