Ancient Canaan and Israel An Introduction

Where did the Israelites originate? What was the fate of the Canaanites? In this revealing introduction, Jonathan M. Golden tackles these and other hotly debated questions. Drawing on the extensive and often surprising archeological record, he looks at daily life in antiquity, providing rich portraits of the role of women, craft production, metallurgy, technology, political and social organization, trade, and religious practices. Golden traces the great religious traditions that emerged in this region back to their most ancient roots, drawing on the evidence of scriptures and other texts as well as the archeological record. Though the scriptures stress the primacy of Israel, the author considers the Canaanites and Philistines as well, examining the differences between highland and coastal cultures and the cross-fertilization between societies. He offers a clear, objective look at the evidence for the historical accuracy of the biblical narrative, based on the latest thinking among archeologists worldwide.

Jonathan M. Golden is Adjunct Professor of Anthropology at Drew University.

List of Maps
Series Editor's Preface
Preface
Acknowledgments
Chronology
Part 1: Introduction
1. Introduction
Cultural History of Ancient Israel: An Overview
Summary of Resources
Part 2: Canaanite and Israelite Civilization
2. Environment and Ecology
The Physical Landscape
Shifting Patterns of Land Use
3. Historical and Chronological Setting
Major Events in the History of Syro-Palestinian Cultures
Major Techniques in Chronology Building
A Brief History of Discovery
Israeli Archaeology
Literary Evidence from Ancient Israel
4. Origins, Growth, and Decline of Levantine Cultures
Prehistoric Cultures: Major Developments in Late Prehistory
The Canaanites
Peoples of the Iron Age
The Israelites of the Iron 2
5. Economics
Chalcolithic Period: The Origins of Economic Complexity
Early Bronze Age
Middle Bronze Age
Late Bronze Age
Iron 1: The Economy of the Highlands and "Proto-Israelites"
Iron 1: The Economy of the Southern Coastal Plain
Iron 2: The Israelite Economy
The Economy of Philistia in the Iron 2
6. Social Organization
Chalcolithic Period
Early Bronze Age
Intermediate Bronze Age
Middle Bronze Age
Late Bronze Age
Iron Age 1
Iron 1: Social Organization among the Coastal Peoples
Iron 2: Highland Culture
Iron 2: Coastal Culture
Philistine High Culture
7. Politcs
Chalcolithic Period
Early Bronze Age: The First Urban Revolution
The End of the Early Bronze Age and the Intermediate Bronze Age
Canaanite Kingdoms: Middle Bronze Age
Late Bronze Age
Iron Age 1: The Highlands and Inland Valleys
Iron Age 1: Southern Coastal Plain/Philistia
Iron Age 2-3: The Israelites
Iron Age 2-3: The Philistines
8. Religion and Ideology
Chalcolithic Period
Early Bronze Age
Middle Bronze Age
Late Bronze Age
Iron Age
Iron 2-3
Broad Trends in the Evolution of Israelite Religion
Iron 1: Early Philistine Religion
Iron 2: Philistine Religion
9. Material Culture
Chalcolithic Period
Early Bronze Age
Intermediate Bronze Age
Middle Bronze Age
Late Bronze Age
Material Culture of the Interior during the Early Iron Age (Iron 1)
Israelite Material Culture of the Iron2
Philistine Material Culture of the Iron1
Material Culture of the Philistines in the Iron 2
Phoenician Material Culture
10. Intellectual Accomplishments
The Alphabet (Alephbet)
Monotheism
Part 3: Current Assessments
11. Major Controversies and Future Directions
Controversies in Chalcolithic Archaeology
Archaeological Issues concerning the Early
Bronze Age
Bronze Age Chronologies and the Intermediate Bronze Age
Problems in the Archaeology of the Middle Bronze Age
"Biblical Archaeology" and the Iron Age
Glossary
Chronology
Glossary
Resources for Further Study
Index
About the Author