S INCE ancient times town has played a prominent part in settlement pattern of Israel.' This is partly because nucleated settlement pattern is characteristic of way of life in Mediterranean lands, and partly because of Israel's position near frontier between the desert and sown. Large settlements were necessary for security,2 and function of Levant as an intercontinental crossroads of trade further strengthened urban element. It is therefore not surprising that we should find some of oldest towns of Near East (and indeed of Western civilization) in this
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Amiran et al. (1961) studied this question.
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