From the Editor: A Return to Beginnings

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Next article FreeFrom the Editor: A Return to BeginningsStephanie L. BudinStephanie L. Budin Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailQR Code SectionsMoreWhen G. Ernest Wright first established this publication in 1938 it was known as The Biblical Archaeologist, and it focused primarily on excavations in the so-called Holy Land. In the decades since this popular publication of the American Schools of Oriental Research has expanded its focus considerably, reaching out to regions from Spain to Afghanistan (Punic to Persian, if you prefer), and accordingly changed its name to Near Eastern Archaeology.In many ways this issue is like a return to beginnings. For Near Eastern Archaeology, this special topics issue focuses on the precise content with which the publication first launched—the Land of the Bible—only now with a half century’s more data and theoretical support. The subject matter is itself focused on beginnings, for here we examine in depth the period when the political entity known as the Kingdom of Israel first came into being. From a designated ethnic group (not landed people) recorded in the Egyptian Merneptah Stele of 1207 BCE, Israel emerged onto the Near Eastern political stage in what is now dubbed Iron Age I (ca. 1200–1000 BCE). By the ninth century, this kingdom could raise a cavalry capable of challenging some of its greatest rivals of the day, Aram-Syria to the north, Assyria to the east (the latter did not turn out so well).How, then, did this tiny region of highlands and fertile plains go from a people without a land to a military powerhouse, and one whose religious traditions continue to influence the modern world? The articles that follow explore this question. We begin with Finkelstein’s article on the analysis of the past two decades of archaeological excavation in Israel correlated with modern theory and biblical texts. Fleming and Monroe next consider the history and uses of the name “Israel” and how it evolved with its people in near eastern historiography and epigraphy. Both Gadot and Sergi deal with the ongoing matter of population continuity in the region of ancient Israel. How accurate were the (mutually exclusive) biblical accounts of Joshua and Judges? Did the ancient Israelites violently invade the land formerly known as Canaan? Was it a peaceful, slow infiltration? Neither of the above? Was there, instead, simply continuity from the Bronze Age? In the midst of this study comes the work of Sapir-Hen, who takes up the age-old question of what, exactly, can we really learn about pig bones in the ethnic milieu of (supposedly kosher) Israel. Weingart’s contribution once again brings us back to beginnings, considering the biblical origin tales for the rise of Israel, and with them what became the rise of biblical archaeology.Speaking of beginnings, please allow me this opportunity to introduce myself. I am Stephanie Budin, the new editor of Near Eastern Archaeology. I am an ancient historian by training, with interests in the Near East, Cyprus, and the Aegean, from the Bronze Age into the Classical period. Several years ago I had the great good fortune to co-guest edit the special topics issue on gender archaeology, which brought you female farm hands, macho eunuchs, and somewhat ambivalent cult functionaries. If you are reading this, you are probably not one of the people who wrote in to complain and cancel your subscriptions when that one came out. So, thank you for staying with us! I hope to continue the fine work of my predecessor Thomas Schneider in bringing you interesting and up-to-date articles on the lands of Akhenaten and Aštart, Omri and Ashurbanipal, and perhaps the occasional Anatolian archer and artisan.The guest editors for this special topics issue are Dr. Omer Sergi and Prof. Yuval Gadot, whose introduction to the issue can be found on pages 5–7.All Best Wishes for 2019!Stephanie L. Budin Next article DetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Near Eastern Archaeology Volume 82, Number 1March 2019The Rise of Ancient Israel A journal of ASOR Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/703317 Copyright 2019 American Schools of Oriental ResearchPDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.