Gamla

The University of San Diego Gamla Pollen Investigation 2007
The First Century Greco-Roman site of Gamla was first investigated by Prof. Patrick Scott Geyer of the University of San Diego Anthropology Laboratory and Sharon A. Geyer in June of 2001. Field work continued in February of 2004. Laboratory analysis of three distinct loci, the cellars of two private residences and a public 'basilica', resulted in significant findings that will be published this year as Chapter 16 in the third and final site volume entitled, Gamla 3. Final report of the Shmarya Gutmann Excavations, 1976-1989, D. Syon editor. The raw data resulting from this research will appear as tables at the end of this web posting, what follows is a digital tour of the site.

A TOUR OF THE FIRST CENTURY GRECO-ROMAN SITE OF GAMLA
The basalt spur on which Gamla was built comes into view. Erosion by the Daliot Gorge (left) and Gamla Gorge (right) created steep defensible slopes. The plateau of the Golan is seen in the backdrop. In addition, note the remains of the diagonal run of the single defensive wall that was built to cut the ancient city off from approach by the road.
"...yet did not Gamla accede to them, but relied upon the difficulty of the place, which was greater than that of Jotapata, for it was situated upon a rough ridge of a high mountain, with a kind of neck in the middle; where it begins to ascend, it lengthens itself, and declines as much downward before as behind, inasmuch that it is like a camel in figure, from whence it is so named..." Josephus Wars

We approach Gamla on the 1st CE Roman road, today lined with quotation plaques that cite relevant passages from Josephus in both English and Hebrew. Note the use of native basalt paving stones.

"...the city had been filled with those that had fled to it for safety, on account of its strength; on which account they had been able to resist those whom Agrippa sent to besiege it for seven months together." Josephus Wars

"But Vespacian removed from Emmaus where he had last pitched his camp before the city Tiberias, and came to Gamla; yet was its situation such, that he was not able to encompass it all around with soldiers to watch it; but where the places were practicable, he sent men to watch it, and siezed upon that mountain that was over it." Josephus Wars

The path to the breach in the wall. The round tower above is notably mentioned in a short passage by Josephus, where he relates its early morning undermining by two Roman sappers.

"...when three soldiers of the fifteenth legion, about the morning watch, got under a high tower that was near them and undermined it, without making any noise; nor when they either came to it, which was in the night time, nor when they were under it, did those that gaurded it perceive them...and when they had rolled away five of the strongest stones, they went away hastily; whereupon the tower fell down with a very great noise and its gaurd fell headlong with it; so that those that kept gaurd in other places were under such disturbance, that they ran away; the Romans also slew many of those that opposed them.."
Josephus Wars

The synagogue of Gamla just beyond the breach and below the crest of the tell. Being one of the very few known 1st century structures of its kind, has led to initial efforts toward restoration.

"And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people." Matthew 4:23 KJV

The highest peak of Gamla. Josephus relates how when the Roman besiegers once broke through the cities inhabitants threw themselves from these cliffs rather than submit to the Romans. In the distance is the north shore of the Sea of Galilee (The Kinneret).

"...a great number also of those that were surrounded on every side, and despaired of escaping, threw their children and their wives, and themselves also, down the precipices, into the valley beneath, which near the citadel, had been dug hollow to a vast depth..." Josephus Wars

The twin millstones of the grain mill in the industrial area. Seeds of grain would be poured through the opening in the top mill stone as it was turned on its base by wooden bars inserted into the sides. Flour would issue from below. This shows that grain was abundant at Gamla.

A view of a large three roomed 'Basilica' built into the rock of the hillside of Gamla. One of the last final structures that was excavated, its floor was sampled by our team for fossil pollen. The results of this sampling led to an analysis that prior to the final siege and destruction of Gamla its residents presented taxes in the form of food staples such as olive, grain and grapes here to the magistrates of Philip (son of Herod) the reigning Tetrarch. Additionally, during the siege this well built and windowless structure could possibly have been used as a warehouse to store and protect siege rations (see tables below).

"...while those that were afraid of being caught, and for that reason staid in the city, perished from want of food, for what food they had was brought together from all quarters and reserved for the fighting men. " Josephus Wars

After clearing and leveling a unit in the central podium of the Basilica, core samples were taken in five centimeter increments down to the underlying bedrock.

Soil samples were then transferred from the corer to cloth bags, which were then labeled and catalogued by crew chief Sharon Geyer.

To prevent sample cross contamination between samplings, the hand corer required repeated washings. First in an ancient basin filled with rain water (below), followed by a rinse in fresh tap water and then a final rinse in distilled water.

In addition to the cores taken from the central room of the Basilica, three cores were taken from the adjacent room to the east.

In discussion with the site director Danny Syon, a decision was made to sample cellars in two of the many residential structures previously excavated at Gamla. Three cores were taken from the floors of each cellar. This provided confirmation that those food items paid as a tax to the "Basilica" were similar to items harvested and stored by the residents (see tables below). Primary among these are the three main dietary staples of olive, grape and grain.

Interns Laura Cate (standing) and Sonia Wright at work on the Gamla project at the University of San Diego Anthropology Laboratory. Reference materials were used to identify individual pollen grains and complete the 200 grain pollen counts that were made of each of the samples taken from the 'Basilica" and residential two cellars at Gamla (see tables).

Dependent on future funding, a small team of USD researchers will return to the Israel to take further samples from sites to the north of the Gamla. This to give us as wide a view as possible of the religion, economics and politics of the first century territory governed by Philip.

RAW DATA RESULTS FROM BASILICA AND CELLAR CORINGS

Percentages of Olea europaea, Cerialia and Vitis sp. in central aisle of 'Basilica'

sample	16	17	18	1	2	3	13	14	15
depth	5 cm	5 cm	5 cm	10 cm	10 cm	10 cm	20 cm	20 cm	20 cm
olive	8 %	19	20 %	2 %	10 %	4 %	5 %	5 %	0 %
grain	16 %	8 %	2 %	15 %	4 %	5 %	5 %	21 %	6 %
grape	16 %	58 %	26 %	40 %	2 %	135 %	93 %	106 %	62 %

Percentages of Olea europaea, Cerialia and Vitis sp. in Cellars loci 5151 and 5160

sample	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	surface
depth	5 cm	5cm	10 cm	10 cm	5 cm	5 cm	10 cm	10 cm	0 cm
olive	5.5 %	0 %	7 %	1.5 %	5 %	18 %	15 %	15 %	0 %
grain	6.5 %	14 %	15 %	35 %	6.5 %	13 %	15 %	31 %	0 %
grape	7.5 %	64 %	19 %	15.5 %	10 %	23 %	22 %	8 %	0 %

University of San Diego Pollen Investigation Staff and Collaborators:

Dr. Danny Sion, Israel Antiquities Authority and Site Director for Gamla

Kent Clampitt, Executive Director and sponsor

Prof. Patrick Geyer, Primary Investigator and Researcher USD

Sharon Geyer, field crew chief

Eric Beudin, field botanist

Emily Chandler, Linda Honey, Sonia Wright and Laura Kate, USD Anthropology Lab Senior Interns.

Almond trees finding refuge and growing among the Gamla ruins.

Micrograph of fossil pollen Cerialia (grain) similar to those recovered from ancient Gamla.

Micrograph of the weed pollen Chenopodium similar to those recovered from ancient Gamla.

Micrograph of the pollen olive (Olea europaea) similar to those recovered from ancient Gamla.

Cattail (Typha sp.) growing among the streams below Gamla and found in the ancient ruins.

Site last updated 9/15/06. For further information or to make a financial contribution to ensure the continuation of this research contact:
Prof. Patrick Scott Geyer POB 6578, San Diego,CA 92166.
pgeyer@sandiego.edu
psgeyer@hotmail.com
619/294-8368 (office)
619/260-8806 (lab)