Semester normally offered: Spring 2022 Online
This course will focus on the history and archaeology of the Judean Shephelah from the Early Bronze Age through the Roman Period. The Judean Shephelah is a transitional region comprised of a series of wide east-west valleys and foothills that separate the hill country in the east and the coastal plain in the west. During much of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament period, the Shephelah was a border region between biblical Philistia and Judah, and later it witnessed interaction between Phoenicians, Idumeans, and Jews. It is the setting of many narratives of major biblical heroes and villains such as Samson, Samuel, Saul, Goliath, David, Shishak, Asa, Hazael, Hezekiah, Sennacherib, Josiah, and Nebuchadnezzar. Beyond what the biblical text has to tell us about this region, the Shephelah has been one of the most intensively excavated regions in all of Israel – which itself is one of the most excavated places on earth. Dr. Chris McKinny and Dr. Kyle Keimer have spent many years excavating at various sites in the Shephelah, working alongside other archaeologists. In this course, they will present on the archaeology and history of the Shephelah and introduce you to other leading experts on the region.
Bible
Biblical Archaeology
Culture and History of Ancient Israel
By the end of the course, a student should be able to:
understand the general flow of history and the general trends of archaeological material culture of the Judean Shephelah from the Early Bronze Age through the Early Roman period;
be conversant with the current archaeological trends in the archaeological investigation of the Judean Shephelah through their access to the leading experts, who will present on their up-to-date research throughout the course; and
communicate insights from their exposure to specialists of specific archaeological sub-disciplines such as archaeological field surveys, textile production, and archeometallurgy.
*Note that field studies are not included for JUC Online courses.
Update your browser to view this website correctly.