The Social Function of Cloth and Clothing in Israel's Tabernacle

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Social Function of Cloth and Clothing in Israel's Tabernacle University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 1-1-2014 Glorious Adornment: The Social Function of Cloth and Clothing in Israel's Tabernacle Selena Billington University of Denver Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd Part of the Biblical Studies Commons Recommended Citation Billington, Selena, "Glorious Adornment: The Social Function of Cloth and Clothing in Israel's Tabernacle" (2014). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1391. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1391 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact [email protected],[email protected]. GLORIOUS ADORNMENT: THE SOCIAL FUNCTION OF CLOTH AND CLOTHING IN ISRAEL’S TABERNACLE __________ A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the University of Denver and the Iliff School of Theology Joint PhD Program University of Denver __________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy __________ by Selena Billington June 2014 Advisor: Mark K. George ©Copyright by Selena Billington 2014 All Rights Reserved Author: Selena Billington Title: GLORIOUS ADORNMENT: THE SOCIAL FUNCTION OF CLOTH AND CLOTHING IN ISRAEL’S TABERNACLE Advisor: Mark K. George Degree Date: June 2014 ABSTRACT In the tabernacle narratives of Exodus, the LORD instructs the Israelites to build a tabernacle and to make special garments in which to consecrate Aaron (proto-type high priest) and his sons (proto-type priests). The garments are to be for Aaron’s and his sons’ “glorious adornment.” Detailed descriptions of the special garments are provided, and the description shares much in common with the descriptions of the cloths which comprise the tabernacle complex. What is there about the unique clothing of Aaron and the cloth of the tabernacle that causes Aaron and the tabernacle to be glorified? What is being said about Aaron, his sons, and the tabernacle by their being described as gloriously adorned? The fundamental premise underlying this dissertation is that the principle function of clothing is one of affirming and projecting social identity and social position. Comparing the fiber content, dyes, and weave structure of the cloths of the tabernacle to archaeological and non-biblical textual data, the tabernacle cloths are shown to be at least equivalent to the finest, most magnificent textiles made in the ANE. They are likely the major contributor to the glory and splendor of the tabernacle, surpassing the other precious materials involved. The same materials and workmanship are used in the textiles of Aaron’s consecration garments. Other specific details are given as well, concerning the multiple hems, hem pendants, and neck opening of his robe, for example. Comparing Aaron’s special garments to iconographic depictions of the clothing of other elite persons in the ii ANE, Aaron’s consecration attire clearly identifies him as on a par with kings. Biblical law forbids anyone other than Aaron’s successors as high priests from wearing similar garments. The thesis and the conclusion of this dissertation is that Aaron’s unique clothing and the other cloth furnishings of the tabernacle convey the statuses of the Aaronide (or high) priest and of the tabernacle as the one person and one place, respectively, of most elite status in the society reflected in the tabernacle narratives. The fact that the Priestly writers portray Aaron and the tabernacle in this way implies that the passages were written in the early Persian period. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am grateful to my advisor and dissertation committee chairman, Mark George, for his guidance and advice throughout my M.A. and Ph.D. studies at Iliff and the University of Denver, and in particular for his oversight of the dissertation writing process. This dissertation has been improved significantly as a result of our collegial discussions, and from the insightful and constructive feedback he has given me after his meticulous reading of every draft. I thank my dissertation committee members, Alison Schofield and Larry Conyers, for their continued advice and feedback. Mark, Alison, and Larry each wrote and evaluated one of my Comp Exams; my preparation for the exam that Larry wrote contributed to the direction taken in this dissertation. I thank Carrie Doehring for chairing the dissertation defense committee, Ted Vial for drawing my attention to Taussig’s What Color is the Sacred?, and Laura Harris for her assistance with research strategies as I was beginning this project. I thank Orit Shamir and Judy Craig for generously giving me bibliographies, my mother, Nancy Fitch, for drawing Figure 11 when circumstances at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo precluded my getting copyright permission for a formal image, and my husband, Jim Dewey, for his encouragement and support. Finally, I thank the trustees of the Elizabeth Iliff Warren Fellowship fund for the Fellowship I received in 2010-2011 in support of the research and writing of this dissertation. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................. 1 “Glorious Adornment” ............................................................................................ 1 Assumptions ............................................................................................................ 4 Assumptions about the Biblical Text .......................................................... 5 Assumptions from Anthropology ............................................................... 8 Assumptions Relevant to Historical Criticism .......................................... 10 The Plan of This Study ......................................................................................... 11 CHAPTER TWO: APPROACHES AND APPLICATIONS ........................................... 16 Clothing and Cloth as Social Indicators................................................................ 16 Anthropology of Clothing and Cloth ........................................................ 18 Anthropology of Clothing: Ronald Schwarz ................................ 18 Anthropology of Cloth: Jane Schneider and Annette B. Weiner .. 23 Ethnographic Studies of Clothing and Cloth as Social Indicators 32 Linguistics of Clothing ............................................................................. 36 Alison Lurie: The Language of Clothes (1981) ............................ 38 Claudia Bender: Die Sprache des Textilen (2008) ........................ 41 Applications .............................................................................................. 49 Color as Social Indicator ....................................................................................... 55 Anthropology of Color .............................................................................. 59 Color in the Hebrew Bible ........................................................................ 62 Athalya Brenner: Colour Terms in the Old Testament (1982) ..... 62 Color in Ancient Rome and the ANE ....................................................... 67 Meyer Reinhold: History of Purple as a Status Symbol in Antiquity (1970). ........................................................................................... 68 Abigail S. Limmer: Color in Jewelry in Iron Age II Southern Levant (2007). ............................................................................... 71 Summary ............................................................................................................... 74 CHAPTER THREE: CLOTH ........................................................................................... 77 The Textiles (and Skins) of the Tabernacle .......................................................... 80 The Hangings of the Court ........................................................................ 84 šēš mošzār) ................................. 85 ;שֵׁ ש מָשְׁ זָ ר) Twisted Fine Linen Screens for the Entrance to the Court and for the Entrance to the Tent ... 93 Tĕkēlet, ’argāmān, and Tôla‘at Šānî as Dyes ............................... 94 Tĕkēlet, ’argāmān, and Tôla‘at Šānî as (Dyed) Wool ................ 119 Use of Linen and Wool Together in a Textile ............................ 121 Roqēm Workmanship .................................................................. 128 Summary ..................................................................................... 133 The Drapery Cloths and the Pārōket of the Tabernacle ......................... 135 Cloths Used for Packing the Tabernacle Furnishings ............................. 143 Summary ................................................................................................. 149 v Placement of the Textiles within the Tabernacle ................................................ 150 Graded Holiness ...................................................................................... 154 Beyond Graded Holiness: Tabernacle as Social Space ........................... 158 Summary ................................................................................................. 161 The Makers of the Tabernacle Textiles .............................................................. 161 Named Israelite Craftsmen ..................................................................... 163
Recommended publications
  • Hasmonean Realities Behind Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles Archaeological and Historical Perspectives
    Hasmonean Realities behind Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles Archaeological and Historical Perspectives Israel Finkelstein A thorough case for a later date for of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles In this collection of essays, Israel Finkelstein deals with key topics in Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1 and 2 Chronicles, such as the list of returnees, the construction of the city wall of Jerusalem, the adversaries of Nehemiah, the tribal genealogies, and the territorial expansion of Judah in 2 Chronicles. Finkelstein argues that the geographical and historical realities cached behind at least parts of these books fit the Hasmonean period in the late second century BCE. Seven previously published September 2018, 222 pages essays are supplemented by maps, updates to the archaeological material, and Ancient Israel and Its Literature 34 references to recent publications on the topics. Paperback $32.95 Features: ISBN 9780884143079 • Analysis of geographical chapters of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles Hardcover $47.95 • Study of the Hasmonean period in the late second century BCE ISBN 9780884143086 • Unique arguments regarding chronology and historical background eISBN 9780884143093 Israel Finkelstein is Professor Emeritus of Archaeology at Tel Aviv University. He is a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities and correspondant étranger of the French Académie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres. He is the author or editor of more than 350 articles and many books, including The Forgotten Kingdom: The Archaeology and History of Northern Israel (2013). He serves as editor of the journal Tel Aviv. PURCHASES, EXAM AND DESK COPIES: REQUEST REVIEW COPIES FROM: SBL Press Customer Service SBL Press P.O. Box 2243, Williston, VT 05495 Heather McMurray, Sales Manager Phone: 802-864-6185 / 877-725-3334 (toll-free) 825 Houston Mill Road, Suite 350, Atlanta, GA 30329 Fax: 802-864-7626 Phone: 404-727-3096 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Web: www.sbl-site.org/publications .
    [Show full text]
  • Pants in Old Testament
    Pants In Old Testament Freehold and spiroid Kristos often warrant some slowpokes pungently or vitrified mendaciously. Boric and nitrogenous Saunderson fumbled, but Cyrille slap-bang demonising her publican. Bouffant Spiro goose spicily. Can to jezreel, the conclusions of god to pay their pants in pants old testament that he dies to him So the reasoning against not general to resolve the OT laws is inconsistent There are lots of verses in the Bible that determined that the name Testament. Men's clothing in biblical times Ancient israelites Bible. So Why shouldn't I had pants Truth my Home. Of my whole church member wearing shorts even with compression pants underneath. This bounty is the first suffer a series called What I severe The Bible Says About them exist if people all follow Jesus and want so know. The tournament it people sometimes said that women per not wear trousers is straw we. Biblical clothing HiSoUR Hi sometimes You Are. What did Jesus wear The Conversation. 10 Common Myths About the Headcovering Biblical. Poll was a year wear then without disobeying the bible. If glove wearing suits trousers not covering their heads are sins in. Scriptures Prohibiting the contrary of council by Women. When black women start with pants Britannica. There is a passage in making Old Testament give some unique to address the matter of women in pants or jeans A feat must not mostly men's. Clothing as big picture quality one's floor before God face the Old rite In Genesis 31-13 we happy that Adam and Eve was aware of their nakedness after.
    [Show full text]
  • 4-H Crocheting Project Member Guide
    4-H Crocheting Project Member Guide Crocheting is one of the oldest needlework arts. To crochet means to form yarn or thread into a fabric using a hook. Its name comes from the French word croche, meaning “hook.” The crochet hook was one of many tools first used to make delicate lace. As time went on, more stitches and designs came into being, and crocheting became a separate art. Crocheting appeals to many people because it can be used to make a variety of creations, such as scarves, caps, vests, sweaters, purses, belts, lace, doilies, tablecloths, afghans, pillow covers, and bedspreads. In the 4-H Crocheting Project, you can learn to: • Crochet articles for yourself and others • Select, use, and care for crocheting tools • Work and share with others in your club • Keep simple records of your project and activities The 4-H Crocheting project is divided into six phases. Skills to learn and suggested articles to make are on page 2. Your club leader will teach you how to do basic crochet stitches and help you find patterns to use as you learn. When you reach the advanced phases, you’ll need to choose patterns from a variety of pattern books, needlework books, and magazines. You can find these at newsstands, notions counters, fabric stores, or specialty shops that sell yarn and thread. If you want to show others what you learn in the Crocheting project, check with your leader about exhibiting articles at fairs or other community events. If you make an article to wear, you might like to model in your county 4-H fashion revue.
    [Show full text]
  • October 2018
    YMOCT18Cover.FINAL:Layout 1 11/1/18 5:21 PM Page CV1 CAN YOU KEEP BE THE LISTEN A SECRET? CHANGE UP! Protect shared The retail Podcasts get you information with landscape is inside the heads of a nondisclosure changing your customers— agreement. quickly.Are literally. you ready? OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018 2019: A YARN ODYSSEY FREE COPY DelicatE wslavender eucalyptus grapefruit unscented jasmine h p teatmen o you in ashable YMN1018_Eucalan_AD.indd 1 10/23/18 12:49 PM Plymouth Yarn Pattern #3272 Drape Front Cardi Plymouth Yarn Pattern #3272 Drape Front Cardi 60% Baby Alpaca 25% Extrafine Merino 15% Yak 60% Baby Alpaca 25% Extrafine Merino 15% Yak WWW.PLYMOUTHYARN.COMWWW.PLYMOUTHYARN.COM YMN1018_Plymouth_AD.indd 1 10/23/18 12:48 PM YMOCT18EdLetter.FINAL:Layout 1 10/31/18 2:24 PM Page 2 EDITOR’S LETTER Looking Back, Looking Forward ROSE CALLAHAN Where were you five years ago? It was the fall of 2013. Some of you may not have even owned your business in the yarn industry yet, while others of you had been at it for well over 20 years. Some of you had not yet become parents; others were close to becoming empty nesters. A lot can change in five years, but of course, a lot can stay the same. Five years ago, Yarn Market News made a change. Because of dwindling advertising dollars, we announced that we would be publishing three issues a year instead of five. And this issue marks our first all-digital issue, born out of both a desire to go green and to help the magazine’s struggling bottom line.
    [Show full text]
  • Start Spinning: Everything You Need to Know to Make Great Yarn Ebook
    START SPINNING: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO MAKE GREAT YARN PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Maggie Casey | 120 pages | 01 Apr 2008 | Interweave Press Inc | 9781596680654 | English | Loveland, CO, United States Start Spinning: Everything You Need to Know to Make Great Yarn PDF Book To make two-ply yarn, take two singles strands or both ends of the same strand , attach them both to your spindle, and twist them around each other in the opposite direction from how you originally spun them. When you spin, you put twist into fibres so that they hold together to form a continuous thread. Navajo Plying - Making a three-ply yarn 8. Designed to appeal to the beginning spinner, tips and hints are provided that illustrate how easy, enjoyable, and relaxing spinning can be. When I was in Kenya, women spun Romney wool chiefly "in the grease," but it often locked in large amounts of dirt in the process. Spin spin spin! Covers fiber characteristics, preparation and spinning, choosing a wheel, and crafting the finished yarn into useful and attractive pieces. I Made It! Leave the original loop of fiber anchored on the spindle hook. Description If you are a knitter or crocheter looking to take the step from just using manufactured yarn to making your own this is a great book to get you started. A bunch of loose fibers will fall apart if you pull on their ends. Launching a Patreon! First and foremost, you want a balanced drop spindle that spins true. Either one will do just fine to learn on. It is also much easier to learn to spin wool than silk, or cotton and other vegetable fibres.
    [Show full text]
  • Senior Textile Artist Badge Workshop
    Senior Textile Artist Badge Workshop An At-Home Program GSCCC Senior Textile Artist Badge Workshop (At-Home) • When you see fabrics, yarn, or string off all colors and textures what do you think of? Do you envision all of the things you could create? Let’s turn those visions into reality! Program Outline Materials: - Computer - Internet access - Materials for craft of choice Step 1: Choose your textile art There are a number of textile arts in the world from macramé to crocheting to quilting and much more. In this step you will be doing some research to learn about a textile art that you find interesting and that you would like to learn. Some of the most common textile arts are macramé, embroidery, cross-stitch, needlework, knitting, crocheting, weaving, and quilting. Do some research to find out about these or other textile arts. Below are some helpful links to start with. Here are a few links to get your search started – crochet, macramé, embroidery, weaving. Click here to see what some current textile artists are doing. Step 2: Find your tools and materials Now that you have chosen your art, you need to gather materials. Crocheting needs crochet hooks and yarn. Embroidery needs needles, embroidery floss, hoops, and fabric. Do some research about what you will need for your chosen textile art form. What all is involved? Do you know anyone who already has the supplies? Would they be willing to lend you some materials? Below are some great resources to learn about materials needed for the most common textile arts.
    [Show full text]
  • Elegant Shoulderette ¤ 1999 by Leef Bloomenstiel
    1 Elegant Shoulderette ¤ 1999 by Leef Bloomenstiel This shrug pattern can be a wel- come addition to any wardrobe. It can be worn as a dressy acces- sory, or look equally well with jeans. It is not a tight fitting shrug, but more loosely fitted with an ele- gant drape. The pattern will fit a wide range of sizes, but you must take your arm span measurement first. Stand with your arms com- fortably at your side, and measure from the top of your wrist (where you like the cuffs of your sweaters to fit) up your arm to the top of the shoulder, over the shoulder and to the middle of your back, to the nape of the neck. Write this measurement down as you will re- fer to it often. The pattern is knit sideways from the left wrist STITCH LEGEND to the right wrist. There is a garter stitch border ———————————— at both the top and bottom. The top garter K - knit stitch border is gently increased to provide a P - purl fold back collar, and the center panel is in- st - stitch creased from the arms to cover the length of sts- stitches the back from the neck, to the lower middle M1 - make one (an increase) RS - right side of the back. The directions are given for the WS - wrong side first half of the sweater, as the second half is k2tog - knit 2 sts together knitted exactly the same as the first half, with p2tog - purl 2 sts together decreases where increases were made. PM - place marker The use of a row counter is highly recommended.
    [Show full text]
  • Bible Challenge 2014 Going Deeper – Questions for Readings Week 6
    Bible Challenge 2014 Going Deeper – Questions for Readings Week 6 What is the covenant that is made between God and the Israelites at Mount Sinai? What does God promise the Israelites? What do the Israelites promise God? How do the Ten Commandments fit into this covenant agreement? (Exodus 19:1-20:17; 23:23-24:8) List the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17). What is the meaning and purpose of each commandment? Which commandment or commandments do you find easiest to obey and follow? Why? Which are the most difficult for you to obey and follow? Why? How does God appear to the Israelites on Mount Sinai? How do they react to God’s presence? How does this impact the relationship between God and the Israelites? (Exodus 20:18-20) Why do you think the laws in Exodus 21-23 (which follow the Ten Commandments) are so detailed in nature? What would they have meant for the Israelites who came out of slavery in Egypt? What, if anything, do these laws mean for you today? Was there one particular law in these chapters that caught your attention more than some of the others? Why? What are the three festivals that the Israelites are supposed to hold each year (Exodus 23:14-19)? What is the purpose of each festival? What is the Tabernacle? Why was it so important to the Israelite community in the wilderness? Why do you think the instructions for its construction were so detailed? Who was allowed in the Tabernacle? Why? Who was not allowed in the Tabernacle? Why? (Exodus 25-29) What is contained in the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:10-16)? What was the purpose
    [Show full text]
  • Mechanism and Formation of Woven Selvage Lines
    Mechanism and Formation of Woven Selvage Lines By Sei Uchiyama, Member,TMSJ Takatsuki Institute, Toyobo Co., Ltd. Takatsuki, Osaka Pref. Basedon Journalof the TxetileMachinery Society of Japan, Vol.19, No.11, T284-289(1966); Vol.19, No. 12, T309-315 (1966); Vol.20, No. 2, T49-56 (1967) ; Vol.20 , No.2, T57-60 (1967) Abstract This article discussestheoretically the mechanismof a woven selvage line and establishesbasic knowledgeabout, among other things, its dynamic construction, the differencesbetween the selvage and the body of a fabric, the process of stabilizingthe form of a selvage. interlaced to form a selvage is x,=C. This location 1. Introduction is a function of T-,, a force which pulls the selvage- formation point to the left ; and of T+,, a force which This work is an attempt to clarify the weaving pulls that point to the right. mechanism of a selvage as part of a research into the xi=f (T-1, T+1) .........(1) function of weaving. Seldom is the selvage of a fabric Assume that, with the progress of weaving cycles, specially woven. It is a by-product, so to say, of a fabric. xi transforms into, sucessively, x2, x3 and x; and is However, it should not be ignored, because it improves stabilized on reaching xn. xi, an optional point x at that the quality of a fabric, protects its ground and facili- time, is given as a function of xi-1. That is, tates the processing and handling of the fabric. It is xi=~5i-i(xi-,) believed, therefore, that establishing a theoretical basis xi-1=~Si-2(xi-2) for obtaining a uniform selvage is an undertaking of Also, practical value and will help to expand the range of x1~x2C"' "'.xi-1Cxi+1"' "'xn=xn+j reseach into weaving.
    [Show full text]
  • The Department of Marine Biology Alumni Newsletter Keeping in Touch with the Marine Biology Department After You Graduate
    The Department of Marine Biology Alumni newsletter Keeping in touch with the Marine Biology Department after you graduate H. Nativ July 2020 Dear students and alumni, We had an exceptionally interesting and challenging academic year. We have started the year with a new faculty member, Dr. Tal Luzzatto Knaan, an expert in marine metabolomics, who studies microbial chemical communication in the sea. Our international MSc program was opened and currently our department has grown to about 60 MSc and PhD students from all over the world. Special greeting to our recently graduated students and to our three fresh PhDs: Dr. Maya Britstein, who has joined a start-up company (see below), Dr. Yotam Popovich, who has been very busy in disinfection and prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic in the last few month and Dr. Sophi Marmen, who continued to postdoctoral research. As in previous years, this past fall we had another wonderful academic get-together that included excellent talks and posters. It was a great joy for me to be part of such an event, providing a unique opportunity to get to know the new students and to learn more about each other in an informal setting. The 7th Haifa Conference on the Mediterranean Sea Research “Food from the Sea – Towards 2050 and beyond” took place in January, headed by Prof. Muki Shpigel, Prof. Ariel Diamant and Dr. Amir Neori, who have joined our Department as Research Fellows. Spring 2020 was a very unique semester, as we had to navigate through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. This has been a challenge for everyone involved, students, faculty and staff.
    [Show full text]
  • Fisher, Memories of The
    Memories of the Ark: Texts, Objects, and the Construction of the Biblical Past By Daniel Shalom Fisher A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Near Eastern Studies in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Professor Ronald Hendel, Chair Professor Robert Alter Professor Benjamin Porter Professor Daniel Boyarin Professor Ann Swidler Summer 2018 Copyright © 2018 by Daniel Shalom Fisher, All Rights Reserved. 1 Abstract Memories of the Ark: Texts, Objects, and the Construction of the Biblical Past by Daniel Shalom Fisher Doctor of Philosophy in Near Eastern Studies University of California, Berkeley Professor Ronald Hendel, Chair This dissertation constructs a cultural biography of the Ark of the Covenant, exploring through it the close, but often complicated, relationships that have existed between objects and collective memory in Biblical and ancient Jewish societies. The project considers the different ways in which Biblical writers and interpreters have remembered the Ark as a “real thing,” forming it, mobilizing it, and making meaning with it—largely in its absence after its likely loss in the 6th century BCE. From Exodus to Chronicles and in works of biblical interpretation through the Mishnah, this project explores how these writers reimagine the Ark to craft visions for their people’s future through their people’s past. The project is structured around five interrelated case studies from the Ark’s mnemohistory, considering different dimensions of cultural memory’s entanglement in material culture. Each case study draws upon and enriches text-, source-, and redaction-critical approaches, investigating the growth and reshaping of biblical writings as creative memory work.
    [Show full text]
  • Three Conquests of Canaan
    ÅA Wars in the Middle East are almost an every day part of Eero Junkkaala:of Three Canaan Conquests our lives, and undeniably the history of war in this area is very long indeed. This study examines three such wars, all of which were directed against the Land of Canaan. Two campaigns were conducted by Egyptian Pharaohs and one by the Israelites. The question considered being Eero Junkkaala whether or not these wars really took place. This study gives one methodological viewpoint to answer this ques- tion. The author studies the archaeology of all the geo- Three Conquests of Canaan graphical sites mentioned in the lists of Thutmosis III and A Comparative Study of Two Egyptian Military Campaigns and Shishak and compares them with the cities mentioned in Joshua 10-12 in the Light of Recent Archaeological Evidence the Conquest stories in the Book of Joshua. Altogether 116 sites were studied, and the com- parison between the texts and the archaeological results offered a possibility of establishing whether the cities mentioned, in the sources in question, were inhabited, and, furthermore, might have been destroyed during the time of the Pharaohs and the biblical settlement pe- riod. Despite the nature of the two written sources being so very different it was possible to make a comparative study. This study gives a fresh view on the fierce discus- sion concerning the emergence of the Israelites. It also challenges both Egyptological and biblical studies to use the written texts and the archaeological material togeth- er so that they are not so separated from each other, as is often the case.
    [Show full text]