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Something in: Something — This Time: Rare Inscriptions at: Tel Gezer

Tel Gezer is one of the few sites in the Land of Israel to have yielded two different types of epigraphic finds (inscriptions) of extraordinary significance: the Gezer Calendar from the 10th century BCE, which is one of the earliest Hebrew inscriptions ever found; and the "Boundary of Gezer" (Techum Gezer) inscriptions from the Hellenistic period, which made Gezer the first biblical city to be definitively identified through on-site inscriptions. These two finds, separated by about eight hundred years, attest to Gezer’s enduring importance as a center of writing, administration, and culture across vast periods.


Tel Gezer was an ancient city-state and a critical strategic junction, commanding the interface between the coastal "Via Maris" road at the foot of the Judean Mountains and the road ascending to Jerusalem. The site is considered one of the most fascinating mounds (tels) in Israel due to a settlement sequence spanning over 3,000 years, albeit with certain interruptions. The earliest settlement at the site dates back to the end of the 4th millennium BCE, during the Chalcolithic period, when its inhabitants lived in large residential caves hewn into the bedrock of the hill. Throughout the Middle Bronze Age (roughly between 2000 and 1550 BCE), Gezer reached its peak as a formidable and fortified Canaanite city, featuring the largest and oldest water system ever discovered in the Ancient Near East and a unique array of standing stones (matzevot) intended, according to current prevailing interpretation, to commemorate a covenant or a significant event.


During the Iron Age, an impressive six-chambered gate and a casemate wall were constructed at Tel Gezer, serving as evidence of its administrative centrality. The dating of this gate and wall is a subject of scholarly debate: while Israel Finkelstein’s "Low Chronology" attributed them to the 9th century BCE, a comprehensive radiocarbon study published in 2023 dated their construction to the early 10th century BCE—a period consistent with the reign of Solomon according to biblical chronology.


Tel Gezer also served as an important center during the Hellenistic period, when it was conquered by Simon the Hasmonean (circa 142 BCE), who transformed it into a Jewish stronghold. The abandonment of the mound as an urban center occurred during the Early Roman period; by the days of Herod, the site had lost its importance as a border city, and toward the end of the Second Temple period (70 CE), it served only as a private estate. Subsequently, the population gradually moved to unfortified settlements in the fertile surrounding plains, and the strategic importance of the fortified hill faded in favor of centers established later in the region, such as Emmaus (Nicopolis) in the Roman-Byzantine period and Ramla in the Early Muslim period.


Gezer's historical importance is well-reflected in written sources: it is first mentioned in the archaeological record as early as the 15th century BCE, in the list of cities conquered by Pharaoh Thutmose III, which appears in the Temple of Amun at Karnak, Egypt. In the Bible, the first mention of the city appears in the Book of Joshua (10:33), where Horam, King of Gezer, is described as coming to the aid of Lachish in its war against Joshua and the Israelites.


The Gezer Calendar


The Gezer Calendar is one of the most fascinating and ancient archaeological finds discovered in the land, dating back to the 10th century BCE—the days of the United Monarchy of Israel according to the biblical narrative. It is a small limestone plaque (approximately 11 by 7 centimeters) inscribed with seven lines in an ancient North-West Semitic script; scholars are divided on whether the script is Paleo-Hebrew or Phoenician, and whether the language is Archaic Hebrew or Phoenician. The inscription details the agricultural cycle throughout the year, listing eight periods—from the months of harvest to the picking of summer fruits—reflecting the deep connection between the ancient inhabitants of the land and the cycles of earth and nature. The linguistic importance of the tablet is immense, as it provides some of the earliest evidence for the use of writing in our region. There is a lively discussion among scholars regarding its nature: some view it as a student's writing exercise, others suggest it is a popular folk song or a children's rhyme, and some interpret it as a tool for collecting taxes from farmers. In any case, the tablet provides a rare window into the agricultural lifestyle in the Land of Israel during the Iron Age. The artifact, discovered at Tel Gezer in 1908 by the Irish archaeologist R.A.S. Macalister, strengthens our understanding of the development of script and social organization in the region during this era. Today, the original tablet is kept in the Museum of the Ancient Orient in Istanbul, and a replica is displayed at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.


The Identification of the Site


Tel Gezer itself was first identified in 1871 by the French scholar Charles Clermont-Ganneau, who linked the Arabic name "Tell el-Jezer" to the biblical city. This identification was uniquely confirmed with the discovery of thirteen boundary inscriptions around the mound, which include the words "Boundary of Gezer" (Techum Gezer) in Square Hebrew script, alongside names in Greek script—most stones feature the name "Alkios," while two others bear the names "Archelaus" and "Alexas." These inscriptions constitute extraordinary archaeological evidence identifying a site by its original name as far back as antiquity, making Gezer the first biblical city to be definitively identified through inscriptions.


The dating of these inscriptions is controversial: some scholars attribute them to the Hasmonean period (2nd century BCE) and link them to the resettlement of Gezer by Jews after Simon the Hasmonean's conquests, while other researchers date them to the Herodian period (late 1st century BCE) and identify the names with members of a noble family from his court, known from the writings of Flavius Josephus. Regarding the purpose of the inscriptions, Clermont-Ganneau's original interpretation—that they marked a "Sabbath boundary" for the Jewish population—has been largely rejected after additional inscriptions were found whose distribution does not fit this interpretation. The currently accepted explanation is that the inscriptions marked the boundaries between private estates, or between the city's lands and these estates, with the three different names likely representing three different landowners who held territories around the mound.

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Image 1: A replica of the "Gezer Calendar," located at the Tel Gezer site. Photo: Nir Topper.


Image 2: The descent into the water system, Tel Gezer. Photo: Nir Topper.


Image 3: The Standing Stones (High Place) temple, Tel Gezer. Photo: Nir Topper.


Image 4: Part of the Canaanite temple, with the site's explanation plaque, Tel Gezer. Photo: Nir Topper.


Image 5: Boundary of Gezer inscription No. 5, photographed on-site. The inscription reads "Boundary of Gezer" (Techum Gezer) in Hebrew, and upside down in Greek: ΑΛΚΙΟΥ, meaning: "Of Alkios." Source: By Gil Maestro, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27721854 Alongside it: A replica of "Boundary of Gezer" inscription No. 1 at Tabor House in Jerusalem. Source: By Tamar Hayardeni, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://he.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=438808



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