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Understanding the History of Ancient Israel

Abstract

Archaeology and History

Professor David Ussishkin, Tel Aviv University

The lecture will discuss the problems of archaeological research of the biblical period in the Land of Israel with special reference to the ninth century BCE. It is divided into two parts.

First, the primary aims of biblical archaeology will be discussed. They are the collection of data and their immediate interpretation, but not more than that. The disciplines of archaeology on the one hand and biblical studies and history on the other are based on different methods and should be separated. However, these disciplines depend on one another and the proper methodology should be some cooperation between archaeologists, biblical scholars and historians.

The second part of the lecture will take a look at the archaeological framework of the Iron Age on the basis of the above general remarks, and at the chronological problems involved.