Burial Caves from the Late Bronze and Iron Ages at Horvat Lavnin in the Judean Shephelah

Horvat Lavnin (Khirbet Tell el-Beida) is a multi-period site located in the Judean Shephelah ca. 5 km south of the Elah Valley. The upper part of the site is mound-shaped and enclosed by a wall that is clearly visible on the surface. Four burial caves on the slopes of the site were looted in the 1990s. Despite the damage caused, the shape of the burial caves and the remaining finds allow us to suggest that the caves were in use during the Late Bronze III and the Iron IIA. The finds are important, as they provide first evidence for the settlement history of the site in these early periods.