Iron Age Shepherds Maintained Open Borders Amidst Regional Warfare Between Israel And Aram-Damascus

Archaeologists at Tel Hazor found that Iron Age shepherds moved herds between rival kingdoms, showing that ancient borders were flexible despite military conflict.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 16, 2026, 8:18 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Israel.com

Permeability Of Ancient Frontier Zones

New research published in the journal PLOS ONE has fundamentally challenged historical assumptions regarding the rigidity of ancient political boundaries. Scientists from the University of Haifa, investigating the Iron Age II period, found that shepherds and farmers moved freely between the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Aram-Damascus despite frequent warfare. The study suggests that while national elites were engaged in territorial consolidation and military campaigns, the rural populations maintained a functional, borderless economy based on shared land and survival needs.

Isotopic Evidence From Tel Hazor Excavations

The research team focused its investigation on Tel Hazor, a prominent archaeological site in Israel’s Upper Galilee that served as a frontier between rival Iron Age kingdoms. By analyzing the teeth of sheep and goats uncovered at the site, investigators utilized advanced stable isotope analysis to track the chemical signatures of strontium, oxygen, and carbon. This methodology allowed researchers to reconstruct the precise grazing patterns of ancient herds, providing empirical evidence of where animals were moved and raised during their lifespans.

Grazing Rights In Contested Territories

The results of the isotopic analysis confirmed that livestock from Tel Hazor regularly grazed in distant regions, including the Golan Heights, which was a heavily contested zone between Israel and Aram-Damascus. According to Dr. Shlomit Bachar, director of the Tel Hazor excavation, the movement of these herds was not restricted even during periods of extreme military friction. The data indicates that local communities established informal, trans-border arrangements that allowed for the continued migration of livestock, effectively bypassing the geopolitical hostility defined by their respective monarchs.