Ex-territorial rituals and inter-cultural encounters in the Early Bronze Age Levant: a reconsideration of the Mitzpe Shalem site cluster

The role of marginal areas in the dynamic relations between mobile and sedentary groups in Early Bronze Age Levant is examined through the site cluster of Mitzpe Shalem. This morphologically anomalous cluster was discovered and excavated more than 50 years ago, yet its function has not been subject to rigorous archaeological analysis. A holistic reconsideration of various aspects of the site cluster, including its geographic situation, morphology and artifact distributions, suggests an inter-cultural engagement centre with ties to multiple socio-cultural spheres. An integrative analysis of the remains indicates that encounters at the cluster were oriented around a transformative ritual performance.