ʿEn Ḥaẓeva in the Arabah Valley: A “Faynanite” Signature in Late Iron Age I–Early Iron Age IIA Ceramic Assemblages

This paper presents the results of typological and petrographic analyses of the ceramic assemblages from ʿEn Ḥaẓeva Strata VIII and VII. The typological analysis concludes that the strata date to the late Iron Age I and early Iron Age IIA, respectively. The petrographic analysis reveals that a substantial percentage of the ceramic assemblage originated in the copper districts of the Arabah Valley. Considered together the analyses indicate that during these two Iron Age phases ʿEn Ḥaẓeva was an integral part of the Faynan district and testify to its essential role in the Arabah Valley’s copper trade network.