Sabine Kleiman | Tel Aviv University (original) (raw)
Papers by Sabine Kleiman
Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament, 2024
The Valley of Rephaim is usually located in the direct vicinity of Jerusalem. However, a fresh lo... more The Valley of Rephaim is usually located in the direct vicinity of Jerusalem. However, a fresh look at the history of research reveals the uncertainty surrounding this identification and shows that the displayed geography rather points to a setting east of the Elah Valley. At this location, the Rephaim Valley was of utmost interest to the communities of the lowlands, who were during the 10 th and 9 th centuries BCE under the control of Philistine Gath, which is significantly featured in the books of Samuel. This paper highlights the relationship between the city and the Rephaim Valley accounts and further suggests, that the place owes its name to the local Gittite elite and not to an association with past mythical giants.
![Research paper thumbnail of Qurayyah Painted Ware outside the Hejaz: Evidence of a community of practice in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages? [Oxford Journal of Archaeology 43 (2024): 332-356]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/118432678/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](Qurayyah Painted Ware (QPW) is the most solid evidence of contacts between the Hejaz and the sout... more Qurayyah Painted Ware (QPW) is the most solid evidence of contacts between the Hejaz and the southern Levant in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages. However, even after decades of research, there is still much uncertainty regarding the chronology of these contacts and their nature. Here, we present an exceptionally rich collection of QPW fragments documented recently in the copper smelting sites of the Timna Valley. We argue that the distribution of this painted ware in the southern Levant extended from the early thirteenth to ninth centuries BC and that its prominent presence in industrial contexts in the Aravah Valley is related to the transmission of metallurgical 'know-how' from the Hejaz, which included rituals in which QPW vessels took part. While the original exchange probably involved craftspeople from the Hejaz in the Aravah's metalworking, the continuous use of QPW throughout several centuries in the southern Levant is best explained as a reflection of an enduring community of practice of the local populations with the metalworkers of the Hejaz.
Koch, I. and Sergi, O., eds. Studies in the History and Archaeology of Ancient Israel and Judah (Archaeology and Bible 7), 2023
Kamlah, J. and Witte, M., eds. Sacred Architecture in Ancient Palestine from the Bronze Age to Medieval Times (Abhandlungen des Deutschen Palästina Vereins 49), 2023
Altorientalische Forschungen, 2021
For many years, the Late Bronze/Iron Age transition in the southern Levant has been the subject o... more For many years, the Late Bronze/Iron Age transition in the southern Levant has been the subject of
intense debates concerning chronological matters and cultural developments. Ceramic studies were often the
focal point of the discussion, but they usually concentrated on the appearance of Aegean-style pottery in the
southern Coastal Plain and the nearby Shephelah, while largely disregarding the indigenous pottery tradition.
In this paper, I study the processes of continuity and change in ceramic shape morphology and decoration
techniques of three important tell-sites in the Shephelah: Lachish, ʿAzẹqȧ (Tel Azekah) and Ekron. It will
be shown that marked innovations took place during the transition to the Iron I. These were most likely
triggered by the appearance of foreign potters who produced local Aegean-style wares and seem to have
influenced the traditions of the indigenous ceramic workshops. Such insights not only allow a fine-tuning of
the relative chronology of the region at the end of the second millennium BCE, but also illuminate the transmission
of professional knowledge and cultural traits through the ages.
Israel Exploration Journal, 2020
Since the publication of the comprehensive provenance study of the Amarna letters by Goren, Finke... more Since the publication of the comprehensive provenance study of the Amarna letters by Goren, Finkelstein and Naʾaman (2004), several suggestions were made for the identification of city-states in southern Canaan. This article discusses the provenance of Letters EA 294 and EA 296 in light of new petrographic data, as well as the archaeological and textual evidence. It is proposed that the previous identification of the provenance of these two letters at Tel Ashdod should be revised. It is likely that the correspondence was sent from a site in the northwestern Shephelah, from Tel Batash. This identification is in keeping with the content of Letters EA 294 and EA 296 and the location of Tel Batash, as well as the ample archaeological evidence from the site. It is further
suggested that the Late Bronze Age city of Tel Batash should be identified with a place called ‘Tianna’ that is mentioned in the Amarna correspondence.
Tel Aviv 47/1, 2020
The remains of a shrine located in the Iron IIB six-chamber gate at Lachish were recently publish... more The remains of a shrine located in the Iron IIB six-chamber gate at Lachish were recently published by Ganor and Kreimerman (2019). The excavators proposed that the chamber had a hierarchical layout comparable to that of the Arad sanctuary, and that the shrine and its cult furnishings had been desecrated in the course of Hezekiah's cult reform. However, a critical re-evaluation of the published data indicates that (1) the inner plan of the chamber did not possess a hierarchical, three-part division with a 'holy of holies'; and (2) the chamber was destroyed during the Assyrian campaign in 701 BCE without any indication of cultic reform. Bearing in mind the data from Ussishkin's excavations, it is further suggested that two shrines were actually located in the gate-one on each side of the gateway-and that they were probably utilized in purification rituals by people entering the city. The two shrines at Lachish can be compared to the evidence from contemporaneous Kuntillet >Ajrud, which shows parallels in terms of architectural layout and cult paraphernalia.
There was nothing but chaos. The air was filled with smoke and the screams of her family. Where w... more There was nothing but chaos. The air was filled with smoke and the screams of her family. Where was her father? She couldn't see and was unsure of where to go. In front of her, hidden on the shelf, was the family treasure. She grabbed hold of it. "This cannot be lost!" she exclaimed. But where was the exit now? The smoke was too thick. She could not breathe and slumped to the ground. Then, suddenly, there was nothing-only darkness. More than 3,000 years have passed since this dramatized event, but for the archaeologists of the Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition, it looks as if it had happened only yesterday. Slowly and carefully-it took four full seasons-we uncovered a building filled with more than 200 complete ceramic vessels, 45 stone tools, exceptional metal objects, 108 beads, five scarabs, eight
The Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages of Southern Canaan, 2019
The first five excavation seasons of the Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition have revealed the long ... more The first five excavation seasons of the Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition have revealed the long occupational history of the site. A destruction layer dating to the Late Bronze Age was exposed in almost every excavation area of the site, enabling various multi-disciplinary studies of a wide range of material remains. This paper focuses on stratigraphic investigations, ceramic analyses, results from a radiocarbon dating project, residue analysis of pottery containers, physical anthropological studies and glyptic and figurative examinations. The results provide testimony to the character of daily life, aspects of interaction with Egyptian overlords, and observable transformations in concepts and consumption practices at Tel Azekah in the Late Bronze Age.
https://www.degruyter.com/view/books/9783110628371/9783110628371-003/9783110628371-003.xml
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region Collected Papers, 2018
Radiocarbon, 2018
This article presents the first radiocarbon (14 C) results from the Late Bronze Age levels of Tel... more This article presents the first radiocarbon (14 C) results from the Late Bronze Age levels of Tel Azekah (Israel). The results testify to the long and prosperous occupation of the site during this period, commencing at least in LB IIA and ending with a severe destruction at the close of LB III. In the extramural quarter (Area S2), a pre-monumental building phase (S2-6) dates to the 14th or early 13th century BCE. Two sub-phases of a public building constructed above this yielded dates in the second half of the 13th century and first two-thirds of the 12th century BCE, suggesting that occupation persisted through the "Crisis Years" of the eastern Mediterranean region. On the top of the mound, in Area T2, the destruction of the final LB III level (T2-3) most likely occurred near the end of the 12th century BCE. The preliminary Azekah results are in good agreement with existing data from Lachish and Megiddo, but seem at odds with results from nearby Tel es-Safi/Gath.
This paper presents evidence for the function of Egyptian amulets in daily life at Late Bronze Ag... more This paper presents evidence for the function of Egyptian amulets in daily life at Late Bronze Age Tel Azekah. The finding of the remains of two individuals in a destroyed Late Bronze Age building along with clusters of Egyptian scarabs and figurative amulets indicates that these artifacts were their personal belongings. It is argued that these Egyptian-originated charm practices were adopted and adapted by the locals, who incorporated them into their own religion.
![Research paper thumbnail of Metalworkers' Material Culture in the Early Iron Age Levant: The Ceramic Assemblage from Site 34 (Slaves' Hill) in the Timna Valley [Tel Aviv 44-2 (2017):232-264]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/56864107/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](Tel Aviv, 2017
The article deals with a rich ceramic assemblage retrieved during the survey and excavations of S... more The article deals with a rich ceramic assemblage retrieved during the survey and excavations of Site 34 (Slaves’ Hill) in the Timna Valley. Two main aspects of the assemblage are discussed: (1) its contribution to determining the relative and absolute chronology of the copper production sites in the Timna Valley (e.g., Sites 2, 30 and 200); and (2) the daily life of metalworkers (copper smelters) in the early Iron Age as reflected in their material culture. A detailed analysis of hundreds of indicative sherds demonstrates that the pottery assemblage can be typologically defined as belonging to the Iron I, and that activities on the isolated hilltop were limited to copper production. This strengthens the hypothesis that habitation took place in nearby transient encampments. Radiocarbon dating of short-lived samples allows fixing the pottery assemblage to within a tight timeframe, providing important evidence for the continuation of Iron I pottery tradition into the second half of the 10th century BCE. This, together with the presence of imported Qurayyah Painted Ware, places Site 34 in a key position for studying the early Iron Age in the Arabah Valley and adjacent regions.
The 12th cent. B.C.E. was a period of dramatic change in the southern Levant. It was characterize... more The 12th cent. B.C.E. was a period of dramatic change in the southern Levant. It was characterized by the decline of the Egyptian empire and the appearance of a new cultural entity, the so called “Sea Peoples”. In scholarly literature these changes are heavily debated, and questions regarding the nature of the process, the role of the different agents and the precise sequence of the events, are still unresolved. As a result of these concurrent dramatic changes, the Shephelah and the southern coastal plain figure prominently when unravelling the intense political and cultural transformations that took place in the southern Levant around the 12th cent. B.C.E.
Tell Zakarīye/Azekah, a 12th cent. B.C.E. Shephelah site that fell victim to a severe destruction, has long been overlooked as a major player in the string of sites in the area. Recently excavated by the Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition, the site and the finds from its destruction layer, presented below, not only provide in-depth understanding of the historical events that took place on the tell itself but also offer a new perspective of the archaeological evidence from prominent nearby sites such as Tell ed-Duwēr/Lachish, Tell es-Sāfī/Gath and Tell el-Ǧazarī/Gezer. Tell Zakarīye/Azekah’s archeological record bears witness to the significance of the Shephelah during the 12th cent. B.C.E., which was still characterized by typical Canaanite material culture and its cultural and economic connection to the Egyptian empire.
The aim of this paper is to present new data from Tell Zakarīye/Azekah that clarifies the broad picture of historical events that occurred during the first half of the 12th cent. B.C.E. in southwestern Canaan, that enhances existing information regarding the region in the 12th cent. B.C.E. and that sheds new light on some of the prevailing traditions currently accepted by the scholarly community, including those regarding the “Sea Peoples”.
During the first two seasons of the renewed Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition, a destruction layer... more During the first two seasons of the renewed Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition, a destruction layer was unearthed at Tel Azekah. An enormous number of ceramic and a multitude of small finds were found inside a violently destroyed house on the mound’s summit. This research will focus on the ceramic assemblages that originated from this destruction layer, encompassing more than 100 restorable vessels, which are dated to the first half of the 12th century BCE. The main goals of the investigation are to constitute a typological and chronological analysis of the assemblage and to investigate the spatial distribution of the finds, in order to shed light on the last phase of habitation preceding the destruction.
This work examines how the book Ecclesiastes is situated in its traditional and historical contex... more This work examines how the book Ecclesiastes is situated in its traditional and historical context. Specific research concerning the traditional background is based on the wisdom literature of the Old Testament while the Hellenistic Age provides the historical frame. The main topics are: How did the Hellenistic Period affect the book of Ecclesiastes, which is written in the third century B.C.? How did the author interpret his own traditions in this historical context? Are there similar thoughts in the theology of Ecclesiastes and the Hellenistic philosophy? To answer these questions the paper provides a comparison of the main theological thoughts in the book of Ecclesiastes with texts from the wisdom literature and the Hellenistic philosophy.
Double-tagged papers by Sabine Kleiman
Biblical Archaeology Review 45(1)
J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 9 33 b I b L I C a L a r C H a e O L O G y r e V I e W 33 b... more J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 9 33 b I b L I C a L a r C H a e O L O G y r e V I e W 33 b I b L I C a L a r C H a e O L O G y r e V I e W There was nothing but chaos. The air was filled with smoke and the screams of her family. Where was her father? She couldn't see and was unsure of where to go. In front of her, hidden on the shelf, was the family treasure. She grabbed hold of it. "This cannot be lost!" she exclaimed. But where was the exit now? The smoke was too thick. She could not breathe and slumped to the ground. Then, suddenly, there was nothing-only darkness.
This paper presents evidence for the function of Egyptian amulets in daily life at Late Bronze Ag... more This paper presents evidence for the function of Egyptian amulets in daily life at Late Bronze Age Tel Azekah. The finding of the remains of two individuals in a destroyed Late Bronze Age building along with clusters of Egyptian scarabs and figurative amulets indicates that these artifacts were their personal belongings. It is argued that these Egyptian-originated charm practices were adopted and adapted by the locals, who incorporated them into their own religion.
This article presents the first radiocarbon (14C) results from the Late Bronze Age levels of Tel ... more This article presents the first radiocarbon (14C) results from the Late Bronze Age levels of Tel Azekah (Israel). The results testify to the long and prosperous occupation of the site during this period, commencing at least in LB IIA and ending with a severe destruction at the close of LB III. In the extra-mural quarter (Area S2), a premonumental building phase (S2-6) dates to the 14th or early 13th century BCE. Two sub-phases of a public building constructed above this yielded dates in the second half of the 13th century and first two-thirds of the 12th century BCE, suggesting that occupation persisted through the “Crisis Years” of the eastern Mediterranean region. On the top of the mound, in Area T2, the destruction of the final LB III level (T2-3) most likely occurred near the end of the 12th century BCE. The preliminary Azekah results are in good agreement with existing data from Lachish and Megiddo, but seem at odds with results from nearby Tel es-Safi/Gath.
Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament, 2024
The Valley of Rephaim is usually located in the direct vicinity of Jerusalem. However, a fresh lo... more The Valley of Rephaim is usually located in the direct vicinity of Jerusalem. However, a fresh look at the history of research reveals the uncertainty surrounding this identification and shows that the displayed geography rather points to a setting east of the Elah Valley. At this location, the Rephaim Valley was of utmost interest to the communities of the lowlands, who were during the 10 th and 9 th centuries BCE under the control of Philistine Gath, which is significantly featured in the books of Samuel. This paper highlights the relationship between the city and the Rephaim Valley accounts and further suggests, that the place owes its name to the local Gittite elite and not to an association with past mythical giants.
Qurayyah Painted Ware (QPW) is the most solid evidence of contacts between the Hejaz and the sout... more Qurayyah Painted Ware (QPW) is the most solid evidence of contacts between the Hejaz and the southern Levant in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages. However, even after decades of research, there is still much uncertainty regarding the chronology of these contacts and their nature. Here, we present an exceptionally rich collection of QPW fragments documented recently in the copper smelting sites of the Timna Valley. We argue that the distribution of this painted ware in the southern Levant extended from the early thirteenth to ninth centuries BC and that its prominent presence in industrial contexts in the Aravah Valley is related to the transmission of metallurgical 'know-how' from the Hejaz, which included rituals in which QPW vessels took part. While the original exchange probably involved craftspeople from the Hejaz in the Aravah's metalworking, the continuous use of QPW throughout several centuries in the southern Levant is best explained as a reflection of an enduring community of practice of the local populations with the metalworkers of the Hejaz.
Koch, I. and Sergi, O., eds. Studies in the History and Archaeology of Ancient Israel and Judah (Archaeology and Bible 7), 2023
Kamlah, J. and Witte, M., eds. Sacred Architecture in Ancient Palestine from the Bronze Age to Medieval Times (Abhandlungen des Deutschen Palästina Vereins 49), 2023
Altorientalische Forschungen, 2021
For many years, the Late Bronze/Iron Age transition in the southern Levant has been the subject o... more For many years, the Late Bronze/Iron Age transition in the southern Levant has been the subject of
intense debates concerning chronological matters and cultural developments. Ceramic studies were often the
focal point of the discussion, but they usually concentrated on the appearance of Aegean-style pottery in the
southern Coastal Plain and the nearby Shephelah, while largely disregarding the indigenous pottery tradition.
In this paper, I study the processes of continuity and change in ceramic shape morphology and decoration
techniques of three important tell-sites in the Shephelah: Lachish, ʿAzẹqȧ (Tel Azekah) and Ekron. It will
be shown that marked innovations took place during the transition to the Iron I. These were most likely
triggered by the appearance of foreign potters who produced local Aegean-style wares and seem to have
influenced the traditions of the indigenous ceramic workshops. Such insights not only allow a fine-tuning of
the relative chronology of the region at the end of the second millennium BCE, but also illuminate the transmission
of professional knowledge and cultural traits through the ages.
Israel Exploration Journal, 2020
Since the publication of the comprehensive provenance study of the Amarna letters by Goren, Finke... more Since the publication of the comprehensive provenance study of the Amarna letters by Goren, Finkelstein and Naʾaman (2004), several suggestions were made for the identification of city-states in southern Canaan. This article discusses the provenance of Letters EA 294 and EA 296 in light of new petrographic data, as well as the archaeological and textual evidence. It is proposed that the previous identification of the provenance of these two letters at Tel Ashdod should be revised. It is likely that the correspondence was sent from a site in the northwestern Shephelah, from Tel Batash. This identification is in keeping with the content of Letters EA 294 and EA 296 and the location of Tel Batash, as well as the ample archaeological evidence from the site. It is further
suggested that the Late Bronze Age city of Tel Batash should be identified with a place called ‘Tianna’ that is mentioned in the Amarna correspondence.
Tel Aviv 47/1, 2020
The remains of a shrine located in the Iron IIB six-chamber gate at Lachish were recently publish... more The remains of a shrine located in the Iron IIB six-chamber gate at Lachish were recently published by Ganor and Kreimerman (2019). The excavators proposed that the chamber had a hierarchical layout comparable to that of the Arad sanctuary, and that the shrine and its cult furnishings had been desecrated in the course of Hezekiah's cult reform. However, a critical re-evaluation of the published data indicates that (1) the inner plan of the chamber did not possess a hierarchical, three-part division with a 'holy of holies'; and (2) the chamber was destroyed during the Assyrian campaign in 701 BCE without any indication of cultic reform. Bearing in mind the data from Ussishkin's excavations, it is further suggested that two shrines were actually located in the gate-one on each side of the gateway-and that they were probably utilized in purification rituals by people entering the city. The two shrines at Lachish can be compared to the evidence from contemporaneous Kuntillet >Ajrud, which shows parallels in terms of architectural layout and cult paraphernalia.
There was nothing but chaos. The air was filled with smoke and the screams of her family. Where w... more There was nothing but chaos. The air was filled with smoke and the screams of her family. Where was her father? She couldn't see and was unsure of where to go. In front of her, hidden on the shelf, was the family treasure. She grabbed hold of it. "This cannot be lost!" she exclaimed. But where was the exit now? The smoke was too thick. She could not breathe and slumped to the ground. Then, suddenly, there was nothing-only darkness. More than 3,000 years have passed since this dramatized event, but for the archaeologists of the Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition, it looks as if it had happened only yesterday. Slowly and carefully-it took four full seasons-we uncovered a building filled with more than 200 complete ceramic vessels, 45 stone tools, exceptional metal objects, 108 beads, five scarabs, eight
The Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages of Southern Canaan, 2019
The first five excavation seasons of the Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition have revealed the long ... more The first five excavation seasons of the Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition have revealed the long occupational history of the site. A destruction layer dating to the Late Bronze Age was exposed in almost every excavation area of the site, enabling various multi-disciplinary studies of a wide range of material remains. This paper focuses on stratigraphic investigations, ceramic analyses, results from a radiocarbon dating project, residue analysis of pottery containers, physical anthropological studies and glyptic and figurative examinations. The results provide testimony to the character of daily life, aspects of interaction with Egyptian overlords, and observable transformations in concepts and consumption practices at Tel Azekah in the Late Bronze Age.
https://www.degruyter.com/view/books/9783110628371/9783110628371-003/9783110628371-003.xml
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region Collected Papers, 2018
Radiocarbon, 2018
This article presents the first radiocarbon (14 C) results from the Late Bronze Age levels of Tel... more This article presents the first radiocarbon (14 C) results from the Late Bronze Age levels of Tel Azekah (Israel). The results testify to the long and prosperous occupation of the site during this period, commencing at least in LB IIA and ending with a severe destruction at the close of LB III. In the extramural quarter (Area S2), a pre-monumental building phase (S2-6) dates to the 14th or early 13th century BCE. Two sub-phases of a public building constructed above this yielded dates in the second half of the 13th century and first two-thirds of the 12th century BCE, suggesting that occupation persisted through the "Crisis Years" of the eastern Mediterranean region. On the top of the mound, in Area T2, the destruction of the final LB III level (T2-3) most likely occurred near the end of the 12th century BCE. The preliminary Azekah results are in good agreement with existing data from Lachish and Megiddo, but seem at odds with results from nearby Tel es-Safi/Gath.
This paper presents evidence for the function of Egyptian amulets in daily life at Late Bronze Ag... more This paper presents evidence for the function of Egyptian amulets in daily life at Late Bronze Age Tel Azekah. The finding of the remains of two individuals in a destroyed Late Bronze Age building along with clusters of Egyptian scarabs and figurative amulets indicates that these artifacts were their personal belongings. It is argued that these Egyptian-originated charm practices were adopted and adapted by the locals, who incorporated them into their own religion.
Tel Aviv, 2017
The article deals with a rich ceramic assemblage retrieved during the survey and excavations of S... more The article deals with a rich ceramic assemblage retrieved during the survey and excavations of Site 34 (Slaves’ Hill) in the Timna Valley. Two main aspects of the assemblage are discussed: (1) its contribution to determining the relative and absolute chronology of the copper production sites in the Timna Valley (e.g., Sites 2, 30 and 200); and (2) the daily life of metalworkers (copper smelters) in the early Iron Age as reflected in their material culture. A detailed analysis of hundreds of indicative sherds demonstrates that the pottery assemblage can be typologically defined as belonging to the Iron I, and that activities on the isolated hilltop were limited to copper production. This strengthens the hypothesis that habitation took place in nearby transient encampments. Radiocarbon dating of short-lived samples allows fixing the pottery assemblage to within a tight timeframe, providing important evidence for the continuation of Iron I pottery tradition into the second half of the 10th century BCE. This, together with the presence of imported Qurayyah Painted Ware, places Site 34 in a key position for studying the early Iron Age in the Arabah Valley and adjacent regions.
The 12th cent. B.C.E. was a period of dramatic change in the southern Levant. It was characterize... more The 12th cent. B.C.E. was a period of dramatic change in the southern Levant. It was characterized by the decline of the Egyptian empire and the appearance of a new cultural entity, the so called “Sea Peoples”. In scholarly literature these changes are heavily debated, and questions regarding the nature of the process, the role of the different agents and the precise sequence of the events, are still unresolved. As a result of these concurrent dramatic changes, the Shephelah and the southern coastal plain figure prominently when unravelling the intense political and cultural transformations that took place in the southern Levant around the 12th cent. B.C.E.
Tell Zakarīye/Azekah, a 12th cent. B.C.E. Shephelah site that fell victim to a severe destruction, has long been overlooked as a major player in the string of sites in the area. Recently excavated by the Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition, the site and the finds from its destruction layer, presented below, not only provide in-depth understanding of the historical events that took place on the tell itself but also offer a new perspective of the archaeological evidence from prominent nearby sites such as Tell ed-Duwēr/Lachish, Tell es-Sāfī/Gath and Tell el-Ǧazarī/Gezer. Tell Zakarīye/Azekah’s archeological record bears witness to the significance of the Shephelah during the 12th cent. B.C.E., which was still characterized by typical Canaanite material culture and its cultural and economic connection to the Egyptian empire.
The aim of this paper is to present new data from Tell Zakarīye/Azekah that clarifies the broad picture of historical events that occurred during the first half of the 12th cent. B.C.E. in southwestern Canaan, that enhances existing information regarding the region in the 12th cent. B.C.E. and that sheds new light on some of the prevailing traditions currently accepted by the scholarly community, including those regarding the “Sea Peoples”.
During the first two seasons of the renewed Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition, a destruction layer... more During the first two seasons of the renewed Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition, a destruction layer was unearthed at Tel Azekah. An enormous number of ceramic and a multitude of small finds were found inside a violently destroyed house on the mound’s summit. This research will focus on the ceramic assemblages that originated from this destruction layer, encompassing more than 100 restorable vessels, which are dated to the first half of the 12th century BCE. The main goals of the investigation are to constitute a typological and chronological analysis of the assemblage and to investigate the spatial distribution of the finds, in order to shed light on the last phase of habitation preceding the destruction.
This work examines how the book Ecclesiastes is situated in its traditional and historical contex... more This work examines how the book Ecclesiastes is situated in its traditional and historical context. Specific research concerning the traditional background is based on the wisdom literature of the Old Testament while the Hellenistic Age provides the historical frame. The main topics are: How did the Hellenistic Period affect the book of Ecclesiastes, which is written in the third century B.C.? How did the author interpret his own traditions in this historical context? Are there similar thoughts in the theology of Ecclesiastes and the Hellenistic philosophy? To answer these questions the paper provides a comparison of the main theological thoughts in the book of Ecclesiastes with texts from the wisdom literature and the Hellenistic philosophy.
Biblical Archaeology Review 45(1)
J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 9 33 b I b L I C a L a r C H a e O L O G y r e V I e W 33 b... more J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 9 33 b I b L I C a L a r C H a e O L O G y r e V I e W 33 b I b L I C a L a r C H a e O L O G y r e V I e W There was nothing but chaos. The air was filled with smoke and the screams of her family. Where was her father? She couldn't see and was unsure of where to go. In front of her, hidden on the shelf, was the family treasure. She grabbed hold of it. "This cannot be lost!" she exclaimed. But where was the exit now? The smoke was too thick. She could not breathe and slumped to the ground. Then, suddenly, there was nothing-only darkness.
This paper presents evidence for the function of Egyptian amulets in daily life at Late Bronze Ag... more This paper presents evidence for the function of Egyptian amulets in daily life at Late Bronze Age Tel Azekah. The finding of the remains of two individuals in a destroyed Late Bronze Age building along with clusters of Egyptian scarabs and figurative amulets indicates that these artifacts were their personal belongings. It is argued that these Egyptian-originated charm practices were adopted and adapted by the locals, who incorporated them into their own religion.
This article presents the first radiocarbon (14C) results from the Late Bronze Age levels of Tel ... more This article presents the first radiocarbon (14C) results from the Late Bronze Age levels of Tel Azekah (Israel). The results testify to the long and prosperous occupation of the site during this period, commencing at least in LB IIA and ending with a severe destruction at the close of LB III. In the extra-mural quarter (Area S2), a premonumental building phase (S2-6) dates to the 14th or early 13th century BCE. Two sub-phases of a public building constructed above this yielded dates in the second half of the 13th century and first two-thirds of the 12th century BCE, suggesting that occupation persisted through the “Crisis Years” of the eastern Mediterranean region. On the top of the mound, in Area T2, the destruction of the final LB III level (T2-3) most likely occurred near the end of the 12th century BCE. The preliminary Azekah results are in good agreement with existing data from Lachish and Megiddo, but seem at odds with results from nearby Tel es-Safi/Gath.
The Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages of Southern Canaan, 2019
The first five excavation seasons of the Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition (2012–2016) have reveal... more The first five excavation seasons of the Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition (2012–2016) have revealed the long occupational history of the site – from the Early Bronze III through the Umayyad period The most prominent period in this sequence, and documented throughout
the site thus far, is the Late Bronze Age. A destruction layer dating to this
time period was exposed in almost every excavation area of the site, enabling various multi-disciplinary studies of a wide range of material remains. This report focuses on stratigraphic investigations, ceramic analyses, results from a radiocarbon dating project, residue analysis of pottery containers, physical anthropological studies and glyptic and figurative examinations. The results provide testimony to the character of daily life, aspects of interaction with Egyptian overlords, and observable transformations in concepts and consumption practices at Tel Azekah in the Late Bronze Age.