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 Iron II Gates. The Iron Age gates
are the primary subject of this article. In general
archaeologists have found in the Iron Age 2-chamber,
4-chamber, and 6-chamber gates. And no specific pattern seems
to be evident in the number of chambers in these gate
complexes. In the eleventh and early 10th centuries, 2-chamber
gates were prevalent, though a couple 4-chamber gates appeared
at the end of the eleventh or beginning of the tenth
centuries. During the mid-10th century B.C., a number of
6-chamber gates appeared. These gates have been found at Hazor,
Megiddo, Gezer, and Lachish, and were associated especially by
Yigael Yadin with Solomonic building projects. Yadin related
this pattern to the Old Testament text that mentions
specifically Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer as administrative
centers (or chariot cities) built and/or rebuilt by Solomon.
More recent interpreters have debated the Solomonic date for
these structures.
 However the recent work of Amnon Ben-Tor at
Hazor seems to reaffirm the 10th century date for the
6-chamber gate there. Several of these 6-chamber gates were
found associated with
casemate walls for the defenses.
 Four chamber gates replaced these six-chamber gates at most
sites in Israel and Syria/Palestine in the 9th century B.C.
Such four chamber gates remained the most prevalent form of
gate structure during the Iron II period, 9th through 6th
centuries B.C. Several features may have been responsible for
the change in design. Formerly it was argued that the
resurgence of Assyrian and Egyptian power in the region and
the development of a more effective battering ram by the
Assyrians was a partial explanation of a need for stronger
defensive measures. However, the continued presence of 2-, 4-,
and 6-chamber gates throughout the Iron Age; and the presence
of casemate walls, filled casemates, massive walls, and
offset-inset walls; as well as both presence and absence of
ramparts or glacis outside the walls probably indicates that
local topography and defensive needs were more important than
any particular developmental scheme in town defenses. The
architect’s preference may have been a primary factor in gate
design.
Also during the Iron Age, inner and outer gate structures
appeared at a number of sites; again these double gate
structures may well have been intended to strengthen defenses.
Assaulting an outer gate structure would not give access into
the city proper; it would only lead through a narrow passage
(where an invading army would be under continual assault by
defenders on the walls above) to an inner gate structure,
likewise well-defended. Sites with inner and outer gate
structures include Tel Dan, Megiddo, Lachish.
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