EXPLORE BY MONTH
—1941—
cf. Bulletin of Jewish Palestine Exploration Society
VIII: 3, April –June 1941, p. 86.
A. Bergman and Ruth Brandsteter
Exploration in the Valley of Beth-Shan
Tell Sheikh Mohammad measures about 60×12 on the top of the main part.
The hole we saw on the top of the mound, according to E[?] Homzeh, was made years ago to store grain. The Tell belongs to the Jewish colony of Ma-oz.
150 TELL ABU HASHI/ Tell edh-Dhiabeh
It’s also called Tell-edh-Dhialeh.
Directly west of Jisr Sheikh Hussein, it is situated on a high, prominent mound, almost completely isolated, except some connected with a chain of lower mounds to the west. But here and Beisan, about a 1 ¼ kil. from here is a Jewish colony. Beisan is clearly visible and Tell al Husn slightly to WNW about 3-4 kil. away. The top of this steep high natural mound, which has a small stream of water on the n. and west sides, has had its top potted with a series of holes as if it had a badly scarred face after an outbreak of smallpox. The top surface deposit may not be very thick, but is tremendously rich. It is predominately Early Bronze, with a small amount of Roman, Byzantine, included painted Byzantine. This place has one of the largest deposits of EB painted ware of all varieties that I have seen. There are ear-, ledge- and loop handles, and flints.
Tell Sheikh Mohammad directly across the river from here stands out clearly, but is smaller than this site. T. Sheikh Mohammad also has a greater variety of BA sherds. This place is about less than half a kil. from the river, with the plain to the east of it cultivated. The river bends around it from part way north to east. On the south side, a small plain between the mound and a range of smaller mounds to the south of it is cultivated.