I noted this story last week here. This article covers it in greater detail and raises a potential problem with the proposed chronology:
But this is the thing. Said snails are seasonal. They are only active during the rainy season, which in Israel is in winter. However, in the Jordan Valley the last rains may continue until April, Tal says; maybe snails were captured – not the most onerous of physical endeavors – and maybe they were consumed a bit later, say in May, he suggests.Maybe.
Note: Tell Iẓṭabba is an area within Nysa-Scythopolis/Beit Shean. This article by Judy Siegel-Itzkovich in the Jerusalem Post has a map that clarifies its location: Israeli, German archeologists reconstruct Hasmonean destruction of Greek city. The year and exact season of the destruction of the Greek town Tel Iẓṭabba occurred has been determined by Israeli/German researchers.
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