Gaza

Archaeology and History

By (author) Wolfgang Zwickel

Book cover: Gaza

Extent: 818 pages

Publisher: Zaphon

Subjects: Ancient Near East

Series: Ägypten und Altes Testament

Series volume number: 129

Language: English

Hardback (Published)

(February 2026)

ISBN: 9783963272967

Price: $200.00

In stock

PDF (Published)

(February 2026)

ISBN: 9783963272974

Price: $200.00

The documentation presented in this book shows that the Gaza Strip was rich in ancient sites, and that a surprisingly high proportion of these sites have been excavated. However, the publication of the excavations is insufficient, so that the cultural heritage of the Gaza Strip is largely unknown today, even among the small group of experts in this field. This study aims to remedy this by compiling all the texts, archaeological finds and sites from the region. The Gaza strip is situated at the southwestern edge of the southern Levant. Although this territory is frequently discussed in media, its archaeology is mostly unknown. Despite some modern attempts to point to its relevance in the field of archaeology, mainly by exhibitions about this region, only a relatively few scholars have visited and studied the archaeological remains of this region in the last 200 years. The compilation in this book shall demonstrate that the Gaza strip is an area of broad and impactful cultural heritage, and this heritage should be preserved for future generations. This region is extremely important for the broader history of the Near East. This volume will present for the first time a compilation of all sites which are presently known in this part of the world; it allows scholars for the first time to imagine the regional connections throughout different periods of the last 10,000 years.

0. Preface

1. Introduction

1.1. Chronology

1.2. History of Responsibilities for the Archaeology in the Gaza Strip

1.3. The Gaza Strip within the Last 100 Years

1.4. Maps

1.5. Rivers and Water Sources in the Gaza Strip

1.6. Present state of Archaeological Publications

1.7. Museums in the Gaza Strip

1.8. The Ancient Road System in the Gaza Strip

2. Archaeological Site List

2.1. Square 91: 100 – 110 . 110 – 120

2.2. Square 94/1: 090 – 100 . 100 – 110

2.3. Square 95: 100 – 110 . 100 – 110

2.4. Square 109/12: 080 – 090 . 090 – 100

2.5. Square 110: 090 – 100 . 090 – 100

2.6. Square 117: 100 – 110 . 090 – 100

2.7. Square 110/1: 070 – 080 . 080 – 090

2.8. Square 111: 080 – 090 . 080 – 090

2.9. Square 112/1: 070 – 080 . 070 – 080

2.10. Square 113: 080 – 090 . 070 – 080

Appendix I: Square 94/1: Gaza 0995.1014

Appendix II: Buildings in the Old City of Gaza

Appendix III: Inscriptions Found within the City of Gaza (in Chronological Order)

3. Settlement History

3.1. All Documented Settlements in the Gaza Strip

3.2. Palaeolithic and Neolithic Periods

3.3. Chalcolithic Period

3.4. Early Bronze Age I–III

3.5. Early Bronze Age IV / Middle Bronze Age I

3.6. Middle Bronze II

3.7. Late Bronze Age I and II

3.8. Iron Age I

3.9. Iron Age II

3.10. Persian Period

3.11. Hellenistic Period

3.12. Roman Period

3.13. Byzantine Period

3.14. Islamic Period

4. Historical Texts

4.1. Egyptian Texts and Amarna Letters from the 2nd Millennium BCE (including Topographical Lists from the 1st Millennium BCE)

4.2. Akkadian Texts from the 2nd Millennium BCE

4.3. Akkadian Texts from the 1st Millennium BCE (Neo-Assyrian and Babylonian Period)

4.4. Hebrew Bible (Including LXX and New Testament Texts)

4.5. Extra-biblical Texts in pre-Hellenistic Periods

4.6. Non-biblical Texts from the Hellenistic Period (Including Texts Describing Events from the Hellenistic Period)

4.7. Flavius Josephus

4.8. Greek and Latin Texts from the Roman and Byzantine Period: Early Roman and Herodian Period (40 BCE – c. 70 CE), Including Texts Describing Events During this Period

4.9. Greek and Latin Texts from the Roman and Byzantine Period: Post-Herodian Roman Period (c. 70 – c. 324 CE)

4.10. Greek and Latin Texts from the Roman and Byzantine Period: Byzantine Period (c. 324 – 638 CE)

4.11. Eusebius Onomasticon

4.12. Maps of Roman-Byzantine Period and Figurative Representation of Towns within the Gaza Strip

4.13. Rabbinical Texts

4.14. Greek, Latin and Arabs Text from the Umayyad to the Crusader Period (638–1187 CE) without Specific Crusader Texts

4.15. Texts of Arab Geographers

4.16. Specific Texts from the Crusader period (1099–1187 CE)

4.17. European Texts from the Middle Ages after the Crusaders (from 1188 CE onwards)

4.18. Settlement Activity in the Late 16th Century CE

5. Historical Topography

5.1. Introduction

5.2. Churches and Monasteries

5.3. Identifications proposed by Yizhar Hirschfeld

5.4. Discussion about the Location of the Monasteries

5.5. Other Sites

5.6. Summary

6. Important Historical Events in the Territory of the Gaza Strip

7. Bibliography

8. Indices

8.1. Place Names

8.2. Personal Names

8.3. Gods

  • By (author) Wolfgang Zwickel