The site was discovered in 1977 by Ofer Broshi, a member of Kibbutz Shamir and soldier in the Israeli army, where he unearthed an ancient bull statuette. He brought the figurine back to his kibbutz where it was put on display with other antiquities owned by the kibbutz. While on display it was spotted by archaeologist Amihai Mazar who arranged its transfer to the Israel Museum where it is now part of the permanent collection. Based on Broshi's description Mazar was able to locate the find spot at Dhahrat et-Tawileh and begin excavations.
Excavation history
Two short excavations were conducted by Mazar in April 1978 and September 1981 on behalf of the Institute of Archaeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Results of the excavation show that the site was single-phase and was abandoned after only a short period of use. The archaeological evidence indicates the site's use as a cultic installation though the flint and pottery assemblage discovered potentially indicates domestic use. A dating of the site to the Middle Bronze Age is based on a misreading of the pottery evidence and as such an early 12th century dating should be retained.
Cult installation
Though there are a number of Iron Age I settlements in the area, the Bull Site lacks any evidence of settlement. Instead it sits on the summit of Dhahrat et-Tawileh and is thought to have served as a cult site for the surrounding settlements due to its hilltop location. Built on bedrock in the 12th century, the site comprises a perimeter wall made from large boulders brought in from elsewhere, and what is thought to be a standing stone or altar with a paved area in front of it next to the enclosure's eastern entrance. Mazar, the excavation director, speculates that a sacred tree likely grew within the site's walls. There is no agreement on the ethnicity of the local settlers who used the site, with suggestions ranging from the Israelites due to the site's location in Mannaseh's tribal allotment, the Canaanites, or migrants from north of Canaan. Alternative views are that the site could have been a home for a family and their animals, or an enclosure for livestock.
Bull statuette
The statuette, found close to the western wall of the site, is of a Zebu bull measuring 17.5 cm long by 12.4 cm high and is made of bronze. It is notable not only for its naturalistic ears and eyes, but for being the largest such bull statuette found in Israel. Though Mazar suggests it may be the product of a local Israelite craftsman, other scholars such as Ahlström believe it came either from Galilee, or further north again above the land of Canaan. There is no consensus about which deity the statuette represents; it could be an image ofEl, Baal, or Yahweh.
