The Early Bronze Age Citadel at Ai (Et-Tell)

Abstract

The citadel at Ai, located at Site A in Fig. 1, was discovered by Marquet-Krause in 1934. Working with 80 to 100 men for . . un long mois, a six-meter heap of stones was laboriously removed from what proved to be the ruins of Sanctuary A and the citadel.1 The latter was a rectangular tower of stone, about 40 m. long, 10 m. wide, and 5 m. high, built along the west side of the sanctuary. Rich and unusual finds in the sanctuary drew attention away from the citadel, with the result that further mention of it occurs mainly in references to the sanctuary. An interpretation of the citadel was published by Vincent in 1937, in a summary report of the Ai excavations dedicated as a memorial to Marquet-Krause after her death in 1936.2 Vincent's interpretation was based upon conclusions that (1) there were three major Early Bronze Age phases of the city reflected in the sanctuary evidence; (2) that the citadel was associated with the last phase of the city, beginning c. 2600 B. c. and contemporary with the construction of the latest, and outer, city and (3), that the citadel tower had five in its inner structure accessible from a conjectured superstructure once located on top of the present ruins.3 The conclusions of Marquet-Krause and Vincent were partly supported by the results of excavations at Site A in 1964,4 but a sounding in the core of the south end of the citadel indicated that the theory of rooms inside the tower was suspect.5 Vincent's double wall underneath the citadel still lacked explanation after the 1964 expedition.6 Consequently, excavation at the citadel was resumed in 1968 7 with the following objectives: (1) to examine the earliest city wall north of the citadel for evidence of the double wall; (2) to explore the possibility of a gate in the citadel area, seemingly required by the deep