Non destructive analyses of archaeological metal artefacts the

Non destructive analyses of archaeological metal artefacts & the stories in the Bible: could they meet? Special opening lecture for ISRANDT & ASNT/ISRAEL 27. 4. 2010 Sariel Shalev University of Haifa

This lecture is dedicated with love and gratitude to Gabi Shoef and his ‘highly expensive’ non destructive analyses of archaeological metal artefacts some 22 years ago. Sariel Shalev University of Haifa

. . . From the time of the Patriarch until the time of struggle between the Israelites and the Philistines in Canaan (MBI – IA 1: 1800 -1000 BCE) Sariel Shalev With contributions of: • Elad Caspi • Naama Yahalom • Sana Shilstein • Y. Levy & M. Pfilstoker • Ayelt Gilboa & Ilan Sharon • Rahel Ben-Dov & A. Biran • Amihi Mazar (ISF Research Grant)

The socio-political structure of Canaan in the MBA & ND Analysis Preliminary neutron diffraction study of two fenestrated axes from the ‘Enot Shuni’ Bronze Age cemetery (Israel) El’ad Caspi , Hanania Ettedgui, Oleg Rivin, Martin Peilsto¨cker, Beni Breitman, Izhak Hershko, Sana Shilstein, Sariel Shalev

The neutron diffraction & radiography of the axes from Shuni

So, could it be the ‘Sheppard's Chief’ symbol of status? ‘‘Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold (Genesis 13: 2). Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. (Genesis 13: 5). And quarrelling arose between Abram’s herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time. ’’ (Genesis 13: 7).

If only life could be so simple: The similar finds from Byblos

Did the Patriarchs go from Canaan down to Egypt? Hnum Hotep tomb, Beni Hassan, Semites coming to Egypt

What could we add to the known material and metallurgy? Similar metals were found in Israel and in Egypt and were analyzed recently. On the basis of “old” and “new” data we could now check the metal composition typical to each of the metal weapons typical to this period.

How the new metallurgical data could affect the chronology? Tin Bronze (16%-5% Sn) with no arsenic (+1 TED) Axes from Tell el. Dab’a, Egypt. Identical axes from Rishon Le. Zion, Israel

Metal composition of shafthole axes from MBIIa and MBIIb No. Site Reg. No. Cu As Sn Pb Fe Analysis 1 Hama 5 E-802 86. 60 0. 30 5. 10 0. 05 (Levant 23) 2 Yiftahel P-46 85. 46 0. 12 12. 27 1. 90 0. 01 EPMA 3 K. Vradim KV 98 -19 88. 42 0. 03 10. 06 1. 18 0. 05 EPMA 4 Aphik 80. 13 0. 35 9. 76 0. 45 0. 07 AAS 5 Yiftahel P-45 93. 59 0. 19 6. 00 0. 10 0. 04 EPMA 6 Fasuta F-34 90. 03 4. 34 0. 02 4. 35 0. 73 EPMA 7 Gesher 89 -587 93. 71 3. 47 0. 03 0. 04 2. 27 EPMA No. Site Reg. No. Cu As Sn Pb Fe Analysis 1 Jericho 29/63 86. 07 0. 45 6. 68 1. 23 0. 02 (Khalil 1980) 2 Aphek 10764/60 71. 56 0. 19 6. 50 0. 15 0. 29 AAS 3 Jericho 29/62 86. 33 1. 63 6. 72 0. 10 0. 16 (Khalil 1980) 4 Rumeida T-34 93. 78 3. 42 0. 14 0. 61 0. 81 EPMA

Compositional characterization of the shafthole axes Flat shafthole axes were similarly made of: • Arsenical copper (3. 5%-4. 3% As) with no tin • Tin bronze (12%-5% Sn) with less then 0. 5% arsenic. (+3 TED) • Lead in much lower quantities then in the above (5%-1% Pb) was detected in both alloying types. (+1 TED) R. Le. Zion Rounded shafthole axes were also made of: • Arsenical copper (1. 6%-3. 4% As) with no tin (+4 TED). • All the tin bronzes have similar amount of tin (6. 5%-6. 8% Sn), (+3 TED) • (2 TED only Fe, As 0. 5 or n. d. ; 1 TED only Cu) KV-98 19 e x 100 Rumeida

If the above would remain the only archaeological data … warrior figurine from Biblos with axe, spear and dagger Axe Kabri Belt – Fara’a Spear Safed Dagger – Rishon Le Zion Baghouz warrior on his death bed Egyptian hieroglyphs for dead enemy

The Middle Bronze Age metal artifacts: what do we already know? Hundreds of copper- base objects were unearthed, mainly in burials, all over the Levant in the last 150 years of archaeology. In the Middle Bronze Age (end of 3 rd – middle of 2 nd Millennium B. C) the development of more complex weapons (longer daggers, swords, complex battle axes etc. ) was made possible by alloying the copper initially with arsenic (As) and later tin (Sn) to produce arsenical copper and tin bronze. Lead (Pb) begin to play a greater role as a major alloy as well.

…and how non destructive analyses could give us a better insight? ND of MBII axes in ISIS, UK. 2008

Non Destructive Analysis & The “Philistine Monopoly” on Metal Production The Biblical description: RSV 1 Sa 13: 19 Now there was no smith to be found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears"; 20 but every one of the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, or his sickle; 21 and the charge was a pim for the plowshares and for the mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening the axes and for setting the goads. 22 So on the day of the battle there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and Jonathan his son had them.

Distribution of Early Iron Age Metallurgical Activities Tel Dan The archaeological data • • Circa 700 metal finds – Cu+Sn mainly Small local production , mainly Philistines sites. Tel Dor Tel Qasile Tel Gerisa Simple products + some imports & Heirlooms • • • 13 sites, mainly in Philistian territory (9) : Dan, Beth Shean, Megiddo, Yoqneam, Dor, Gerisa, Qasile, Aphek, Beth Shemesh • • +120 analyses by ICP, WDS, XRF. (Shalev, Yahalom, Segal) 48 LIA (Yahalom & Segal)

Metal Production Area in Early Iron Age Tel Dan R. Ben-Dov Area B

Bronze Production Remains from Early Iron Age Tel Dan

Crucible-Slag from the IA-I Bronze Production area at Tel Dan 13 analyses (WDS + AAS) of crucible slags & prills, 18 analyses of objects & fragments. L. 71 and 15 L. 7119 Cu+1. 7/1. 9%Sn L. 7126 Cu+0. 6/6. 8%Sn L. 7060 Cu+1. 4/4. 7%Sn S. Shalev 1993

Microstructure of an IA-I Crucible-Slag from Tel Dan Bronze Prills U 20 X 400

So – is it a typical Philistine metal production as described in the Bible? Tel Dor: View from its Iron Age Southern Harbor Area G Harbor Garstang J. 1923 -4; Stern E. 1980 -2000

Bronze Production Remains & Objects from Are G at Tel Dor Needle 98338 Scrap Pin Arrowhead 180192 98206 Metal piece Awl 98810 182131 Slag Metal prills Ring pieces Slags B 94466 Scrap 91569 B 94482 181360 180505 47829 +200 metal remains: 116 Prills, 54 chunks, slag, 8 crucible frags. 19 objects & fragments.

Crucible for Bronze Melting - Early Iron Age Tel-Gerisa

How could non destructive XRF find the ‘missing link’ in the field? Eastern Balk of Are G at Tel Dor Iron Age II Iron Age I Late Bronze Age

Early Iron Age Fire-Pit Section in Are G Balk at Tel Dor XRF Analysis of Gray Ash Fe Ca Cu Sr F 16 F 17 F 18

XRF Analysis of white Calcite from the IA-I Fire-Pit from Dor of Burnt Ground from the IA-I Fire-Pit XRFTel Analysis XRF of Ash from the IA-I Courtyard from Tel Analysis Dor near. Ca the Fire-Pit Fe Fe Fe Ca C a Cu Cu Sr Sr Sr

The Philistine’s Metal Arms Superiority & Non Destructive XRF Analysis RSV 1 Sa 17: 45 Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

Mediterranean Sea Beth Dagan Jaffa

The “Philistine” Sword from the British Museum “A Shardanian weapon also used by the Philistines, discovered at the Biblical site of Beth-Dagon, near Jaffa” B. M. 127137 L. 1065 W. 84 Th. 14 Rivets 12 Purchased in 1910 by the British Museum Hall 1914 Yadin 1963 Aharoni 1977 Hall 1928 Barnet 1966 etc. Shalev 1988

The Marine Battle of Ra’ameses III against the Sea People Medinet Habu Temple - Egypt, circa 1180 BC

EB-MB Sword probably from Ashkelon, now in Rockefeller Museum L. 578 W. 48 Th. 14 Rivets 7 Cu+6%As

EB-MB (EB IV; IB) Weapons Cu + 2. 7 -6. 0%As & up to 28. 5%As on surface circa 2100 BC

So – what do we know better about IA-I Metallurgy? Iron or Bronze? Out of more than 700 metal remains from the beginning of the Iron Age in the Land of the Bible - less than 10 are made of Iron and all others are of copper based, mainly of bronze. Metal production: All production remains are of bronze small scale open air ‘Cottage Industry’ making simple objects, by using mainly scrap metal and melting it inside a clay crucible in a campfire using skin bellow with clay tuyre. Is the metallurgical evidence contradict or support the Biblical text? As for the state of evidence today, the location of the production sites in conjunction with the Philistines sites and the local small village industry mainly for the production of simple tools – fits well with the Biblical descriptions. But, the metallurgical evidence, as opposed to the historical reconstruction based upon the Biblical text, show very clearly that only bronze production and no iron industry is currently evident to be practiced during the beginning of the Iron Age in Palestine.

Thank you for your attention