tel

A tel (plural tells or tells) is an archaeological mound formed by the long-term habitation and destruction of a site. The mound accumulates as successive layers of occupation—mud brick, stone, ash, and debris—are built up over centuries or millennia, often hiding earlier settlements beneath new construction. They are commonly found in the Near East, including parts of modern Israel, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Turkey.

In archaeology, tells are systematic sites for excavation. Researchers work in stratigraphic layers to reconstruct occupational sequences, date artifacts and structures, and study changes in architecture, economy, and daily life. Tells often contain multiple dwellings, defensive walls, public buildings, and sanctuaries, revealing cultural and political shifts across periods such as the Bronze and Iron Ages.

Etymology and usage: The term tel (Hebrew) or tell (Arabic) means hill or mound. Many modern places in Israel and surrounding regions adopt Tel in their names, for example Tel Aviv, meaning roughly Hill of Spring; tells also identify ancient sites such as Tell es-Sultan (Jericho) and Tell Megiddo.

Significance: Tells preserve long chronologies and provide insight into urban development, trade, and sociopolitical organization in ancient civilizations. They are essential to Near Eastern archaeology and comparative studies of settlement patterns.