Biblical Peoples And Ethnicity: An Archaeological Study of Egyptians, Canaanites, Philistines, And Early Israel 1300-1100 B.C.E. (Archaeology and Biblical Studies 9)

384 Pages·2005·5.32 MB·English

by  Ann E. Killebrew

BIBLICAL PEOPLES AND ETHNICITY
Society of Biblical Literature
~
Archaeology and Biblical Studies
Andrew G. Vaughn,
Editor
Number 9
BIBLICAL PEOPLES AND ETI-It\TICTIY
An Archaeological Study of Egyptians, Canaanites,
Philistines, and Early Israel, 1300-1100 R.C.E.
AND ETHNICITY
L..JA-J'-"
Canaanites
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1300-1100 B.C.E.
by
BIBLICAL PEOPLES AND ETHNICITY
An Archaeological Study of Egyptians, Canaanites,
Philistines, and Early Israel, 1300-1100 B.C.E.
Copyright © 2005 by the Society of Biblical Literature
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or
means of any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted
by the] 976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should
be addressed in writing to the Rights and Permissions Office, Society of Biblical Literature.
825 Houston Mill Road, Atlanta, GA 30329 USA.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Killebrew. Ann E.
Biblical peoples and ethnicity : an archaeological study of Egyptians, Canaanites.
Philistines, and early Israel. 1300-1100 B.C.E. I by Ann E. Killebrew.
p. cm. - (Society of Biblical Literature archaeology and biblical studies; no. 9)
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN-13: 978-1-58983-097-4 (paper binding: alk. paper)
ISBN-lO: 1-58983-097-0 (paper binding: alk. paper)
1. Palestine-Civilization. 2. Egyptians-Palestine-History. 3. Canaanites. 4. Jews
History-To 953 B.C. 5. Philistines. 6. Palestine-Antiquities. 7. Excavations (Archaeology)
-Palestine. 8. Bronze age-Palestine. 9. Iron age-Palestine. I. Title. II. Series: Archaeology
and biblical studies; no. 9.
DS112.K4762005
221. 9'3-dc22 2005013286
13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 54321
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free, recycled paper
conforming to ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (R1997) and ISO 9706:1994
standards for paper permanence.
To My Parents
Alfred B. and Jeanne M. Killebrew

CONTENTS
Acknow ledgmen ts ............................................................................................ xi
Abbrevia tions .................................................................................................. xiii
List of Illustrations ........................................................................................ xvi
Introduction: Peoples and Ethnicity in the Biblical World:
A Conceptual Framework ................................................................................ 1
Biblical Archaeology in Its Intellectual Context 3
New Archaeology and Later Theoretical Trends 3
Recent Intellectual Trends in Biblical Studies 5
Theoretical and Analytical Frameworks 6
Egyptians, Canaanites, Philistines, and Israelites 10
Egyptians 10
Canaanites 12
Israelites 13
Philistines 14
1. The Age of Internationalism: The Eastern Mediterranean
during the Thirteenth Century B.C.E. and the "Crisis" ..................... .21
World Systems Approach 23
Empires, Palace Systems, and City-States 24
Contested Semiperipheries: Cyprus, Coastal Anatolia, and
the Dodecanese at the End of the Late Bronze Age 28
Canaan during the Thirteenth Century B.C.E. 32
Crisis at the End of the Bronze Age: Causes and Repercussions 33
The End of the Late Bronze Age: An Interregional
Perspective of Transformation 37
2. Egypt in Canaan: Empire and Imperialism in the Late
Bronze Age ............................................................................................... .51
Colonialism, Imperialism, and Elite Emulation:
A Definition of Terms 53
VIII CONTENTS
The View from Egypt: The Textual Evidence 55
The View from Canaan: The Archaeological Evidence 58
Egyptian-Style Architecture 58
Egyptian-Style Artifacts 64
Burial Customs 65
Egyptian Inscriptions 67
A Typology of Egyptian-Style Pottery in Canaan 67
Egyptian-Style Pottery Technology 79
The View from Egypt and Canaan: Conclusions 81
3. Canaan and Canaanites: An Ethnic Mosaic ........................................ 93
Canaan and Canaanites: A Definition 94
Textual Evidence 94
Mari 95
Egypt 95
Alalakh 95
Ugarit 95
Biblical Evidence 96
The Archaeological Evidence 96
Settlement Patterns in Canaan during the
Second Millennium 97
Architectural Features of Canaanite Sites 100
Town Planning 100
Palaces 101
Temples 105
Domestic Structures 109
Burials 110
Pottery Associated with Canaanite Sites 110
Typology of Canaanite-Style Pottery and
Associated Assemblages 110
Canaanite Pottery Technology 136
Conclusions 138
4. Early Israel: A "Mixed Multitude" ...................................................... 149
The Textual Evidence 150
The Biblical Tradition 150
The Exodus 150
The Israelite "Conquest" and Settlement of Canaan 152
The Egyptian Sources 154
The Israel Stela 154
CONTENTS IX
The Karnak 155
155
and Excavation Results from
Iron I Sites 157
159
Plateau 165
the Central Highland Regions 168
Galilee and the Beer-sheba Valley 169
Conclusions 171
Characteristic Features of Iron I Material
Culture 171
Architecture 171
Diet: Animal Bones 176
Burial Customs 176
177
181
The Four Schools of 181
The Mixed Multitude 184
5. .................. 197
versus
Cultural 199
Textual Evidence 202
Sources 202
Medinet Habu 202
Rhetorical Stela Ramesses III 204
Harris I 204
Onomasticon of 204
Biblical Accounts 205
The Archaeological Evidence 206
Settlement Patterns 207
Features the Philistine 209
Urban 209
Installations and Artifacts 210
Burials 218
Cuisine 218
of Philistine 219
Synthesis 230
Philistine 230
Philistine 232
x CONTENTS
The How and Why of Philistine Colonization:
Concluding Remarks 233
6. Identifying the Egyptians, Canaanites, Philistines, and
Early Israel .............................................................................................. 247
Bibliography .................................................................................................. 253
Index of Primary Sources ........................................................................... .335
Hebrew Scriptures 335
Ancient Near Eastern Writings 336
Greek Writings 336
Index of Ancient Names and Places ......................................................... .337
Ancient Names 337
Geographic Names and Regions 339
Index of Modern Authorities ..................................................................... .347