Table of Contents Syria and Turkey Study Tour Page David Merling (Curator of the Horn Archaeological Museum) and Paul Ray (the Publications Director of the Institute of Archaeology), led a study tour to Syria and Turkey from Syria and Turkey 1 May 27-June 18. Participating in the tour were four Ph.D. students from Andrews University including Robert Bates and Efrain Velazquez, both Museum staff, as well as Alexandru Breja Bienkowsky at AU 2 and Gregory Arutyunyan. Drs. Merling and Ray brought the students to various archaeological sites which are important for understanding the ancient world (including Qadesh on the Hester Thomsen 3 Orontes, Carchemish, Troy, the Cilician Gates, Alaça Höyük and Kanish/Karum) and biblical history (Haran, Damascus and Aleppo). At a number of the sites (Ugarit, Ebla, Mari, Hattusa Random Survey 4 [Bogasköy], Alalakh, Sultan Tepe and Edessa [Urfa]) archives of cuneiform tablets or ancient manuscripts have been excavated which have shed light on Ancient Near Eastern backgrounds. In terms of New Testament history, five of the seven churches (Laodicea, Ephesus, Sardis, Thyatira and Pergamum) of the book of Revelation were visited as well as well as Colossae (of the book of Colossians), Hierapolis (also mentioned in the same book [4:13]) Tarsus, Antioch, Troas and Iconium (Konya). A few sites (Dura Eropus, Palmyra, Krak Castle and Istanbul) con- nected with the Roman, Byzantine and Islamic periods were also visited. Besides going through the archaeological museums at Damascus, Alaça Höyük, Antioch and Istanbul, the students were able to visit such places as the Hagia Sophia church-museum in Istanbul and some histori- cal mosques in Damascus and Istanbul, as well as tasting the foods and experiencing the unique culture of the Middle East which features a mixture of both the old and the new. On the more INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY HORN ARCHAEOLOGICAL academic side, teachers and students had the opportunity for lively discussions about technical MUSEUM aspects of the things that they saw such as the historical events that occurred at the sites which NEWSLETTER (continued on p. 2) Paul J. Ray, Jr. Editor David Merling Assoc. Editor Randall W. Younker Assoc. Editor Robert D. Bates Asst. Editor The Newsletter is published four times a year by the Institute of Archaeology, Andrews University. Annual subscription price is $7.50. Museum membership, subscription, and editorial correspon- dence should be addressed to the Horn Archaeological Museum, Institute of Archaeology, Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI 49104-0990, Telephone 616-471-3273, Fax 616-471- 3619, e-mail [email protected]. Volume 22.2 Spring 2001 ISSN 1095-2837 Reconstruction of “Palace G” at Ebla where many tablets were discovered were visited, aspects of the archaeological excavations and textually (biblical and extrabiblical) related issues. This type of hands-on experience is an important way of broadening the experience of students beyond what they are able to get from books and lectures alone. An additional advantage of the tour was the opportunity to broaden the digital archival holdings of the Museum. (Paul J. Ray, Jr.) Bienkowski at Andrews Piotr Bienkowski, curator of the Egyptian and Near Eastern Antiquities of the National Museums and Galleries in Group photo in Turkey. From left to right: Bob Bates, Gregory Arutyunyan, Paul Ray, David Merling, Alex Breja, Efrian Velazquez Liverpool, England spoke for the Horn one thousand years. These mining cen- shared resources and had arrangements Museum Lectureship series. His lecture ters could be associated with nonseden- for crossing each other’s territory. Some entitled, “Tribes, Towns, and Trade: The tary pastoral-nomadic groups. In addition, of these tribes controlled the trade Late Iron Age in Southern Jordan and the the complex mixture of ceramic assem- between Edom and the main ports on the Negev” was presented on November 27, blages at sites like En- azeva, orvat Mediterranean coast occasionally they 2000 in the Architecture Amphitheater at ‘ • • Qitmit and Malhata suggest that Edom even raided along this same trade route. Andrews University. and other Transjordanian Iron Age states Most tribes had some special relationship Dr. Bienkowski believes that recent were essentially kingdoms with a large with the intermediate towns between evidence from the Southern Negev and pastoral-nomadic component. These Edom and the Mediterranean coastal Edom explains the increase in settlements groups may be mentioned in some cities. These towns served as gathering during the Late Iron Age. This new evi- Egyptian inscriptions associated with places or “gateways” to the outside dence may be suggesting that beginning early mining sites in the area. The late 9th world. They served as points of contact in the early Iron Age mining centers start- century B.C. mining centers in Edom pre- between the civilized world and pastoral- ed to emerge after an absence of nearly cipitated in an intensification of settle- ists. In the eighth century B.C. they ment during this period. These settle- included Beersheba, and in the seventh ments included a mixture of pastoralist, century B.C. Malhata and possibly Tall semi-sedentary agriculturalists and miners al-Khalayfi. Tell Jemmeh and Tell Sera, involved in copper production, and by the situated between the Beersheba Valley late 8th century B.C. gradually expanded and Gaza, may have been Assyrian their settlements throughout the Southern administrative centers established for the Negev and Edom. This expansion also purpose of controlling Assyrian interests coincided with the rise of the Late in Arabian trade and to integrate the Assyrian empire and its interest in copper tribes in the region. Though these pastoral production and the Arabian trade. groups may have been under the control To explain the interaction between of a “central” government, as tribal soci- the largely pastoral-nomadic component eties their primary affiliation was to kin- emerging in the Southern Negev and groups within the tribes and not to states. Edom in the Late Iron Age, Dr. Alliances with city states were flexible. Bienkowski has developed a basic embry- To ensure loyalty, imperial powers like onic model. He suggests that there were Assyria initially tried to control these several tribal groupings that lived in dif- tribal groupings through conquest. This Bienkowski at Busayra ferent core areas but moved, overlapped, method proved unsuccessful. Later, efforts including integration and having the tribal societies provide services were Hester Thomsen more successful. Chilson According to Bienkowski, all the evi- dence suggests that Edom and the Negev The Madaba Plains Project and its were occupied by nonsettled pastoral participants mourn the death of Hester nomadic groups. By the late eighth centu- Thomsen Chilson, who passed away in ry B.C., a combination of copper mining, Walla Walla, Washington on February 27, the Assyrian peace and the Arabian trade 2001 of a massive stroke. had intensified settlement in Edom, which Hester served as pottery registrar for became the independent kingdom with its all five seasons of excavation at Hisban capital at Busayra. from 1968 through 1976 and began the Edom was at the heart of tribal and first ‘Umayri season (1984) in the same pastoralist society during the late Iron position. Following the 1994 excavations Age. This was not, however, a monolithic at ‘Umayri, Hester volunteered to help nation state. It was a kingdom made up of restore the large collared pithoi that were largely independent tribal groupings held in thousands and thousands of pieces. together by bonds of cooperation and alle- Over the past several years she had been Hester drawing mosaics, Hisban 1968 giance. They did not give up the pastoral- instrumental in organizing the laboratory ist life but developed a combined migra- for this reconstruction project, beginning Madaba Plains Project, her countless tory and settled existence. The settlements the process of restoring what may turn out hours of hard work are still represented in that did exist were primarily the result of to be 65 or 75 jars. She supervised several the tiny ink notations on thousands of pot- Assyrian incursion into the region and community volunteers and college stu- sherds.” When problems arose “she Assyria’s interest in copper and the dents in their work. In addition, she solved them quickly and with wisdom. Arabian trade, but these settlements were trained the person who has now taken The workers she supervised never grum- temporary. Once the Assyrian Empire over the task of supervising volunteers in bled and the work was always done on began to decline and its interest in the the lab. time,” Larry Herr remembers. area subsided, the Edomite state did not In the course of her three decades of Her mark on the MPP excavations, continue much longer. Though some set- work with the Madaba Plains Project, she processing of finds and publication of tlement may have continued into the has likely touched, cleaned, glued and ceramics, is incalculable and indelible. Persian period, evidence from nearly registered more sherds of pottery than any The world of biblical archaeology owes a every excavated site shows a clear gap other single person. She did her work substantial debt of gratitude to this steady, between Edomite and later Nabataean set- with mind-numbing attention to detail, industrious and quiet force working tlements. (Robert D. Bates) intense industry and amazing efficiency. behind the scenes to enhance our under- Lawrence T. Geraty says, “As the one standing of and appreciation for the pot- who founded the pottery process for the tery of the ancient Near East. The loss of her friendship and loyalty leaves a huge hole. Our sympathies go to her family and friends. The family has established a scholar- ship fund in the name of Hester Thomsen Chilson at both the Horn Archaeological Museum and Walla Walla College for stu- dents wanting to participate in MPP exca- vations.