RELG 433 - Biblical Archaeology
The Early Bronze age in Canaan, ca. 3,300 BC - 2,300 BC
The Emergence of Cities
All dates are approximate
| Period : | EB I | EB II | EB III |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,300 - 3,050 BC | 3,050 - 2,700 BC | 2,700 - 3,300 BC | |
| Cultures | diverse, varied from one region to another | becoming more homogeneous | continuation of EB II |
| Settlement Pattern | in fertile regions suitable for agriculture | continuation of EB I | continuation of EB II |
| Typical Settlement | unfortified villages | fortified urban centers | fortifications increased - walls thickened, or new walls built |
| Agriculture | new crops : grapes, figs The Sinai - continues more like Chalcolithic |
cereals (barley, wheat) legumes (peas, beans, chick-peas) olives, dates, grapes, figs, pomegranates flax (for weaving linen) farmers were producing more than enough for local needs Animal-drawn plough |
continuation of EB II |
| Buildings | rounded or elliptical houses, temples |
palaces, granaries, water systems, rectangular houses ("broad houses") |
multi-roomed houses, granary complex at Beth Yerah |
| City Gates | no city walls | simple, straight-through entrances | |
| Burial Customs | cemeteries; family graves; grave goods; secondary burials | multiple burials in a cave; primary articulated burials, grave goods |
|
| Pottery | great variety, local styles; decoration with red geometric patterns; new forms | wide variety of storage and cooking pots Arad and the Sinai exchanging pottery in the north, the pottery also includes flat platters |
becoming more homogenous - localized mass production ? similarities with pottery from sites on the coast of Syria and Lebanon, indicating that the inhabitants shared the same culture Khirbet Kerak Ware - produced by immigrants from Anatolia ? |
| Weapons | made of copper : axheads, tanged daggers, spearheads |
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| Art Objects | clay, stone, ivory figures of animals, seals and seal-impressions - local Stamp Seals, Cylinder Seals - from Mesopotamia ? |
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| relations with Egypt | invasion; military and/or trading outposts |
Egypt withdraws but trading contacts continue |
Egypt develops maritime contact with Syria, ignores Israel |
Copyright © 1999 Shirley J. Rollinson, all Rights Reserved
