Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Ian Hutchesson" <mc2499 AT mclink.it>]

Hi Liz,

>How are the links between Lachish and Israel determined,
>or between any town you mentioned and Israel?
>How do you recognize links between towns?

By similarities in architecture. The logic and structure of the outer
gateworks is quite similar to a number of Israelite cities including
Megiddo. The six-chambered structure that makes up the inner gate there is
found in such places as Megiddo, Hazor and Gezer.

Within gate areas in a number of cities or towns one finds "low plastered
stone benches" ranging from Dan to Kuntillat Ajrud.

>The pottery in early levels of Lachish, level IV for example,
>match early pottery at Arad. Does it match Israelian
>pottery as well? Would you expect trade to be greater among
>Judaean cities, if there was a Judea, and identical to that
>with Israelian cities if there was no Judah? Is there only trade,
>what else?

One usually expects trade to represent local conditions, a town will trade
with those towns in the same area, but I haven't had the opportunity to look
into the implications of any indications of trade as yet, so ultimately I
can't give an informed opinion regarding the tangible evidence.

However, I wouldn't like to argue that a town known as "Arad of the house of
Yeroham" (in the campaign inscription of Sheshonq I at Karnak, 10th century)
was necessarily related to some organisation you might want to call "Judaean
cities".


Cheers,


Ian