Megiddo's layers tell a story of ancient civilizations. From Bronze Age Canaanites to Iron Age Israelites and Assyrians, each left their mark. Archaeologists use stratigraphy and dating techniques to piece together this complex history.

Modern excavations at Megiddo reveal new insights into its past. Teams from Tel Aviv University use cutting-edge methods to uncover the site's secrets, focusing on the Iron Age and shedding light on biblical narratives.

Chronology and Dating

Stratigraphic Principles and Relative Dating

• Stratigraphy: The study of layers (strata) of archaeological deposits to establish relative chronology
  • Based on the principle that deeper layers are older than those above them (law of superposition)
  • Allows archaeologists to determine the relative age of artifacts and features within a site
• Relative dating: Determining the chronological order of events or artifacts without assigning specific dates
  • Relies on stratigraphic relationships and typological comparisons of artifacts (ceramics, tools)
  • Establishes a sequence of events or phases, but does not provide absolute dates

Absolute Dating Techniques

• Absolute dating: Assigning specific dates or date ranges to events, artifacts, or strata using scientific methods
  • Provides a more precise chronology than relative dating
  • Commonly used methods include radiocarbon dating, dendrochronology (tree-ring dating), and thermoluminescence
• Carbon-14 dating: A radiometric dating method based on the decay of the radioactive isotope carbon-14
  • Suitable for organic materials (wood, charcoal, bone) up to ~50,000 years old
  • Helps establish absolute dates for archaeological contexts and correlate them with historical events

Archaeological Periods in the Levant

• Bronze Age (3300-1200 BCE): A period characterized by the widespread use of bronze for tools and weapons
  • Divided into Early (3300-2000 BCE), Middle (2000-1550 BCE), and Late Bronze Age (1550-1200 BCE)
  • Marked by the rise of urban centers, long-distance trade, and the development of writing systems (cuneiform, hieroglyphs)
• Iron Age (1200-586 BCE): A period defined by the increasing use of iron for tools and weapons
  • Divided into Iron Age I (1200-1000 BCE) and Iron Age II (1000-586 BCE)
  • Witnessed the emergence of territorial states (Israel, Judah, Philistia) and the spread of alphabetic writing

Cultural Periods

Canaanite Period (Middle Bronze Age to Late Bronze Age)

• Canaan: The ancient region encompassing modern-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and parts of Syria and Jordan
  • Inhabited by Semitic-speaking peoples known as Canaanites
  • Characterized by city-states, each with its own king and patron deity (Megiddo, Hazor, Gezer)
• Canaanite material culture: Distinctive pottery styles (bi-chrome ware), architectural features (city walls, palaces), and religious practices (temple cult, animal sacrifices)

Israelite Period (Iron Age to Persian Period)

• Israelite settlement: The gradual process of Israelite tribes settling in the central hill country of Canaan during the Iron Age I
  • Associated with the collapse of Late Bronze Age city-states and the emergence of new ethnic identities
  • Reflected in the appearance of new pottery types (collared-rim jars) and settlement patterns (small villages)
• Israelite monarchy: The period of the united monarchy under Saul, David, and Solomon (10th century BCE), followed by the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah
  • Marked by the construction of fortified cities (Megiddo, Hazor, Gezer), palaces, and the First Temple in Jerusalem
  • Ended with the Assyrian conquest of Israel (722 BCE) and the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem (586 BCE)

Assyrian Period (Iron Age II)

• Assyrian Empire: A powerful Mesopotamian state that dominated the Near East from the 9th to the 7th centuries BCE
  • Conquered the kingdom of Israel and exiled its population (722 BCE)
  • Established provinces and vassal states in the Levant, including Megiddo as a provincial capital
• Assyrian influence: The adoption of Assyrian cultural elements by local populations
  • Reflected in art and architecture (carved ivories, palace reliefs), administrative practices (cuneiform writing), and religious syncretism

Excavations

Tel Megiddo and Its Excavation History

• Tell: An artificial mound formed by the accumulation of human occupation debris over centuries or millennia
  • Common in the Near East, where ancient cities were often built on the ruins of earlier settlements
  • Megiddo is a prime example of a multi-period tell, with over 20 distinct strata spanning from the Neolithic to the Persian period
• Chicago excavations: The first major excavations at Megiddo, conducted by the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago (1925-1939)
  • Directed by James Henry Breasted and later by P.L.O. Guy and Gordon Loud
  • Established the basic stratigraphy and chronology of the site, but used outdated excavation methods (arbitrary levels)

Modern Excavations at Megiddo

• Tel Aviv University excavations: A long-term project at Megiddo, ongoing since 1992
  • Directed by Israel Finkelstein and David Ussishkin, later joined by Eric Cline and Mario Martin
  • Employs modern excavation techniques (stratigraphic excavation, radiocarbon dating) and interdisciplinary approaches (archaeobotany, zooarchaeology)
  • Focuses on the Iron Age levels, particularly the Israelite and Assyrian periods
• Yigael Yadin: A prominent Israeli archaeologist who conducted excavations at Megiddo in the 1960s and 1970s
  • Uncovered important Iron Age structures, including palaces, city gates, and a water system
  • Contributed to the understanding of Megiddo's role in the Israelite monarchy and its transformation under Assyrian rule