What question did this study set out to answer?

To analyze charcoal fragments excavated from the Byzantine Street and understand their implications on construction practices and local resource management.

April 29, 2026Open Access

Dendroarchaeological Analysis of Charcoal Fragments from the Byzantine Street in the City of David, Jerusalem

Key Points

To analyze charcoal fragments excavated from the Byzantine Street and understand their implications on construction practices and local resource management.
Excavation of charcoal fragments from Byzantine Street in Jerusalem (Area S2) with analysis of 200 specimens.
Preservation assessment and taxonomic identification conducted at Tel Aviv University's Laboratory of Archaeobotany.
Characterization of dominant taxa and assessment of local flora contributions to construction materials.
200 charcoal specimens analyzed, primarily from local Mediterranean species with low taxonomic diversity.
Dominance of Cupressus sempervirens and Pinus halepensis, comprising nearly 90% of samples, indicating common construction materials.
First identification of Syrian maple in Jerusalem, alongside evidence for olive and fig, suggesting horticultural management in the Byzantine period.

Abstract

The excavation of the Byzantine Street in the City of David, Jerusalem (Area S2) yielded several hundred charcoal fragments from multiple loci, of which 200 specimens were analyzed at the Laboratory of Archaeobotany and Ancient Environments at Tel Aviv University. Preservation was generally good to moderate, and all identified taxa belong to the local Mediterranean Israeli flora. The assemblage is characterized by low taxonomic diversity and is overwhelmingly dominated by conifers, with Cupressus sempervirens (Mediterranean cypress) and Pinus halepensis (Aleppo pine) comprising nearly 90% of the analyzed material, suggesting that most of the charcoal derives from construction timbers commonly used in classical periods. Other Mediterranean species were identified at much lower frequencies. The exclusive presence of native taxa indicates predominantly local sourcing of building materials, while the first identification of Syrian maple in a Jerusalem context, together with evidence for olive and fig, suggests regional cultivation and targeted management of timber and horticultural resources during the Byzantine period.

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