Archaeology and the Bible

207 Pages·1999·1.76 MB·English

by  John Laughlin

Archaeology and the Bible
In recent years archaeological discoveries in the Near East, particularly in
Palestine, have been related in one way or another to the Bible, often in an
effort to prove its historical veracity. But newer field methodologies, regional
surveys and creative syntheses have called into question this traditional
approach. Archaeology and the Bible examines these new developments and
discusses what they imply for biblical studies. The book:

• traces the history of the development of Near Eastern archaeology,
including the rise and fall of the so-called “biblical archaeology” movement
• describes how field archaeology is actually done so that the reader can
visualize how archaeological discoveries are made, recorded and studied
• recounts the broader prehistorical/archaeological horizon out of which
the Bible was born
• elucidates how recent archaeological discoveries and theorizing pose
serious challenges to the traditional interpretations of such biblical stories
as the “Exodus” and the “Conquest”
• explores the implications of new developments in the field for
understanding Israelite religion.

Archaeology and the Bible presents a concise yet comprehensive and accessible
introduction to biblical archaeology which will be invaluable to students.
John C. H. Laughlin is Professor of Religion and Chairman of the
Department of Religion at Averett College. He has excavated at Tel Dan
and served as Field Supervisor at the Capernaum excavations. Since 1989,
he has been a Field Supervisor at Banias. He has published and lectured
widely on the subjects of Near Eastern archaeology and the Bible.
Approaching the Ancient World
Series editor: Richard Stoneman
The sources for the study of the Greek and Roman world are diffuse, diverse,
and often complex, and special training is needed in order to use them to
the best advantage in constructing a historical picture.
The books in this series provide an introduction to the problems and
methods involved in the study of ancient history. The topics covered will
range from the use of literary sources for Greek history and for Roman
history, through numismatics, epigraphy, and dirt archaeology, to the use
of legal evidence and of art and artefacts in chronology. There will also be
books on statistical and comparative method and on feminist approaches.
The Uses of Greek Mythology
Ken Dowden
Art, Artefacts, and Chronology in Classical Archaeology
William R. Biers
Reading Papyri, Writing Ancient History
Roger S. Bagnall
Ancient History from Coins
Christopher Howgego
The Sources of Roman Law
O. F. Robinson
Cuneiform Texts and the Writing of History
Marc van de Mieroop
Literary Texts and the Greek Historian
Christopher Pelling
Literary Texts and the Roman Historian
David Potter
Archaeology and the Bible
John C. H. Laughlin
London and New York
First published 2000
by Routledge
11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2002.
© 2000 John C. H. Laughlin
The right of John C. H. Laughlin to be identified as the Author of this Work
has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any
information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from
the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Laughlin, John C. H. (John Charles Hugh), 1942–
Archaeology and the Bible / John C. H. Laughlin.
p. cm. – (Approaching the ancient world)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Bible. O. T.–Antiquities. 2. Middle East–Antiquities.
I. Title. II. Series.
BS621.L38 1999
220.9’3 – dc21 99–19503
CIP
ISBN 0–415–15993–8 (hbk)
ISBN 0–415–15994–6 (pbk)
ISBN 0–203–01521–5 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0–203–20067–5 (Glassbook Format)
Contents
List of illustrations vii
Abbreviations ix
1 Introduction: archaeology and the Bible 1
2 A brief history 3
3 How it’s done: an introduction to field work 17
4 The rise of civilization: the Neolithic through
the Early Bronze Age (ca. 8500–2000 BC) 33
5 The Middle Bronze Age (2000–1550 BC) 55
6 The Late Bronze Age (1550–1200 BC) 77
7 Iron Age I (ca.1200–1000 BC) 93
8 Iron Age II (1000–550 BC) 119
Epilogue 155
Notes 157
Bibliography 169
Index 191

Illustrations
2.1 Petrie’s “sequence dating” of Tell el-Hesi 6
3.1 Tel Beth Shan 18
3.2 Topographic plan of Tel Dan showing areas of
excavation as of 1992 20
3.3 Archaeological site using the “grid” method 22
3.4 Excavated section showing tagged layers 23
3.5 Archaeological site using the “stepped trench” method 24
3.6 Section drawing showing stratigraphical profile 29
4.1 Map showing pre-pottery Neolithic sites 34
4.2 Map showing major Neolithic and Chalcolithic era
pottery sites 36
4.3 Chalcolithic copper hoard, Judean desert treasure, first
half of the 4th mill. BC, Nahal Mishmar 37
4.4 Chalcolithic ivory figurines, first half of the 4th mill. BC 38
4.5 Chalcolithic ossuary 39
4.6 Map showing Early Bronze Age sites 41
4.7 EB III pottery typology 46–47
5.1 Map showing Middle Bronze Age sites 56
5.2 Middle Bronze Age rampart wall at Tel Dan 66
5.3 Middle Bronze Age gate, Tel Dan 67
5.4 Reconstructed model of Middle Bronze Age gate,
Tel Dan 68
6.1 Map of Late Bronze Age sites 80
6.2 Late Bronze Age temple plans, Hazor 83
6.3 Merneptah stela 88
a) “Israel stela” of Merneptah 88
b) Drawing of Merneptah stela and the name “Israel”
in detail 89
viii Illustrations
7.1 Scene showing the battle between Ramesses III and the
Sea Peoples 98
7.2 Map showing Iron Age I sites 100
7.3 Philistine pottery 102
7.4 Anthropoid clay coffin 104
7.5 Topographic map of Tell Miqne-Ekron 105
7.6 Reconstruction of a Greek hearth 106
7.7 The “Ashdoda” 107
7.8 Plan of the Philistine temple from Tell Qasile 108
7.9 Map of the “Israelite” settlement, end of Iron Age I 114
8.1 Map showing Iron Age II sites1 23
8.2 Plans showing “Solomonic” gates of the 10th century BC 125
8.3 Maps showing suggested boundaries of Iron Age
Jerusalem 126
8.4 City of David excavations 127
8.5 Reconstruction of “Solomonic” temple 128
8.6 Topographic map of Tel Dan 131
8.7 Tel Dan iron gates 132
8.8 Five standing stones – massebot, at Tel Dan. Iron Age gate 133
8.9 Podium with limestone bench, Tel Dan 134
8.10 Aramaic stele, Tel Dan 135
8.11 Tel Dan, Area T, bamah 136
8.12 Tel Dan, Area T, the lishkah 137
8.13 Bronze and silver scepter head 138
8.14 Tel Dan, Area T, stone-plaster installation 139
8.15 Plan of the Samaria acropolis 140
8.16 Samaria ostraca 141
8.17 Samaria ivory, “Woman in the Window” 142
8.18 General plan of Iron Age II Beersheba, stratum II 144
8.19 Plan of King Hezekiah’s tunnel (Siloam tunnel) 145
8.20 Stamped jar handle. The inscription reads “LMLK,”
Hebrew for “Belonging to the King.” Under the wings
is the name of the place, Hebron 146
8.21 Drawing of the Kuntillet ‘Ajrud jar inscription. “To
Yahweh and his Asherah” 148
8.22 Ta‘anach cult stand, late 10th century BC 149
8.23 General plan of Lachish 151
8.24 Domestic quarters, “City of David” excavations 154
Abbreviations
AAI The Archaeology of Ancient Israel, A. Ben-Tor (ed.) (New Haven,
CT: Yale University Press), 1992
AAIPP The Architecture of Ancient Israel from the Prehistoric to the Persian
Periods, A. Kempinski and R. Reich (eds) (Jerusalem: Israel
Exploration Society), 1992
ABD The Anchor Bible Dictionary, 6 vols, David Noel Freedman
(editor-in-chief) (New York: Doubleday), 1992
ABI Archaeology and Biblical Interpretation, L. G. Perdue, L. E. Tombs
and G. Johnson (eds) (Atlanta, GA: Scholars Press), 1987
AJR Ancient Jerusalem Revealed, H. Geve (ed.) (Jerusalem: Israel
Exploration Society), 1994
ANET Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, 3rd edn,
James Pritchard (ed.) (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University
Press), 1969
ASHL The Archaeology of Society in the Holy Land, T. E. Levy (ed.) (New
York: Facts on File), 1995
BA Biblical Archaeologist
BAR Biblical Archaeology Review
BAReader Biblical Archaeologist Reader
BASOR Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research
BAT Biblical Archaeology Today, Proceedings of the International Congress
on Biblical Archaeology, Jerusalem, April 1984, Janet Amitai (ed.)
(Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society), 1985
BAT 90 Biblical Archaeology Today, 1990, Proceedings of the Second
International Congress on Biblical Archaeology, Jerusalem, June–
July, 1990, A. Biran and J. Aviram (eds) (Jerusalem: Israel
Exploration Society), 1993
BTC Benchmarks in Time and Culture, J. F. Drinkard, Jr, G. L.
Mattingly and J. M. Miller (eds) (Atlanta, GA: Scholars Press),
1988
CAH The Cambridge Ancient History, 3rd edn, I. Edwards et al. (eds)
(New York: Cambridge University Press), 1971, 1973, 1975
EA El Armarna letters