FOUND FROM AIR

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 85, 7 October 1933, Page 26

FOUND FROM AIR

NEW ROMAN REMAINS

Air photographs have been responsible, for the excavation .of a Eoman amphitheatre at Samaria, the site of the ancient Israelite capital, whero the palaces of Ahab and Omri have b,een unearthed, says the "Christian Science Monitor." ' Digging was resumed,.for the third season with Mr. J. W^ Crowfoot, of the British School of Archaeology in charge of the work, and Dr. E. L. Sukenik, of the Hebrew. University, as assistant field director of the joint expedition.. This season's work was started in the area of the Israelite palaces in continuation of the previous excavations. The' depression observed from the air is..a little to the east of the Augustan Temple, liujlt by Herod, on the northern" slope of the Mil. Although the greatest partef the masonry has been taken away, there are still clearly visible the foundations and,many rows of seats of the amphitheatre,, as well as the pavement of the orchestra^ encjosure. A number of ' architectural fragments which, belong to the stage building were also found. Another feature. of the work is the following up of the line of the Eoman city wall on the east side. The work has brought to light stretches of foundations/of the wall with three towers, which apparently belong; to the Herodian period, but were repaired, at a later date. Only a small area remains to be explored in order to complete tho .plan of the entiro circumferenco of the Epmaii wall. A third point investigated this season is the'area of the Street'of Columns. The . first trench has been cut near the West Gate. A number of plastered layers were found, believed to belong to the surface of the street. Under these a piece of masonry was found which, judging from its position in the trench cut in the rock and from the pottery found'within it, may be ascribed with certainty to the Israelite period, showing again that the original Israelite city extended also to the West Gate. It is proposed to cut a second trench to the east in the same street. Of the smaller finds; the most important is a fragment of a cuneiform stela which was uncovered in a wall of loose stones dividing two cultivated fields. This stela is said to belong to the Assyrian occupation of Samaria. It is the first of its kinfl so far found in Palestine. .