Tel Megadim (Tel Sahar) is an archaeological site located on the Carmel coast of Israel, about 2 km north of Atlit and 11 km south of Tel Shiqmona (Haifa). Excavations there have uncovered significant Middle Bronze Age IIA structures and a notable Persian period settlement, featuring a kurkar stone altar, diverse imported ceramic wares, and horse-and-rider figurines.Israel Antiquities Authority Publications Portal
History Tel Megadim has no port, but anchors have been found offshore providing evidence that ships anchored there and ferried cargo ashore on smaller craft.Wolff and Bergoffen 2012 These anchored ships would have been protected from rough seas by a natural lagoon created by underwater kurkar ridges.Galili et al. 1993: 152
Chalcolithic During the Chalcolithic there are no structures, but the site was occupied with pottery shards, basalt vessel fragments and flint tools found in fill layers in the bedrock.
Early Bronze Age In the EB I, ceramic analysis show close cultural relationship between its inhabitants and those from Qiryat 'Ata, Tel Qashish, 'En Assawir, 'En Shadud and Megiddo.Samuel Wolff
In the EB IV (Intermediate period), there were finds showing the mode of subsistence.Samuel Wolff
Middle Bronze Age Middle Bronze IIA In the MB, two dozen tombs with artifacts and skeletal remains show burial practices, social stratification and trade relations.Samuel Wolff
In late MB IIA, Cypriot pottery have been found at Tel Megadim.Wolff, S. and Bergoffen, C. (2012)
Late Bronze Age II
Persian During the Persian period, there was significant activity at the site with a complete town plan during the 5th century BCE.
Roman-Byzantine
Excavations Excavations by M. Broshi (1967–1969) and later Samuel Wolff identified several strata of occupation, with a major focus on the Persian Period (5th century BC).
See also Archaeology of Israel History of Israel
Further reading Wolff, S. and Bergoffen, C. (2012) Cypriot Pottery From MB IIA Loci at Tel Megadim. In All the Wisdom of the East: Studies in Near Eastern Archaeology and History in Honor of Eliezer D. Oren, eds. M. Gruber, S.Ahituv. G. Lehmann and Z. Talshir (OBO 255). Fribourg and Göttingen. Pp. 419–430.
References
External links The BAS Library (library.biblicalarchaeology.org) Harvard University Samuel Wolff