The Social Archaeology of the Levant

The volume offers a comprehensive introduction to the archaeology of the southern Levant (modern day Israel, Palestine and Jordan) from the Paleolithic period to the Islamic era, presenting the past with chronological changes from hunter-gatherers to empires. Written by an international team of scholars in the fields of archaeology, epigraphy, and bioanthropology, the volume presents central debates around a range of archaeological issues, including gender, ritual, the creation of alphabets and early writing, biblical periods, archaeometallurgy, looting, and maritime trade. Collectively, the essays also engage diverse theoretical approaches to demonstrate the multi-vocal nature of studying the past. Significantly, The Social Archaeology of the Levant updates and contextualizes major shifts in archaeological interpretation.

Author Biography

Assaf Yasur-Landau is associate professor at the University of Haifa, a Fulbright Scholar, and head of the laboratory for Coastal Archaeology and Underwater Survey. He co-directs the Tel Kabri excavations and the Tel Dor underwater excavations. His book, The Philistines and Aegean Migration at the End of the Late Bronze Age (Cambridge, 2010), has appeared in English and Spanish (2012). Eric H. Cline is professor of Classics and Anthropology in the Department of Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations and director of the Capitol Archaeological Institute at The George Washington University, Washington DC. A Fulbright scholar, National Geographic Explorer, and NEH Public Scholar, Dr Cline has authored, co-authored, or edited a total of 18 books to date, of which four have won awards, including the Biblical Archaeology Society’s ‘Best Popular Book on Archaeology’ award (2001, 2009, and 2011) and the American Schools of Oriental Research’s ‘Nancy Lapp Award for Best Popular Book’ in 2014. Yorke M. Rowan is a senior research associate at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. A Fulbright Scholar in Jordan and an National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Fellow in Jerusalem, he co-directs two field projects, the Eastern Badia Archaeological Project (Jordan) and the Galilee Prehistory Project (Israel).