Tell el-Farah North
Tell el-Farah (North) · Fara North · Tirzah (Tell el-Farah)?
Neolithic to Iron Age (c.7000–700 BCE; peak Israelite Tirzah 1000–800 BCE)·Neolithic → Chalcolithic → EB → Israelite (Tirzah, capital to 800) → Assyrian·🇵🇸 Nablus Governorate, Tirzah Valley, Palestine
About
About Tell el-Farah North
Tell el-Farah (North) in Tirzah valley (likely biblical Tirzah, capital of Northern Israel before Samaria) with Neolithic village (Lodian) through EB, Middle Bronze glacis and Iron Israelite capital—palace of Omri before he moves to Samaria. Roland de Vaux 1946–60 revealed 7 strata, Iron palace with Proto-Aeolic capitals, and domestic 9th c. houses and olive presses.
Why it mattersTirzah — first capital of northern Israel (before Samaria).
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Is Farah North truly Tirzah?
Theories
- 01Israelite palatial architecture
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.7000 BCE
- Period
- Neolithic to Iron Age (c.7000–700 BCE; peak Israelite Tirzah 1000–800 BCE)
- Culture
- Neolithic → Chalcolithic → EB → Israelite (Tirzah, capital to 800) → Assyrian
- Builders
- Tirzah kings (Baasha, Omri)
- Purpose
- Settlement and ceremonial centre
- Abandoned
- c.700 BCE (Assyrian sack)
- Rediscovered
- 1946 (de Vaux)
- Excavation
- Excavated
c.7000 BCE
Neolithic Lodian village
c.950 BCE
Tirzah capital — Jeroboam to Omri
c.870 BCE
Omri moves capital to Samaria
1946
de Vaux stratigraphy
On the ground
Structures & features
32.2900° N · 35.3300° E · 320 m · 3 mapped features
Iron Palace of Omri (Level VII) — Proto-Aeolic Capitals
palaceIsraelite palace with Proto-Aeolic column capitals — capital of Israel before Samaria
32.2903° N · 35.3302° ENeolithic Lodian Village Horizon
settlement7000 BCE Lodian Neolithic houses with Yarmukian pottery
32.2895° N · 35.3304° EMB Glacis and Iron Domestic Quarter
fortificationMB glacis overlain by Iron olive-press houses
32.2906° N · 35.3294° E