The Biblical Archaeologist - Vol.42, N.1

68 Pages·1979·16.2 MB·English

by  American Schools of Oriental Research

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Since 1837-measuring success by our contribution to welfare and progress
cover: A Phoenician warship as
depicted in a panel showing
Sennacherib's expedition to Phoenicia.
( BIBLICAL
ARCHEOLOGIST
WINTER 1979 VOLUME4 2 NUMBER 1
RobertR . Wilson Between "Azel" and "Azel": Interpreting the 11
Biblical Genealogies The art of recognizing the
various individual functions of genealogies in order to
understand them.
H. Jacob Katzenstein Tyre in the Early Persian Period (539-486 B.C.E.) 23
The impact of Carthage gaining its independence,
and Tyre's loss of preeminence to its twin city, Sidon.
EdwardF . Campbell W. F. Albright and Historical Reconstruction 37
J. Maxwell Miller A debate with rebuttals over the achievement and
methodology of the late Professor W. F. Albright.
Bert De Vries Research at Umm el-Jimal, Jordan, 1972-1977 49
Dependent on excellent water engineering, Umm
el-Jimal was a prosperous desert city which flourished
from early Roman times into the Ummayyad period.
David W. McCreery A Tribute to Dr. James Leon Kelso A pioneer 57
biblical archeologist and Old Testament scholar who
emphasized interdisciplinary cooperation.
Letter to the Readers 4
op-ed 5
BFiablll)ic abl y Athrceh eAomlogerisitc ani s Scphuobolliss heodf qOuraierntetrally R(eWseianrtcehr,. IStps ripnugr, poSsuem ims etro, Polemics & Irenics 6
provide the general reader with an accurate scholarly yet easily understandable
account of archeological discoveries and their bearing on the biblical heritage. Notes and News 9
Unsolicited mss. are welcome but should be accompanied by a stamped, self-
addressed envelope. The American Schools of Oriental Research is no longer Book Reviews 61
affiliated with the Center for Scholarly Publishing and Services at Missoula,
Montana. Address all editorial correspondence to Biblical Archeologist, 1053 Brackman, The Luck of Nineveh (Albenda);
LSA Building, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. Address all Alon, The Natural History of the Land of the Bible (Baly);
business correspondence to ASOR, 126 Inman Street. Cambridge, MA 02139. Iconography of Religions (Fulco);
Moore,
Second class postage paid at Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Matthiae, Ebla, un impero ritrovato (MacDonald).
Copyright @ 1979 American Schools of Oriental Research. Annual subscription
rate:$ 12.00.C urrents ingle issues:$ 4.00. Colophon 64
Robert R. Wilson, Associate Professor of Old
Editor
Testament at Yale University, has written numerous
David Noel Freedman, The University of
articles in Old Testament studies. Dr. Wilson also has
Michigan
held several offices in scholarly organizations, including
Associate Editor the office of Old Testament Editor for the Society of
Harry Thomas Frank, Oberlin College Biblical Literature Dissertation Series.
Editorial Committee
Frank M. Cross, Harvard University
John A. Miles, Jr., University of California H. Jacob Katzenstein is Assistant Professor in Ancient
Press
History and Bibliography at The Schocken Institute for
Assistants to the Editor Jewish Research of the Jewish Theological Seminary of
Lawrence D. Clark America, Jerusalem, Israel. He has authored The
Lyn E. Fyfe History of Tyre and many articles on the ancient
Ronald D. Guengerich Phoenicians.
David M. Howard, Jr.
Kent P. Jackson
Terrence M. Kerestes
Belinda Khalayly Edward F. Campbell, the editor of BA from 1960-76, is
Kenneth A. Mathews Francis A. McGaw Professor of Old Testament at
Philip C. Schmitz McCormick Theological Seminary. He also chairs
Marsha Stuckey
Bruce E. Willoughby ASOR's Committee on, Archaeological Policy, is Vice-
President for Archaeology, and coordinates the team
Graphic Designer preparing the final publication of the Drew-McCormick
Rhonda De Mason
Expedition to Shechem.
Promotions Manager
Michael P. Pfeifer J. Maxwell Miller, a Professor of Old Testament at
Subscription Fulfillment Candler School of Theology, Emory University, has
Robert B. Fisher participated in several excavations and most recently
R. Guy Gattis directed an archeological survey of Central Moab. He
has written The Old Testament and the Historian (1976)
Credits and edited, with John Hayes, Israelite and Judaean
Between "Azel" and "Azel": genealogical History (1977).
charts on pp. 14, 15, 16, 20 supplied by
author.
Tyre in the Early Persian Period: maps on pp. Bert De Vries, Professor of History and Archeology at
24, 25 supplied by author; photos on pp. 27,
29, 30 (top), 32 supplied by author; photo on Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been
p. 28 by courtesy of the British Museum; engaged in various archeological projects at the ancient
photo on p. 30 (bottom) used by permission city of Umm el-Jimal from 1972 to present.
of Encyclopedia Britannica, 14th edition; two
photos on p. 31 by courtesy of The National
Maritime Museum, Haifa; photo on p. 33 by
courtesy of The Israel Museum, Jerusalem.
W. F. Albright and Historical Reconstruc- David W. McCreery, currently a Ph.D. candidate at
tion: photo on p. 38 supplied by Leona G.
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, was the Albright
Running.
Research at Umm el-Jimal: photos on pp. 49- Fellow at ACOR in Amman during 1977-78. As a
55 supplied by author. former student of Professor James Kelso, Mr.
A Tribute to James Leon Kelso: photos on McCreery offers a glowing tribute to one of biblical
pp. 58, 59 supplied by author. archeology's distinguished scholars.
Colophon: "In the Long View of Human
History Man's Reliance on Fossil Fuels Can
Be but a Short Episode" and "The Moving
Houses are Very Moving as They Move
Slowly into the Sea" by Anselm Hollo are BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGIST
from Sojourner Microcosms. Copyright ? is published with the financial assistance of
1977 by Anselm Hollo. Reprinted by permis-
ZION RESEARCH FOUNDATION
sion of Blue Wind Press.
A nonsectarian Protestant foundation
Composition by Eisenbrauns, Winona Lake, for the study of the Bible
IN 46590. Printed by Printing Services, The
University of Michigan. and the history of the Christian church
2 WINTER 1979
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NothngElse
Can Match It For $5.95.
Letter to the Readers
Ever since the TV series "Roots" burst on the and relations, what it did and what happened to it
American scene, people have been caught up happily in during a critical but little-known period of its history,
the pursuit of their ancestors. Tracking one's origins has the 5th century B.C.E. For Judah, its neighbor to the
become a national pastime, although this concern for southeast, the period of the Persian empire was also a
family history is nothing new. In fact, the preservation time of strain and crisis, reorganization and reevalua-
and evocation of the past through the recitation and tion, leading up to and including the activity of a new
recording of genealogies is a time-honored tradition of breed of leaders: Ezra the Scribe, and Nehemiah, cup-
our race. Everywhere on the face of the earth, men and bearer to the Emperor.
women have marked the continuous sequence of The debate over the combination "Biblical
generations, remembering those past in the names and Archeology" (to say nothing about the controversy over
identification of those present. The common practice, the spelling of the second word and its close relatives)
and its endless variety in detail, are reflected in the continues in fine fashion with papers and rejoinders by
records of the Near East, the oldest and best preserved Ted Campbell and Max Miller. The particular subject is
of any in the world. Genealogies of every kind and "W. F. Albright and Historical Reconstruction,"
serving every known purpose abound, and not least in namely, the work of the great master, who with Ernest
the Bible itself. The chain which binds beginning to end, Wright practically invented the phrase mentioned
and everything in between, is the procession of parents above. Considering the enormous influence that
and children, fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, Albright exerted as scholar, teacher, writer, and editor,
from the first couple to the last judgment. The basic a continuing reexamination of his views and methods
biblical narrative, beginning with Genesis, which has its and reevaluation of his results and reconstructions are
own genealogies, is matched by I Chronicles (1-9) which entirely in order. The healthy difference in content and
is a compendium of such lists summarizing the whole tone between the participants should encourage, if not
course of history from Adam to Saul and David by require, readers to draw their own conclusions and spur
names in rank and order. Countless generations of Bible colleagues to make their own contribution to the debate.
readers have bogged down in the endless series of At the recent meetings in New Orleans, the basic issue
"begats": a dreary business, much like reading a tele- was discussed again from different angles by Bill Dever
phone directory, for those seeking intellectual enlighten- and Darrell Lance. We hope to bring further word on
ment or spiritual nurture. But, for genealogists and that at a later date.
social historians, such lists are a bonanza. In his erudite Our archeological report for this issue is of special
yet entertaining examination of ancient genealogies- interest because it summarizes the work of several
their character and quality, reliability and historical campaigns at an important site in Jordan. Bert De Vries
value, what may properly be gleaned from them, and the writes on Umm el-Jimal for the seasons from 1972-77.
necessary cautionary measures to be taken-Robert Finally, we report the death of a distinguished
Wilson has provided BA and its readers with an effective American archeologist, James Leon Kelso, who was
and practical guide to understanding the old traditions. associated with the ASOR for many years and worked
One of the ancient neighbors of Israel, the notable with Albright at Tell Beit Mirsim, Bethel and other sites.
city-state of Tyre, was the subject of a recently published
D. N. FREEDMAN
book by H. Jacob Katzenstein. A spin-off from that
scholarly work is the present essay on Tyre: its status
4 WINTER 1979
fields can be useful to the biblical archeologist and can
aid in supporting the biblical archeologist's explanatory
op-ed hypotheses.
Nevertheless, a word of caution must be noted.
Recent enthusiasm for the physical sciences among
Biblical Archeology and Biblical Anthropology? biblical archeologists must be tempered with the
realization that we are still experimenting with this kind
Concerning Oded Borowski's suggestion that of approach. Large scale expeditions which have made
contemporary archeological research in Palestine be use of the full complement of scientific advisers have not
termed "Biblical Anthropology" (Borowski 1978: 43), it yet published sufficient data which would enable us to
is best that this suggestion be rejected for the following judge whether the efforts of these scientists have yielded
reasons. results of interest to biblical archeologists.
Contrary to the finding of Lewis Binford (1962), all A case in point is the Wapnish, Hesse and Ogilvy
archeology need not necessarily be anthropology. publication (1977) of the faunal remains from Tel Dan.
Biblical archeology in particular proclaims the interest While the study is admirably thorough and no doubt of
of its practitioners in biblical and related Near Eastern interest to osteologists, the question arises: of what
texts as well as purely archeological data. As such, interest is it to biblical archeologists?
biblical archeology has developed as an area of research The study thoroughly and creatively analyzes the
more akin to history than anthropology. Therefore, faunal material. In a concluding section the results of
biblical archeology is not presently practiced as a social the study are placed within the framework of the
science. This should not be cause for remorse. Having excavation's objectives. It should be noted however that
developed more as historical research than as social Wapnish, Hesse, Ogilvy devote much of this conclusion
science, biblical archeology is, like history and law, a to the comparison of the faunal evidence with textual
field-encompassing-field. evidence from the Bible. Here we do not have
A field-encompassing-field is one which uses archeologists but rather osteologists with Bible in hand
evidence from a variety of fields-the natural sciences pointing out correspondences with the biblical text. Is
such as geology, chemistry, physics, and biology; the this sort of analysis any more tolerable when it is
social sciences such as anthropology, sociology, osteological instead of archeological? I think not.
economics, and psychology; and the humanities such as Although we have a case of new data being gathered, the
comparative literature and art history-as warrants for same old questions are being asked of this data.
its explanations (Harvey 1966: 54-59). For example, in The point here is not to disparage the work of
order to explain a unique historical event, say a change Wapnish, Hesse, and Ogilvy. However, it must be
in settlement pattern, an archeologist may use pointed out that the use of scientific data in biblical
climatological evidence, evidence from historical texts, archeology is new and experimental. The integration of
sociological evidence, and archeological evidence. All osteological and similar analyses into biblical archeo-
these fields may contribute to explain the unique logical research will not be an easy or natural process.
historical situation. They will not necessarily contribute Successful use of such material will require hard thought
to the formulation of anthropological generalizations or on the part of all researchers involved.
covering laws. It is more accurate then to describe If this new venture in biblical archeology, the use of
biblical archeology as a field-encompassing-field than it archeometric and scientific data,is to succeed, it must be
is to describe it as a social science. recognized as an experiment and, as such, put through
It should be noted that, as a field-encompassing- rigorous tests. If biblical archeology is actually to
field, biblical archeology is especially suited to make use become "new," we must change not only our data base
of contributions from such disciplines as geology, but the questions we ask of it.
paleobotany, physical anthropology, and palynology
FREDRIC R. BRANDFON
mentioned by Borowski. Information from all these
Central Michigan University
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Binford, L. Harvey, V.
1962 Archaeology as Anthropology. American Antiquity 28: 1966 The Historian and the Believer. New York: MacMillan.
217-25. Wapnish, P.; Hesse, B.; Ogilvy, A.
Borowski, O. 1977 The 1977 collection of Faunal Remains from Tel Dan.
1978 Biblical Archeology and Biblical Anthropology. Biblical Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 227:
Archeologist 41: 42-43. 35-62.
BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGIST 5
patriarchs lived under a social or legal system more akin
in many ways to those of Mesopotamia than to those of
Polemics and Irenics post-Exodus Israel. This is true for sexual matters as well
as for other areas of life. However, it is difficult to ap-
preciate this in studying sexual life since Syro-
Mesopotamian standards differ in many ways from our
own in this area. Yet it must be recognized that sexuality,
as best as can be determined, played a role in some
Respectable Prostitution In Early Israelite Society? ceremonial or ritual aspects of the Canaanite and Baby-
lonian cults. The carrying out of acts loosely termed
I read with great interest the article, "The Roots of "cult prostitution" thus were ritually proper. With there
Restriction: Women In Early Israel," in the September being an identification between what was ritually proper
1978 issue. The article opened up many new realms of and what was morally right (if the gods demanded it, it
thought and challenging interpretations. was right), prostitution would thus bear a social accep-
However, I believe that Ms. Meyers has gone too tance (though not necessarily desirability) in the pre- or
far in suggesting (p. 90) that "Until the period of the extra-Israelite world that taxes modern comprehension.
Judges, the existence of harlotry was an accepted, if not
condoned, fact." Her suggestion that in the later period CAROL L. MEYERS
"prostitution was not a possibility" suggests that in the Duke University
earlier period it was a viable option.
The instances that she brings do not prove this.
Rahab is not a heroine but a prostitute. She sells out her
city in exactly the same way that she has been selling
herself. Josh 2:9-13 makes it very clear that she is acting
Roots of Restriction- In Early Israel?
out of fear and sells her city for safety for herself and her
family. The fact that she is later exonerated by Jewish I am writing in response to Carol Meyers' article,
tradition (see the Targum Ad Loc. and b. Meg. 14B) "The Roots of Restriction: Women in Early Israel,"
does not change the Biblical story. which appeared in the September issue of Biblical
It is perfectly true that Tamar is not condemned for Archeologist. As a student of ancient and biblical
her temporary identification as a prostitute nor is Judah studies, and as a woman, I was especially interested to
condemned for lying with her. However, it is note- read what Ms. Meyers had to say. Unfortunately, I was
worthy that he sends payment to the supposed prostitute deeply disappointed from the very beginning. The title
by the hand of another and, when it is difficult to find itself struck me as a misnomer. I immediately recalled
her, suggests that he will forget the whole thing rather H. W. F. Saggs' (1962: 56-59) discussion of the
than be considered a laughingstock. This hardly development of kingship in early Mesopotamia:
suggests that the institution was a real option for
ordinary women. . . . in earliest Sumerians ociety ultimates overeignty
It is also worth noting that in the story of Dinah in residedi n a generala ssemblyo f all citizens-probably
Genesis 34, no particular attention is paid to the fact including women as well as men-who came to-
that the young woman was taken by force. When Jacob gether to decide upon action when some emergency
reprimanded Simeon and Levi for destroying the city of threatened. . .. In the event of attack from outside the
Shechem, they replied, "Should our sister be treated like assemblyh ad to choose a war-leadero r king (Sumerian
a whore?" (V 31). Lugal, meaning literally "great man" or "great
There can be little doubt that prostitution was householder"). . . The office of . . . Lugal was not
found in ancient Israel, both before and after the period originally hereditary or permanent, . .. being granted
of the Judges, as it has been in every society of which we only for the durationo f the emergency .... The Lugal,
once appointed, would attempt to perpetuate the
know, both before and since. To suggest that it was a
respectable option in the early period of Israelite history pNoosniteio tnh e. l e. s.s tehvee nL uagftaelr. .t. hwe aesm beyr gneon mcye awnassa nov aebrs .o..l ute
which was only later changed by a new morality is not ruler.... It was not until Gilgameshh adc alledt ogether
borne out by the biblical text. a general assembly of all male citizens (females no
longerp articipateda) nd obtainedt heirc onsent,t hat he
HENRY BAMBERGER, RABBI
Birmingham, Alabama was able to proceedw ith the measuresh e had planned.
There is an obvious connection here between the war-
Response
heroes' accumulation of authority, respect, and power,
While there is an understandable concern for the stan- and the decreasing role of women in the governmental
dards of the Mosaic community to be seen as operant decision-making process. Female deities still were
already in the patriarchal period, it is apparent that the worshipped, women still served fertility goddesses in
6 WINTER 1979
temple ritual, and no patriarchal deity existed to The roots of restriction for some groups of women
relegate them to an unappreciated domestic role-and in the modern world do not lie in the biblical past. The
all this a millennium before the early Israelite roots of restriction lie in the fact that overpopulation
experience, in which Ms. Meyers asserts that "one of the has caused a decrease in the childbearing years and in
major-if not the major-transitions occurred in the the political reality that state-run institutions have taken
history of the position and role of women in the world." over many of the traditional functions of women,
As human society became more and more oriented technological advances have eliminated others, and the
toward military concerns-which naturally exclude high rate of unemployment has made this an in-
women, who must stay home from wars and bear and opportune period for women with time on their hands to
rear children-women were gradually excluded from suddenly enter the job market.
decision-making processes (except, presumably, in the As a woman, I believe that it is crucial for us to
domestic area). As a matter of fact, the exceptions to understand the roots of restriction for women. We
this rule are found precisely in the early Israelite cannot overcome restriction unless its causes are clearly
experience, in figures such as Miriam and Deborah! understood. As a student of biblical studies, I am
Ms. Meyers discusses at length her thesis that the convinced that we must not be sidetracked by placing
worship of the Great Mother Goddess reflects the the blame for the present reality on biblical ideology.
primacy of the female role in early societies. But we
must go one step further and ask which social role is BELINDA KHALAYLY
reflected in the worship of a mother goddess. The death Ann Arbor, Michigan
of the mother goddess and the decreasing emphasis in Response
the cult on womens' reproductive functions cannot be Without doubt the elimination of women from political
viewed as a cause of repression. On the contrary, with authority, though the documentation of that is somewhat
Moses women gained-to name but one example- shaky, was a monumental turning-point for the status of
inheritance rights (and these were later reaffirmed by women. Yet public roles albeit circumscribed still
Muhammad, founder of another "patriarchal"r eligion). remained to them. Thus, the removal of women from
"Restriction" for women is not rooted in the loss of regularized service in the religious-cultic sphere, the
importance of some "feminine social role" but is rooted priesthood, must also be seen as a major turning-point,
rather in the very conception of "feminine" and psychologically and socially. We must not confuse
"masculine" social roles. restriction with repression. The domestic role indeed was
In fact, women have not been repressed for 3000 elevated, as its importance in nascent Israel demanded,
years, as Ms. Meyers states. The role of women in and was hardly repressive. However, with the removal of
Israelite society (and in many socio-economic groups of opportunity for regular participation in society outside
most societies throughout history) is recognized to be the home, the way was paved for an understanding of
crucial to society. Let us look at Proverbs 31: "A good that domestic role as the only possibility for women.
wife who can find? She is more precious than jewels. The That is where the repression ultimately enters for
heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no societies which for a variety of reasons do not need to
lack of gain" (RSV 31:10-11). What is this woman's focus female energy entirely on population replacement
precious role in society? She must weave wool and flax or expansion.
and rise before dawn to start preparing food for her
household and chores for her maids. She apparently is CAROLL . MEYERS
in charge of buying small plots of land, planting Duke University
vineyards, and tending the fruit. She also must make
clothes for her household, and extra for sale if possible,
not to mention the minute-to-minute tasks such as
making sure the lamps are kept burning. This busy
woman also would find time to help the poor and needy.
She would raise her children, teach her daughters, and As an editor, I would like to say a special word
participate in the rearing of her grandchildren and the about The Biblical Archeologist, which has undergone
maintenance of an ever larger household. All these were something like a resurrection. Not only is the format
functions which were crucial to the stability and attractive and inviting, but the material itself is much
maintenance of society, and it is hard to imagine how more accessible and useful to the general reader, and in
women would have much time to be involved in- the circles in which I move, that is of no small
anything outside this "domestic" sphere. This precious importance. I hope that it will have the renewed life and
social function is the reality of many women in many growth it deserves because of the labors you have
cultures throughout the world. The death of the mother expended upon it.
goddess allows this function to be viewed as an
JAMES L. MAYS
important social one, rather than as a biological, fertility
Editor, Interpretation
one.
BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGIST 7
court" (not "inner").
Inquiry 4. On page 119, column 2, a question mark was omitted
In the March issue, "A New Discovery of Old in "Wicked Priest (Jonathan?)," thus giving the
Manuscripts" etc., pages 29-31, reference is made by impression that Milgrom sides with Vermes against
Mr. Agourides as follows: "they are certain they have Cross in the indentification of the Wicked Priest.
among the findings the autograph of St. John of the
Ladder."
Who was "St. John of the Ladder"? I cannot find
any trace or knowledge of him anywhere.
ALBERT BETTELHEIM
Alameda, California BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY
Response
and the
The reason you were confused by Professor
Charlesworth's letter was doubtless his meticulous- AMERICAN SCHOOLS OF
ness in translating the name of the saint. Saint John
of the Ladder is usually called in English St. John ORIENTAL RESEARCH
Climacus or St. John Climax; the Greek word klimax
means ladder, among other things. St. John was born announce a new
after 575 and died around 670. He was a Byzantine
theologian who lived for a while in Egypt and later for
40 years on Sinai, ending up as abbot of Santa
Katharina monastery. Charlesworth astutely notes that JOINT PROGRAM in
it was a monk who was excited about the finds, because
St. John is important in the history of the monastery.
ARCHAEOLOGfor Y
He is called after his major work the Klimax Paradeison
(Latin: Scala Paradisi; English: The Ladder into
UNDERGRADUATE
Paradise), which is a treatise on the ascetic life, crucial in
the history of Byzantine spirituality; there are texts in
Syriac, Georgian, Latin, and Arabic. His other, less STUDENTS
important book is called Liber ad pastorem and
consists of advice to heads of monasteries. You will have
noticed that St. John was an exact contemporary of and
he lived virtually within a stone's throw of the Prophet
Muhammed. SpringS emester, 1979-80a t the
Jacob Hiatt Institute
Corrigenda
Four errors in Jacob Milgrom's article "The Temple Jerusalem,I srael
Scroll," which was printed in the September 1978 BA
(41.3), were brought to our attention by Professor
Milgrom. They should be noted as follows: offering 16 semester hours of
1. Page 105, column 2 is garbled due to haplography. It
BrandeisU niversityc redit
should read:
The 300-page first volume is an introduction describing APPLICATION DEADLINE: OCT. 15
the acquisition, workmanship, language, and contents
of the Scroll; a final chapter deals with the dating of the
Scroll and its place in history. The second volume For further information, write:
consists of the text and a running commentary which
concerns itself with the problems of decipherment, Office of International Programs
sources, and vocabulary; it also contains brief
BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY
interpretations, with references to fuller discussion in
the first volume.
Waltham, Massachusetts 02154
2. On page 107, "(see No. 6, fig. 1 on p. 109)" should [phone]
follow the words "the sacrificial altar" to indicate the
location in the diagram.
3. On page 110, the caption of fig. 2 should read "outer
8 WINTER 1979