Tel-harsha was a location in Babylonia from which some returning exiles came, though they couldn't prove their Israelite lineage (Ezra 2:59, Nehemiah 7:61). The name means 'mound of the craftsman' or 'mound of sorcery,' following typical Mesopotamian settlement naming with 'tel' (mound). The biblical texts group it with Tel-melah and Cherub as places where certain families lived during the exile. Those from Tel-harsha who returned included families whose genealogical records were lost or unclear, raising questions about their legitimacy as returned Israelites.