Standing the Test of Time: Impact of the Sea Peoples on Phoenician Cultural Development. By Marc Groenewald 26273706 Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree MA Ancient Languages and Cultures Faculty Humanities University of Pretoria Supervisor: Prof G. Prinsloo Co-supervisor: Prof W. Boshoff Submission Date: 08 November 2013 1 © University of Pretoria TABLE OF CONTENTS I. ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................................ 8 CHAPTER 1 ........................................................................................................................................ 10 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 10 CHAPTER 2 ........................................................................................................................................ 16 EGYPT AND THE HITTITES............................................................................................................ 16 2.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 16 2.2 THE EGYPTIANS .................................................................................................................... 17 2.2.1 Start of a Structured Society ........................................................................................... 18 2.2.2 Historical Sources on Egypt............................................................................................ 19 2.2.3 The New Kingdom ............................................................................................................ 21 2.2.4 The Egyptians and Sea Peoples .................................................................................... 21 2.3 THE HITTITES ......................................................................................................................... 22 2.3.1 Brief History ....................................................................................................................... 23 2.3.2 Hittite Monarchy, Military and Culture ........................................................................... 24 2.3.3 Hittites and the Sea Peoples .......................................................................................... 25 2.4 RELATIONS BETWEEN THESE GREAT CIVILISATIONS ............................................. 26 2.4.1 Battle of Kadesh ............................................................................................................... 26 2.5 CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................................... 27 CHAPTER 3 ........................................................................................................................................ 29 THE CANAANITES ............................................................................................................................ 29 3.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 29 3.2 UNDERSTANDING THE CANAANITES ............................................................................. 30 3.2.1 Location and Geography of Ancient Canaan ............................................................... 30 3.2.2 Who Were the Ancient Canaanites ............................................................................... 32 3.2.4 Canaanite Urban Centres leading up to the Late Bronze Age .................................. 34 3.2.5 Late Bronze Age Canaan ................................................................................................ 35 3.2.5.1 Canaan under Subjugation: Historical Sources and Settlement Patterns ........ 35 3.2.5.2 Administrative Makeup of Late Bronze Age Canaanite City-States .................. 39 3.2.6 Ugarit .................................................................................................................................. 42 3.2.6.1 Geography and Climate ........................................................................................... 44 3.2.6.2 Trade at Ugarit ........................................................................................................... 44 3.2.7 Canaanite Mythology and Religious Norms ................................................................. 45 2 © University of Pretoria 3.2.7.1 Cultic Architecture ..................................................................................................... 46 3.2.7.2 Pantheon, Belief System and Role Of The Priestly Class .................................. 46 3.3 CANAANITE MARITIME ACTIVITY ..................................................................................... 47 3.3.1 Phases of Canaanite Maritime Activity ......................................................................... 48 3.3.2 Late Bronze Age Canaanite Ships and Maritime Activity ........................................... 49 3.3.3 Bronze Age Shipwrecks .................................................................................................. 51 3.3.3.1 Uluburun ..................................................................................................................... 51 3.3.3.2 Cape Gelidonya ......................................................................................................... 53 3.3.4 General Canaanite Ship Design Features .................................................................... 54 3.3.4.1 Textual and Pictorial/Iconographic Sources ......................................................... 55 3.3.4.2 Physical Appearance of Canaanite Sailors ........................................................... 60 3.4 CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................................... 61 CHAPTER 4 ........................................................................................................................................ 62 THE PHOENICIANS .......................................................................................................................... 62 4.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 62 4.2 1200 BCE: TRANSITION FROM CANAANITE TO PHOENICIAN .................................. 62 4.3 OBSTACLES FACING COMPREHENSIVE PHOENICIAN STUDIES ........................... 64 4.4 PERSPECTIVES ON PHOENICIAN CHRONOLOGY ...................................................... 66 4.5 PHOENICIAN IDENTITY AND ORIGINS ............................................................................ 67 4.6 PHOENICIAN SETTLEMENT AND EXPANSION IN THE EARLY IRON AGE ............. 69 4.6.1 Early Expansion Theories and Reasons behind Phoenician Expansion ................. 69 4.6.2 Phoenician Urban Centres .............................................................................................. 71 4.6.2.1 Byblos ......................................................................................................................... 71 4.6.2.2 Tyre ............................................................................................................................. 72 4.7 PHOENICIAN MYTHOLOGY ................................................................................................ 73 4.7.1 Pantheon ........................................................................................................................... 73 4.7.2 Religious Architecture ...................................................................................................... 75 4.7.3 Sacrificial Practices .......................................................................................................... 75 4.7.4 Additional Considerations ............................................................................................... 75 4.8 PHOENICIAN MARITIME ACTIVITY, SHIPPING AND SHIP DESIGN .......................... 76 4.8.1 Phoenician Ship Design and Wreckages ..................................................................... 76 4.8.1.1 Iron Age Wrecks off Ashkelon: ................................................................................ 77 4.8.1.2 Wrecks as Possible Ships of Tarshish................................................................... 79 4.8.2 Phoenician Warships ....................................................................................................... 80 3 © University of Pretoria 4.8.3 More on Merchant Ships ................................................................................................. 84 4.8.4 Biblical Account ................................................................................................................ 85 4.9 NOTES ON CARTHAGE ........................................................................................................ 86 4.10 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................... 87 CHAPTER 5 ........................................................................................................................................ 88 THE SEA PEOPLES .......................................................................................................................... 88 5.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................