A Brief History of Jerusalem: From the Earliest Settlement to the Destruction of the City in AD 70

by Klaus Bieberstein

Overview

Jerusalem has been the site of some of the most intensive archaeological research. Since 1838, numerous investigations have taken place. The most important discoveries were made in the course of excavations conducted by Kathleen Kenyon, Benjamin Mazar, Nahman Avigad and Yigal Shiloh. Although all four have only published preliminary, roughly sketched initial reports, on the basis of their results an overall picture of the pre-Hellenistic history of the city was developed in the 1970s and 1980s, possessing an almost canonical status for a long time. The last excavation reports have only been published in recent years - still incomplete - and show findings which do not fit into the established picture. Moreover, there have been new excavations which are likely to call the current picture into question even further. Therefore, not only archaeological investigations into the settlement history of the western Jordanian hillcountry and the re-adjustment of pottery chronology, but also and especially these new findings in Jerusalem itself require a revision of the conventional overall picture. This Brief History of Jerusalem, with a critical discussion of current attempts, creates a synthesis of the latest findings in order to present a new paradigm for discussion.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783447107822
Publisher:	Harrassowitz Verlag
Publication date:	05/19/2017
Series:	Abhandlungen des Deutschen Palastina-Vereins , #47
Pages:	181
Product dimensions:	6.80(w) x 9.60(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Klaus Bieberstein is a professor for Old Testament Studies within the Faculty for Humanities at the University of Bamberg (Germany).

Table of Contents

Preface ix

1 Location 1

1.1 Topography 1

1.2 Springs 3

2 Names 4

2.1 "Jerusalem" 4

2.2 "Zion" 5

2.3 "City of David" 6

2.4 "Jebus" 6

3 History of archaeological research 8

3.1 Excavations during the Ottoman period (1516-1917) 8

3.1.1 Edward Robinson (1838 and 1852) 8

3.1.2 Félix de Sauley (1850/51) 9

3.1.3 Charles Wilson (1864 and 1867-1870) Charles Warren (1867-1870) 9

34.4 Conrad Schick (1846-1901) Hermann Guthe (1881) 10

3.1.5 Frederick J. Bliss and Archibald C. Dickie (1894-1897) 11

3.1.6 Montague B. Parker (1909-1911) 11

3.1.7 Raymond Weill (1913-1914) 12

3.2 Excavations during the British Mandate period (1917-1948) 12

3.2.1 Raymond Weill (1923-1924) Robert A. Macalister / John G. Duncan (1923-1925) John W. Crowfoot / Gerald M. FitzGerald (1927-1929) 12

3.2.2 Cedric N. Johns (1931-1939) Robert W. Hamilton (1931-1942) 13

3.3 Excavations during the Jordanian period (1948-1967) 13

3.3.1 Kathleen M. Kenyon (1961 - 1967) 13

3.4 Excavations during the Israeli period (since 1967) 14

3.4.1 Benjamin Mazar (1968-1978) 14

3.4.2 Nahman Avigad (1969-1982) 14

3.4.3 Yigal Shiloh (1978-1985) 15

3.4.4 Ronny Reich and Eli Shukron (1995-2010) 15

3.4.5 Eilat Mazar (2005-2007) 15

3.4.6 Doron Ben-Ami and Yana Tchekhanovets (since 2007) 16

3.5 Interim results: The conventional model of the pre-biblical and the biblical city 16

4 First traces of settlement 19

5 Jerusalem in the Bronze Age (c. 3,700-1,130 BC) 20

5.1 Early Bronze Age (c. 3,700-2,500 BC): A small settlement 20

5.1.1 Cultural horizon 20

5.1.2 Archaeological findings 20

5.1.3 Conclusions 22

5.2 Intermediate Bronze Age (c. 2,500-1,930 BC): A settlement gap 23

5.2.1 Cultural horizon 23

5.2.2 Archaeological findings 23

5.2.3 Conclusions 24

5.3 Middle Bronze Age II (c. 1,930-1,530 BC): The first fortified city 24

5.3.1 Cultural horizon 24

5.3.2 Written evidence 25

5.3.3 City wall 25

5.3.4 Water supply 30

5.3.5 The date of the city's founding 35

5.3.6 Conclusions 36

5.4 Late Bronze Age (c. 1,530-1,130 BC): 'Abdi Heba's seat of power 37

5.4.1 Cultural horizon 37

5.4.2 Written evidence 38

5.4.3 Archaeological findings 40

5.4.4 Conclusions 41

6 Jerusalem in the Iron Age (c. 1,130-587 BC) 42

6.1 Iron Age I (c. 1,130-925 BC): David's seizure of control and Solomon's possible founding of the acropolis 42

6.1.1 Cultural horizon 42

6.1.2 Archaeological findings 43

6.1.3 Biblical retrospectives 46

6.1.4 Conclusions 49

6.2 Iron Age II A (c. 925-750 BC): The extension of the acropolis attributed to Solomon 50

6.2.1 Cultural horizon 50

6.2.2 Dispersed settlement on the southeastern hill 51

6.2.3 Biblical retrospectives 57

6.2.4 Conclusions 57

6.3 Iron Age II B (c. 750-675 BC): The southwestern extension of the city under Hezekiah 59

6.3.1 Cultural horizon 59

6.3.2 Dispersed settlement on the southeastern and southwestern hills 60

6.3.3 The city wall on the southeastern and southwestern hill 63

6.3.4 Settlement within the city walls after its completion 70

6.3.5 Water supply 71

6.3.6 Biblical retrospectives 76

6.3.7 Conclusions 77

6.4 Iron Age II C (c. 675-587 BC): The City's last flowering under Josiah and its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar II 78

6.4.1 Cultural horizon 78

6.4.2 Straightening of the northern city wall 79

6.4.3 Increased settlement within the city 80

6.4.4 Biblical retrospectives 82

6.4.5 Conclusions 83

6.4.6 The city's destruction by Nebuchadnezzar II 83

6.5 Burial sites from Iron Age II A, B, and C 84

6.5.1 Burial sites of the kings of Judah 85

6.5.2 Burial sites in the Tyropoeon Valley 88

6.5.3 Burial sites in the Kidron Valley 89

6.5.4 Burial sites in the Hinnom Valley 91

6.5.5 Burial sites north of the Damascus Gate 92

7 Jerusalem in the Achaemenid, Hellenistic, and Herodian Periods 93

7.1 Achaemenid Period (539-332 BC): Rebuilding the Temple and city 93

7.1.1 Cultural horizon 93

7.1.2 Return and reconstruction of the Temple 93

7.1.3 Construction of the city walls under Nehemiah 99

7.1.4 Conclusions 104

7.2 Hellenistic-Hasmonean period (332-63 BC): A slow return to old strength 104

7.2.1 Cultural horizon 104

7.2.2 The "First Wall" 107

7.2.3 The "Second Wall" 112

7.2.4 The "Causeway" 112

7.2.5 The "Acra" 113

7.2.6 The "Baris" 114

7.2.7 The palace of Aristobulus II 115

7.2.8 Conclusions 115

7.3 Roman-Herodian period (63 BC - AD 70): From improvements under Herod the Great to the destruction by Titus 116

7.3.1 Cultural horizon 116

7.3.2 Converting the "Baris" to the "Antonia" 116

7.3.3 Theatre, "amphitheatre", and "hippodrome" 117

7.3.4 The palace of Herod the Great 118

7.3.5 The expansion of the Temple 119

7.3.6 The Theodotus Synagogue 124

7.3.7 The council-chamber and xystos 125

7.3.8 Living quarters 126

7.3.9 The "Third Wall" 127

7.3.10 Burial sites of the Hellenistic-Hasmonean and Roman-Herodian periods 128

7.3.11 The Jewish revolt against Roman occupation and the destruction of the city 132

Bibliography 135

Illustration Credits 175

Index of References to Biblical Texts 176

Index of References to Flavius Josephus 180