The Social Archaeology of the Levant

Offers a comprehensive introduction to the archaeology of the southern Levant (modern day Israel, Palestine and Jordan).

This book is intended for undergraduate and graduate students studying the ancient southern Levant (Israel and Palestine) from the earliest prehistory to the historic past. It integrates thematic concerns, such as gender, ethics, metallurgy, bioanthropology, archaeobotany, and presenting the past with chronological changes, from hunter-gatherers to empires.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.