Avraham Faust

Chronological Separation, Geographical Segregation, or Ethnic Demarcation? Ethnography and the Iron Age Low Chronology

The traditional Iron Age chronology has recently been challenged by I. Finkelstein who proposed a wholesale lowering of its dates. The cornerstone of the new chronology is the seeming absence of Philistine Monochrome pottery in 20th Dynasty Egyptian strongholds in southern Canaan and the absence of Egyptian(ized) pottery in Philistine sites. According to Finkelstein, the only viable explanation for this phenomenon is chronological. Adherents of the traditional schema, on the other hand, prefer an interpretation based on cultural segregation and reject the low chronology. Both views, however, are based on the implicit premise that there is a straightforward correlation between the extent of interaction among human groups and the degree of similarity in their material culture. Relying on ethnographic and ethnoarchaeological evidence, we intend to show that this premise is flawed, and that restricted distribution of artifacts does not contradict interaction. This observation on human behavior is enough to cast serious doubts on the foundations and methodology of the low chronology. Furthermore, since symbolic delineation of group identity and boundaries is accentuated at times of competition, items symbolizing cultural identity may be held back in spite of interaction. As competition seems to characterize Iron I Philistia, it is highly tenable that the social meaning of the Philistine Monochrome pottery as well as of its Egyptian counterpart prevented their diffusion and adoption outside the restricted zones in which they communicated group identity and cohesion.

Settlement and Demography in Seventh-Century Judah and the Extent and Intensity of Sennacherib's Campaign

Abstract A detailed examination of data from dozens of excavated sites, urban and rural alike, reveals that most parts of Judah prospered in the seventh century BCE, and that this, and not the eighth century, represents the settlement peak in most parts of the kingdom. Systematic investigation of the data conducted both on the site level and on a regional basis allows us to identify patterns of continuity, prosperity and decline during the transition from the eighth to the seventh century BCE. The identified patterns are presented, and possible explanations for them are suggested. These patterns are then compared and contrasted with information from the various textual sources (both the biblical and the Assyrian sources) on Sennacheribs campaign to Judah in 701, in order to gain a better understanding of the campaign and its impact on the kingdom of Judah.

The four room house: Embodying Iron Age israelite society

The four-room house was the typical dwelling in the southern Levant during the Iron Age. Its widespread use both in time and space raises many questions about its origins, its function, and mostly intriguingly, about who lived in it. Did the four-room house form the quintessential Israelite home? The authors believe the answer to this question is yes!

Doorway Orientation, Settlement Planning and Cosmology in Ancient Israel During Iron Age II

An examination of Iron Age buildings and settlements in ancient Israel indicates that a large number of them were oriented toward the east, while the west was extremely under-represented. An examination of various climatic and functional considerations does not seem to explain the phenomenon. Many ethnographic studies, however, have demonstrated the strong influence that cosmological principles can have on the planning of buildings and settlements, and that in many cases the east is preferred. In the present study, however, we have additional information. The common Biblical Hebrew word for east is qedma (forward), while the west is ahora (backward). Additional words for these directions indicate that the east had a good connotation while the west had a bad one. Thus, the archaeological pattern, along with language and texts (which are used as a substitute for human informants), seem to give an important insight into some of the cosmological principles of the ancient Israelites.

THE SHEPHELAH IN THE IRON AGE: A NEW LOOK ON THE SETTLEMENT OF JUDAH

Abstract The Shephelah was densely settled in the Late Bronze Age, but most of the settlements were gradually abandoned during the transition to the Iron I period. Only a few Iron I settlements existed in the eastern part of the region (excluding the Philistine sites at the northwestern edge of the Shephelah), forming a small Canaanite enclave. During the Iron II period the region was gradually resettled, and it became part of Judah. This process lasted until the 8th century BCE, when the region reached an unparalleled demographic peak. Sennacheribs campaign brought wide-scale destruction, and the region recovered only partially before being devastated by Nebuchadnezzar. After reconstructing the regions settlement history, the article reassesses its political and demographic history in comparison to the neighbouring regions of the Judean highlands and the southern coastal plain, it is concluded that the Shephelah had a lesser role in the history of Judah than some recent studies suggest.

The Chronology of the Iron Age IIA in Judah in the Light of Tel ʿEton Tomb C3 and Other Assemblages

The chronology of Iron Age Israel in general, and that of the Iron Age IIA in Judah in particular, has received a great deal of scholarly attention over the last two decades, especially because of its implications for the debate on the historicity of the United Monarchy. The number of large and well-dated Iron IIA assemblages in Judah, however, is quite small, and in most cases the relevant assemblages are composed of sherds only. The authors of this article are currently preparing for publication a large assemblage of about 200 complete and intact vessels that were unearthed in 1968 by Trude Dothan in an Iron Age IIA tomb below Tel ʿEton. This, along with additional recently published “new” assemblages, warrants a reexamination of the chronology of Judah in this important era. The present article presents the ceramic finds from the tomb at Tel ʿEton and then analyzes the recently published assemblages from other sites in Judah. Those assemblages are then organized in relative sequence, from transitional Iron I—IIA assemblages, through early and late Iron IIA assemblages, and up to terminal Iron IIA (or even transitional Iron IIA—IIB) assemblages. Finally, we attempt to offer (approximate) absolute dates for those ceramic horizons.

The Interests of the Assyrian Empire in the West: Olive Oil Production as a Test-Case

The 7th century BCE in Philistia and Judah is characterized by economic prosperity, which is usually regarded as resulting from the “Assyrian Peace”, and from a policy of the Assyrian empire that aimed at maximizing production. The large center for the production of olive oil that was unearthed at Ekron in southern Israel is regarded as the best example of this policy. The present paper questions this scholarly consensus regarding the role of Assyria in the economy of the southern Levant, through a closer look at the olive oil industry in the region.

A CANAANITE TOWN, A JUDAHITE CENTER, AND A PERSIAN PERIOD FORT: Excavating Over Two Thousand Years of History at Tel ‘Eton

Tel ‘Eton is a large site in the southeastern Shephelah, Israel, that has been excavated since 2006 by Bar-Ilan University. The site, which is surrounded by large burial fields, is located at the edge of the trough valley that separates the Shephelah (lowlands) from the highlands, and carries great potential for understanding the interaction between the well-known Shephelah and the lesser-known highlands. This article summarizes the history of the mound, as revealed in the excavations, from the Early Bronze Age to the early Hellenistic period (with a few settlement cessations within this long period). In addition, the expedition has methodological objectives, including assessing the advantages and limitations of surveys, shovel tests, and of various remote sensing methods, as well as to study site formation processes, ancient construction techniques, and more; these are also briefly presented in the article.

A Community in Transition: The Early Bronze Age Site of Qiryat Ata as a Test Case

Abstract The urbanization process of the Early Bronze Age (EB) has usually been discussed at the general/regional level. This paper utilizes the detailed information from Qiryat Ata—an EB IB–II (late 4th-early 3rd millennium BCE) settlement located on Israels northern Coastal Plain—to conduct a more detailed analysis, at the site level, in order to examine the transformations experienced by a single community over time. The excavations revealed social and economic changes in practically every aspect of the sites material culture during the period of its existence. The site was founded as a village during the EB IB and rapidly grew in size as the economy became market-oriented. The leaders of the settlement may have taken control of surpluses, while economic conditions for the remainder of the population deteriorated.

The birth, life and death of an Iron Age house at Tel ‘Eton, Israel

Using a biographic-like approach, this article presents the initial results of the study of an elite Iron Age house at Tel ‘Eton, from its conception, through its birth and life, to its death and decomposition. Massive preparations preceded the construction of the house, and the latter incorporated continuous foundations, and quality building materials, including ashlar stones. The building was pre-planned, and some of the original rooms had two doorways leading to them, in order to enable easy future sub-division, without endangering the structures physical integrity. The house evolved over the years, and its inner division changed overtime, reflecting the changes in the life-cycle of the extended family that lived in it. The house was destroyed in heavy conflagration in the late 8th century BC; hundreds of artifacts and complete vessels were unearthed below and within the debris, allowing for a detailed reconstruction of the use of space within the building on the eve of its destruction and the processes that accompanied its destruction (perhaps even ‘execution’), and subsequent collapse.