Iron Age (Israelite Period)
While the tel was abandoned following its destruction and the resulting exile of its inhabitants, it was reinhabited at some stage during the later Hellenistic 2nd Temple Period. In this period the settlement was renamed Shihin, inhabited by part of the Priesthood, the Ishbab family, when it became famous for its high quality pottery, produced from the rich clay in abundance in the surrounding land.
Most Bronze Age Tels were forced by increasing populations to expand beyond their hilltops during the Iron (Israelite) age, protected by retaining walls built further out encompassing a greater area. In these cases the former Tel forms the acropolis of the expanded city. Hanaton could not expand in this manner as its immediately surrounding land was subject to months-long flooding following winter rains and drainage technology of the period did not allow for drying up such land.
Restricted in this manner from expansion, the city, whilst never abandoned through to the Roman Period, and unable to expand to the size of Hellenistic Period cities, continually declined and was replaced as a major trading and urban centre by nearby Tzippori (Sephoris) which was established on the ridge a few kilometres to the South East.
Read more about this topic: Tel Hanaton
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