Archaeology of Israel

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The archaeology of Israel is a national passion that also attracts considerable international interest on account of the region's Biblical links.

1 Archaeological Periods
2 Canaanite Period
- 2.1 See also (Canaanite)
- 2.2 External Links (Canaanite)
3 Israelite Period
4 Persian Period
5 Hellenistic Period
6 Roman Period
- 6.1 External Links (Roman)
7 Byzantine Period
8 Archaeology in Israeli Culture
9 Archaeological Sites
10 Ongoing Excavations
11 Notes
12 See also
13 External links

[edit] Archaeological Periods

Table of the Archaeological Periods of the Land of Israel

PREHISTORIC PERIOD

Neolithic Period 8500-4300 BC

Chalcolithic Period 4300-3300 BC

BIBLICAL PERIOD<ref name=Israel'sPeriods>Dates for Biblical Period follow Amihai Mazar, Archaeology of the Land of the Bible (New York: Doubleday 1990). ISBN 0-385-23970-X.</ref>

Canaanite Period (Bronze Age) 3300-1200 BC

Early Bronze Age I (EB I) 3330-3050 BC

Early Bronze Age II-III (EB II-III) 3050-2300 BC

Early Bronze Age IV/Middle Bronze Age I (EB IV/MB I) 2300-2000 BC

Middle Bronze Age IIA (MB IIA) 2000-1750 BC

Middle Bronze Age IIB (MB IIB) 1800-1550 BC

Late Bronze Age I-II (LB I-II) 1550-1200 BC

Israelite Period (Iron Age) 1200-539 BC

Iron Age I (IA I) (Judges) 1200-1000 BC

Iron Age IIA (IA IIA) (United Monarchy) 1000-925 BC

Iron Age IIB-C (IA IIB-C) (Divided Monarcy) 925-586 BC

Iron Age III (Neo-Babylonian Period) 586-539 BC

Persian Period 539-333 BC

CLASSICAL PERIOD

Helenistic Period 333-165 BC

Maccabean/Hasmonean Period 165-63 BC

Roman Period 63 BC-330AD

Early Roman Period (Herodian Period) (New Testament Period) 63 BC-70AD

Middle Roman Period<ref> What is here called the "Middle Roman" Period is called either "Late Roman" or "Early Roman" depending on a scholar's viewpoint. The end of this intermediate period marks the end of Jewish civilization in Judea but its beginning marks the beginning of Rabbinic Judaism through Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakai in the city of Yavne.</ref> (Yavne Period) 70-135AD

Late Roman Period (Mishnaic Period) 135-200AD

Late Roman Period (Talmudic Period) 200-330AD

Byzantine Period 330-638AD

ISLAMIC PERIOD

Arab Caliphate Period 638-1099AD

Umayyad Period 638-750AD

Abbasid Period 750-1099AD

Crusader Period 1099-1244AD

Kingdom of Jerusalem Period 1099-1187AD

Ayyubid Period 1187-1244AD

(Mamluk Period 1244-1291AD)

Mamluk Period 1244-1517AD

Ottomon Period 1517-1917AD

MODERN PERIOD

British Mandate Period 1917-1948AD

Israeli Period 1948-Present

[edit] Canaanite Period

[edit] See also (Canaanite)

[edit] External Links (Canaanite)

[edit] Israelite Period

[edit] Persian Period

Cyrus II of Persia conquered the Babylonian Empire by 539 BC and incorporated Palestine into the Persian Empire. Cyrus organized the empire into provincial administrations called satrapies. The administrators of these provinces, called satraps, had considerable independence from the emperor. The Persians allowed Jews to return to the regions that the Bablyonians had exiled them from.

The exiled Jews who returned to their traditional home encountered the Jews that had remained, surrounded by a much larger non-Jewish majority. One group of note (that exists up until this day) were the Samaritans, who adhered to most features of the Jewish rite and claimed to be descendants of the Assyrian Jews; they were not recognized as Jews by the returning exiles for various reasons (at least some of which seem to be political). The return of the exiles from Babylon reinforced the Jewish population, which gradually became more dominant and expanded significantly.

[edit] Hellenistic Period

In the early 330s BC, Alexander the Great conquered the region, beginning an important period of Hellenestic influence in Palestine.

After Alexander's death in 323 BC, his empire was partitioned, and the competing Ptolemaic and Seleucid Empires occupied various portions of the eastern Mediterranean, including different parts of Palestine. The Jews were divided between the Hellenists who supported the adoption of Greek culture, and those who believed in keeping to the traditions of the past, which resulted in the Maccabean revolt of the 2ndADntury BC.

[edit] Roman Period

[edit] External Links (Roman)

In the Roman Period Galilee, the vast majority of inhabitants were Jews

[edit] Byzantine Period

[edit] Archaeology in Israeli Culture

Each university in Israel possesses a strong department or institute of archaeology and is involved in research, excavation, conservation and training.

Israeli archaeologists frequently achieve a high profile, both at home and internationally.

Yigael Yadin, one-time Deputy Prime Minister of Israel, was one of the more influential amongst the older generation of Israeli archaeologists before his death. Eilat Mazar, granddaughter of the pioneering Israeli archaeologist Benjamin Mazar, has emerged as a frequent spokesperson for concerns regarding the archaeology of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

Stemming from its Biblical possibilities, controversy remains a hallmark of Israeli archaeology. Recent issues haveADntered on the veracity of such artefacts as the Tel Dan Stela, the Jehoash Inscription and the James Ossuary, as well as the validity of whole chronological schemes. In regard to the latter, Amihai Mazar and Israel Finkelstein represent the leading lights in a debate regarding the nature and chronology of the United Monarchy.

Excavation in Israel continues at a relatively rapid pace and is conducted according to generally high standards. Excavators return each year to a number of key sites that have been selected for their potential scientific and cultural interest. Current excavated sites of importance include Ashkelon, Hazor, Megiddo, Gamla and Rehov.