Ramat Razim, near Ẓefat: A Middle Bronze Age Rural Site in the Tel Ḥaẓor Polity

An archaeological excavation carried out at Ramat Razim, near Ẓefat, exposed a Middle Bronze Age rural settlement, dated by the ceramic assemblage within Middle Bronze Age II–III. Spatial analysis identified communal workspaces and possible domestic cult practices in specific rooms, and the distribution of the ground stone tools and ceramic storage vessels reflected food-processing activities and a decentralized grain-storage approach. In addition to agriculture, pastoralism—specifically sheep rearing—played a significant role in the settlement’s economy, probably engendering economic exchanges under the influence of Ḥaẓor, the major city in the region. Petrographic analysis linking the pithoi to the Ḥula Valley raised questions about regional economic ties, highlighting a complex, interconnected network during the Middle Bronze Age. These findings illuminate the rural settlement’s role in the hinterland of Ḥaẓor, and within the Ḥaẓor polity’s hierarchical structure, providing valuable insights into regional dynamics and control.