REL 260 : "Archeology and Biblical Interpretation"

 

Course Description

How does one use archeology and historical data to interpret the Hebrew Bible? This course is designed to answer that question. The course will provide an orientation to the methods and resources of the scientific study of archeology in the lands of the Bible as well as present and overview of the archeological data from the pre-exilic period (the Late Bronze III Age through the Irono IICAge). Methodological discussion will be combined with slidelectures and the focused study of a diverse selection of texts from the Hebrew Bible. Areas C and G. Spring semester, even years (J-Term occasionally).

---

Syllabus

Religion 260 "Archaeology and Biblical Interpretation"

Dr. Andy Vaughn

MTWRF 10:30 - 12:30, Con 127

 

---

[ Professor | Objectives and Outline of Course | Schedule | Textbooks | Evaluation | Grading Guidelines ]

[ Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4]

---

Professor: Dr. Andy Vaughn

office: Old Main 105C

office telephone: x7475

home telephone: 625-2797 (before 9pm)

email: avaughn@gustavus.edu

office hours: MTW 1:30-2:30pm; & by appointment

 

---

 

Area C and G Fulfillment:

Area C is defined as "Meaning and Value, the Use of Language, and the Historical Process." As stated in the course description, the course utilizes the historical process to evaluate the "use of language" in selected sacred texts found in the Bible. Through this process of evaluation, the "meaning and value" of these biblical texts is examined.

 

The course fulfills an Area G requirement by treating a foreign culture. Further, the course requires that the student recognize the importance culture plays in shaping a society.

 

The course also seeks to introduce the student to the use of computerized technology for teaching and for making presentations. This is a supplementary goal to the focus of the class, but it is also considered an important component of the students' general education that does not fall under one of the specific area designations.

---

Objectives:

The primary goal of the course is to provide the student with a solid foundation in the content and theory of biblical archaeology so that the student will have a greater ability to understand and interpret the Hebrew Bible. With this primary goal in mind, the course will enable the student to accomplish the following objectives:

1. Gain a basic understanding of archaeological methods and theory.
2. Gain an understanding for the proper use of archaeology in interpreting biblical texts.
3. Gain general competence in how to utilize computers and digital technology in leading class discussions and making presentations.
4. Gain an awareness of the basic archaeological resources available for biblical research as well as experience and expertise in utilizing these resources.
5. Gain a basic knowledge of the material culture of the biblical lands from the end of the Late Bronze Age through the Iron IIC Age (roughly 1200 BCE to 586 BCE).
6. Gain experience and expertise in utilizing archaeological research to interpret the Hebrew Bible.

 

Brief Outline of the Course:

The course will begin with a focused study of archaeological method and theory in order to provide a foundation for the utilization of archaeological data in biblical research. We will also briefly examine the geography of Israel to help us in our endeaver to relate archaeological and historical texts. Next, we will examine the relevant archaeological data pertaining to Old Testament from the following periods: the occupation of the land (Late Bronze III to Iron Ia), the rise of the Israelite monarchy (Iron IIa), the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel (Iron IIb), the kingdom of Judah during the reigns of Hezekiah and Josiah (Iron IIb and IIIa), and the fall of the kingdom of Judah (Iron IIIc). By using this approach, the course will present an overview of the crucial archaeological data pertaining to the pre-exilic period, while, providing the student with opportunities to integrate these data into biblical interpretation.

 

 

Group Presentations:

Throughout J-Term semester, we will have group presentations that will facilitate all-class workshops. The first round of group presentation will be only 15 minutes long. The second round of presentations will be for 30 minutes each. Students are expected to work together with the professor and the Information Technology staff to utilize the computerized and audio-visual equipment that is available in our classroom. This requirement will be "optional" for the first presentation however since they start on the second day.

There are at least three reasons for this requirement to use computers and other audio-visual aids: a) their use will make the class more enjoyable for everyone and thus facilitate learning; b) the professor feels that general competence in these areas of technology is an important part of your general education (even for people primarily interested in the humanities), and this competence will be valuable in whatever career you may choose in the future; and c) it's fun!

 

Final Projects and Responses to the Final Projects

• Projects: The class will culminate with final projects (either individual or groups of 2 or 3 students). These projects will be presented during the last week of the semester, and the respective groups will be responsible for assigning a reasonable amount of reading for each day (the professor will work with the groups on suggested readings for the entire class). These projects are intended to provide the students with the opportunity to utilize the knowledge and skills aquired in this course as they examine an issue that is currently under debate in biblical archaeology. Each group will be expect to utilize the computer and AV equipment in the classroom, and the presentations are encouraged to be creative; however, the bulk of the grade will be based on content and not creativity. Whether the final projects are done individually or in a group, each student will turn in a paper that addresses the critical issue of the project. The papers will draw upon the group's work, but they are to be written separately. The papers are due the day after your final project presentation at the beginning of class.
• Reponses: Each student will keep a notebook of responses to the final projects. The responses must be typed and be presented in the following format? 1) what is the issue that is debated? 2) what are the arguments presented for each side (in this section you should summarize the presentations as well as the assigned readings? 3) What are the strength and weaknesses of each side and what are the presuppositions? 4) How do you resolve the debate at this present time? The responses are due the day after the presentations.

---

Required Textbooks:

• Bible (NRSV or other standard translation). Harper-Collins Study Bible recommended.
• Ben-Tor, Amnon. The Archaeology of Ancient Israel. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1992.
• Lance, H. Darrell. The Old Testament and the Archaeologist. Guides to Biblical Scholarship, Old Testament Series. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1989.
• Shanks, Hershal, ed. Ancient Israel.

Anticipated Method of Evaluation:

participation	10%
First Test	15%
Second Test	20%
Group Presentations	15%
Final Project	25%
Responses to Final Projects	15%

ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE OF TOPICS, READINGS, AND EXAMS

Section One: Introduction and Definition of Biblical Archaeology

Jan 03 (M): Introduction of Class

• Introduce Syllabus
• "A Case Study on The Use of Archaeology in Biblical Interpretation"
  • slide presentation by professor (link)
  • read 2 Chronicles 29-32
• "What is Biblical Archaeology?"
  • slide presentation by professor (link)
  • Ben-Tor, AI, 7-9
  • Lance, OTATA, 1-11
  • J. M. Miller, "OT History and Archaeology," Biblical Archaeologist 50 (1987) 55-63 (on reserve in library)

Section Two: Geography and the History of Research

Jan 04 (T): Group Presentations (#1) on geography

• Group 1: The Jezreel Valley
  • Andrew Bussey, Bryan McWhite (handout)
• Group 2: The Samarian Hill Country
  • Devin Colvin, Cory Weinrich (presentation link; handout)
• Group 3: The Negeb
  • Tim Sonbuchner, Graziela Tanaka (presentation link)
• The Economy of the Levant
  • slide presentation by professor (link)
  • read pp. 11-21 in Macmillan Bible Atlas before class (this will also help with your presentations)

Jan 05 (W): Group Presentations (#1, cont.) & introduction to historical geography

• Group 4: The Shephelah
  • Karen Bogenschutz, Brad Gustin
• Group 5: The Judean Wilderness
  • Jim McHugh, Kiersti Wilen
• Group 6: The Coastal Plain and the Sharon Plain
  • Erik Christenson, Eric Bell

Jan 06 (R): "The Proper Use of Arch. in Biblical Research: Negative and Positive Uses"

• slide presentation by professor (link)
• Lance, OTATA, 61-66
• J. A. Sauer, "Syro-Palestinian Archaeology, History, and Biblical Studies," Biblical Archaeologist 45 (1982) 201-209 (on reserve in library)

Section Three: Archaeological Field Methodology and Terminology

Jan 06 (R): "Archaeological Stratigraphy, Terminology, and Chronology"

• Slide presentation by professor (link)
• Lance, OTATA, 12-37

Jan 07 (F): "Typological Dating and Chronology"

• "An Overview of Typology"
  • Slide presentation by professor (link)
  • Lance, OTATA, 37-46
• "Historical Geography: A Case Study"
  • read A. F. Rainey, "Historical Geography-- The Link Between Historical and Archaeological Interpretation," Biblical Archaeologist 45 (1982) 217-223 (on reserve in library)
  • read articles on the identification of Lachish (on reserve in the library)
• "Dating Levels II and III at Lachish"
  • Aharoni and Aharoni, BASOR (to be placed on reserve); note: this is a technical article, so please skim it before class. We will go over the important feature during class and then you can reread parts of the article. Please also note that "skim" does not mean "ignore"!
• "Historical or Archaeological Chronological Periods?"
  • Y. Aharoni and R. Amiran, "A New Scheme for the Sub-Division of the Iron Age in Palestine," IEJ 8 (1958) 171-184. note: this is a technical article, so please skim it before class. We will go over the important feature during class and then you can reread parts of the article. Please also note that "skim" does not mean "ignore"!
  • Barkay, "terminology and chronology" in his chapter in Ben-Tor, AI, 304-305. As you read these two pages, ask how the criteria of material culture and history are used for naming the chronological periods that we are studing.

Section Four: Archaeology of the Israelite Occupation (LB III through Iron IA)

Jan 10 (M): Introduction to the Late Bronze Age

• First half-hour: Review defintions of "biblical archaeology" and review for First Test over sections 1-3
  • bring your paragraph with your definition of "biblical archaeology" to class
  • go over the study guide for the First Test and bring questions to class
• "Biblical Account of the Israelite Occupation: Identifying the Problem" (link)
  • read Joshua 1-12, Judges 1, and 1 Kings 4
  • read chapter 3 ("The Settlement in Canaan) in Shanks, Hershal, ed. Ancient Israel.

Jan 11 (T): First Test and Late Bronze Age

• First hour: First Test over Sections 1-3 (15%)
  • take-home essay due at the beginning of class
  • study guide for in-class portion of the test
  • grading guidelines for all tests
• Second hour: Overview of the Late Bronze Age in Canaan
  • no additional assignment for today so you can study for the 1st Test

Jan 12 (W): Late Bronze Age

• The Period of the Israelite Occupation-- transition from LBIII - Iron IA
  • R. Gonen, "The Late Bronze Age," in AI, 211-216
  • A. Mazar, "The Iron Age I," in AI, 258-262; 281-301

Jan 13 (R): Late Bronze Age

• Group presentations #2 (Response to New Theories)
  • Review the theories for the "Conquest," "Settlement," and "Revolt" models that were presented in the Callaway / Miller articles in Shanks, ed., Ancient Israel.
    • supplement the information in our textbook with a broader explanation and critique
    • additional bibliography is available from the professor and by consulting The Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East and in the New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land, and in the Anchor Bible Dictionary.
    • Cory Weinrich, Tim Sonbuchner, and Erik Christenson,
  • Occupation as a Cyclical Phenomenon
    • present a critical assessment of how Finkelstein's "Cyclical Theory" is either useful or not useful for interpreting the biblical account of the Israelite occupation of the land.
    • lead a discussion on the material
    • Finkelstein's articles will be available from the professor (I have distributed one photocopy; in addition, the article is found in the library in the article: Israel Finkelstein, "The Emergence of Israel: A Phase in thr Cyclic History of Canaan in the Third and Second Millenia BCE," in From Nomadism to Monarchy, ed. by Finkelstein and Na'aman (Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society; Washington: Bibical Archaeology Review, 1994), pp. 150-178.
    • A summary of Finkelstein's theory is found in the following chapter in the library: Israel Finkelstein, "The Great Transformation: The 'Conquest' of the Highlands Frontiers and the Rise of the Territorial States," in The Archaeology of the Society in The Holy Land, ed. by Thomas Levy (New York: Facts on File, 1995), pp. 349-367.
    • Graziela Tanaka, Andrew Bussey, and Devin Colvin
  • Pastorlists, Nomads, or Something Else?:
    • present a critical assessment of whether the early settlers of what later becomes identified as Israel are pastorlists, nomads or something else.
    • identify which sites are debated as "early Israelite" and lead a discussion on why they should or should not be considered "Israelite"
    • a preliminary bibliography will be available from the professor (you should also look for further information in the The Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East (see esp. the entry on the "Israelites" by Volkmar Fritz (pp. 192-197)and in the New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land, and in the Anchor Bible Dictionary).
    • Karen Bogenschutz, Eric Bell, and Jim McHugh

Jan 14 (F): Late Bronze Age

• finish group presentations
  • Late Bronze Age: "The arrival of the Sea Peoples"
  • A. Mazar, "The Iron Age I," in AI, 262-281

Jan 17 (M): Iron Age I-- Discussion of "So What-- what really happened?"

• write a one- to two-page position paper answering the question for the day
• the professor will lead a class discussion on the topic

Section Five: Archaeology of the United Monarchy (Iron Age IIa)

Jan 18 (T): Iron Age IIa: "The Period of the United Monarchy"

• Barkay, "The Iron Age II-III" in AI, 302-327 (caution: Barkay and A. Mazar use different dates for the Iron Age IIb, so pay attention to the definitions for the Iron Age IIa and IIb).
• read 1 Samuel 7-12

Jan 19 (W): Iron Age IIa: "The Solomonic Age-- An Archaeological Problem"

• read Lance, OTATA, 67-93
• read chapter IV, "The United Monarchy" in Shanks, AI.
• Look at Gezer, Megiddo, and Hazor articles in E. Stern, ed., The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land (in the reference section in the library). Look specifically at the sections of these articles on the United Monarchy and the gateways and casemate walls.

Section Six: Archaeology of the Divided Monarchy (Iron IIb to IIIa)

Jan 20 (R): Iron Age IIb

Group presentations #3-- Issues of Dating the United Monarchy (photocopies will be available in class)

• The Stable / Storehouses
• The "Middle Chronology" (Megiddo VA/IVB and Hazor X as dating to the tenth century BCE)
• The "Low Chronology-- moving everything later"

 

 

Jan 21 (F): Iron Age IIIa

• finish discussion on chronology
• Read, Barkay, "Iron Age IIb" in Ancient Israel ed. by Ben-Tur, pp. 327-354.
• Read, Horn and McCarter, "The Divided Monarchy," in Ancient Israel ed. by Shanks, pp. 165-199 (only the second half of the chapter)

Jan 24 (M): Second Test over Sections 4-6 (20%)

• take-home essay due at the beginning of class
• study guide for in-class portion of the test
• grading guidelines for all tests

Jan 26 (W): Final projects (Chronologies; The United Monarchy)

• Chronologies (Jim McHugh, Karen Bogenschutz, and Eric Bell)
• Jerusalem during the days of Hezekiah and Josiah (Graziela Tanaka, Erik Christensen, and Devin Colvin)

Jan 27 (R): Final projects

• Ramat Rahel during the Iron Age IIb and IIc (Tim Sonbuchner)
• Lachish during the Iron Age IIc (Andrew Bussey and Cory Weinrich)

Jan 27 (R): Final projects ()

Jan 28 (F): wrap-up and assessment

Note: these topics will be discussed the first few days of the class and we'll change them with the will of the class