ABOUT THIS BOOKWhile the history of Israel during the period from ca. 1200 to 586 B.C.E. has been in the forefront of biblical research, little attention has been given to questions of daily life. Where did the Israelites live? What did people do for a living? What did they eat and what affected their health? How did the family function? These and similar questions form the basis for this book.
The book introduces different aspects of daily life. It describes the natural setting and the people who occupied the land. It deals with the economy, both rural and urban, emphasizing the main sources of livelihood such as agriculture, herding, and trade. These topics are discussed in relation to the family in particular and the social structure in general. Other topics include urban society, the bureaucracy and the military. Beyond material culture, the book delves into daily and seasonal cultural, social and religious activities, art, music, and the place of writing in Israelite society.
Drawing on textual and archaeological evidence, and written with nontechnical language, the book will be especially helpful for undergraduates, seminarians, pastors, rabbis, and other interested nonspecialist readers as well as graduate students and faculty in Hebrew Bible.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHYOded Borowski is Associate Professor of Biblical Archaeology and Hebrew at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and co-director of the Lahav Research Project, Phase III. He is also the author of Agriculture in Iron Age Israel (Eisenbrauns) and Every Living Thing: Daily Use of Animals in Ancient Israel (AltaMira).
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
Table of Contents
Preface
Ch. 1, Introduction: The Land and Its People
The Land
The People
The Sources
Ch. 2, Rural Life
The Village
Physical Layout
Types of Villages
The House
Biblical Depictions of Village Life
Socio-Political Structure of the Village
Village Government
The Family
Hospitality
Religious Practices
The Economy
Agriculture
Land Use
The Calendar
Field Crops, Fruit Trees, Vegetables and More
Herding
Other Professions and Occupations
Pottery Making
Weaving
Tanning
Carpentry
Masonry
Metallurgy
Warfare: The Early Years
Ideology
Strategy and Tactics
Results of War
Ch. 3, Urban Life
The City
City Planning
City-types
Fortifications
Water Systems
Palaces and Other Accommodations
Population
Religion
The Economy
Trade and Commerce
Overland Trade
Maritime Commerce
When the Kings Went to War
Ch. 4, The Household and Life Cycles
The Israelite Diet
Food Resources
The Menu
Baked Goods
Dairy Products
Meat Dishes
Seafood
Fowl
Fruit and Fruit Products
Drinks
Other Foods
Spices and Condiments
Food Storage
Food Preparation and Consumption
Health and Sickness
Hygiene and Sanitation
Personal Hygiene
Sanitation
Life Cycles
Birth
Marriage
Death and Burial
Ch. 5, Ancient Israelite Arts
Performing Arts: Music and Dance
Biblical Music and Musical Instruments
Musical Notes
Musical Performance
Private Performance
Public Performance
Secular Occurrences
Religious Occurrences
Visual Arts
Ivory
Clay
Glyptic Art
Mixed Media
Ch. 6, Writing - Private and Official
Private
Official Writings
Correspondence
Record Keeping
Chronicles
Monumental Inscriptions
Miscellaneous Inscriptions
Creative Writing
Ch. 7, A Day in the Life of the Ahuzam Family
End Notes
Index of Biblical References
Library of Congress Subject Headings for this publication: Jews Social life and customs To 70 A, D, Palestine Social life and customs To 70 A, D, Bible, O, T, Antiquities, Palestine Civilization