摘要：The biblical site of Ataroth mentioned in the book of Numbers was built by the Gadites and destroyed in the mid-9th century BC by king Mesha of Moab. The site contained a temple complex with a sanctuary and several altars. In 2015, a joint team from La Sierra, Andrews, Averett, and Brigham Young Universities continued excavation at the site. Their primary goal was to explore the north, south, and east edges of the temple complex to determine its full extent, its fortifications, and any domestic living spaces in the area. An outer wall was discovered on the southern side of the temple complex near the dry moat, and a collapsed domestic building was found on the north side. On the east side an Iron Age expansion suggested a possible entrance to the temple complex continuing until the end of the site’s occupation.
