Ashkelon 4 HARVARD SEMITIC MUSEUM PUBLICATIONS Lawrence E. Stager, General Editor Michael D. Coogan, Director of Publications FINAL REPORTS OF THE LEON LEVY EXPEDITION TO ASHKELON Series Editors Lawrence E. Stager and J. David Schloen 1. Ashkelon 1: Introduction and Overview (1985–2006) edited by Lawrence E. Stager, J. David Schloen, and Daniel M. Master 2. Ashkelon 2: Imported Pottery of the Roman and Late Roman Periods by Barbara L. Johnson 3. Ashkelon 3: The eventhS Century B.C. by Lawrence E. Stager, Daniel M. Master, and J. David Schloen 4. Ashkelon 4: The ronI Age Figurines of Ashkelon and Philistia by Michael D. Press THE LEON LEVY EXPEDITION TO ASHKELON ASHKELON 4 The Iron Age Figurines of Ashkelon and Philistia By Michael D. Press Winona Lake, Indiana EISENBRAUNS 2012 Ashkelon 4: The Iron Age Figurines of Ashkelon and Philistia by Michael D. Press Copyright © 2012 President and Fellows of Harvard College All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Distributed by Eisenbrauns PO Box 275 Winona Lake, IN 46590-0275 http://eisenbrauns.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Press, Michael D. Ashkelon 4 : the Iron age figurines of Ashkelon and Philistia / by Michael D. Press. pages ; cm. — (Final reports of the Leon Levy expedition to Ashkelon ; 4) “This monograph is a revision of my 2007 dissertation, ‘Philistine Figurines and Figurines in Philistia in the Iron Age’”—Ecip introduction. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-57506-942-5 (alk. paper) 1. Ashkelon (Israel) 2. Ashkelon (Israel)—Antiquities. 3. Excavations (Archaeology)—Israel—Ashkelon. 4. Material culture—Israel—Ashkelon. 5. Figurines, Prehistoric—Israel—Ashkelon. 6. Iron age—Israel—Ashkelon. I. Title. DS110.A76A752 2011 933′.49—dc23 2012034576 The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984. ♾ ™ Shelby White and Leon Levy The Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon is indebted to the vision and support of Leon Levy and Shelby White. Its ongoing publications are underwritten by a grant from the Leon Levy Foundation. CONTENTS Editors’ Preface ix Author’s Preface xi Abbreviations xiii 1. Introduction 1 2. Theoretical Issues 5 3. History of Research 15 4. Method 23 5. Catalogue 39 6. Typology and Iconography 141 7. Contextual Studies 191 8. Synthesis: Summary, Conclusions, Prospects 221 Appendix: Chronological Charts 225 Phase Plans Showing Findspots of Catalogued Items 227 Bibliography 237 Index 259 Catalogue Entry Index 261 EDITORS’ PREFACE N 2007, Michael Press capped his splendid aca- Press’s entire project rests on the many excavators Idemic career at Harvard in the Department of and registrars who discovered the figurines addressed Near Eastern Languages and Civilization with a in this study. Just as their dedicated work created this “high honors” Ph.D. thesis entitled, “Philistine set of figurines, Press’s careful study honors their ex- Figurines and Figurines in Philistia in the Iron cavation work. Throughout this study, covering nearly Age.” Now he has revised and expanded that six centuries of Philistine life, the archaeological con- work into Ashkelon 4: The Iron Age Figurines of texts of the figurines are stressed as much as their form Ashkelon and Philistia. This is the fourth volume and decoration. To have an archaeological context for in the publication series that constitutes the final more than 200 figurines is in itself extremely rare and report of the Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon. an extraordinary achievement thanks to the precise ex- Here, for the first time, he publishes the complete cavation and recording of these small objects by the Iron Age corpus of terracotta anthropomorphic and Ashkelon field staff over the past 25 years. zoomorphic figurines from the Leon Levy Expedition. All aspects of this volume have taken place under Adapting a methodology of typology, iconography, the auspices of the Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon. and iconology pioneered by Erwin Panofsky, Press The work from 1985–2004 was sponsored by Leon lays out in detail his theoretical framework for analyz- Levy and Shelby White, and the work from 2007 to ing and understanding the figurines of Ashkelon and the present continues to be supported by the Leon those from Philistine cultures. Press’s exposition of his Levy Foundation. The Leon Levy Expedition has also method and theory toward this particular corpus could been sponsored by Harvard University, the Semitic easily be applied to the coroplastic art of many other Museum, and later by Boston College, Wheaton cultures. College, and recently Troy University. With an uncanny eye for form and detail, Press eliminates some old favorites, such as the “mourning Lawrence E. Stager figurine,” and defines anew such dominant categories Concord, Massachusetts as the “standing lady with upraised arms” (Psi figu- rines) and the “seated or enthroned lady” (nicknamed Daniel M. Master “Ashdoda”). Wheaton, Illinois August 2012 AUTHOR’S PREFACE HIS monograph is a revision of my 2007 dis- in storage in that museum. Debi Ben-Ami, Iron Age Tsertation, “Philistine Figurines and Figurines and Persian Period curator at the IAA Storehouses in in Philistia in the Iron Age.” As a result, I must first Beth Shemesh, graciously helped me to view pub- of all thank the members of my dissertation com- lished and unpublished figurines from a variety of mittee—Lawrence Stager, David Mitten, and Peter sites. I am indebted to Rachael Sparks, keeper at the Machinist—for their input and encouragement in hav- Institute of Archaeology, University College, London, ing me convert the dissertation into a monograph. In whose valuable support made it possible to both ac- particular I would like to single out Prof. Stager for cess and understand the large assemblage of figurines his years of advice and patient guidance and for pro- from Flinders Petrie’s old excavations at Tell Jemmeh viding me a forum for publication within the series and Tell el-Far«ah (S). I am also indebted to Felicity of studies of the Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon Cobbing, curator of the Palestine Exploration Fund, Final Reports. I should also thank Prof. Mitten for his for allowing me to study figurines and figurine casts unwavering support in the process of completing my in their collection. dissertation and Prof. Machinist for his extensive set In addition, I have benefited immensely from dis- of constructive comments. cussions about the figurines with a series of colleagues One of the most rewarding aspects of this project and friends. Most valuable were correspondence and was interacting with a number of archaeologists who conversations with Assaf Yasur-Landau and David were particularly helpful and accommodating. Sy Ben-Shlomo; both of them offered valuable insights Gitin, Eliezer Oren, and Aren Maeir were gracious based on their detailed knowledge of the Iron I enough to allow me access to unpublished figurine Philistine figurines in particular, and Philistine mate- collections from Tel Miqne-Ekron; Tel Sera«, Tel rial culture more generally. Erin Darby was generous Haror, and Ruqeish; and Tell eṣ-Ṣafi, respectively. In with her knowledge of Judean pillar figurines, and of addition, they were always willing to discuss aspects figurines more generally. I am also happy to acknowl- of the terracottas and offer further suggestions. Aaron edge helpful comments from and discussions with Burke and Martin Peilstöcker invited me to publish Adam Aja, Kate Birney, Brian Brisco, Susan Cohen, Iron and Bronze Age figurines from the Kaplan ex- Jean-Baptiste Humbert, Ely Levine, Daniel Master, cavations of Jaffa and graciously allowed me to use Dalit Regev, and Seong-Hyun Park. them for this study prior to publication. Joe Uziel and A word of thanks is also due to the illustrators re- Rona Avissar provided invaluable assistance in sorting sponsible for the drawings and photographs of the through the Ṣafi collection. Anna de Vincenz took the figurines. The figurine drawings were made by Anna time to help me sort through figurines from Miqne. Proctor, Cathy Alexander, and Noga Zeʼevi; the Jacob Huster helped me with unpublished drawings photographs were taken by Zev Radovan. All draw- and photographs of figurines from Ḥorvat Hoga and ings and photographs are courtesy of the Leon Levy shared some of his unsurpassed knowledge of that Expedition to Ashkelon. I am most grateful to the site. Prior to the publication of their volumes, Yuval Leon Levy Expedition and to these individuals for the Gadot and Marta Guzowska graciously provided me use of this material. with unpublished manuscripts and information con- Most importantly, I am privileged to be able to cerning figurines from Aphek, Area X, and Ephraim acknowledge the support of my family: my parents, Stern shared drawings and information on figurines my sisters, and my wife Arlene. Beyond their moral from Dor. support and encouragement, I am grateful to my fa- I was also able to have access to unpublished or ther Stephen for reading over much of the text of my underpublished figurines from Philistia and its imme- dissertation in its final stages of preparation and to diate vicinity in several museums and storage facili- Arlene for assistance in formatting the tables and fig- ties, thanks to the help and cooperation of several col- ures. Without their help, the completion of this project leagues. In particular, Alegre Savariego, curator of the would not have been possible. Rockefeller collections, provided most valuable as- sistance in studying figurines (from Tell Jemmeh, Tell Michael D. Press el-«Ajjul, Tell el-Far«ah [S], and Gezer) which were Fayetteville, Arkansas August 2012 ABBREVIATIONS AA American Anthropologist AAA Athens Annals of Archaeology AASOR Annual of the American Schools of Oriental Research AJA American Journal of Archaeology AJBA Australian Journal of Biblical Archaeology ANET3 Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, 3d ed.