RELG 433 - Biblical Archaeology
Course Notes
Middle Bronze II in Canaan
ca. 2,000 - 1,550 BC
There were smooth transitions between the periods MB IIA, MB IIB, and MB IIC
MB IIA
MB IIA corresponds to the 12th dynasty in Egypt. There were distinct differences between EB IV/MB I and MB IIA, which leads to the conjecture that MB IIA was probably due to Semitic peoples (Amorites) from the north - Syria, Lebanon - rather than to evolution from EB IV /MB I. They settled in cities, and began to throw off Egyptian control. The MB II Culture was different from the preceding one (EB/MB transitional).
Cities were founded at new locations, along the Mediterranean coast, the central spine, the Shephelah, the Plain of Sharon, and the valleys of Jezreel and Beth-Shean. There were large fortified cities along the northern coastal plain and the Jezreel and Beth-Shean valleys. The cities had walls and glacis, and towers. Most were founded on new sites rather than on previous city sites.
There is evidence of town planning, with orthogonal street systems. The city gates at Megiddo and Acre took the form of a long corridor with two or three gates which could be held against an enemy.
Inside a city there were houses, palaces, cult places or shrines, and graves.
No MB IIA sites have been found in the northern Negev or Trans-Jordan.
Burial was typically inside a city, and individual rather than groups.
Pottery was made on a fast potters wheel, and had different shapes from that of previous culture - globular or piriform, pointed, elongated jars and jugs. It was decorated with a burnished red slip, with horizontal bands and geometric patterns in red and black. It was similar to pottery from Byblos, and may indicate trade with Byblos and possibly Egypt. It was different to the pottery of EB IV/MB I, and indicates a clear break in the cultures.
Metallurgy : Bronze replaced copper as the metal for tools and weapons. Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin, so a trade in tin developed. The tin came from Afghanistan or Anatolia. Tablets from Mari in northern Mesopotamia record trading tin to Hazor. The typical axehead was the "Duckbill" type
MB IIB
MB IIB corresponds to the 13th dynasty in Egypt.
There was a smooth transition from MB IIA to MB IIB, indicating peaceful cultural development.
This period coincides with the loss of power by Egypt and the invasion of the Hyksos - who may have been Canaanites - into northern Egypt (Lower Egypt). The Hyksos brought the horse-drawn chariot and used the battering-ram. The Hyksos leaders became the rulers of the 15th Dynasty of Egypt.
The population was increasing, and Egypt was losing control of Canaan. Egypt was eventually taken over by the Hyksos. The Hurrians were moving into northern Syria, the Hittites (who were Indo-Europeans rather than Semites) were beginning to form a kingdom in what is now Turkey.
Warfare - The fortification of cities is evidence of continuing warfare, with the introduction of chariots and the battering ram.
Siege techniques included the battering ram, sappers and tunneling, and ladders
Defensive techniques included an earth rampart, glacis, monumental walls, a city gate with guard chambers and towers. The first examples of the multi-chambered city-gate belong to this period; such a gate was also found at Ebla. The city gates were made of wood - there were no hinges, but the doors turned on a spindle in a stone socket in the ground.
Towns now contained large palaces with courtyards and halls. Temples were rectangular large halls with a shrine opposite the entrance
Burials were in family sites, covering several generations, in caves, as at Jericho, or under houses, as at Megiddo. Grave offerings included furniture and containers of food. Infants might be buried in pottery jars.
Pottery had thinner walls and were fired at higher temperatures, indicating improved technology. A white or cream-colored slip was introduced, and superseded the earlier red slip. Initially there was not much decoration (except on Tell el-Yehudiyeh Ware from Egypt and from the Phoenician coast) but later developments were - "Chocolate on White Ware" (dark brown on a cream background) and "Bichrome Ware".
Metallurgy - The Duckbill axe was no longer made, but was replaced by a narrow chisel-shaped axe. There were new shapes for daggers, spearheads, and axes.
Art included small metal figurines (gold, silver, bronze) of deities, cut from metal sheets, or cast in molds (by the open, or lost-wax technique).
Jewelry included pins, pendants, and earrings.
Metal pins for fastening garments were in use.
Scarab seals showed Egyptian influences in their designs. Cylinder seals continued to be used and showed Mesopotamian influence. Their motifs included Baal, Astarte, sphinxes, griffins, and lions.
MB IIC
MB IIC corresponds to the Hyksos domination of Egypt.
Towns were now large enough to be described as cities, with great fortifications. They showed evidence of centralized authority of the individual cities, and rivalry or warfare between cities.
Hazor was the largest city in Canaan, covering 200 acres, with evidence of town planning. Cities of this period included : Hazor, Dan, Megiddo, Acre, Yoqneam, Beth-Shean, Aphek, Jaffa, Ashdod, Gezer, Timnah, Beth-Shemesh, Lachish, Shechem, Shiloh, Bethel, Gibeon, Jerusalem, Hebron, and Jericho.
Huge palace complexes indicate the unequal distribution of wealth and power.
Temples were rectangular halls with a "Holy of Holies" opposite the entrance.
Pottery included chocolate on White Ware, and Bichrome Ware (red and black geometrical designs)
Art included bone inlays for decoration of wooden objects (this technique was already in use in Ur., and "Hyksos scarabs" - often with meaningless pseudo-hieroglyphics.
Writing - cuneiform Akkadian texts on clay tablets, using Sumerian cuneiform letters, to write in the Akkadian language.
Akkadian was the international language of the Middle East at this time.
At least by this time - and probably earlier - the Proto-Canaanite system of writing was being developed.
Proto-Canaanite developed into Phoenician, then was adopted and adapted by the Greeks, and so became the basis of our Western Latin Alphabet.
The End of the Middle Bronze Period
The Middle Bronze Age in Canaan ended with Hittite raids from the north, and the expulsion of the Hyksos from Egypt. The Egyptians destroyed many cities in Canaan, but the destruction was not permanent - the cities were rebuilt again later. There was an influx of people fleeing from the Hittites.
Copyright © 1999 Shirley J. Rollinson, all Rights Reserved
