Tell Balata

Tell Balata
تل بلاطة
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Tell Balata is located in the West Bank
Tell Balata
Shown within the West Bank
LocationNablus, West Bank, Palestine
Coordinates32°12′49″N 35°16′55″E / 32.213618°N 35.281993°E / 32.213618; 35.281993
History
PeriodsBronze Age, Iron Age, Hellenistic period
CulturesCanaanite, Israelite, Samaritan, Hellenistic

Tell Balata (Arabic: تل بلاطة) is the site of the remains of an ancient Canaanite and Israelite[1] city, identified since 1913 with the Biblical city of Shechem. It is located in the West Bank.[2] The built-up area of Balata, a Palestinian village and suburb of Nablus, covers about one-third of the tell, and overlooks a vast plain to the east.[3][4] The Palestinian village of Salim is located 4.5 kilometers (2.8 mi) to the east.[5]

The site is listed by UNESCO as part of the Inventory of Cultural and Natural Heritage Sites of Potential Outstanding Universal Value in the Palestinian Territories.[2] Experts estimate that the towers and buildings at the site date back 5,000 years to the Chalcolithic and Bronze Ages.[2]

  1. ^ "Excavations done at former Israelite capital Shechem". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 25 July 2011. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Haaretz service and Cnaan Liphshiz (2 March 2010). "Palestinian archeology gets int'l boost ahead of 2011 statehood plan". Haaretz. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  3. ^ "Tell Balata". Visitpalestine.ps. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
  4. ^ Pfeiffer, 1966, p. 518.
  5. ^ Kalai, 2000, p. 114.