Hoarded Treasures: The Megiddo Ivories and the End of the Bronze Age

Author: Feldman, Marian H.

Source: Levant, Volume 41, Number 2, Autumn 2009 , pp. 175-194(20)

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Abstract:

The magnificent collection of ivories found in an annex of the Stratum VIIA palace at Megiddo is often cited as illustrative of the internationalism characterizing the Late Bronze Age. This article reexamines the ivories from both a stylistic and archaeological perspective to provide a new reconstruction of their acquisition and deposition. Considering the diversity of the ivories' styles, their incomplete and unreconstructible nature, and the presence of a large, articulated animal skeleton on top of them, I propose that the assemblage is best viewed within an interpretive framework of hoarding and ritual deposition at the end of the Bronze Age.

Keywords: IVORIES; LATE BRONZE AGE; HOARDS; RITUAL DEPOSITS; MEGIDDO

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/007589109X12484491671130

Affiliations: History of Art and Near Eastern Studies, 416 Doe Library MC6020, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-6020, USA;, Email: feldman@berkeley.edu

Publication date: 2009-09-01

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