Middle and Late Bronze Ages

The earliest settlement (stratum VI) at Tell Abu Hawam dates to the 16th century bc (end of the Middle Bronze Age) and consisted of a modest fishing village. In the Late Bronze Age, a fortification wall was built at the site (stratum V). The city expanded and grew more significant between 1400–1200 bc, as indicated by the remains of a large building that probably served as the residence of a governor, as well as a sanctuary (Gershuny, “Stratum V”). Evidence of a rich (albeit poorly preserved) ceramic repertoire, which includes Cypriot and Aegean import, suggests the city’s wealth was comparable to that of other Levantine harbor sites (e.g., Ras Shamra/ancient Ugarit).

During the last occupational phase of the Late Bronze Age, which is contemporary to the reign of Pharaoh Seti I (1290–1279 bc), the city probably played an important role as an Egyptian outpost on the Levantine coast and facilitated trade relations between the Aegean and the Levant (Weinstein, “Was Tell Abu Hawam a Nineteenth Dynasty Egyptian Naval Base?”). The Late Bronze town was destroyed in the early 12th century bc, coinciding with the entrance of the Sea Peoples into the region and the reign of Rameses III (ca. 1186–1155 bc; Oren, Sea Peoples; Sanders, Sea Peoples).