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The Israelite Conquest of the Land of Canaan: Excavations at Et-Tell/Ai

This article explores the identification of Et-Tell with the biblical city of Ai, the history of excavations at the site, excavation results focusing on the Iron I strata, the problem of the conquest of Ai, and proposed solutions.

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The Israelite Conquest of the Land of Canaan: Excavations at Et-Tell/Ai

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  1. ET-TELL/AI THE ISRAELITE CONQUEST OF THE LAND OF CANAAN

  2. READINGS: MAZAR, Archaeology of the Land of the Bible 10,000-586 B.C.E., pp. 331-32, 334-35, 338, 345; R. E. COOLEY, “AI” IN OEANE, 1, 1997: 32-33; J. A. CALLAWAY, “AI” IN ABD, 1, 1992: 125-30; J. A. Callaway, “Ai” in NEAEHL, 1, 1993.

  3. Ai – Et-Tell: Aerial View from the North.

  4. BIBLICAL REFERENCES TO AI - CONQUEST AND SITE’S LOCATION: • - GEN 12:8: ABRAM, AI, AND BETHEL - TOPOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES; • - JOSH 7:2-5; 8:1-29: CONQUEST OF AI & TOPOGRAPHICAL LANDMARKS; • - JOSH 12:9: AI IS LOCATED “BESIDE BETHEL”; • - THE BIBLICAL EVIDENCE FAVORS IDENTIFICATION OF AI WITH THE LANDMARK SITE KNOW AS ET-TELL, EAST OF BEITIN AND ATOP THE WATERSHED PLATEAU OVERLOOKING JERICHO 15 KM EAST IN THE JORDAN VALLEY.

  5. - EARLY IDENTIFICATIONS OF BIBLICAL AI WITH THE SITE OF ET-TELL: EUSEBIUS; EDWARD ROBINSON; CHARLES WILSON; W. F. ALBRIGHT.

  6. ET-TELL/AI: • - HISTORY OF EXCAVATION: • - THE GARSTANG SOUNDINGS (1928); • - THE ROTHSCHILD EXPEDITION (1933-35): • - JUDITH-MARQUET-KRAUSE (SHE DIED IN 1936 AS SHE WAS PREPARING FOR HER FOURTH SEASON OF WORK); • - THE JOINT ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPEDITION (1964-76): • - JOSEPH CALLAWAY- DIRECTED NINE SEASONS OF WORK AT ET-TELL AND OTHER SITES IN THE REGION;

  7. ET-TELL/AI: EARLY BRONZE I-III: • - EXCAVATION RESULTS: • - STRATA I-VIII: EARLY BRONZE I-III (3100- 2400 B.C.); • - STRATA I-II (3200-3100 B.C.): FOUNDING OF UNWALLED VILLAGE; • - STRATUM III (3100-2950 B.C.): WALLED CITY OF 27.5 ACRES; • STRATA IV-VII: ETC. • - STRATUM VIII: EB IIIB ( 2400 B.C.): DESTRUCTION OF ENTIRE CITY AND ABANDONMENT OF SITE;

  8. ET-TELL/AI: IRON I: • - STRATA IX-X (1200-1050 B.C.): SETTLEMENT OF UNWALLED VILLAGE IN STRATUM IX; • - STRATUM IX (1200-1125 B.C.): A SMALL VILLAGE; • - STRATUM X (1125-1050): REMODELING; ABANDONMENT OF SITE;

  9. ET-TELL/AI: IRON I • - THE IRON AGE VILLAGE: NEW SETTLEMENT AT ET-TELL ABOUT 1200 B.C.; • - NEW TECHNOLOGY INTRODUCED: • - DUG CISTERNS IN THE SOFT LIMESTONE TO CATCH RAINWATER; • - TERRACED HILLSIDE SLOPES ON CONTOURS; • - A GREAT DEAL OF THE EARLY BRONZE SITE WAS TERRACED AND PLACED IN CULTIVATION; • - ONLY FORTIFICATIONS WERE THOSE LEFT OVER FROM THE EARLY BRONZE AGE SETTLEMENT;

  10. ET-TELL/AI: IRON AGE I (CONTD.): • - ESTIMATES OF POPULATION: 150-300 PERSONS; • - PERHAPS SEVERAL EXTENDED FAMILIES MADE UP THE POPULATION OF THE VILLAGE; • - NEWCOMERS HAD EXPERIENCE IN HILL-COUNTRY FARMING: • - SUBSISTENCE STRATEGY; • - HOUSES CHARACTERIZED BY PIERS, EITHER OF STACKED STONES OR HEWN MONOLITHS, THAT SUPPORTED THE ROOF; • - ROADWAYS IN THE VILLAGE WERE PAVED WITH COBBLESTONES;

  11. ET-TELL/AI: IRON AGE I (CONTD.): • - STRATUM X: ABOUT 1125, THERE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN AN INCREASE IN POPULATION; • - NUMEROUS SILO GRANARIES BUILT IN OPEN AREAS AROUND HOUSES; • - THE EARLY BRONZE TEMPLE WAS REOCCUPIED;

  12. ET-TELL/AI: IRON AGE I (CONTD.): • - THE PROBLEM OF THE CONQUEST OF AI: • - HARD TO RECONCILE THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE WITH THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT OF THE CONQUEST OF AI (JOSH 7.2-5; 8.1-29); • - ALBRIGHT ASCRIBED THE CONQUEST RELATED IN JOSH 8:1-29 TO NEARBY BETHEL WHICH WAS DESTROYED AT THE TIME RATHER THAN TO AI; LATER TRADITIONS CONFUSED THE ACCOUNTS AND ATTRIBUTED THE DESTRUCTION TO AI; • - NOTH HELD THAT THE AI ACCOUNT IN JOSHUA 8 IS LEGENDARY AND ETIOLOGICAL IN NATURE;

  13. ET-TELL/AI: IRON AGE: • - J. MARQUET-KRAUSE, R. DE VAUX, AND Y. YADIN VIEW THE ACCOUNT AS PRIMARILY AETIOLOGICAL; • - CALLAWAY: “THE PEOPLE OF AI WOULD THUS BE PART OF THE LARGE POPULATION OF VILLAGERS IN THE HIGHLANDS THAT EMERGED AS THE ISRAEL WE KNOW IN THE BOOK OF JUDGES” (ABD, 1, P. 130, 1992)

  14. QUESTION: 1. DISCUSS THE SITE OF ET-TELL UNDER THE HEADINGS: A) IDENTIFICATION WITH BIBLICAL AI OF JOSH 7.2-5 AND 8.1-29; B) HISTORY OF EXCAVATIONS; C) EXCAVATION RESULTS WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON THE IRON I STRATA; D) THE PROBLEM OF THE CONQUEST OF BIBLICAL AI AND THE SITE OF ET-TELL; AND E) SOLUTION(S).

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