Definition: The archaeological site of Lachish (also called Tel el-Duweir) is located approximately 40 kilometers south of Jerusalem. First built during the Canaanite period of the second millennium BC, Lachish was destroyed and then rebuilt as a kingdom of Judah at the end of the 12th century BC. Judah in its turn was destroyed and rebuilt by Assyria under Sennacherib in 701 BC.
Excavation at Lachish was first conducted by James L. Starkey and Olga Tufnell in the 1930s under the auspices of the British-backed Palestine Exploration Fund. The most important find at Lachish were about 20 pot sherds with Hebrew inscriptions called the Lachish ostraca or Lachish letters. More recent excavations have been conducted by Daviv Ussishkin of Tel Aviv University.
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Sources for the term include the references listed on the front page of the Dictionary, and the websites listed in the sidebar.
Excavation at Lachish was first conducted by James L. Starkey and Olga Tufnell in the 1930s under the auspices of the British-backed Palestine Exploration Fund. The most important find at Lachish were about 20 pot sherds with Hebrew inscriptions called the Lachish ostraca or Lachish letters. More recent excavations have been conducted by Daviv Ussishkin of Tel Aviv University.
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Sources for the term include the references listed on the front page of the Dictionary, and the websites listed in the sidebar.
Also Known As: Tell el-Duweir
