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The Late Bronze Age

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Near Eastern Archaeology
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349The Late Bronze AgeThe Canaanite culture of Late Bronze Age Palestine parallels, chronologicallyand politically, the New Kingdom in Egypt. It is bracketed by two major ethnicmovements: the expulsion of the “Hyksos” from Egypt at the beginning of theEighteenth Dynasty; and the incursions of the multinational “Sea Peoples”toward the end of the Twentieth Dynasty. The most distinctive feature of the in-tervening three and a half centuries is the international nature of the EasternMediterranean world of which Canaan was a part, enjoying the commercial, po-litical, and social exchanges that flourished in this truly cosmopolitan setting. In-ternally, the period is difficult to divide, and the subdivisions that have beennoted in the archaeological record of Canaan more often reflect the result of thepolitical and military actions of its neighbors or the commercial successes of itstrading partners than they represent changes that can be framed in strictly Syro-Palestinian terms. Our understanding of the period is further obscured by thefact that the material culture of Late Bronze Age Palestine continued a long andsteady development that had begun already in the Middle Bronze Age. However,as is customary, the period is divided here into Late Bronze I (A and B) and LateBronze II (A and B), based largely on the system devised by Albright during hisexcavations at Tell Beit Mirsim in the 1920s–1930s. Modifications to the schemethat have taken place since Albright’s day (best discussed in Weinstein 1982) havealso been included here.Late Bronze IAThe Late Bronze IA covers a period of approximately a half-century at the be-ginning of the Eighteenth Dynasty: from Ahmose’s wars with the Hyksosthrough the attack of Thutmose III on Megiddo (ca. 1530–1468 b.c.e.). It wouldappear to have been a period in which local Canaanite chieftains formed and ad-justed alliances with neighboring friends and rivals in the face of pharaoh’s re-newed interest in their land. For their part, although they regularly campaignedin Canaan, the Egyptians did not at this time display any interest in remainingthere as an occupying force.Evidence for Late Bronze IA domestic architecture is both scant and uncer-tain. Several sites seem to demonstrate a gap in occupation at this time, but thebadly damaged Stratum IX gate and “palace” in Area AA at Megiddo seems tohave survived from the Middle Bronze Age, and similar longevity has been sug-gested for both Bliss’s “City II” at Tell el-Hesi and “City I/Palace II” at Tell el-ºAjjûl. Such continuity, however, can be demonstrated more easily in the religiousarchitecture. The internal phasing of the fortified migdal Temple 2048 at Me-giddo and Temple IB at Shechem give firm evidence for continuity, as do both the“Long Temple” (Area A) and the “Orthostat Temple” (Area H) at Hazor.
© 2021 Penn State University Press

349The Late Bronze AgeThe Canaanite culture of Late Bronze Age Palestine parallels, chronologicallyand politically, the New Kingdom in Egypt. It is bracketed by two major ethnicmovements: the expulsion of the “Hyksos” from Egypt at the beginning of theEighteenth Dynasty; and the incursions of the multinational “Sea Peoples”toward the end of the Twentieth Dynasty. The most distinctive feature of the in-tervening three and a half centuries is the international nature of the EasternMediterranean world of which Canaan was a part, enjoying the commercial, po-litical, and social exchanges that flourished in this truly cosmopolitan setting. In-ternally, the period is difficult to divide, and the subdivisions that have beennoted in the archaeological record of Canaan more often reflect the result of thepolitical and military actions of its neighbors or the commercial successes of itstrading partners than they represent changes that can be framed in strictly Syro-Palestinian terms. Our understanding of the period is further obscured by thefact that the material culture of Late Bronze Age Palestine continued a long andsteady development that had begun already in the Middle Bronze Age. However,as is customary, the period is divided here into Late Bronze I (A and B) and LateBronze II (A and B), based largely on the system devised by Albright during hisexcavations at Tell Beit Mirsim in the 1920s–1930s. Modifications to the schemethat have taken place since Albright’s day (best discussed in Weinstein 1982) havealso been included here.Late Bronze IAThe Late Bronze IA covers a period of approximately a half-century at the be-ginning of the Eighteenth Dynasty: from Ahmose’s wars with the Hyksosthrough the attack of Thutmose III on Megiddo (ca. 1530–1468 b.c.e.). It wouldappear to have been a period in which local Canaanite chieftains formed and ad-justed alliances with neighboring friends and rivals in the face of pharaoh’s re-newed interest in their land. For their part, although they regularly campaignedin Canaan, the Egyptians did not at this time display any interest in remainingthere as an occupying force.Evidence for Late Bronze IA domestic architecture is both scant and uncer-tain. Several sites seem to demonstrate a gap in occupation at this time, but thebadly damaged Stratum IX gate and “palace” in Area AA at Megiddo seems tohave survived from the Middle Bronze Age, and similar longevity has been sug-gested for both Bliss’s “City II” at Tell el-Hesi and “City I/Palace II” at Tell el-ºAjjûl. Such continuity, however, can be demonstrated more easily in the religiousarchitecture. The internal phasing of the fortified migdal Temple 2048 at Me-giddo and Temple IB at Shechem give firm evidence for continuity, as do both the“Long Temple” (Area A) and the “Orthostat Temple” (Area H) at Hazor.
© 2021 Penn State University Press

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Contents v
  3. Foreword ix
  4. Introduction xiii
  5. Contributors xvii
  6. Part I Theory, Method, and Context
  7. Geography of the Levant 3
  8. Paleoenvironments of the Levant 10
  9. Archaeozoology 17
  10. Paleoethnobotany 27
  11. Method and Theory in Syro-Palestinian Archaeology 33
  12. Bible and Archaeology 48
  13. Levantine Archaeology 54
  14. Text Sources for Levantine Archaeology: The Bible 60
  15. Writing and Scripts (with Special Reference to the Levant) 63
  16. Semitic Languages (with Special Reference to the Levant) 71
  17. Writing: The Archaeology of Writing (Writing Materials) 74
  18. Northwest Semitic Epigraphic Sources 78
  19. Chronology of the Southern Levant 82
  20. Survey of Preclassical Architecture in the Levant 88
  21. Bronze and Iron Age Burials and Funerary Customs in the Southern Levant 105
  22. Subsistence Pastoralism 116
  23. Agriculture 124
  24. Roads and Highways 131
  25. Nautical Archaeology in the Eastern Mediterranean 135
  26. Ethnography/Ethnoarchaeology 142
  27. Ethnicity and Material Culture 146
  28. Women in the Ancient Near East 150
  29. Everyday Life (Customs, Manners, and Laws) 157
  30. Archaeological Survey in the Southern Levant 164
  31. Restoration of Ancient Monuments: Theory and Practice 168
  32. Metalworking/Mining in the Levant 174
  33. Weapons and Warfare in Ancient Syria–Palestine 184
  34. Ceramics/Kilns 193
  35. Jewelry in the Levant 197
  36. The Mosaics of Jordan 205
  37. Numismatics (Minting and Monetary Systems/Coinage) in the Levant 210
  38. Scarabs 218
  39. GIS and Archaeological Survey 222
  40. Computer Applications in Archaeology 225
  41. Part II Cultural Phases and Associated Topics
  42. The Paleolithic in Syria–Palestine 233
  43. The Neolithic Period 244
  44. Prehistoric Chipped-Stone Technology 254
  45. The Chalcolithic of the Southern Levant 263
  46. The Nahal Mishmar Hoard from the Judean Desert 274
  47. Negev 278
  48. The Early Bronze Age in the Southern Levant 286
  49. Southern Sinai in the Early Bronze Age II 303
  50. Theory in Archaeology: Culture Change at the End of the Early Bronze Age 308
  51. Archaeology of the Dead Sea Plain in Jordan 319
  52. The Middle Bronze Age (circa 2000–1500 B.C.E.) 331
  53. Canaanite Religion 343
  54. The Late Bronze Age 349
  55. El-Amarna Texts 357
  56. Trade and Exchange in the Levant 360
  57. The Iron Age in the Southern Levant 367
  58. Religion and Cult in the Levant: The Archaeological Data 383
  59. Goddesses 391
  60. Syria–Palestine in the Persian Period 398
  61. The Samaritans 413
  62. The Hellenistic Period 418
  63. Nabateans 434
  64. Classical Text Sources in the Levant 440
  65. Jewish Art and Iconography in the Land of Israel 445
  66. Synagogues in the Land of Israel 455
  67. Golan Synagogues 465
  68. Early Christian Iconography 473
  69. Early Christian Churches in Israel 479
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https://doi.org/10.1515/9781575065472-050

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Contents v
  3. Foreword ix
  4. Introduction xiii
  5. Contributors xvii
  6. Part I Theory, Method, and Context
  7. Geography of the Levant 3
  8. Paleoenvironments of the Levant 10
  9. Archaeozoology 17
  10. Paleoethnobotany 27
  11. Method and Theory in Syro-Palestinian Archaeology 33
  12. Bible and Archaeology 48
  13. Levantine Archaeology 54
  14. Text Sources for Levantine Archaeology: The Bible 60
  15. Writing and Scripts (with Special Reference to the Levant) 63
  16. Semitic Languages (with Special Reference to the Levant) 71
  17. Writing: The Archaeology of Writing (Writing Materials) 74
  18. Northwest Semitic Epigraphic Sources 78
  19. Chronology of the Southern Levant 82
  20. Survey of Preclassical Architecture in the Levant 88
  21. Bronze and Iron Age Burials and Funerary Customs in the Southern Levant 105
  22. Subsistence Pastoralism 116
  23. Agriculture 124
  24. Roads and Highways 131
  25. Nautical Archaeology in the Eastern Mediterranean 135
  26. Ethnography/Ethnoarchaeology 142
  27. Ethnicity and Material Culture 146
  28. Women in the Ancient Near East 150
  29. Everyday Life (Customs, Manners, and Laws) 157
  30. Archaeological Survey in the Southern Levant 164
  31. Restoration of Ancient Monuments: Theory and Practice 168
  32. Metalworking/Mining in the Levant 174
  33. Weapons and Warfare in Ancient Syria–Palestine 184
  34. Ceramics/Kilns 193
  35. Jewelry in the Levant 197
  36. The Mosaics of Jordan 205
  37. Numismatics (Minting and Monetary Systems/Coinage) in the Levant 210
  38. Scarabs 218
  39. GIS and Archaeological Survey 222
  40. Computer Applications in Archaeology 225
  41. Part II Cultural Phases and Associated Topics
  42. The Paleolithic in Syria–Palestine 233
  43. The Neolithic Period 244
  44. Prehistoric Chipped-Stone Technology 254
  45. The Chalcolithic of the Southern Levant 263
  46. The Nahal Mishmar Hoard from the Judean Desert 274
  47. Negev 278
  48. The Early Bronze Age in the Southern Levant 286
  49. Southern Sinai in the Early Bronze Age II 303
  50. Theory in Archaeology: Culture Change at the End of the Early Bronze Age 308
  51. Archaeology of the Dead Sea Plain in Jordan 319
  52. The Middle Bronze Age (circa 2000–1500 B.C.E.) 331
  53. Canaanite Religion 343
  54. The Late Bronze Age 349
  55. El-Amarna Texts 357
  56. Trade and Exchange in the Levant 360
  57. The Iron Age in the Southern Levant 367
  58. Religion and Cult in the Levant: The Archaeological Data 383
  59. Goddesses 391
  60. Syria–Palestine in the Persian Period 398
  61. The Samaritans 413
  62. The Hellenistic Period 418
  63. Nabateans 434
  64. Classical Text Sources in the Levant 440
  65. Jewish Art and Iconography in the Land of Israel 445
  66. Synagogues in the Land of Israel 455
  67. Golan Synagogues 465
  68. Early Christian Iconography 473
  69. Early Christian Churches in Israel 479
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