A Reconstruction of the Niche in Building 7050 at Hazor

In this article we offer new evidence in support of the function of Building 7050 at Tel Hazor as a temple. One criterion the excavators use to argue its function as a palace is a clay installation they describe as a “bathtub” or “bathtub-like structure” built into the rear niche of the building. Our analysis, however, suggests a storage function is more likely. We then offer a new reconstruction of Building 7050 and the features in the rear niche, including the storage bin, a previously ignored stone base, and a bench, proposing their ritual significance. We further demonstrate the architectural parallels between Building 7050 and Hazor’s Orthostat Temple in Stratum 1B, with which Building 7050 is contemporary. This new analysis of Building 7050 contributes to our understanding of the religious landscape of the Late Bronze Age Levant.