The Biblical Archaeologist - Vol.42, N.3

65 Pages·1979·14.89 MB·English

by  American Schools of Oriental Research

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In celebrationo f its 75th
anniversaryt,h e American
Schools of OrientaRl esearch
is proudt o offery ou this
stunninga nd memorablec ol-
lectiono f essays by such
widelya cclaimeda uthorso f
Near Easterna ntiquitya s
FrankM ooreC ross, David
Noel FreedmanA, vraham
MalamatM, anfredW eippert,
and YigaelY adin.
Diversea nd comprehensivei n
its scope, this superbe dition
providesv ividh istoricailn ves-
tigationi ntop eriodso f con-
quest and culturacl hange in
celebratingth e seventy~fifth earlyI sraela nd fascinating
anniversaroyf the founding archeologicalp robes intot he
of the americans chools
myths,s hrines, sanctuaries,
of orientarl esearch
and traditionso f the ancient
Near East.
(1900-1975]
A mustf or all ASORm embers
and serious studentso f Near
Easternh istorya nd archeolo-
gy, this anniversaryv olume
(list price$ 10.00) is available
now in hardcovera t the
special prepublicatiopnr ice of
$7.00.
To order,f illo ut formb elow,
and mailw ithc heck or money
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ASOR'S
CELEBR475Tth E
SBIBLICAL
ARCHEOLOGIST
Editor
David Noel Freedman
Associate Editor
Harry Thomas Frank
Editorial Committee
Frank M. Cross
Tikva Frymer-Kensky
Sharon Herbert
Charles Krahmalkov Moshe Goshen-Gottstein is
John A. Miles, Jr. Professor of Semitic Linguistics
Walter E. Rast and Biblical Philology and
Chairman of the Department of
Assistants to the Editor
Ancient Semitic Languages at the
Wendy L. Frisch Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
RLionndaald E D. F. yGfeu engerich He is the founder and General George Cameron is Professor
Editor of the Hebrew University Emeritus of Near Eastern Studies
R. Bruce Hitchner
David M. Howard, Jr. Bible Project, in which capacity at the University of Michigan.
Kent P. Jackson he is responsible for such major A noted scholar of ancient Near
Terrence M. Kerestes enterprises as the edition of the Eastern history, Cameron has
Philip C. Schmitz Hebrew University Bible and the focused his studies on ancient
Bruce E. Willoughby recent facsimile edition of the Iran and has written such
Aleppo Codex. significant works as History of
Advertising Layout Earl/ Iran and Persepolis
Madeleine Churchill Treasurr Tablets.
Business Manager
Tracy B. Shealy
Composition
Louise W. Palazzola
Distribution Manager
R. Guy Gattis
Graphic Designer
Rhonda De Mason
Subscription Services
Belinda Khalayly
Biblical Archeologist is
published with the financial Yigal Shiloh, of the Institute of
assistance of Zion Research James Charlesworth is Professor Archaeology at the Hebrew
Foundation, a nonsectarian of Religion and the Director of University of Jerusalem, is a
the International Center on frequent lecturer in Near Eastern
foundation for the study of
Christian Origins at Duke archeology. In addition to his
the Bible and the history of University. A specialist in numerous publications in arche-
the Christian Church. pseudepigrapha, Charlesworth ology, Shiloh is active in site
currently is engaged in the study excavations and served as the
Partial composition by Eisenbrauns, Winona and publication of the St. 1978 Director of the City of
Lake, IN 46590. Printed by Printing Services, Catherine's Monastery manuscripts. David Archaeological Project.
The University of Michigan.
130 BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGIST/ SUMMER 1979
Cover:A Nimrud
ivory of a unique
winged sphinx dis-
covered by Mallowan
and Oates. The ivory
is associated with
Esarhaddon, king of
Assyria (680-669 B.c.).
I
BIBLICAL
ARCHEOLOGIST
Summer 1979 Volume 42 Number 3
Moshe Goshen-Gottstein The Aleppo Codex
and the Rise of the Massoretic Bible Text 145
The rediscovery of the oldest codex of the complete
Tiberian Hebrew Bible enables us to gain a new
understanding of the rise of the Massoretic Bible.
Yigal Shiloh City of David: Excavation 1978 165
The earliest finds represented by Chalcolithic and
EB I sherds bear evidence of settlement on the
eastern slope of the City of David, above the
Gihon spring.
JamesH . Charlesworth St. Catherine's Monastery: Myths and Mysteries 174
A scholar's search for the truth about the recent and
controversial discovery of a cache of ancient icons
and manuscripts at St. Catherine's Monastery.
George G. Cameron Sir Max Mallowan, 1904-78 180
In memory of the distinguished British archeologist,
most noted for his work at Nimrud.
Biblical Archeologist( ISSN:0006-0895)is published quarterly
(Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall) by the American Schools of
Oriental Research. Its purpose is to provide the general reader
wofi tahr achne aoclcougricaatel ,d sicshcoolvaerrliye,s y aent dea tshileyi ru bnedaerrisntagn odna tbhlee abcicboluicnatl Letter to the Readers 132
ahcecroitmagpea.n iUedn sbolyi ciat edst ammpsse.d ,a rsee lf-waedldcoremssee db eunt veslhoopuel.d Tbhee Notes and News 133
American Schools of Oriental Research is no longer affiliated Polemics and Irenics 137
with the Center for Scholarly Publishing and Services at
Missoula, Montana. Address all editorial correspondence and Colloquia 186
advertising to Biblical Archeologist, 1053 LS&A Building,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. Address all Twenty-Five Years Ago 189
business correspondenceto ASOR, 126 Inman Street,
Cambridge, MA 02139. Book Reviews 190
CAonpnyurailg hsut b@sc r1i9p7t9io An mraetrei:c a$n1 2S.0c0h.o Folosr eoifg nO sruiebnstcarli pRtieosne arracthe.: Bailey, Where is Noah 's Ark? (Lewis);
$14.00(A mericanc urrency)C. urrenst inglei ssues$: 4.00. Teeple, The Noah's Ark Nonsense (Lewis).
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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Biblical Archeol- 192
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BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGIST/ SUMMER 1979 131
Letter
to the
Readers
David Noel Freedman
It is not often that we scientific reasons. In spite of all the digging, or perhaps
have the privilege of sit- in part because of it, for every mystery solved two new
ting at the feet of one of ones crop up in its place, and the cities of Jerusalem,
the great scholars of our recent and more ancient, continue to exert a powerful
day and learning wisdom attraction for scholars and nonscholars alike. The early
from its fountainhead. In word from the latest dig is that the familiar pattern will
this issue of BA we are prove true once more: there is still much to be found,
pleased to present a mag- and there will be many new puzzles to unravel.
isterial statement on a In the Biblical Archeologist of March 1978, our
subject of central impor- attention was drawn to the discovery of ancient manu-
tance to all those who scripts in St. Catherine's Monastery on Mount Sinai by
read the Bible and are Professor James Charlesworth, the Director of the
concerned about its his- International Center on Christian Origins at Duke
tory. Here we have the Aleppo Codex-without a doubt University. In the present issue, he reports on his recent
the most valuable of all manuscripts of the Hebrew visit to the Monastery and casts his article in a language
Bible-its place, and its pivotal role in the transmission attractive to nonspecialists. In a subsequent issue,
of text explained by Professor Moshe Goshen-Gottstein scholars' attention will be drawn to a more detailed
of Hebrew University. While headlines have been seized description of the manuscripts themselves; that article
by sensational discoveries (e.g., the Ebla tablets) and will be highlighted by the publication of some excellent
publications (e.g., the Temple Scroll), the story of the photographs that reached Charlesworth after he had
Aleppo Codex is second to none in drama, suspense, or finished the present account.
importance. As Professor Goshen-Gottstein points out, Max Mallowan was a leading figure in Mesopota-
this Hebrew codex was the outcome of centuries of mian archeology as the tribute by his long-time friend
devoted copying of the sacred text, the final perfect and admirer, George Cameron of the University of
product of a process designed to preserve the text intact Michigan, makes clear. He had the added distinction of
and without change forever. Into this manuscript went being married to an even better-known figure in the
the concentrated skills and wisdom of the master scribe literary world, Agatha Christie, and he wore both hats
of his age, who thereby preserved not only the text but with aplomb. In fact, their careers crossed at vital
the traditions which protected it from inadvertent error points, since Dame Agatha was an avid amateur
as well as deliberate alteration. While the purpose of this archeologist and immortalized many of her husband's
document was to preserve the ancient text which had associates in mystery novels about the Near East.
been handed down through the centuries, its own
survival proved to be a matter of heroism and plain
good luck. Undoubtedly this was the manuscript which
Moses Maimonides commended as not only the best
extant copy of the Hebrew Bible but as the authoritative
text of it. And so it has proved, although tragically this
perfect manuscript, the highest achievement of the
scribal art, was damaged badly in recent times. It
remains a miracle that any of it survived. While much
has been lost, much has been preserved, and with the
publication of the great facsimile volumes of the Codex,
the text is now available to all for study.
We turn then to our regular report on recent
excavations, which this time features the work in
Jerusalem being carried out in the Ophel, the ancient
city of David, by Yigal Shiloh and his team. Jerusalem is
a perennial target of excavators and has been attacked
by spade and trowel for a hundred years, not to mention
earlier depredations generally carried out for other than
132 BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGIST/ SUMMER 1979
Notes &
News
Salvage Excavations in the Negev, February 1979 that had been repaired; others were located on the stone
In the wake of the initiative taken by the Department of terraces leveled off on the slopes inside the city.
Museums and Antiquities of the Ministry of Education, In the Roman and Byzantine periods the settlement
which is sponsoring the emergency project to rescue the was confined to the eastern end of the tell and included a
archeological sites of the Negev, the archeological large house with a paved courtyard and a cistern in its
institutions of the country have carried out the first center and several auxiliary buildings. Like most of the
stage of rescue operations at three sites in the Beer-sheba other sites in the Negev, the history of Tell Ira came to a
Valley. The aim of this excavation project, the archeo- close at the end of the Byzantine-beginning of the
logical survey, and inspection and salvage excavations is Arabic period.
to rescue archeological and historical evidence of
Tell Malhata
scientific value to the nation that would otherwise be
irretrievably destroyed by the extensive preparations for The salvage excavation of the Roman-Byzantine site at
the infrastructure and building activities connected with the foot of Tell Malhata was headed by M. Gichon
the reorganization of the area and its restriction as a under the direction of Z. Shacham.
military zone. The settlement extends over an area of approxi-
In February 1979 three archeological expeditions mately 400 dunams south of Tell Malhata, and according
began salvage excavations at Tell Ira, Tell Malhata, and to the sherds strewn on the surface, it dates from the
Tell Masos-three tells centered in the Beer-sheba Hasmonean to the Byzantine periods.
Valley near the proposed site for an airfield. During the current season six buildings were
excavated, including a pseudo-"megaron" building
Te//l Ira
which abutted onto an earlier structure having extremely
Tell Ira, which is the largest tell in the Negev of Judah, thick walls, a wing of a manor house in which two archi-
rises to a height of 514 m at the northern side of the tectural phases may be discovered, a tower, part of
Beer-sheba Valley. The salvage excavation at Tell Ira, another manor house, and a corner of a large structure
the first season in which excavations have been (evidently a fort) that stood at the southwestern end of
conducted there, was directed by I. Beit-Arieh. the settlement.
The earliest settlement on the tell was in the Early Malhata is known from the reign of Agrippa I,
Bronze Age (around 2900-2700 B.C.E.); eroded remains who, according to Josephus, built himself a manor
of this period were found in those places on the tell house there. Later, Malhata became a fort on the summit
where bedrock was reached. During the Israelite period of the tell with a civilian population attached to it. This
the site was fortified by a solid wall 1.80 m wide, settlement complex, which is the major subject of the
encircling an area of about 30 dunams. From this period excavations at this site, is one of the settlements of the
several buildings adjoining the city wall were excavated, southern border of Israel during the Roman period, the
as well as a tower 6 x 9 m, that apparently guarded the "Limus Palaestina." Its importance lies in being located
approaches to the city gate. A Hebrew ostracon of the on both the east-west and north-south crossroads of the
8th century B.C.E., which was found in one of the country and near the richest wells of the region.
buildings, has four lines of writing mentioning the
biblical names "Berechyahu" and "Shalemyahu." The
settlement at Tell Ira was destroyed at the end of the Tell Masos
First Temple period. The floors of the buildings were The importance of Tell Masos as a key to the under-
found covered with broken pottery vessels and metal standing of the settlement of the Israelite tribes in the
tools covered with debris. Among the artifacts were Judean hills and the northern Negev has been proven in
Edomite ware, a point of a plowshare and an iron sickle. the excavations carried out there in the 1972-75 seasons.
Although settlement at Tell Ira continued into the The 1979 salvage excavation at Tell Masos was directed
Persian period, its greatest time of prosperity was by A. Kempinski.
evidently in the Hellenistic period. The stratigraphic Settlement began on the site at the very beginning
continuity from the 5th to the Ist centuries B.C.E.s hows of the settlement period at the end of the 13th century
that during the period when the Edomites occupied the B.C.E., and it was abandoned and largely destroyed at
Negev, this was a large, fortified, flourishing city. Some the end of the I lth century B.C.E. The site may be
of the buildings were adjoined to the earlier city wall identified with the biblical Hormah of the tribe of
BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGIST SUMMER 1979 133
Simeon. During the rescue excavation three areas were objects from the tomb are now in the private collection
dug: in Area A a four-room Israelite house was exposed, of Shukri Sahuri, a Jordanian businessman. The wheel-
next to a public building excavated in the 1975 season. made amphora is about 0.41 m high and about 0.23 m
The four-room house is remarkably well preserved, its wide. The rim is squared, and the tall, vertical neck has a
walls standing almost to the height of its ceiling. It was low ridge at its base, where it meets the ovoid body. The
built at the end of the 12th century and destroyed body tapers down to a fairly small base, broken but
around the end of the I Ith century B.C.E.I n Area C a originally a fairly high ring base. Two angular handles
pillar building, evidently serving as a storehouse, was run out from the neck, just below the rim, and down
unearthed. In Area G the excavation of the fort of the vertically to the shoulder area. Each handle is double-
Judean monarchy was continued; the latter was de- twisted and decorated with small knobs or pellets. The
stroyed around 600 B.C.E.w, hen the Edomites penetrated shoulder area carries three horizontal panels of molded
into the Beer-sheba Valley. or fluted lines. The ware of the vessel is light tan, but the
The brief excavation season of February 1979 has entire exterior surface is covered with green glaze that
made increasingly clear the extent of the historical has a slight bluish tinge. The glaze drips partially over
evidence hidden beneath the tells of the Negev and the the interior of the rim, and a small pool of glaze lies
dangers of losing forever this invaluable contribution. inside the vessel at the bottom. Outside, the preserved
interior of the ring base carries dark brown glaze.
Institute of Archaeology In addition to this amphora, green-glazed rim
Tel Aviv University fragments of a second and yellowish green-glazed body
fragments of a third(?) were also found. Other pottery
Petra and Jerash Development Plan
from the tomb included four small wheel-made
Since 1976 the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in Herodian lamps, two larger wheel-made Herodian
Jordan has been putting to use a $6 million loan from lamps, three Late Roman mold-made lamps with flaring
the World Bank, supplemented by $6 million from the nozzles, three piriform unguentaria (one unribbed; two
Jordanian government, for the touristic development of ribbed), and various sherds (one terra sigillata base;
Petra, the spectacular capital of the Nabateans, and Early Roman cooking-pot rims; Late Roman cooking-
Jerash, the best preserved Roman provincial city in pot rims). Two coins came from the tomb, one silver
Jordan. Directing the project is Yusef Alami, a specialist Nabatean of Aretas IV (ca. A.D. 21), and one copper
in architectural reconstruction who is on loan to the Roman of Titus and Domitian (ca. A.D. 80/ 88). While it
project from the Department of Antiquities. Personnel is not possible to be sure that all of these items
involved at Petra itself are Mohammed Murshed and originated in the same tomb, it would seem likely that
Colin Brooker, and at Jerash, Arten Kalayan and Faisal they did. If so, the tomb would have been in use from ca.
Qedah. Tourism facilities are being improved at both 37 B.C. to ca. A.D. 324, at a maximum, but more likely to
sites. At Petra, construction will start soon on a new ca. A.D. 284. The glazed amphora is of a type which is
hotel outside the siq, as well as on a research center and usually attributed to the Parthians, the rivals of the
restaurant inside Petra proper. At Jerash, the plans call Romans in Mesopotamia and farther east. Such glazed
for a new restaurant near the South Gate and for a pottery is well attested in eastern and northern Syria
"Sound and Light" program. Excavation, consolida- (e.g., Dura Europos, Palmyra), but so far it has been
tion, and reconstruction of selected archeological found rarely in southern Syria and Jordan.
remains are also taking place at both sites, including the
James A. Sauer
Urn Tomb and the Qasr al-Bint at Petra, and the South
Director, ACOR
Gate, the South Theatre, the Artemis Temple, and
various churches at Jerash. UNESCO is involved in the
archeological part of the project in an advisory capacity. Byzantine Church and Bath at Um Qeis
The development project is scheduled to continue until
at least 1981. For a number of years the German Evangelical Institute
has been working at the great classical site of Um Qeis,
James A. Sauer which overlooks the Yarmuk River in northernmost
Director, ACOR Jordan. The director of the project is Ute Lux, and her
invaluable architect is Ernest Krueger. Their main task
has been the excavation and partial reconstruction of a
fine octagonal Byzantine church which had been
destroyed by an earthquake. Since 1977 a Danish team
"Parthian" Glazed Amphora Found near Rajib
headed by Svend Holm-Nielsen also has been working
A broken but reconstructible, bluish green glazed at Um Qeis. The main area of interest for this team has
amphora of "Parthian" type was found in January- been a monumental (domed?) building, which upon
February 1978 at a tomb near Rajib, about 8 km partial excavation has been identified as a bath. During
southeast of Amman (on the road to Sahab). It and other May-June 1978 Holm-Nielsen continued to work on this
134 BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGIST/ SUMMER 1979
complicated structure. The German and Danish work at of the excavated remains have been from the Hellenistic,
Um Qeis should continue for many years, and the Roman, Byzantine, Umayyad, and Fatimid periods. The
Jordanian government has begun to move the modern Umayyad materials have been particularly extensive,
village to a nearby hill to make room for a full-scale but the Fatimid remains have been equally exciting
archeological attack on the site. because of their rarity at other sites in Jordan. During
the last British campaign in June-July 1978, the first
James A. Sauer
tangible Ayyubid-Mamluk evidence (pottery, coins)
Director, ACOR
came from the central sector of excavations. Alastair
New French Work at CArAqe l-Emir Northedge has been the assistant director of the British
project and also has prepared a detailed plan of the
Since the spring of 1976, a French team under the north end of the Citadel, showing his architectural
direction of Ernest Will, Director of the French analysis of the Roman and Umayyad remains.
Archeological Institute in Beirut, has been working at
the well-known Qasr of CAraqe l-Emir. The monumental James A. Sauer
Qasr, located along the Wadi Sir approximately 15 km Director, ACOR
southwest of Amman, is the most impressive Helle-
nistic (ca. 2nd century B.C.) structure in Jordan, and
it is referred to by the Jewish historian Josephus (ca.
A.D. 70). The overall goal of the new work, which is
jointly sponsored by the Department of Antiquities, is
the total architectural analysis and "stone-for-stone"
theoretical reconstruction of the Qasr. Key staff
members, in addition to E. Will, are Francois Larch6
(architect) and J. M. Dentzer (field archeologist).
Numerous architectural details have been clarified by
the work, although the original interior plan of the
structure is still uncertain, owing to the extensive Early
Byzantine reuse of the Qasr. Fine new examples of
Hellenistic sculpture have been uncovered, including a
second feline fountain, a magnificent lioness with cub,
and fragments of winged eagles. The Byzantine reuse of
the Qasr made it extremely difficult to obtain ceramic
evidence to confirm the 2nd-century-B.C.d ate suggested
by the architecture, sculpture, and literary sources.
However, during a brief excavation campaign in the
spring of 1978, a handful of pure Hellenistic sherds came
from a place inside the Qasr where the original floor had
not been disturbed by the later Byzantine occupants.
Larch6 will continue to use ACOR as his base during the
coming year while he works on the "paper"r econstruc-
tion of the Qasr. When that is completed, it will be up to
the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities to decide
whether or not the Qasr can actually be reconstructed at
the site.
James A. Sauer
Director, ACOR
New Excavations on Amman Citadel
Fawzi Zayadine of the Department of Antiquities and
Crystal Bennett of the British School of Archaeology
have been excavating since 1975 near the Archaeological
Museum on the Amman Citadel. Zayadine is concentrat-
ing on an area near the large pool, while Bennett is
working in two areas, a central one near the Museum
and a western one on the slopes of the site. A few EB,
MB, and Iron Age sherds have been reported, but most
BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGIST/ SUMMER 1979 135
CLOTH PAPER
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Studying the numerous cuneiform texts from the
Vol. 41 Discoveries in Wadi ed-Daliyeh- 10.50
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16.00 nomads and sedentary communi-
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136 BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGIST/ SUMMER 1979
Polemics&
Irenics
Phoenicians were responsible for the origin of native
Canaanites in America:
civilization, we should be able to find very specific and
A New Scripture in Stone?
well-defined evidence. Proof of Phoenician influence
Did the biblical world of the Canaanites extend to should include the presence of the following items of a
America? Do mysterious tablets from the Western shared cultural inventory: Phoenician loan words in
Hemisphere represent a scripture in stone more Indian languages and, of course, some Indian words in
important than the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls? Phoenician; alphabetic writing; parallels in architecture,
The great controversy is with us again, and a review of sculpture, and art; surviving oral traditions and
the evidence explains why experts conclude that every mythological accounts of the bringing of civilization;
alleged Canaanite-Phoenician inscription in the New farming technology; the use of iron; Phoenician artifacts
World is either misidentified or a fraud. and pottery; ship construction and navigation;
A startling title appeared in the September 1978 Mediterranean food plants and animals; and derivations
issue of Biblical Archeologist: "How Wide the Biblical of Canaanite religious ritual and cosmology. This is a
World? A Challenge for Recognition and Preservation." long list, and part of the dispute between amateurs and
The writer of the letter, Dr. N. Rosenstein, a New Jersey professionals stems from differences of opinion in
physician, summarized some recent books about establishing rules of evidence.
Canaanites in America and asked: Proponents of the spread of Phoenician influence
into America define the evidence with great latitude. An
How long will the "Establishmentr"e mains kepticala nd aboriginal reed float is transformed into a lineal
silent? Let their voices be heards o that we laymenc an descendant of a Nile River barge; Mayan hieroglyphics
learn the truth. For in the wooded lands of Vermont,
become an offshoot of Egyptian; an Olmec statue of a
New Hampshire,a nd elsewhere, we have our own bearded god is a Phoenician merchant prince from
American-biblicalh eritage that is much in need of Carthage. All sorts of similar proofs are said to link the
preservation. Artifacts and inscriptions predate Old World with the New. If such proof exists, why do
Columbus by hundreds, if not thousands of years.
scholars reject it?
... Can we accept the challenge?
Here we come to the nub of an amazing conflict. In
The Editor acted most properly in bringing the the good old days of scholarship it was enough to say,
issue into the open and following it with a rebuttal by "The authorities in the field agree that the arguments are
Ives Goddard and William Fitzhugh of the Department wrong"; regardless of the merit of the position, no one
of Anthropology, The Smithsonian Institution. Theirs is would hazard a further opinion against the weight of
an interesting and informative reply; as a scholar who august professors. But in this modern day everyone
has done research on the subject, I found their statement wishes to be his own authority, and the personal search
correct in every detail. There is neither archeological nor for cultural alternatives seems to make every idea or
linguistic evidence to support any Canaanite discovery theory equal in value. This search creates a stimulating
of America. What more can be added to the discussion? environment if basic rules of evidence hold firm, but ad
The Canaanites were termed Phoenicians by the hoc rules invented to support new theories wreak havoc
early Greeks, and most of the speculations refer to them in archeology and other fields of inquiry. The pro-
by that name. Because the Phoenicians were renowned Phoenician group of writers go beyond changing the
seafarers in antiquity, a commonly expressed opinion rules of evidence; they blithely reject the work of
over the years holds that some ship or expedition once professionals. Not infrequently the writers claim that
left the Mediterranean and ventured to the New World their research is ignored totally or misunderstood
for the purpose of trade and exploration. Having because "Establishment" scholars are obtuse, opin-
arrived safely, these representatives of the relatively ionated, self-serving, and engaged in a sinister plot to
sophisticated Phoenician civilization supposedly left a conceal the evidence of Canaanite-Phoenicians in
lasting impression upon the less-developed aboriginal America. These charges against the professionals are
societies still living in stone-age America. If one accepts widely believed. Some evidence of this can be seen in
the possibility that such pre-Columbian voyages Rosenstein's letter complaining about the hostile
occurred, it is reasonable to search for evidence "Establishment."
demonstrating that ancient Old World civilization Such sentiments may be only the tip of the iceberg.
stimulated the rise of civilization in the Americas. If the If this were a technical article, I could cite at this point
BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGIST/SUMMER 1979 137