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  • From: Banyai AT t-online.de (Banyai)
  • To: b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Sea Peoples
  • Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2001 09:51:06 +0100


Polycarp wrote:


> I would call to the attention of those interested in the "Sea Peoples" a
> book
> by Robert Drews, _The End of the Bronze Age_, (Princeton: Princeton
> University
> Press, 1993. ISBN 0-691-02591-6), in which his thesis is that it was the
> development of a new type sword and a swarming tactic which brought about
> the
> end of the advantage of chariotry in warfare. Thereafter the chariot seems
> to
> have been relegated to the function of a "battle taxi" as it appears in
> Homer
> (Makes one wonder why Solomon was supposed to have kept a sizeable force of
> chariotry). It would seem that his opinion is that this was a phenomenon
> not
> limited to one or even several political entities but was generally found
> throughout the Mediterranian area. He appears to view them somewhat as
> opportunists seeking booty.

Reminds me the argument of J.Spanuth, "Das enträtselte Atlantis", 1953, who
made
great furror as an amateur historian with his thesis, the Sea Peoples came
from
the "Nordsee". He was quoted with some respect even by such a reputed
specialist
as F. Sommer.

He followed too the trail of this new type of sword, with much enthusisasm
and
naivety back into the European north. But overlooked the statistical data
speaking against a northern not ANE-based origin of the new technology. The
number of such swords is by far bigger in the ANE, to see anything other than
imports in the extra ANE specimens.

We probably should see the epycentrum of the new technology around Ugarit and
Cylicia, in Ugarit where also a sword prepared to be sent to Menreptah was
found.

There is however quite a difference between pointing to the emergence of a
new
military technology and the historicity of the "Sea People´s" invasion.

Best regards,

Banyai Michael





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