The Late Bronze Egyptian Garrison at Beth Shan: Glass and Faience Production and Importation in the Late New Kingdom

Abstract

Beth Shan, strategically located at the juncture of the Jordan and Jezreel Valleys where major trade routes intersected, was architecturally restructured in the 13th century B. C. E. as one of the most important late New Kingdom Egyptian bases in Palestine. The archaeological and technological evidence from the site provides a unique perspective on how a deliberate imperialistic policy can affect local ceramic traditions, including the pottery and silicate industries. The Egyptians appear to have controlled the silicate industry at its most basic level, including the preparation and supply of raw materials. The Palestinian ceramic specialists, whether voluntarily or as a forced response, then adapted their techniques and were most likely responsible for technological and stylistic innovations. The silicate manufacture at the site, however, was limited to small artifacts, such as beads and pendants. Larger artifacts, in particular glass and faience vessels, were imported from Egypt. Chemical analyses support this interpretation, although a specific site where the vessels were manufactured in the late New Kingdom is yet to be determined.

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