Overview of the Late Bronze Age in Canaan
Goals for Today understand why different chronological labels exist (e.g., LB I, II, III & LB I, IA, IIA, IIB). understand transition from MB to LB understand Egyptian Role in Late Bronze understand general character of Late Bronze Age in Canaan
Transition from MB to LB Both Ami Mazar and Rivka Gonen start the LB with Ahmose’s expulsion of the Hyksos from Egypt This is the start of the 18th Dynasty The expulsion of the Hyksos allows Egypt to reassert its control in Canaan
Dynasties and Kingdoms Old Kingdom: 3-6 Dynasties time of pyramids Middle Kingdom: 10-12 Dynasties ruled from Thebes Hyksos period: 13-17 Dynasties New Kingdom: 18-19 Dynasties 20th Dynasty and beyond goes to Greek conquest
Hyksos Rule
Expulsion of Hyksos
Expulsion of Hyksos Ahmose reigns from 1570 to 1546 B.C.E. Ahmose captures Avaris in Nile Delata about 1560 B.C.E. later in an unknown year, Ahmose defeats the Hyksos in Canaan
Start of Late Bronze Age Gonen and Mazar starts with 1550 (the end of the expulsion of the Hyksos) In reality, this is approximate
Thutmose III first campaign was in 1482 decisive victory at Megiddo he established control of Egypt in Canaan he leads Egypt to it’s strongest point thus, his reign is central for Ami Mazar’s chronology
Thutmose III
Campaign to Megiddo
Amarna Period Both Gonen and Mazar have this as a separate period Gonen: LB II: 1400 - 1300 Mazar: LBIIA: 1400- 1300 Again, both are approximate
19th Dynasty came to power ~1300 w/ Sethi I and Rameses II reasserted control over Asia Minor moved capital to border of Sinai in delta most scholars identify this with period of Exodus ? Sethi I is Pharaoh who enslaves Israelite ? Rameses II is Pharaoh of Exodus
End of Late Bronze Age Mazar has LB IIB: 1300 - 1200 B.C.E. this is the 19th dynasty Gonen has LB III: 1300- 1150 B.C.E. this is 19th and start of 20th this matches more the archaeological data Mazar is more historical and Gonen has attempted to integrate archaeological data both are still approximate
Character of Late Bronze Age Egyptians devastated Canaan Some scholars question if Egypt conquered Canaan, but should not be accepted archaeological data suggests Egyptians conquered Canaan epigraphic data is scarce and can be interpreted several ways In any case, settlement in Canaan is much more scarce during Late Bronze Age
Number of Sites
Area of Settlement (hectares)
Lack of Fortification in general, Late Bronze sites were not fortified exception is Hazor example of non-walled city is Megiddo (even though it has gate)
Hazor
LBA Hazor: Temple
LBA Hazor
Hazor: burnt brick
Megiddo: gate w/o wall
Late Bronze Age Megiddo
Subdivisions of Iron Age Until mid-sixties Iron Age I: 1200 - 920/900 B.C.E. Iron Age II: 920 - 586 B.C.E. Aharoni and Amiran (1958 following Hazor) Iron Age I: 1200 - 1000 B.C.E. Iron Age II: 1000 - 840 B.C.E. Iron Age III: 840 - 586 B.C.E. Aharoni and Amiran is from the article we read earlier; what were their reasons?
Historical Reasons for Subdivisions notice that each of the systems uses key historical dates 1200 1000 920 840 586 this is because historical events change the material culture in many cases
Historical events near the end of the Bronze Age Hittite empire is in decline Egyptian empire is in decline many destructions in Hittite and Egyptian controlled areas sites in Canaan are also destroyed reasons are probably famine and external forces that defeat these people Thus, the international trade contacts that characterized the Late Bronze Age die out
Origination of new peoples: Israel Philistia Edom Moab Phoenicians in Canaan Importation of Mycenean and Cypriot pottery ceases trade routes were affected, so imports fall international contact falls off
“Transition Sites” Many sites were destroyed at end of the Late Bronze Age and then resettled immediately with an Egyptian influence, but there were not “imports” Nice example: Lachish Stratum VII: Fosse Temple (LB w/ imports) Stratum VI: Iron Age Ia without imports Lachish can be used for both end of Iron Age in 1200 and in 1150
Fosse Temple Area S