In 1992 the Lahav Research Project (LRP) initiated the first season of Phase III of its excavations at Tell Halif⁽²⁾ opening Field IV, a new exposure along the tell's southwestern perimeter⁽³⁾. The Field IV grid (Fig. 1) was oriented to help provide a broader look at architectural and other remains from the Iron II period, such as had been found just below the surface during Phase I and II excavations in Field III.⁽⁴⁾ Wall outcrops along the crest of the mound south and east of Field III had been noted in early surveys and additional tests and probes in this area were conducted using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)⁽⁵⁾. Accordingly, the efforts in 1992 immediately proved successful in demonstrating the presence of significant late eighth century B.C. occupation, including very substantial accumulations of burnt brick and ashy destruction debris. This debris covered surfaces and remnant structures contemporary with similar type Iron II remains found earlier in Field III. These had been designated Stratum VIB and their terminal date assigned to the campaign of Senacherib in 701 B.C. The structures exposed in Field IV continue the plan of a casemate-like wall defense line from Field III along the southwestern arc of the Iron Age settlement with the "casemate" line being formed by the back rooms of modified four-room type house structures.

Among other artifacts and samples collected from deposits excavated in 1992 was a collection of small stone objects which were identified in the field as scale weights. Included are nine items. They are described and illustrated on Plate 1. The presentation is in the order of their recovery and registration⁽⁶⁾
 

The conclusion that most, if not all, of these stone items are scale weights is based on characteristics of weight, form and material. Table 1 summarizes the data and indicates putative correspondences with the averages for weights used in the Judean Shekel system.⁽⁷⁾

1. Weight Correlations

Correspondences in weight with standard averages established for the Judean Shekel is apparent for most of the Halif items. Most demonstrative are the 40, 4, and the last of the 1 Shekel exemplars (Pl. 1e, #2124; 1f, #2127; 1i, #2154; 1d, #2097; and 1b, #1899). Assuming a +/- 5% wear variant, all of these items fall well within the tolerable range.⁽⁸⁾ While the total weight for Object # 2127 (Pl. 1f) is reconstructed, the +5% adjustment to compensate for a chipped corner is quite reasonable. Moreover even its actual weight at 44.2 gr is within the allowed variant. On the other hand the weights of Objects #2142 (8 Shekels?, Pl. 1g) and #2151 (1.5 Shekel?, Pl. 1h) each fall well outside the allowable margins. Object #2142 at 80.4 gr is almost 10 gr lighter than the 8 shekel average at 90.627 gr. At 15.1 gr Object #2151 falls in between the one and two shekel averages (at 11.332 and 22.664 gr respectively) but still well short of a fair match for a 1.5 shekel standard at 17.089 gr. Object #2058 (2 Shekels?, Pl. 1c) is a broken fragment whose reconstructed total weight is very uncertain. The identification of these last three items as scale weights is accordingly suspect.

2. Form Characteristics

With regard to shape, this small collection is markedly diverse. Only Objects #2124 (Pl. 1e) and #2154 (Pl. 1i) represent the more usual flatbottom dome type. This form is specially associated with inscribed weights.⁽⁹⁾ The presence of an hieratic number sign on Object # 2154 is thus not surprising. The sign is the hieratic number 5 which in the late eighth century B.C. came to represent the four shekel weight.⁽¹⁰⁾ Two other dome shaped weight stones (Objects #1316 and # 1330) were recovered from related contexts in Field III at Halif during the 1986 excavations (See Fig. 2). One of these, Object #1316 (Fig.2a), is an 8 shekel stone inscribed with heiratic number 10. Object # 1330 (fig. 2b) is presumed to be a 1 shekel stone but its weight has not been measured⁽¹¹⁾

The other three stones of 4 shekel weight from Field IV are each of a different form Among them the trapezoidal shape of Object # 2127 (Pl. 1f) is of special interest. In his study of 362 inscribed Judean weights, Kletter cites nine as being "rectangular or trapezoidal." (Kletter:122) Of these only three are trapezoids and all three are made of bronze. One of these is a four shekel weight from Umm Biyara.⁽¹²⁾ Object # 2851 (Pl. 1a) is a tapered cylinder which may also be included peripherally in the trapezoidal shape class.⁽¹³⁾ It is, however, rather poorly finished. Object # 2127 (Pl. 1f), by contrast is very carefully shaped and smoothed. It is ovoid in form, flattened slightly at both ends and at its base. Its general shape bears a vague similarity to the Mesopotamian-type duck weight. However, it displays none of the distinctive relief detail of that class and more formal association is not likely. On the other hand it may simply reflect a modification of the domed weight style manufactured with reference to the raw stone from which it was formed.

Among the other objects from Halif only the 1 shekel and 1.5 shekel items are well shaped. Object # 1899 (Pl. 1b) is a ball or sphere. Measuring 11.5 grams it fits clearly within the Judean system as a one shekel weight. With added trimming on one side it could easily have been made into a domed shape. One can only speculate that in the process of manufacturing the completion of the domed form may have given way to the need for preservation of the weight's accuracy.⁽¹⁴⁾ By contrast Object #2151 (Pl. 1h) is a fairly well trimmed rectangle. However, as noted previously its weight does not well match the 1.5 shekel standard. Moreover, while Kletter cites some inscribed weights with rectangular shape all those clearly described are cubical in form and belong to the lighter gera system of weights⁽¹⁵⁾.

The remaining objects #2142 and #2058 each display a modified rectangular form. Object #2142 (Pl. 1g.) has a drilled hole on its face and is slightly concave on each of the adjacent sides and on the base. The form rounds off over the top and tapers to the back. Gripped from the back this allows for a rather comfortable hold with thumb and forefinger on opposing sides and with the stone resting on the first joint of the middle finger (see Fig. 3). Held thus, the angle of the hole would rather nicely provide a fulcrum for holding the bit for a small bow drill. The possibility that this object is a drill cap merits serious consideration.

Object #2058 (Pl. 1c) is much smaller. It is oval in section but well flattened at its base. As now preserved there is no way accurately to project the shape of its top. A rough notch on one of its broad side faces hints that an abortive attempt to drill through the stone may have been the cause of its fracturing.

3. Materials

As with shapes, the types of stone material represented in the Halif group are unusually varied. Included are examples made of limestone, basalt, hematite and diorite. Among these only two (Pl. 1f, #2127 and 1i, #2154) are of limestone. This makes just 22% of the Halif group as opposed to almost 92% (356 or 362 examples) of the inscribed weights studied by Kletter that are made from this type stone.⁽¹⁶⁾ Of the other Halif stones, two (Pl. 1e , #2124 and 1d, #2097) are of fine basalt, and four (Pl. 1a, #1851; 1b, #1899; 1c, #2058; and 1h, #2151) are hematite. While none among Kletter's group of inscribed weights are made of these materials, uninscribed weights in both stone types are represented in other studies.⁽¹⁷⁾ The remaining Halif piece (Pl. 4g, #2124) is made from diorite. In a limited search no parallels for weights made from this stone have been found. It is worthy of note, however, that drill caps made of granite and diorite are known from Egyptian sources.⁽¹⁸⁾

Summary

As the foregoing study of the Halif object group shows, six of the nine artifacts can quite certainly be identified as weight stones (Pl 1f, #2127; 1i, #2154; 1e, #2124; 1d, #2097; 1a, #1851; and 1b #1899). In terms of weight, form, and material of composition each of these fits well within the norms for weights stones of the Eight Shekel Judean System. Objects # 2058 (Pl. 1c) and # 2151 (Pl. 1h) on the other hand are more questionable. The first is badly broken and of very uncertain weight and form, and the second has a unparalleled rectangular shape with a weight measurement well askew of shekel system norms. Yet it may be premature to exclude them completely from further study as possible weights. However, Object #2142 (Pl. 1g) fails to meet any of the tests and attempts to identify it as a stone weight should be abandoned. The suggestion that it is a drill cap for a small bow drill is considerably more likely.

Chronology and Conclusions

As noted at the outset, most of the objects in this group from Halif were collected from immediately in or just above debris related to the destruction of the Iron II period settlement at the very end of the eighth century B. C.⁽¹⁹⁾ The one exception is Object #2058 which came from L. G7007, a Persian period fill in a silo in Area G7. However, even excluding this object and the other questionable items, Objects #2142 and # 2151, the Halif group adds a rather significant supplement to Kletter's study, which otherwise includes only six weight stones that are clearly dated to the eighth century B. C.⁽²⁰⁾ The presence of inscribed Object #2154, from one of the stratigraphically secure late eighth century Halif loci, along with Field III Object #1316 found in 1986, together provide additional support for his conclusion that inscribed weights were in use before 701 B.C., and add further confirming evidence that the Eight Shekel and gera weight systems were already well established by that time.⁽²¹⁾ The fact that, except for a brief period of squatter activity immediately following the 701 B.C. destruction (Stratum VIA), Halif is not occupied at all during the seventh century adds additional testimony to the proper late eighth century dating of these artifacts.

Finally, this evidence from Halif reinforces Kletter's argument that the shekel system was most at home in "kernel Judah".⁽²²⁾ As one of the fortified southern outposts of the Judean Kingdom, and located on an important east-west route from the coastal plain into the Judean hill country⁽²³⁾, it is not at all surprising that Halif participated actively in the commerce of the era using standards made official by the Judean Monarchy. While sources are silent as to what precisely occasioned the devaluation involved in the shift to the octal standard, the rise of Assyrian political (and economic) influence, including its final takeover of the Northern Israelite Kingdom in 722 B.C., represents the most probable cause. ⁽²⁴⁾ Given the statistically limited and chronologically late appearance of the eighth century stone weight evidence, it is tempting to see this shift in valuation as perhaps an economic reflex of the reform movement initiated during the early reign of Hezekiah just after 715 B.C.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Pl. 1a - Object # 1851 (MC Catalogue #62,706) - 4 Shekel Scale Weight

    Hematite with tapered cylinder shape

    Complete but slightly chipped; Weight 43.7 gr.
 
    From L. I800l, Pottery Basket 42/92 IV.I8.1

Pl. 1b - Object # 1899 (MC Catalogue #62,789) - 1 Shekel Scale Weight

    Hematite with ball shape.

    Complete. Weight 11.5 gr

    From L. I8003, Pottery Basket 42/92 IV.I8.15

Pl. 1c - Object # 2058 (MC Catalogue #64,239) - 2 Shekel Scale Weight?

    Hematite with ovoid rectangular shape

    Broken, approximately 50% missing. Actual weight 10.6 gr; Reconstructed weight 21.2 gr

    From L. G7009, Pottery Basket 42/92 IV.G7.32

Pl. 1d - Object # 2097 (MC Catalogue # 64,401) - 4 Shekel Scale Weight

    Basalt with ovoid or egg shape

    Complete. Weight 44.6 gr

    From L. L8001, Pottery Basket 42/92 IV.L8.28

Pl. 1e - Object # 2124 (MC Catalogue #64,801) - 40 Shekel Scale Weight

    Basalt with domed shape.

    Complete. Weight 461.4 gr

    From L. K8002, Pottery Basket 42/92 IV.K8.76.

Pl. 1f - Object # 2127 (MC Catalogue # 64,430) - 4 Shekel Scale Weight

    Limestone with trapezoidal shape.

    Chipped, approximately 5% missing. Actual weight 44.2 gr, Reconstructed .weight 46.4 gr

    From L. L8005, Pottery Basket 42/92 IV.L8.37

Pl. 1g - Object # 2142 (MC Catalogue # 64,715) - 8 Shekel Scale Weight ?

    Diorite with rectangular shape and drilled cavity.

    Complete. Weight 80.4 gr.

    From L. F7002, Pottery Basket 42/92 IV.F7.6
 
Pl. 1h - Object # 2151 (MC Catalogue # 64,836) - 1.5 Shekel Scale Weight ?

    Hematite with rectangular shape.

    Complete. Weight 15.1 gr

    From L. K8002, Pottery Basket 42/92 IV.K8.87
 
Pl. 1i - Object # 2154 (MC Catalogue #64,719) - 4 Shekel Scale Weight

    Limestone with dome shape and Hieratic number five sign on top.

    Complete. Weight 45.8 gr.

    From L. F7002, Pottery Basket 42/92 IV.F7.6
 
 

Plate 1 - Stone scale weights from 1992 excavations in Field IV at Tell Halif
 

Figures

Figure #1 - Grid map locating Fields III and IV at the west end of Tell Halif
 
 
Figure #2 - Dome shaped scale weights from 1986 excavations in Field III at Tell Halif

Illustrations by Jason Greene
 
 
Figure #3 - Sketch illustrating possible use of Object # 2142 as a drill cap.

Illustration by Jason Greene
 

Plate 1 - Stone scale weights from 1992 excavations in Field IV at Tell Halif

Illustrations by Jason Greene
 

1. While it may see something of a reach to dedicate a note on a group of scale weights from the ancient Near East to a scholar/administrator with the stature of Ernest Frerichs, his career belies the worry. With regard to archaeology his forte has always clearly been with more practical and economic concerns. In addition, during his long term of dedicated service as a Trustee of ASOR including two terms as President of the W. F. Albright Institute and long term service otherwise on its Board,, not to mention his work as Academic Coordinator for the Tell Miqne Excavation Project, he has dealt with many "weighty" matters. It is thus with deepest respect that I dedicate this article to him as a most respected scholar, friend, co-worker, and ever wise consultant and counselor.

2. Tell Halif is located at Kibbutz Lahav in southern Israel at Survey of Israel Grid Reference 1873.1873.0879. The Lahav Research Project is sponsored by the Cobb Institute of Archaeology, Mississippi State University along with a seasonal Consortium of other academic institutions. In 1992 the Consortium included Emory University, California State University at Los Angeles, Gustavus Adolphus College, and Rhodes College.

3. Dr. Paul F. Jacobs of Mississippi State University and Dr. Oded Borowski of Emory University are Co-directors of the LRP's Phase III field work. They jointly supervised work in Field IV in 1992.

4. See Seger and Borowski 1977; Seger 1983; and Jacobs and Borowski 1993.

5. On GPR applications related to Field IV see Dolittle and Borowski 1996.

6. The recording system used at Tell Halif registers all artifacts and samples collected first according to a Material Culture Catalogue master sequence. Artifacts are subsequently separated from sample groups and are recorded and described in an Object Registry. Find spots of artifacts within the excavation matrix are recorded by Field, Area, Locus, and Pottery Basket designations. Locations are marked on plans and with specific elevations where ever possible, principal exceptions being items recovered through sifting. See Seger and Jacobs 1992.

7. Following publication of R.B.Y. Scott's pacesetting work in the late 1950's and early 1960's (see Scott 1959 and 1964) standards for scale weights in the Judean Shekel and gera systems have received increasing attention. Much of the discussion has been published in reference to collections from individual sites. Fortunately the main part of this data has recently been collated and summarized by Raz Kletter. (See Kletter 1991) The present study is greatly dependent on his work. The averages for inscribed weights of the Shekel system are provided in Kletter:134, Table 4.

8. Discussing scale weight variations Kletter concludes that "any deviant up to 5% should be considered as a simple deviation from the "standard' and not as an indication of the existence of different standards (Kletter:131.) Also see Powell:340.

9. See Kletter: 122ff.

10. The problematics involved in the use of hieratic numerals 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 50 on weights of 4, 8, 12,16, 24 and 40 shekels respectively in the Judean Eight Shekel system has most recently been discussed by Yigal Ronen (Ronen 1996). Ronen follows a suggestion first posited by R. B. Y. Scott ( Scott 1965) and subsequently by Y. Aharoni (Aharoni 1986) that the system of weights in Judah was first based on Egyptian deben/qedet measures with one shekel equal to one qedet at 9.06 gr. He further argues that in the late eighth century B.C. a conversion to the eight unit shekel system was instituted, and that in the new system the shekel weight was increased to 11.33 gr. This made the ratio between the shekel and qedet 4/5 and required that new weight stones for the one and two shekel measures be developed. However, it allowed weight stones of 5 qedet and above from the old system to continue in use as 4 and 8, etc. shekel measures for the new system. See Ronen:123-24.

11. Object # 1316 is an inscribed limestone weight from Area 6, L. 6001, recovered from fill over and between the stones on the outlying Iron II period Glacis A6009 (MC # 47,010, Pottery Basket 20/86 III.6.6, IDAM ((Israel Department of Antiquities and Museums)) #86-742.) Object #1330 is a smaller uninscribed stone from Area A4, L. A4063 which is a well sealed fill below a Stratum VIB floor (MC #41,211, Pottery Basket 20/86 III.A4.198, IDAM # 86-741.) The exact weight in grams was not recorded for either of these items before being turned over to IDAM (now the Israel Antiquities Authority.) However, Object # 1316 was subsequently measured at 90.6 gr by Oded Borowski (personal communication.) It is inscribed with an hieratic number 10 and is thus clearly an 8 shekel stone. In relative size Object # 1330 is a close match for Field IV Object #1899 (Pl. 1b) and is most likely in the 1 shekel or nesef range. See Borowski:51-52 and 105.

12. See Qedar: No. 5060; also Kletter: 122. The other bronze trapezoids are a 2 shekel weight from Gezer (Macalister: 285, Fig.433) and an unprovenanced pym weight described as "pyramidal" ( see Lemaire: Pl. 4:6).

13. A stone of the same shape and material was recovered from Iron I levels at Gezer. See Dever: Pl. 6l:6. The object is #843 from Field VI, Area NE16, with Pottery Basket #122 from L. 16038.1 of Stratum 5B/A. It is described as a "Weight or Gaming piece" of polished hematite. No measurement of weight is given but by comparison of scaled drawings it would seem to be about two-thirds the size of Halif Object #2851.

14. In a study of weight stones from Cave I.10A at Gezer, A. Eran notes that "the identification of globular artifacts without flat bases as scale weights is always questionable because of their tendency to roll about." However, he cites as weights eleven globular and sub-globular forms from the Macallister and HUC Gezer Excavations which fall between 10.16 and 10.50 gr, slightly less than the weight of our Halif one shekel object. (See Eran 1974 and 1988). Citing other parallels for the Gezer group Eran notes that all fall at or just beyond the upper weight range for inscribed nesef weights (at 9.659 gr according to Kletter: 134, Table 4.)

15. See Kletter:122; also 150, Table 7:44 (citing Barton: 384-86, an unprovenanced bronze pym weight.); 150, Table 7:45 (citing Barkay: 209-11, No. 5, an unprovenanced bronze pym weight); 151, Table 9:A1 (citing. Diringer: 97, Pl. 12:10 from Lachish, a stone gera weight.); and 153, Table 9:G2 (citing Diringer:96 from Lachish, a stone gera weight).

16. Kletter:121 and 123, Table 1. Even excluding the three most questionable items from the statistics only 33% of the Halif examples are limestone. As noted previously, the only inscribed weight in the Halif group, Object #2127, conforms to norm clearly established by Kletter's work, i.e. that inscribed Judean weights are virtually always made of limestone and in domed shape.

17. Cf. eg. Eran 1974 and 1988; Dever. However, note that the use of basalt for dome shaped weights is rare, a ring shape being the more common form for weights in that stone type.

18. See e.g. Hayes: 210 ( a granite fire making bow drill set from workmen's huts near the Tombs of the Kings), and 408-09 (a diorite drill cap discussed with carpenters tools of the New Kingdom from el-Lisht.)

19. Objects #1851 ( L. I8001) and # 1899 (L. I8003) were recovered from loci described as "top soil." However, both come from stratigraphic locations along the perimeter of the mound where the exposures of destruction debris lay virtually at the surface, and from well within architectural outlines of Iron II structures. Object #2097 was registered with L. L8001, also a "top soil" locus, but came from pottery basket 42/92 IV.L8.15, the lowest basket assigned to L. L8001 just at the transition to L. L8005 which is "clean" destruction debris. Objects #2127 (L.L8005), #2142 (L. K8002), #2151 (L. K8002), and #2154 (L. F7002) all come from well within Stratum VIB destruction deposits.

20. Among 84 clearly datable weights from stratigraphically controlled locations, Kletter cites only six from eighth century B.C. contexts. See Kletter: 124 ff and 125, Table 2.

21. Kletter: 126. One of these is an identically shaped 4 shekel weight from Stratum II at Beersheba which was also found in a four-room house context. See. Aharoni 1973: Pl. 39.2.

22. Halif's location, at the edge of the northern Negev, and along the divide between the southern Shephelah and the Judean Hills, makes an association with one or another of Kletter's Distribution Areas difficult. It could easily be included in his Area 2: Negev, Area 3A, Shephelah East, or Area 4: coastal Plain. See Kletter:128-129.

23. See Jacobs 1987:68, fig. 1.

24. See Ronen:124.
 

References

Aharoni, Y.
    1973      Beer-Sheba I.  Tel Aviv University Institute of Archaeology: Ramat Gan, Israel

     1986     The Use of Hieratic Numerals in the Hebrew Ostraca and on the Shekel Weights.   Bulletin of the
               American Schools of Oriental Research 180:13-19.

Barkay, G.
    1978     A Group of Iron Age Scale Weights.  Israel Exploration Journal 28: 209-11

Barton A.
    1903     New Hebrew Weights 1. A Unique Hebrew Weight.  Journal of the American Oriental  Society  21:384-86

Borowski, O.
    1989     Lahav Research Project, 1986, 1987 and 1989 Seasons: Report Part I. Excavations in Fields III and IV.
                Mississippi State, MS: Lahav Research Project, Cobb Institute of Archaeology.

Dever, Wm. G.
    1986     Gezer IV, The 1969-71 Seasons in Field VI, the "Acropolis."   Part II: Plates and Plans,  Jerusalem: Nelson
                Glueck School of Biblical Archaeology.

Diringer, D.
    1942     The Hebrew Weights Found at Lachish.  Palestine Exploration Quarterly 74:96-97.

Dolittle, J., and  Borowski O.
    1996     A Penetrating Look: An Experiment in Remote Sensing at Tell Halif.   Pp 27-36 in  Retrieving the Past,
                Essays on Archaeological Research and Methodology in Honor of  Gus W. Van Beek, ed J. D. Seger.
                Winnona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns

Eran, A.
    1974      Appendix B: A Group of Weight Stones from Gezer.  Pp 131-132 in Gezer II:Report of  the 1967-70
                Seasons in Fields I and II, by W. G. Dever, et. al. Jerusalem: Nelson Glueck  School of Biblical Archaeology.

    1988     Weights.  Pp 112-113 in Gezer V; The Field I Caves, by Joe D. Seger. Jerusalem: Nelson  Glueck
                School of Biblical Archaeology.

 Hayes, W. C.
    1959      The Scepter of Egypt II: The Hyksos Period and the New Kingdom (1675-1080 B.C.)  New York:
                Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jacobs, P. F.
    1987     Tell Halif: Prosperity in a Late Bronze Age City on the Edge of the Negev.  Pp. 68-86 in  Archaeology
                and Biblical Interpretation, eds. L. E. Toombs, L. G. Perdue, and G. L.  Johnson. Atlanta, GA: John Knox.
 

Jacobs, P. F., and Borowski, O.
    1993     Tell Halif 1992.  Israel Exploration Journal 43:66-70.

Kletter, R.
    1991     The Inscribed Weights of the Kingdom of Judah.  Tel Aviv 18:121-63.

Lemaire, A.
    1982     Nouveaux poids pym en bronze.  Semitica 32:19-20

Macalister, R.A.S.
    1912     Gezer II. London: Palestine Exploration Fund.

Powell, M. A.
    1997     Weights and Measures.  P. 340 in Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East,
                ed. E. Meyers.  NewYork: Oxford University

Qedar, S.
    1983      Gewichte aus Drei Jahrtausenden 4.  Koln: Munz Zentrum

Ronen, Y.
    1966     The Enigma of the Shekel Weights of the Judean Kingdom.  Biblical Archaeologist  59:122-25.

Scott, R. B. Y
    1959     Weights and Measures of the Bible.  Biblical Archaeologist 22:22-40.

    1964      Shekel Fraction Markings on Hebrew Weights. Bulletin of the American Schools of  Oriental
                Research 173: 53-64.
 
    1965     The Scale Weights from Ophel 1963-1964.  Palestine Exploration Quarterly  94:128-39.

Seger, J. D.
    1983     Investigations at Tell Halif, Israel 1976-1980. Bulletin of the American Schools of  Oriental
                Research 252:1-23.
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Seger, J. D.,  and Borowski, O.
    1997     The first Two Seasons at Tell Halif.  Biblical Archaeologist 40:156-66.

Seger, J. D.,  and Jacobs, P. F.
    1992     Field Operations Guidebook, 3rd edition. Mississippi State, MS: Lahav Research  Project,
                Cobb Institute of Archaeology.