Book Reviews -- By: Anonymous

Journal: Trinity Journal
Volume: TRINJ 23:2 (Fall 2002)
Article: Book Reviews
Author: Anonymous


Book Reviews

Ephraim Stern. Archaeology of the Land of the Bible, Vol. II: The Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian Periods (732–332 b.c.e.). Anchor Bible Reference Library. New York: Doubleday, 2001. xli + 665 pp. $45.00.

This book is written by Professor Ephraim Stern of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, a world-renowned archaeologist who has published extensively on the archaeology of the periods covered in the volume. It is written to serve as a standard text in the field and its liberal use of photos, maps, charts, etc. greatly enhances its appeal.

The volume is divided into three “books” corresponding to the respective periods: the Assyrian period (300 pp.), the Neo-Babylonian period (50 pp.), and the Persian period (231 pp.). The last is the strongest of the three. The first book opens with a section that surveys the Assyrian domination of the southern Levant. This is followed by a chapter on the Assyrian impact on the material culture of Palestine. Chapter 3 discusses the Assyrian provinces of Megiddo and Samaria. The fourth chapter surveys the Phoenicians during this period and the fifth chapter looks at the Philistines. Chapter 6 is devoted to the kingdom of Judah. Chapters 7 and 8 investigate Greek and Egyptian presence in the southern Levant, while chs. 9, 10, and 11 discuss the Transjordanian kingdoms of Ammon, Moab, and Edom. The first “book” ends with a chapter about Arabian trade with the region.

The second “book” has a brief outline of the history of Palestine in the Neo-Babylonian period. This is followed by a chapter on excavations and surveys that bear on this time span. The remaining chapters discuss various material cultural remains: seals, tombs, pottery, metal and stone artifacts, and cult objects.

The third “book” opens with a brief examination of the history of Palestine in the Persian period. A chapter on excavations and surveys is followed by chapters on architecture, burial customs, temples, pottery, various artifacts, seals, coins, and weights respectively.

An outstanding feature in all three books is the use of visuals to illustrate the archaeological discoveries that illuminate the history and material culture of the Neo-Assyrian, Neo-Babylonian, and Medo-Persian dominations of the peoples and lands of the southern Levant. All of these have been well-selected and are of good quality. They provide the reader with what is needed for comprehending the archaeology of these eras.

Unfortunately, however, Stern’s work needs an immediate revised and corrected edition before it can be used as a textbook for the study of the archaeology and history of the periods that it covers. The book’s usefulness as a text is diminished by a significant number of e...

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