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bi lical ost ae o Arch A Publicatioonf t heA mericaSnc hoolos f OrientaRl esearch Volum5e3 N umbe3r Septembe1r9 90 The Lazuli Lapis Figurinfreo mM ari. AN ewL ooka t SomeV enerabSlue meriaInc ons AlsoA, rti-FACTSftrhoemO v erseaIns stitutes anda n Updatoen t heD eadS eaS crolls AMERICAN SCHOOLS OF ORIENTAL RESEARCH ADMINISTRATIOVFEF ICEA,S OR7, 11W EST4 0THS TREETSU, ITE3 54,B ALTIMORMED, 2 1211( 301)8 89-1383 Eric M. Meyers,P resident W.F .A lbrightI nstitute of JamesW .F lanagan,F irst Vice Presidentf or ArchaeologicalR esearch( AIAR). OF 00 Publications P. O. Box 19096, 91 190 Jerusalem,I srael. OOO 0S WalterE . Rast, Second Vice Presidentf or SeymourG itin, Director Archaeological Policy JoeD . Seger,P resident r George M. Landes,S ecretary Carol Meyers,F irst Vice President zb go HRoogldeernS .G Biobrbasa, sT,A ressaissutarnert Secretary JoPyUr ensgideernleti;dA ecrt-iMnga Byoerasrodn CS, ehcaoinr d Vice 0 'o Kate Gould, Assistant Treasurer JohnS pencer,S ecretary-Treasurer Gough W Thompson, Jr.,C hairman of the NoBromaard Ko efr TshruawstD,e eisr ector of Tours BaghdadC ommittee for the Baghdad School. MarkG allagher,A SOR Administrator JerroldS . Cooper,C hairman Near EasternS tudies, The Johns CyprusA merican Archaeological Hopkins University, Baltimore,M D ResearchI nstitute (CAARI). 21218. 41 KingP aul Street, Nicosia, Cyprus. Stuart Swiny,D irector ASOR Newsletter; Victor H. Matthews Charles U. Harris,P resident and JamesC . Moyer,E ditors American Center of Oriental Research LydieS hufro,V ice President Biblical Archaeologist;E ric M. Meyers, (ACOR). Ellen Herscher,S ecretary Editor P. O. Box 2470, JebelA mman, Amman, Andrew Oliver, Jr., 1-easurer Bulletin of the American Schools of Jordan. Oriental Research;W alterE . Rast, Bert de Vries,D irector Damascus Committee. Editor RobertC oughenour,P resident Giorgio Buccellati, Chairman Journalo f Cuneiform Studies;E rle LawrenceT . Geraty,V ice President Center for MesopotamianS tudies, Leichty,E ditor MarjorieC ooke, Secretary University of California,4 05 Hilgard Editorf or Books, WalterE . Aufrecht Anne Ogilvy, 7Teasurer Avenue, LosA ngeles, CA 90024. Biblical Archaeologist P. O. BOXH .M., DUKES TATIOND, URHAM,N C 27706 (919)6 84-3075 Biblical Archaeologist (ISSN0 006-0895)i s Researcha nd the JohnsH opkins Univer- Advertising.C orrespondences hould be published quarterly( March,J une,S eptem- sity Press. Authorization to photocopy addressedt o the JohnsH opkins University ber, December)b y the JohnsH opkins Uni- items for personal or internal use is Press, 701 W. 40th Street, Suite 275, Balti- versity Press for the American Schools of grantedf or librariesa nd other users regis- more, MD 21211 (telephone:3 01-338-6982). Oriental Research( ASOR),a nonprofit, tered with the CopyrightC learanceC enter nonsectariane ducational organization (CCC)T ransactionalR eportingS ervice, Biblical Archaeologist is not responsible with administrativeo ffices at 711W est4 0th providedt hat the copier pay the base fee of for errorsi n copy preparedb y the adver- Street, Suite 354, Baltimore,M D 21211. $1.00 per copy plus $.10 per page directly tiser. The editor reservest he right to refuse Subscriptions.A nnual subscription rates to CCC, 27 Congress Street, Salem, MA any ad. Ads for the sale of antiquities will are $19.95 for individuals and $30 for insti- 01970. This consent does not extend to not be accepted. tutions. There is a special annual rate of other kinds of copying, such as copyingf or EditorialC orrespondenceA. rticle pro- $17.95 for students and retirees. Single generald istribution, for advertisingo r posals, manuscripts,a nd editorial corre- issues are $7 for individuals and $10 for promotional purposes,f or creatingn ew spondence should be sent to the ASOR institutions. In Canadaa nd Mexico, add collective works, or for resale. Publications Office, P.O.B ox H.M., Duke $3.40 for annual subscriptionsa nd $2 for 0006-8095/$87 $1.00 + .10 Station, Durham, NC 27706. Unsolicited single issues. In other foreign countries, manuscriptsm ust be accompaniedb y a add $8.40 for annual subscriptionsa nd Editor-in-Chief Eric M. Meyers self-addresseds, tampede nvelope. Foreign $2 for single issues. Orderss hould be sent Associate Editor LawrenceT Geraty contributorss hould furnish international to the JohnsH opkins University Press, 701 Associate Editor David C. Hopkins reply coupons. W. 40th Street, Suite 275, Baltimore,M D Book Review Editor JamesC . Moyer Manuscriptsm ust conform to the format 21211 (telephone:3 01-338-6964;t elex: Senior Editor Leslie Watkins used in Biblical Archaeologist, with full 5101012198,J HUP ress Jnls). Assistant Editor ToddM cGee bibliographicr eferencesa nd a minimum Second-classp ostagep aid at Baltimore, Designer LauraH ughes of endnotes. See recent issues for examples MD 21211 and additional offices. of the propers tyle. U2BP7oinb5si,lvt imBecraaaslls itAttiyemrr Pc:oSh rreeaense,Ms do,l a7oDd0g 1d2is rW1te2, st 1h4s1c 0e.h t Jhaon ShgtnersseH teoto ,p Skuiintes EDWdoauwlgtaelrardE sF L. .AC .E Euadfsmrsiteepoc brheital llC oCDPm.aa Kmrvoyiidtllt eL We Me. M .Mc CecyaCerrrtsee re ry Miirllelluusapssnttourrnsaascttiriibooiplnnetssf s.o am rn uodbs ltet aagilensnoidn insg.p c Aleuurdmthei oasrspsipo arnro etpo ruisaet e Copyright? 1990 by the American Schools JamesF lanagan S. Thomas Parker of Oriental Research. VolkmarF ritz JackS asson Composition by LiberatedT ypes,L td., All rights reserved.N o portion of this Seymour Gitin Neil A. Silberman Durham, NC. Printedb y PBMG raphics, journalm ay be reproducedb y any process JoA nn Hackett Mark S. Smith Inc., Raleigh,N C. or technique without the formal consent A. T. Kraabel Stuart Swiny Publisher of the American Schools of Oriental Thomas E. Levy L. Michael White The JohnsH opkins University Press BilicalA rcaeolo A Publication of the American Schools of Oriental Research Volume 53 Number 3 September 1990 CurrentA rchaeologicaRl esearchin Israel Ancient Agricultural Settlement and Religion 125 in the Uvda Valley in Southern Israel Uzi Avner In spite of extremely arid conditions, the Uvda Valley in the southern Negev has been the site of a flourishing agricultural society dating back four to six thousand years. Foury ears of survey and excavation in the region have also revealede vidence of many cult sites. How could agriculture thrive in such a severe Page 125 climate, and what can these cult sites tell us about the religious life of the ancient desert inhabitants? Sumerian Bats, Lion-headedE agles, and Iconographic 142 Evidence for the Overthrow of a Female-priest Hegemony Naomi F Goldsmith and Edwin Gould Is the small lapis figurine from Mari really a lion-headed eagle, as described by its finder Andre Parrot?T wo chiropterae xperts say its features more closely resemble those of a bat. They also contend that some Sumerian lion-eagles are actually lionesses - females, not males - and provide evidence for the hypothesis, reflected in the myths, that female dominion was overthrownb y a male warriorc lass at the dawn of history. The Inscribed Pomegranatef rom the "House of the Lord" 157 Nahman Avigad Since it was acquiredb y the Israel Museum in 1988, a thumb- Page 142 sized pomegranatec arved in ivory and bearing an ancient Hebrew inscription has stirredw orldwide interest- and for good reason. Dated on palaeographicg rounds to the eighth century B.C.E.t, he pomegranate is believed to be the only archaeological find known to date that can be associated with Solomon's Temple and the sacred services practiced there. Arti-FACTSN: ews from the Institutes 168 Qumran Update 170 Fromt he Editor'sD esk 122 Lettert o the Readers 123 Introducing the Authors 124 BookR eviews 171 On the cover:T he Maril apis figurined ating from the mid-thirdm illennium B.C.E. Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution TravelingE xhibition Service (SITES)O. n the back: A group of seven standing stones found at the top of Macaleh Yitro,o ne of several ancient cult sites uncoveredi n the Uvda Valley.P hoto courtesy of the IsraelA ntiquities Authority. Page 157 Biblical Archaeologist, September 1990 121 From the Editor's Desk itht hisi ssueo f BiblicaAl rchaeologist, the editorial board welcomes David C. Hopkins as Associate Editor. David is Professoro f Hebrew Scripturea t Wesley Theological Seminary where he shares faculty duties with his wife, Denise Dombkowski Hopkins. Previously, David taught for six years at Lancaster Theological Seminary.H e is a graduateo f Trinity College in Hartford, David C. Hopkins Connecticut, and received his M.A. and Ph.D. from VanderbiltU niversity. He has studied at the Ecumenical Institute for Theological Studies in Jerusalem,w here he has lived for two extended periods.A veteranf ield archae- ologist, he has most recently excavateda t Tell el-Umeiri in Jordana nd is currently researchingt he rurall andscape of Iron Age monarchies as part of the Madaba Plains Project. His most recent monographic publication, The Highlands of Canaan:A gricultural Life in the Early Iron Age, has won widespread acclaim and places him in the forefronto f scholars who have focused on the social and economic history of the biblical world. David brings considerable experience and enthu- siasm to BA, and I hope that readers and prospective authors will feel free to write him or me on matters that concern the welfare of the magazine. We are always look- ing for new ideas and ways to improve. Also appearingf or the first time in this issue is our new column, Arti-FACTS:N ews from the Institutes, which will keep our readers abreast of current develop- ments in the field. In this issue, we have articles on the re- cent Second International Congress on Biblical Archae- ology, currentf inds at the ThirdW alli n Jerusalem,a nd an update on the Dead Sea Scrolls. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Linda Huff, formerA rt Director of BA, for putting the design of the magazine at so high a level. During her more than seven years of association with the magazine, BA won numerous awards for design and layout. None of that As a result of these changes, a number of staff could have been achieved without her imagination, changes have been made. The role of senior editor will elegant sense of design, and dedication. Lindah as gone on pass to Todd McGee, whom many of you already know to another career,a nd all of us at BA wish her the best of and who has demonstratedh is skills at BA as an editor for luck. more than a year. LauraH ughes, a freelance designer, is Leslie Watkins, Senior Editor, will enter graduate designing the magazine on an interim basis. school at Duke University this fall and, for the moment, leave the publishing field behind her. Leslie has been a devoted editor and manager,a nd all of us have benefitted from her sense of dedication and professionalism. We Eric M. Meyers wish her well also. Editor and President of ASOR 122 Biblical Archaeologist, September 1990 facets of archaeological research in Israel, including Letter to the Readers reports on excavation and surveyr esults by sites, regions, and chronological periods as well as a review of relevant publications and other research activities. The Albright's Information Sharing Program also includes a second series of articles to be published in Biblical Archaeologist, beginning in 1991,t itled, Profiles of Archaeological Institutions in Israel. Another part of vow?: this program is Excavations and Surveys in Israel, the English edition of Hadashot Arkheologiyot, the archae- ological newsletter of the Israel Antiquities Authority, published in cooperationw ith the Nelson Glueck School of Biblical Archaeology,t he IsraelA ntiquities Authority, and the Israel Exploration Society. This publication offers preliminary reports on large-scale and salvage excavations as well as surveys and other research activi- ties, thus providing in a single volume an annual over- view of the progress of archaeological projects in Israel (volume 7 appearedi n 1990).A lso, Recent LibraryA cqui- sitions of the Albright Institute, a review written by the Albright Director of the major monographs and journal articles dealing with ancient Near Easterns tudies, with an emphasis on those materials published in Hebrew, appearsa nnually in the Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research. Other publications organized and edited by the Director include thematic monographs,t he first of which was Recent Excavations in Israel: Studies in Iron Age Archaeology, volume 49 of the Annual of the American Schools of Oriental Research, co-edited by William G. Dever. Plans to expand further the scope of information sharing include a monograph on Studies in the Bronze Age and a series of major review articles on archaeologyi n Israels tructuredb y chronological periods. zi Avner'asr ticleA, ncienAt griculturSael ttle- In addition, the Albright Institute providest o subscribers ment and Religion in the Uvda Valley in on an annual basis the Institute's Information Materials, Southern Israel, initiates a new annual series, which include the Institute's programb rochure, library Current Archaeological Research in Israel. acquisitions list, Bibliography of Albright Appointees, This series focuses on the researcho f the District Archae- seminar and researchp apers,e xcavation report offprints, ologists of the Israel Antiquities Authority, each of excavation and publication announcements, and clip- whom, in addition to his own work, has overall respon- pings of local newspaper articles dealing with general sibility for archaeological surveys, excavations, and the archaeological information and activities in Israel. preservation of sites in the area under his supervision. Those interested in learning more about the Al- The aim is to provide a broad perspective on regional bright's Information Sharing Program and its other problems and the development of ancient settlement activities should contact me at the W. E Albright In- patterns as well as a review of the most up-to-dater esults stitute of Archaeological Research, P. O. Box 19096, of archaeologicalr esearchi n Israel. Organizeda nd edited Jerusalem9 1 190, Israel. by the Albright Director in cooperation with the Israel Antiquities Authority, this series forms an important part of the Albright's Information Sharing Program di- rected to scholars, students, and others interested in archaeological activities in Israel. The goal of this pro- / Seymour Gitin gram is to providea n annual comprehensive report on all Director, W. E Albright Institute Biblical Archaeologist, September 1990 123 Deena Hoffmanp hoto -p Naomi F Goldsmith Nahman Avigad Uzi Avner the Authors Introducing Edwin Gould Uzi Avner is District Archaeologist of the Southern Edwin Gould has been Curator-in-Chargoe f Mammals at Negev for the Israel Antiquities Authority. His affilia- the National Zoological Parko f the Smithsonian Institu- tion with the Authority (formerly the Israel Depart- tion since 1980. He earned his Ph.D. in zoology from ment of Antiquities and Museums) began in 1969 when TulaneU niversity in 1962 and, from 1962 until 1980,w as he was named ArchaeologicalI nspectorf or the Eilat area. a professori n the School of Hygiene and Public Health at He earned his master's degree in 1989 from the Depart- Johns Hopkins University. From 1974 to 1975 he was a ment of Archaeology of the Hebrew University of Jeru- Visiting Professori n the School of Biological Sciences at salem where he is currently a Ph.D. candidate. His dis- the University of Malaya,w here he taught mammalogy sertation topic is "AncientM asseboth in the Near East." and animal behavior and conducted research on bats. In his work with the Authority, Mr. Avner has identified Among his numerous affiliations, Dr. Gould is a life more than one thousand ancient sites in the Negev and member of the American Society of Mammalogists and a the Sinai and has helped rescue and preserve more than Fellow of the American Association of Zoological Parks four hundred of them. and Aquariums. Naomi F. Goldsmith received her Ph.D. in mammalian Knowna s the dean of Israeli archaeologyN, ahman Avigad physiology from the University of California, Berkeley, has been active in the field for more than six decades, dis- where she studied invertebratep aleontology under Wyatt tinguishing himself in many areas, from the history of Durham. She also studied vertebratep aleontology under architecture to palaeography,f rom the study of syna- Eitan Tchernov of Hebrew University, Jerusalem. Cur- gogues to researcho n ancient seals. ProfessorA vigadh as rently she is an Affiliate at the Blaustein Institute of Ben- directed numerous excavations, the largest and most Gurion University of the Negev where she has found and important being the excavation of the Upper City of is working on a large cache of Miocene fossils ranging Jerusalem.H e is also a laureate of the Israel Prize. from frogst o elephants. Findingm isidentified animals in ancient art has convinced Dr. Goldsmith that human- kind has become out of touch with the natural world. 124 Biblical Archaeologist, September 1990 CurrenAtr chaeologicRaels earcihn Israel Ancient Settlement Agricultural and Relgion in the Uvda Valley in Israel Southern byUziAvner This photo shows the Uvda Valleyi n 1979 before the construction of the air base that is now in the valley In the backgrounda re the mountains of Edom.A n emergencya rchaeological survey revealed that an agriculturals ettlement thrived in the arid valley dating back four to six thousand years. All photos are used courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority This article is being published with ocateidn t hes outhern 1902 and 1933, respectively,A lois the financial assistance of the Endow- Negev about 40 kilometers Musil (1908: 180-82) and Fritz Frank ment for Biblical Research, a non- north of Eilat, the Uvda (1934:2 63-65) recordedb rief de- sectarian foundation for the study Valley is in an extremely scriptions of ancient remains in of the Bible and the history of the arid region. It has an averagea nnual the Uvda Valley.I n the 1960s, Beno Christian Church. It is the first of rainfall of 30 millimeters, as opposed Rothenberg( 1967: 138) conducted an a series of articles focusing on the to an annual evaporationr ate of extensive survey of the entire south- regions of ancient Palestine titled, more than 4,500 millimeters, and ern Negev, including the Uvda Valley. Current Archaeological Research in summer temperatures exceeding 105 He observedm any ancient sites but Israel, in which we hope to bring our degrees Fahrenheit.I n spite of these succeeded in investigating only readers up-to-date on the consider- conditions, archaeological research about 15. I made several visits to the able amount of new archaeological has revealede vidence of a flourishing valley at the beginning of the 1970s data that has been uncovered in re- agriculturals ociety dating back some and uncovered additional sites that cent years in virtually all areas of four to six thousand years. In addi- had not been included in Rothen- the holy land. Regional survey and tion to other evidence, the inhabi- berg'sr eports. the careful analysis of data by region tants left behind many cult sites. A direct implication of the have greatly altered and improved In the following article I will try peace treaty between Israel and the way we understand the various to describe how a farming society Egypt,w hich stipulated the return sections of biblical geography. could have survived in such a severe of the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt,w as -Eric M. Meyers desert climate and discuss what can inevitable change in the Negev as a be learned about the ancient society's whole.' In order to document and religious life. rescue as many ancient sites as pos- sible, the Israel Department of An- Archaeological Researchi n the tiquities and Museums (now the Uvda Valley Israel Antiquities Authority) under- At the beginning of this century, in took an emergency archaeological Biblical Archaeologist, September 1990 125 Thec limatein the Negeva ndS inaiw asv ery aridd uringth e sixthm illennium and B.C.E., Sevens ites dating to the Neolithic period thatw as the factor probably primary resulting (seventh millennium B.C.E.w) ere discovered in or near the valley,i ncluding this stone- in a decreasien the desert built dwelling site in Nahal clssaron.E ach population. site measured approximately5 00 square meters and consisted primarilyo f circular rooms with a diametero f from 2 to 4 meters. Sites such as these, which could have ac- commodated an extended family unit of up excavated2 1 sites. During four years inhabitants apparentlyr esided at to 40 people, were apparentlyi nhabited of survey and excavation, we investi- this location only during winter and during winter and spring. gated the western rim of the valley, spring but returned to it each year. which contained a small number of Most notable among the flint survey of the area. Beginning in 1978 sites, and one-thirdo f its eastern side, tools found are hundreds of arrow- I led one of the department teams which contained the major concen- heads, indicative of a hunting society. that began the emergency survey, tration of sites. In total, around 400 Bones of hunted animals were also the results of which gave us a more sites dating to different periods were found in abundance,i ncluding ibex, complete picture of the region. It uncovered;a bout 150 were found to wild goat, deer, gazelle, wild cattle, was found that, despite ex:reme be stone-built dwelling sites dating wild ass, rabbits,f ish, and various climatic conditions, the Uvda Valley from the fourth to the third millen- fowl. Numerous grinding stones contained an extraordinarya nd sur- nium B.C.E.t;h e remainder were vari- were found but no signs of domesti- prising density of ancient sites. ously dated and described as tent- cated grains. Indications of animal In February1 980 the department camps, burial sites, cult sites, and and plant domestication have been undertook a large-scalee xcavation of agriculturali nstallations. At present, found at sites from similar periods the Uvda Valley.I t was headed by preparationsh ave begun to develop in northern Israel and neighboring AvrahamE itan, then the Director of the eastern side of the valley as an countries, but these innovations had the Department of Antiquities and archaeologicalp ark. not yet reached the southern region. Museums, and Rudolph Cohen, who was District Archaeologist for the Neolithic Hunters and Gatherers A New Era-The Fifth and Fourth Negev. In the course of one month, Seven of the sites surveyedd ated Millennia B.C.E. 200 volunteers and 20 archaeologists from the Neolithic period (the sev- To date, only one inhabited site from enth millennium B.C.E.)T. hree were the sixth millennium B.C.E. has been stone-built dwelling sites, two of discoveredi n the Negev and Sinai. It which were excavated:o ne, in Nahal is located in the vicinity of Kadesh Recuel, was partially excavated;t he Barnea.I n light of this and other other, at the mouth of Nahal cIssaron, data, it seems that the climate in was almost entirely uncovered the areaw as considerably arid dur- (Goring-Morrisa nd Gopher 1983). ing the sixth millennium, and that These sites were very similar to was probablyt he primary factor Neolithic sites found in the Sinai resulting in a decrease in the desert (BarY osef 1981).M easuring approxi- population. mately 500 square meters, they were The society began to reestablish made up primarily of circular rooms itself around 5000 B.C.E. Occupa- with diameters of from 2 to 4 meters. tional strata dating from the end of These courtyardss urroundedb y stone fences Other circular areas with similar the sixth and fifth millennia B.C.E. served as animal pens and are the earliest dimensions served as courtyardsa nd were identified in four of the exca- evidence for the introduction of domesticated providedp assagewaysb etween the vated sites in the Uvda Valley and in animals, first appearingi n the fifth millen- nium B.C.E. Bones of goats and sheep were rooms. Sites of this nature could have several sites in the Negev Highlands discoveredi n the excavated courtyards,a s accommodated an extended family and the TransjordanI. ncluded in well as thick layers of small cattle dung. unit of from 20 to 40 persons. The these sites were wide courtyardso f 126 Biblical Archaeologist, September 1990 A tent-camp was located here in the eastern side of the valley. Most of the surfacef inds dated to the fourth-thirdm illennium. several different types surroundedb y Witht he advent of cattle raising, hunting was rendereda lmost obsolete in the society However, stone fences. The sites were apparent- the desert inhabitants continued to hunt gazelles and leopards. This is a kite that was used to ly animal pens, as bones of goats and trapg azelles. sheep, as well as thick layers of small cattle dung, were unearthed resulted in a higher exploitation of ever,2 0 traps of 2 types - nearly all of from all of the excavated courtyards the environmentalp otential of the them very early-were identified in and dwelling sites. This represents desert, which may explain why there the survey.T hese traps were located the earliest introduction of domesti- was a constant increase in the num- near occupied sites with corrals,a nd cated animals into the desert econ- ber of sites duringt he fifth to the early flint tools were found nearby. omy. With the appearanceo f pens, third millennium B.C.E. They were used to protect the goat flint arrowheadsb ecame very rare, The desert inhabitants did con- and sheep herds from predatorsa nd indicating that hunting had become tinue to hunt gazelles, using large were apparentlyi n use as early as the almost obsolete, replaced by small traps called kites (Meshel 1979; fourth millennium B.C.E. cattle raising. Avner 1987).S even kites have been Another new element may be discoveredi n the Eilat region to date. The Arrivalo f Agriculture related to the appearanceo f corrals. One is just southwest of the Uvda The most unexpected finding of the These were tent-camps, distinguish- Valley;t wo are in the vicinity of surveyw as the density of agricultural able on the surface as a row of cleared Moon Valley,o n the Egyptians ide of remains in the valley.A s a result of circular areas, about 4 to 6 meters in the border.P redatorsw ere hunted as the finds from the excavateds ites, diameter. The camps extended from well, although not for food. Travelers which provided2 8 radiocarbond ates, 50 to 200 meters in length and in southern Sinai today often come we concluded that agriculturew as comprised from 5 to 30 tents. More across stone-built leopardt raps, well established by 4000 B.C.E. and than 100 sites of this kind have been sophisticated installations that used that the climax of these activities identified in the Uvda Valley,a nd to be considereda unique bedouin occurredd uring the third millen- surface finds indicate their periodic invention of recent centuries. How- nium B.C.E. resettling from the fourth millen- Most of the dwelling sites in the nium B.C.E. to the present. However, valley belong to these periods. The in Eastern Sinai we have identified majority of sites have a common, well-preservedt ent-camps with sur- basic plan- a circular court sur- face finds dating only from the fifth roundedb y similarly shaped rooms. to the fourth millennium B.C.E. Each dwelling unit was usually oc- These are the earliest sites of this cupied by one extended family, but type found to date. In light of the dis- there were much largera s well as covery of the tent-camps and animal smaller sites. This type of dwelling pens, I suggest that the first pastoral unit has been found throughout the societies in the desert appearedd ur- desert areas of the Near East. The ing the fifth millennium This circular form of construction seems B.C.E? implies that the economy of the An ancient, stone-built leopard trap that to be dominant, although square and was paved to prevent the animals from desert population had changed from diggingu nderneatha nd escaping.L eopards rectangularh ouses also have been hunting and gathering to intentional were trappeds o that they could not attack found, possibly influenced by the the domesticated animals. productiono f food. The new economy Canaanite urban cultures of the Biblical Archaeologist, September 1990 127 . . . . , . - I" - N':t - .. I9. * ". " . *- - ? An aerial photographo f a dwelling site at the mouth of Nahal Shaharuts hows architectural remains from two main periods. During the Early BronzeA ge, the site consisted of a row of five square rooms and two circular courts on both ends. In the Middle BronzeA ge, circularr ooms were built around the south- ern (right)c ourt, and another court was added at the northerns ide. In both periods, the southern court served as an animal pen. 4 sown, or fertile regions. Many signs of agriculturala ctiv- ities were found, including scores of flint adzes, used for tilling the soil; hundreds of flint sickle-blades, used for harvesting;a nd hundredso f grind- ing stones, used for grinding wheat into flour. Two limestone hoes also were uncovered as well as what ap- pears to be a plough-tip made of hard limestone. The latter is similar in shape to the digging adz, but its dimensions and weight are much too large for tilling; if this implement was indeed used as a plough-tip, it is one of the earliest known (Sherratt 1981),d ating from around 3000 B.C.E. Two similar flint points, found in Mongolia, are the only others known from this period. Another sign of agriculturala c- tivity found in the dwellings are the granaries,s ome of which were beau- tifully pavedw ith flagstones. Threshing floors. An unexpected dis- 106 covery of the Uvda Valley survey were 31 flat circular rock surfaces, / I . most of which were cut into bedrock, with diameters measuring from 8 to 18 meters. Their purpose was not clear at first, and the assumption that they were threshing floors was difficult to prove,b ut in the course of the survey additional evidence was Archaeological evidence shows that by 4000 B.C.E. an agriculturals ociety was established found to support this theory. Con- in the desert. These flint adzes, top, date to the fourth millennium. They were attached to a wooden handle and used to till the soil. Above left are different types of sickle-blades. clusive proof came from researchers Numbers 1 through4 are crescent-shapedb lades that were commonly used in the Uvda Valley, in the Negev Highlands who identi- while numbers 5 and 6 are termed Canaaniteb lades and were rarely used in the desert. fied similar installations still used Number 7 is a backedb lade made in the Chalcolithic tradition and used throughoutt he third millennium as well. Above right is a pair of limestone implements. The instrument at left is by bedouins (Haiman 1986:t itle page). possibly a plough-tip,w hile the artifact at right is a hoe. Similar artifacts were found at Ancient flint tools and pottery col- fourth-through-third-millenniumsi tes in Syria and the Golan Heights. lected near the Uvda Valley installa- 128 Biblical Archaeologist, September 1990

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