Tell Kamid el-Loz (Kumidi)
تل كامد اللوز · Kamid el-Loz · Kumidi (Amarna) · Kamed el-Lawz
Neolithic through Iron Age and Byzantine (c.5000 BCE–600 CE); Chalcolithic, EBA–MB, LB II Amarna Kumidi, Iron–Persian·Chalcolithic → EBA–MBA Beqaa → LB Egyptian vassal (Kumidi) → Iron Phoenician–Persian → Hellenistic·🇱🇧 Beqaa Governorate, Beqaa Valley, West Beqaa, Lebanon
About
About Tell Kamid el-Loz (Kumidi)
Inland Beqaa Valley Egyptian vassal capital Kumidi (Amarna) — 26-m high tell (240×180 m) with 16 m stratigraphy: Neolithic through Mamluk. Famous Hachmann (Saarland 1963–81) excavation revealed Late Bronze II palace complex (Amarna Kumidi) with cuneiform archive (EA 116–20), Egyptianised fresco, Mycenaean–Cypriot imports and Hyksos-style scarab; Iron Age Phoenician–Persian resettlement and later Hellenistic village. Kumidi letters show Egyptian commissioner governance of Beqaa grain plain. Only inland Lebanese tell with Amarna cuneiform archive and Egyptian fresco.
Why it mattersOnly Beqaa Amarna archive Kumidi beyond coast — proves Egyptian grain administration inland; palace fresco unique in Lebaon.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Fresco technology — Egyptian artisans imported or local imitation?
- 02Where is Iron Age provincial centre — under village?
Theories
- 01Hachmann Kumidi as Egyptian grain silo model
- 02Moran internal Amarna politics via Kumidi vs Arqa commissioner debate
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.5000 BCE Neolithic village; LB II palace 1470 BCE; Iron I resettlement 1150 BCE
- Period
- Neolithic through Iron Age and Byzantine (c.5000 BCE–600 CE); Chalcolithic, EBA–MB, LB II Amarna Kumidi, Iron–Persian
- Culture
- Chalcolithic → EBA–MBA Beqaa → LB Egyptian vassal (Kumidi) → Iron Phoenician–Persian → Hellenistic
- Builders
- Chalcolithic → EBA–MBA Beqaa → LB Egyptian vassal (Kumidi) → Iron Phoenician–Persian → Hellenistic builders
- Purpose
- Beqaa Valley grain plain capital and Egyptian commissioner’s seat (Kumidi) controlling Bekaa–Damascus road
- Abandoned
- c.600 BCE Babylonian–Persian transition; Mamluk abandonment
- Rediscovered
- Excavated 1963–81 Rolf Hachmann (Saarland Univ.) & 1997–present Marlies Heinz (Freiburg) Kamid el-Loz Project
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
2000
Initial work at Tell Kamid el-Loz (Kumidi)
2015
Stratigraphy and geophysics synthesis for Tell Kamid el-Loz (Kumidi)
On the ground
Structures & features
33.6180° N · 35.8190° E · 940 m · 3 mapped features
LB II Palace (Kumidi)
palaceAmarna palace with fresco and archive
33.6182° N · 35.8192° EArchive room (EA 116–120)
archiveCuneiform tablet deposit
33.6178° N · 35.8188° EIron Age city
settlementPhoenician–Persian houses
33.6180° N · 35.8190° E