Sub-dividing the Iron Age IIA in northern Israel: a suggested solution to the chronological debate

“The stratigraphical sequence is exposed in several areas and the correlation between the areas is expressed by ‘horizons’ (Gilboa and Sharon 2003: 10−11, and Table 1).”

“…and III; e.g. Panitz-Cohen 2006; Mullins 2007; Gadot 2009; Martin 2013; Arie 2013b) and six Iron Age horizons (early and late Iron I, early and late IIA, IIB, and IIC—e.g. Zimhoni 2004; Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2004, 2006; Arie 2006, 2013c) for this timespan, which covers approximately a millennium.”

“…Chronology, the Iron IIA covered the period of time between circa 1000 b.c.e. and 925/900 b.c.e.—approximately the time of the supposed united monarchy (e.g., Mazar 1990; New Encyclopedia 1993, 4:1529; note that 925 b.c.e. relates to the dating of the Sheshonq I campaign according to 1 Kgs 14:25).”

“Several studies by Herzog and Singer-Avitz (2006), as well as the results of the Tel Rehov excavations, have shown that the Iron IIA can be divided into an early and a late phase.”

“…the published pottery (Gilboa and Sharon 2003:21–22, Figures 10–11) and the lack of similar “transitional” phases at other sites enables us to correlate this phase at Dor with Tel Rehov Stratum VI, namely with the early phase of Iron IIA (for this definition, see Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2006).”

“We employ here the chronological terminology proposed in Gilboa and Sharon (2003) for Phoenicia, which corresponds to the one employed in Israel (Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2006, 2011; Mazar 2011:107; Arie 2013) as follows: Ir Ia = early Iron I; Ir1b = late Iron I; Ir1/2 = early Iron IIA; Ir2a = late Iron IIA. pro-Geomet…”

“The late Iron I/Iron IIA transition in the Levant and the Euboean Middle Proto-Geometric to Late ProtoGeometric in the Aegean give three dates in the tenth century b.c.e., none of which appears to be very early in that century.”

“This chronological framework is inconsistent with current archaeological research (Mazar 2005: 24; Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2004, 2006; Fantalkin and Finkelstein 2006; Finkelstein and Piasetzky 2006); therefore his results are used here only to show the continued Egyptian material dispersion in the…”

“…before the transition and those that come immediately after it (Figure 2; Tables 2–3; for a somewhat similar idea see Sharon et al. 2007): A) the late Iron I (for this ceramic phase see Arie 2006); B) the early phase of the Iron IIA (for this ceramic phase see Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2004, 2006).”

“46 For the Early/Late Iron IIA designations, see Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2006; Arie 2013; for the local pottery from Area Q, see Kleiman (forthcoming).”

“Naturally, the size of the assemblage does not permit its assignment to one of the sub-phases of this period (Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2006; Gilboa, Sharon and Boaretto 2008).”

“This resulted in the division of the former undifferentiated Iron Age IIA into two: ‘Early Iron Age IIA’ and ‘Late Iron IIA’ (Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2004, 2006; Mazar A. 2011: 107; here Table 2).”

“To sum-up this point, all 12 Bayesian models (using only short-lived samples) available today put the Iron I/IIA transition in the late 10th century BCE (Table 1); they support the Low Chronology for the Iron Age strata and negate Mazar’s Modified Conventional Chronology as well as the proposal by Herzog and Singer-Av…”

“For comparative assemblages in the north, see Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2006; Sharon et al. 2007.”

“Several decades of abandonment may have followed, in the terminal Iron IIA (late 9th century BCE – Finkelstein 1999; Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2006).”

“…2014).19 It is also agreed that this long time stretch should be divided into two: Early Iron Age IIA and Late Iron Age IIA (e.g., Gilboa et al. 2015; Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2006; Mazar and Kourou in press).20 Yet the transition date(s) between these two sub-periods is not easy to define,…”

“This horizon equals the period recently dubbed in northern Israel “Early Iron Age IIA” (Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2006; A. Mazar 2011: 107; for the correlation, see Gilboa and Sharon 2003, esp.”

“10 For archaeological discussion of the above mentioned sites, their date and their identification with the kingdom of Israel, see also Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2006, with further references.”

“6 Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2006; Niemann 2006; Finkelstein 2013: 66; Sergi and Gadot 2017; Sergi 2019; Mazar 2020: 124.”

“…Keisan 7, Tell Abu Hawam III, Tel Yoqne>am XIV, the Ir2a horizon at Tel Dor (G/6a, D2/ 8b, B/8), Tel Megiddo VA–IVB, Levels Q-5–Q-4, H-7–H-5, K-3–K-2 and Tel Reḥov V–IV (cf. chronological discussions in Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2006; Arie 2013: 741–743; Gilboa 2018: 168; Panitz-Cohen 2020: 259–263).”

“*** It has recently become clear that the late Iron IIA was a long period, and a few chronological sub-phases could be identified within it (Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2006: 165–166; Finkelstein and Sass 2013: 152; Katz and Faust 2014: 105–106).”

“We can single out for notice the recent studies of Leonard-Fleckman (2016) and Herzog and Singer-Avitz (2004; 2006).”

“In dating the early Iron Age burials, this study follows the revised chronological framework developed by Herzog and Singer-Avitz (2006, 2011).”

“The pottery assemblage retrieved from Levels 7 – 5 at H  orvat Tevet is typical of the late Iron IIA (cf. Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2006; Arie 2013) and included Cylindrical Hole-mouth Jars (Butcher et al .”

“Further, Herzog and Singer-Avitz (2006) have demonstrated that the Iron IIA period can be broken down into an early and a late phase.”

“Lastly, it should be mentioned that artefacts with volute motifs were discovered in many Bronze and Iron Ages contexts across the Ancient Near East (Shiloh 1979, 30–41; for examples from Hazor, see Harush 2012, 566; Ornan 2017, 516–18) and these have no bearing on the dating of the stone volute capitals.4 Consequently…”

“*Occupational gap at Megiddo in the late nineth century (Finkelstein 1999; Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2006).”

“…is now by far and away the most favoured among archaeologists working in Israel, though the Low Chronology certainly still has its adherents and much of the debate now is centred on the relative dating of phases within the Iron Age IIA (e.g. Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2006; Katz and Faust 2014).”

“Finkelstein and Kleiman associate Palace 6000 and the Level Q-5 pillared building with King Baasha in the first quarter of the 9th century BCE.”

“An improved understanding of the ceramic phases, first and foremost the ability to distinguish early from late in Iron IIA by stratigraphy and ceramic typology (Herzog and Singer-Avitz 2004; 2006).”