The Role of the Sea Peoples in the Bronze Industry of Palestine/Transjordan in the Late Bronze-Early Iron Age Transition

Abstract

On the face of it, Palestine/Transjordan would seem to be something of a “poor relation” in the general context of bronze-working centres of Western Asia, rarely exhibiting the levels of artistic excellence of its neighbours to the north, east and south. Palestine/Transjordan would seem to be an area ideally suited to a detailed evaluation of its metal producing potential. The available evidence allows us, perhaps, to construct a model for the bronze producing centres of Palestine/Transjordan during the final stages of the Late Bronze Age, and into the early Iron Age. The end of the Late Bronze Age in the Levant is one of the most confusing in the whole history of the area. Bronze statuettes, often with gold or silver embellishments, have been found at several sites, and have been interpreted variously as representations of deities or warriors, votive figures or toys.