This element offers a fresh and distinctive viewpoint on the historical-archaeology of monarchic Israel during the Iron Age (ca. 1000-720 BCE). It provides an easy-to-read archaeological overview of main finds from key sites in the northern parts of the southern Levant, which opens the door to beginners as well as to experts into the world of biblical archaeology. It further discusses methodological questions pertaining to the identification of political entities in the archaeological record, and the ways in which material remains and textual sources interact. This book does not presuppose Israel as a well-defined and long-lasting political entity but aims to uncover its underlying social and political hierarchies and interactions, thus portraying a more nuanced image of monarchic Israel: the communities from which it consisted, the socio-political infrastructure that facilitated its emergence and maintenance, and the ways in which political hegemony was exercised within it.
