Mario A.S. Martin

Iron IIA Pottery from the Negev Highlands: Petrographic Investigation and Historical Implications

Abstract The article reports the results of a petrographic investigation of pottery from early Iron IIA settlements in the Negev Highlands. A substantial percentage of the vessels studied, most notably slag-tempered ware, originated in the copper districts of the Wadi Arabah. This provides us, for the first time, with conclusive proof of the profound connection between the Negev Highlands and the Arabah copper extraction system, which was operated by tribal desert groups. The data demonstrate that the subsistence economy of the Negev Highlands sites was supplemented by the participation of at least some of the local inhabitants in this enterprise.

Reconstructing Ancient Israel: Integrating Macro- and Micro-archaeology

The study of ancient Israel’s texts and history has been a keystone of European scholarship since the Enlightenment. From the beginning of the 19th century, biblical exegesis contributed impressively to our understanding of these topics. Biblical archaeology joined in about a century later and provided critical evidence for the material culture of ancient Israel, shedding new light on its history. Yet, until recent years (and in certain circles up until today) biblical archaeology was dominated by a conservative interpretation of the texts and was not given a true independent role in recon-

Metalworking at Megiddo during the Late Bronze and Iron Ages

Over the years, the excavations at Tel Megiddo have yielded numerous metal objects, as well as evidence of metallurgical activity. Here we show that metalworking was practiced continuously in the southeastern sector of the tell from the end of the Middle Bronze Age until Iron IIB. During this time, one can trace changes in the production processes, including the introduction of ironworking alongside the continuation of bronzeworking. Dating and contextualizing this significant development is crucial to understanding the social, economic, and geo-political circumstances under which it occurred. The evidence that we present shows that iron production was accompanied by a substantial increase in iron, as expressed on the level of consumption. This occurred during Iron IIA, concurrent with cultural and political changes, expressed, inter alia, in the architectural layout of the city and its cultic practices. Possible evidence that local bronzesmiths may have been partially engaged in iron production already in Iron Age I is found in the form of a hoard recently unearthed at Megiddo, although iron-working debris has not yet been found in contemporary contexts. The fact that metalworking and exploitation of metal resources are strongly tied to political power and social infrastructure is well accepted.1 Especially intriguing is the introduction and gradual preeminence of iron over bronze (which continued to be produced), a process that took place at the turn of the

New Evidence on the Late Bronze/Iron I Transition at Megiddo: Implications for the End of the Egyptian Rule and the Appearance of Philistine Pottery

n this article, we present new evidence pertaining to the transition from the Late Bronze to the Iron I at Megiddo and analyse data from past excavations. Meticulous excavations of stratigraphic sequences in different parts of the site, accompanied by good control over ceramic typology and a rigorous programme of radiocarbon dating, enable observing minute developments in the history of the site. We shed light on the history of Megiddo in the later phases of the Late Bronze Age and early days of the Iron I, the end of the Egyptian rule and the appearance of Philistine pottery. All three issues have implications beyond Megiddo.

The Provenance of Philistine Pottery in Northern Canaan, with a Focus on the Jezreel Valley

The impact the Philistines and other Sea Peoples had on Iron I northern Canaan is an intricate issue that has been debated for decades. Past theories on a sizable Sea Peoples presence and military control have today largely been replaced by more moderate views of a diminutive presence of foreign population elements or, merely, mercantile relations between Philistia and the north. In this study, this topic is addressed by provenance analysis (petrography). The previously published dataset is tripled, for a grand total of 155 vessels and sherds. Circa two-thirds of the assemblage was imported from the Philistine heartland. The exporters of this pottery were mainly the coastal centres of Philistia—probably Gaza, Ashkelon and Ashdod—while Shephelah cities (Ekron, Gath) played a subordinate role in these wares bound for the north. The Jezreel Valley stands out among all other northern regions for its large quantities of genuine Philistine imports. Rather than pointing to foreign presence, the data suggest tight commercial and cultural contacts with Philistia. Moreover, this study revises the previously formulated ‘northern skyphoi’ phenomenon, which was dissociated from the discussion of Philistine pottery.