Tel Kabri
Kabri · Tell Kabri · Tel Cabri
MB II–LB I (c.1850–1550 BCE)·Canaanite MB II with Aegean influence → Phoenician·🇮🇱 Western Galilee, Coastal Plain, Israel
About
About Tel Kabri
Palatial MB II Canaanite centre (32 ha) with Minoan-style painted plaster palace (c.1850–1550 BCE), excavated by Aharon Kempinski and Assaf Yasur-Landau. Palace hall with Aegean blue-and-white frescoes, banquet hall with 3000 wine jars and orthostat entrance are unique in Levant for Mycenaean–Palatial contact 200 years before Amarna.
Why it mattersKey Western Galilee, Coastal Plain sequence for MB II–LB I (c.1850–1550 BCE); canaanite kingdom centre controlling western galilee coastal plain.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Chronology of Tel Kabri relative to neighbouring centres?
Theories
- 01Regional centre hypothesis for Western Galilee
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- MB IIA c.1850 BCE palace
- Period
- MB II–LB I (c.1850–1550 BCE)
- Culture
- Canaanite MB II with Aegean influence → Phoenician
- Builders
- Canaanite MB II with Aegean influence communities
- Purpose
- Canaanite kingdom centre controlling western Galilee coastal plain
- Rediscovered
- 20th century survey
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
1960
Foundation/earliest horizon
1980
Major excavations
2020
Conservation/monitoring
On the ground
Structures & features
33.0200° N · 35.1500° E · 50 m · 2 mapped features
Frescoed palatial hall
palaceCeremonial hall with Aegean blue frescoes and orthostats
33.0202° N · 35.1503° EWine cellar
storeroomStoreroom with 40 pithoi and wine residues
33.0198° N · 35.1497° E
Gallery