Gaza

The documentation presented in this book shows that the Gaza Strip was rich in ancient sites, and that a surprisingly high proportion of these sites have been excavated. However, the publication of the excavations is insufficient, so that the cultural heritage of the Gaza Strip is largely unknown today, even among the small group of experts in this field. This study aims to remedy this by compiling all the texts, archaeological finds and sites from the region. The Gaza strip is situated at the southwestern edge of the southern Levant. Although this territory is frequently discussed in media, its archaeology is mostly unknown. Despite some modern attempts to point to its relevance in the field of archaeology, mainly by exhibitions about this region, only a relatively few scholars have visited and studied the archaeological remains of this region in the last 200 years. The compilation in this book shall demonstrate that the Gaza strip is an area of broad and impactful cultural heritage, and this heritage should be preserved for future generations. This region is extremely important for the broader history of the Near East. This volume will present for the first time a compilation of all sites which are presently known in this part of the world; it allows scholars for the first time to imagine the regional connections throughout different periods of the last 10,000 years.