The Social Archaeology of the Levant

The volume offers a comprehensive introduction to the archaeology of the southern Levant (modern day Israel Palestine and Jordan) from the Paleolithic period to the Islamic era presenting the past with chronological changes from hunter-gatherers to empires. Written by an international team of scholars in the fields of archaeology epigraphy and bioanthropology the volume presents central debates around a range of archaeological issues including gender ritual the creation of alphabets and early writing biblical periods archaeometallurgy looting and maritime trade. Collectively the essays also engage diverse theoretical approaches to demonstrate the multi-vocal nature of studying the past.Significantly The Social Archaeology of the Levant updates and contextualizes major shifts in archaeological interpretation.