Book Reviews

BOOK REVIEWS

Hasmonean and Herodian Palaces at Jericho: Final Reports of the 1973–1987 Excavations, Volume III: The Pottery , by Rachel Bar-Nathan. Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society, 2002. Pp. xi + 284; 8 color plates. Price: $68.00. ISBN 965-221-047-1.

This is the second volume to appear (although numbered III) in a projected series of nal reports on E. NetzerÕs 1973 –1987 excavations at Herodian Jericho (Arabic Tulul Abu al-®Alayiq). It represents a revised and updated version of Bar-NathanÕs 1988 M.A. thesis ( The Pottery of Jericho in the Hasmonean Period and the Time of Herod, and the Problem of the Transition from Hasmonean Pottery Types to Pottery Types of the Time of Herod [Jerusalem: Institute of Archaeo- logy at the Hebrew University]). The volume is divided into the fol- lowing chapters: in Chapter 1, Bar-Nathan explains the methodology that she employed to create a typology and chronology for the pottery; Chapter 2 provides an overview of the stratigraphy and chronology of the Jericho palaces; in Chapters 3 –5, Bar-Nathan presents the Hasmo- nean and Herodian pottery types (coarse wares and ne wares); and Chapter 6 is a summary and conclusion. There are two appendices, one comparing the Jericho ceramic types with those from Qumran, and the second presenting all of the pottery from selected loci at Jericho. Two concordances list the Jericho pottery types according to provenience (loci) and catalogue numbers. It would have been helpful to have the pottery illustrated at the end of the volume labeled with the type numbers, as it is cumbersome to have to ip back and forth between the drawings and the text. NetzerÕs excavations at Jericho revealed the remains of a series of palaces dating to the Hasmonean and Herodian periods on the north and south banks of Wadi Qelt. According to Netzer, a Royal Estate was established at the site by John Hyrcanus I (134 –104 BCE) or per- haps by his father, Simon (143 –134 BCE). This estate consisted of an irrigated farm where crops such as dates and opobalsam were culti- vated. The only known structure associated with this phase (NetzerÕs Stage 1) is a tower (AA1) that was later incorporated into the First

Palace building (the ÒBuried PalaceÓ of Stage 2). According to Netzer, the First Palace at the site (Stage 2) was constructed by John Hyrca- nus I between 125 –115 BCE. It was deliberately buried under a mound of earth between 93 and 85 BCE. Early in the reign of Alexander Jannaeus (103 –76 BCE), a complex consisting of two swimming pools, gardens, and a pavilion was built on part of the Royal Estate (Stage 3). Later (Stage 4), while experiencing political and military di f culties (93–86 BCE), Alexander Jannaeus constructed a forti ed palace over the earlier (First) palace building, burying it in a massive ll. Salome Alexandra (76 –67 BCE) added two semi-detached mansions (the ÒTwin PalacesÓ) with swimming pools and gardens (Stage 5) to the south of the two swimming pools. During the nal years of the Hasmonean period, other additions and alterations were made to the palace complex (Stages 6 and 7). The earthquake of 31 BCE severely damaged the Hasmonean palace complex. It caused less damage to HerodÕs First Palace, which was constructed around 35 BCE (and excavated by J.M. Pritchard in 1951). Around 25 BCE, Herod constructed a Second Palace on top of the ruins of the Hasmonean palace. HerodÕs Third Palace, on the north and south banks of Wadi Qelt, was built around 15 BCE (part of it was pre- viously excavated by J.L. Kelso and D.C. Baramki). According to Josephus, HerodÕs palace at Jericho was damaged during the turmoil that followed his death in 4 BCE (Ant. 17:273 –77). Josephus mentions that Archelaus (4 BCE–6 CE) rebuilt or repaired the palace. The archae- ological evidence for damage is relatively limited, and Netzer and Bar-Nathan believe that HerodÕs three palaces were continuously used by his family until the end of ArchelausÕs reign in 6 CE. After that, the palaces probably remained under the control of the Roman procu- rators until they were destroyed by the earthquake of 48 CE. NetzerÕs chronology is dictated primarily by historical considerations, and in particular by a literal reading of Josephus. For example, Netzer (Hasmonean and Herodian Palaces at Jericho Volume I: Stratigraphy and Architecture [Jerusalem: Israel Antiquities Authority, 2001] = Netzer, 2001, below) states as follows with regard to the dating of the Hasmonean First Palace (Stage 2): ÒThe time of its burial can be established with reasonable certainty, but the nature of the material nds does not permit us to date its construction to much earlier than the days of John Hyrcanus I. On the other hand, his lengthy reign, during which the Hasmonean kingdom was consolidated, is an appro- priate background to the erection of the palace Ó (p. 335, my emphasis). Regarding the Hasmonean pools complex (Stage 3), Netzer (2001)