TALK: Between Text, Artifact and Anthro-pology: Recent Excavations in Biblical Edom
Thomas E. Levy (Anthropology & Judaic Studies, UC San Diego)
Monday, May 14 / 5:00 PM
McCune Conference Room, HSSB 6020
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Recently, the question of whether the early Israelite kings were historical individuals, or mythic figures created by later editors of the Hebrew Bible has become one of the most contentious issues in Biblical studies and Levantine archaeology today. New archaeological data concerning the historicity of David and Solomon has come to light from Biblical Edom, one of ancient IsraelÌs geographic neighbors in modern Jordan. Join us for an illustrated lecture highlighting the most recent discoveries by a UCSD - Department of Antiquities of Jordan expedition that shed new light on this problem. This project melds the analysis of ancient texts, the archaeological record of Iron Age Edom in southern Jordan, and anthropological models to challenge current theories concerning the rise of the first historical state level societies in this part of the southern Levant.
Thomas E. Levy is professor of Anthropology and Judaic Studies at University of California, San Diego, where he holds the Norma Kershaw Endowed Chair in the Archaeology of Ancient Israel and Neighboring Lands. He has directed major archaeological excavations in Israel and has been
conducting field work in Jordan since 1997. Author of many scholarly publications, his most recent book is Journey to the Copper Age: Archaeology in the Holy Land. He is the guest curator for an exhibition on this topic at San Diego Museum of Man that will open on June 10, 2007. Currently he is the director of the UCSD Judaic Studies Program.
Sponsored by the IHCís Archaeology Research Focus Group
