Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Abbreviations
- I INTRODUCTION TO THE PROBLEMS
- II SOME METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES
- III AROUND THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN IN THE IRON AGE
- IV JORDAN IN THE IRON AGE
- V ISRAEL IN THE IRON AGE
- 13 Ladder of Time at Tel Reḥov: Stratigraphy, archaeological context, pottery and radiocarbon dates
- 14 Quality Control of Groningen 14C Results from Tel Reḥov: Repeatability and intercomparison of Proportional Gas Counting and AMS
- 15 The Groningen Radiocarbon Series from Tel Reḥov: OxCal Bayesian computations for the Iron IB–IIA boundary and Iron IIA destruction events
- 16 14C Results from Megiddo, Tel Dor, Tel Reḥov and Tel Hadar: Where do they lead us?
- 17 High or Low: Megiddo and Reḥov
- 18 Correlation and Chronology: Samaria and Megiddo Redux
- 19 Iron-Age 14C Dates from Tel Dan: A high chronology
- 20 Iron I Chronology at Ashkelon: Preliminary results of the Leon Levy expedition
- 21 Desert Settlement through the Iron Age: Radiocarbon dates from Sinai and the Negev Highlands
- 22 Trajectories of Iron Age Settlement in North Israel and their Implications for Chronology
- VI HISTORICAL CONSIDERATIONS
- VII CONCLUSION
- Index
17 - High or Low: Megiddo and Reḥov
from V - ISRAEL IN THE IRON AGE
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Abbreviations
- I INTRODUCTION TO THE PROBLEMS
- II SOME METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES
- III AROUND THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN IN THE IRON AGE
- IV JORDAN IN THE IRON AGE
- V ISRAEL IN THE IRON AGE
- 13 Ladder of Time at Tel Reḥov: Stratigraphy, archaeological context, pottery and radiocarbon dates
- 14 Quality Control of Groningen 14C Results from Tel Reḥov: Repeatability and intercomparison of Proportional Gas Counting and AMS
- 15 The Groningen Radiocarbon Series from Tel Reḥov: OxCal Bayesian computations for the Iron IB–IIA boundary and Iron IIA destruction events
- 16 14C Results from Megiddo, Tel Dor, Tel Reḥov and Tel Hadar: Where do they lead us?
- 17 High or Low: Megiddo and Reḥov
- 18 Correlation and Chronology: Samaria and Megiddo Redux
- 19 Iron-Age 14C Dates from Tel Dan: A high chronology
- 20 Iron I Chronology at Ashkelon: Preliminary results of the Leon Levy expedition
- 21 Desert Settlement through the Iron Age: Radiocarbon dates from Sinai and the Negev Highlands
- 22 Trajectories of Iron Age Settlement in North Israel and their Implications for Chronology
- VI HISTORICAL CONSIDERATIONS
- VII CONCLUSION
- Index
Summary
Abstract
This chapter challenges the notion that Tel Reḥov can serve as the principal anchor for Iron Age chronology. It summarizes the main shortcomings in the analysis of the second series of 14C determinations from Tel Reḥov and points to difficulties in the interpretation of the stratigraphy of the site. The chapter compares the stratigraphy of Megiddo and Tel Reḥov and shows that, in fact, the Tel Reḥov finds support the most important premise of the Low Chronology system—the dating of the ashlar palaces at Megiddo to the first half of the 9th century BCE.
Introduction
In recent years, Amihai Mazar has suggested making Tel Reḥov a principal anchor in the debate on the dating of the Iron Age strata in the Levant (Bruins, van der Plicht and Mazar 2003a; Coldstream and Mazar 2003; Mazar 1999a: 40-42; 2004; Mazar and Carmi 2001). In my opinion this cannot be the case. In what follows I wish to deal with the new data provided by Tel Reḥov and elaborate on the role of Megiddo in this discussion. Two facts call for a close look at Tel Reḥov and its stratigraphy: (1) An inter-laboratory test shows that the Weizmann and Groningen laboratories produce similar results (Sharon et al. [Chapter 6, this volume]); (2) The second Tel Reḥov series (Bruins, van der Plicht and Mazar 2003a) clearly diverts from the radiocarbon results provided by many other Iron I and early Iron II sites (Sharon et al. [Chapter 6, this volume]).
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- Information
- The Bible and Radiocarbon DatingArchaeology, Text and Science, pp. 302 - 309Publisher: Acumen PublishingPrint publication year: 2005