Family and Household Religion : Toward a Synthesis of Old Testament Studies, Archaeology, Epigraphy, and Cultural Studies

This volume is the most recent collective contribution of a group of biblical scholars and archaeologists who are engaged in an ongoing debate about the nature of family and household religion in ancient Israel and its environment. It is intended to complement the volume __Household and Family Religion in Antiquity__, edited by John Bodel and Saul M. Olyan, which grew out of a conference held at Brown University in 2005 on household and family religion in the ancient Mediterranean world, with an emphasis on cross-cultural comparison. Several meetings after the Brown conference carried the theme forward, and a fourth meeting at Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster in April 2009 emphasized theoretical and methodological challenges facing scholars of household and family religion (e.g., the conceptualization of family/household religion, the problem of identifying pertinent artifacts, and the difficulties inherent in using texts together with material evidence). This volume is a direct outgrowth of the Münster meeting. For both the meeting and the volume, the goal was to bring together a group of specialists in biblical studies, epigraphy, and archaeology who would utilize a variety of humanistic and social-scientific approaches to the data and would also be willing to engage in dialogue and debate; during the conference in Münster, there was much vigorous intellectual engagement. The essays published here reflect the energy of that conference and will contribute, both individually and collectively, to the advancement of our knowledge of Israelite family and household religion. Family and Household Religion: Toward a Synthesis of Old Testament Studies, Archaeology, Epigraphy, and Cultural Studies 4 Contents 6 Preface 8 Publisher’s Note 9 Susan Ackerman: Women’s Rites of Passage in Ancient Israel. Three Case Studies (Birth, Coming of Age, and Death) 10 1. The Structure of Life-Cycle Rituals 11 2. By Way of Example: The Life-Cycle Ritual of Birth 14 3. By Way of Example: Coming-of-Age Rituals 20 4. By Way of Example: The Life-Cycle Ritual of Death 25 5. Concluding Reflections 31 Bibliography 32 Rainer Albertz: The Relevance of Hebrew Name Seals for Reconstructing Judahite and Israelite Family Religion 42 1. Checking the Sources 42 2. Grouping the Personal Names 45 3. Distribution of Names 47 4. The Absence of Official Religious Traditions 50 5. Considering the Onomastica from the Northwest Semitic Environment 52 6. The Basic Structure of Familial Piety Related to Crisis Experiences 54 References 59 Beth Alpert Nakhai: The Household as Sacred Space 62 Introduction 62 The Archaeological Data 66 Tall al-ʿUmayri 67 Tell el-Farʿah (N) 67 Beth Shean 68 Tell en-Nasbeh 69 Lahav/Tel Halif 70 Sites: Conclusions 71 Elders 71 Feasting 73 Conclusions 75 References Cited 75 David Ben-Shlomo: Philistine Cult and Household Religion according to the Archaeological Record 82 1. Introduction 82 2. The Archaeological Record 84 2.1. The Iron Age I (ca. 1200–1000/ 900 B.C.E.) 84 2.2. The Iron II (ca. 1000/900–600 B.C.E.) 93 3. Discussion 100 3.1. Household and Temple Religion in Philistia 100 3.2. Can We Reconstruct a Philistine Religion? 104 Acknowledgments 106 Abbreviations 106 References 106 P. M. Michèle Daviau: Anomalies in the Archaeological Record. Evidence for Domestic and Industrial Cults in Central Jordan 112 Artefacts in the Archaeological Record 114 Specialized Artefacts and Vessels 116 Domestic Cult at Tall Jawa 117 The Cult at Tall Jawa 125 Domestic/Industrial Cult in Late Iron Age Moab 127 The Cult at Khirbat al-Mudayna 133 Conclusions 133 References 134 William G. Dever: The Judean “Pillar-Base Figurines”: Mothers or “Mother-Goddesses”? 138 Introduction 138 The Cult of Asherah 138 The “Fertility” Figurines Generally 139 Developing a Method 141 Arguments for the Pillar-base Figurines as Votives 142 Arguments for the Pillar-base Figurines as Images of Asherah 143 Conclusion 146 Bibliography 147 Avraham Faust and Shlomo Bunimovitz: The House and the World. The Israelite House as a Microcosm 152 Background 152 The Four-Room House 152 Description 153 Past Trends in Explaining the Four-Room House 153 The Ethnic Explanation 153 The Functional Explanation 154 Social Aspects of the Four-Room House 155 The House and the Family 156 Family Structure and the Four-Room House 156 The Four-Room House as a Status Symbol: Rich and Poor 158 The Four and Three Room Houses as Representing Different Types of Social Organization 159 The Four-Room House and the Israelite Mind 160 Access Analysis 160 Order, Dominance, and Conformity 162 Cosmology and Conformity 163 The House as a Microcosm 164 Private and Public Buildings, or Justice and Righteousness in the Israelite City 164 Enhancing Identity 166 The Four-Room House and Ethnicity Revisited 166 Summary: The Four-Room House and Israelite Society 167 Bibliography 168 Erhard S. Gerstenberger: Healing Rituals at the Intersection of Family and Society 174 1. Overlapping of Social Structures 174 2. Family Measures in Case of Sickness 176 3. Categories of Experts (Diagnostician; Conjurer; Healer) in the ANE 177 4. Traces of Shamanism in the Old Testament 182 5. Archaic Healing around the Globe 184 6. The Well-Being of the Family and Its Intertwinements with Society 185 Literature 187 Timothy P. Harrison: Family Religion from a Northern Levantine Perspective 192 The House of the Father 192 The Cult of the Ancestors 193 Syro-Hittite Funerary Monuments 195 Syro-Hittite Mortuary Chapels 196 Family “Household” Religion at Tell Tayinat 198 Summary Observations 202 References 203 R. Kletter and K. Saarelainen: Horses and Riders and Riders and Horses 206 1. Introduction: Judean Horse Riders 206 2. A Long History of Research 207 3. Do Judean Riders Stand or Sit? 216 4. Double HR Figurines 217 5. The Military Nature of HRs 221 6. Biblical Sources, Other Representations, and Osteological Remains 221 7. The Development of Riding and the JHRs 222 8. Conclusions 223 Acknowledgments 226 References 227 Carol Meyers: Feast Days and Food Ways. Religious Dimensions of Household Life 234 1. Introduction 234 1.1. Household 234 1.2. Sources 236 2. Feast Days 238 2.1. Defining Feasts 238 2.2. Annual Seasonal Feasts 239 2.3. Monthly Feasts 241 2.4. Weekly Feasts 243 3. Foodways 244 4. Meaning and Function 246 4.1. Feast Days 246 4.2. Foodways 250 5. Summary and Comments 251 References 253 Saul M. Olyan: The Roles of Kin and Fictive Kin in Biblical Representations of Death Ritual 260 1. The Roles of Kin 261 2. The Roles of Fictive Kin 266 Conclusion 270 Bibliography 271 Rüdiger Schmitt: A Typology of Iron Age Cult Places 274 1. Introduction 274 2. The Domestic Cult 276 2.1. Domestic Cult: The House as Space for Ritual Activities (Type IA) 276 2.2. Domestic Shrines (Type IB) 278 3. Patterns of Cult Places above the Domestic Realm 279 3.1. Work-Related Cults (Type II) 279 3.2. Neighborhood Shrines (Type III) 280 3.3. Places for the Cult of the Dead (Type IV) 281 3.4. Local and Village Shrines, Local High Places, and Gate Sanctuaries (Types VA–C) 281 3.5. Palace Shrines (Type VI) 283 3.6. Regional Sanctuaries (Type VII) 283 3.7. Supra-Regional and State Sanctuaries (Type VIII) 285 4. Conclusions 286 References Cited 291 Ziony Zevit: The Textual and Sociological Embeddedness of Israelite Family Religion. Who Were the Players? Where Were the Stages? 296 1. Introduction 296 2. Defining Religion in “Israelite Family Religion” 297 3. Finding the Israelite Family in “Israelite Family Religion” 300 4. Tribal Responsibility for Social Stability and Cultic Solidarity 302 5. Zĕqēnîm and Their Cultic Responsibilities 307 6. Heterogeneous Socio-Cultic Constellations in Monarchic Israel 309 7. Where Did Israelites Engage in Cultic Activities? 310 8. Do Pentateuchal Documents Prescribe Only a Single Tent Shrine and a Single Temple? 313 9. Players at the Stages 318 10. Players Offstage 320 11. Concluding Thoughts 320 Bibliography 321 Index of Authors 324 Index of Scripture 329 This Is The Most Recent Collective Contribution Of A Group Of Biblical Scholars And Archaeologists Who Are Engaged In An Ongoing Debate About The Nature Of Family And Household Religion In Ancient Israel And Its Environment. It Is Intended To Complement The Volume Household And Family Religion In Antiquity, Edited By John Bodel And Saul M. Olyan (bodel And Olyan 2008), Which Grew Out Of A Conference Held At Brown University In 2005 On Household And Family Religion In The Ancient Mediterranean World, With An Emphasis On Cross-cultural Comparison. After The Conference At Brown, There Was A Session Held At The Meeting Of The European Association Of Biblical Studies In Budapest In 2006 In Which The Focus Was Narrowed To The Gender Dimensions Of Israelite Family/household Religion. Two More Sessions Focusing On The Israelite House As A Locus Of Family Religion Took Place At The European Association Of Biblical Studies Meeting In Vienna In 2007. A Fourth Meeting At Westfaelische Wilhelms-universitaet Muenster In April 2009 Emphasized Theoretical And Methodological Challenges Facing Scholars Of Household And Family Religion (e.g., The Conceptualization Of Family/household Religion, The Problem Of Identifying Pertinent Artifacts, And The Difficulties Inherent In Using Texts Together With Material Evidence). This Volume Is A Direct Outgrowth Of The Muenster Meeting-- Women's Rites Of Passage In Ancient Israel : Three Case Studies (birth, Coming Of Age, And Death) / Susan Ackerman -- The Relevance Of Hebrew Name Seals For Reconstructing Judahite And Israelite Family Religion / Rainer Albertz -- The Household As Sacred Space / Beth Alpert Nakhai -- Philistine Cult And Household Religion According To The Archaeological Record / David Ben-shlomo -- Anomalies In The Archaeological Record : Evidence For Domestic And Industrial Cults In Central Jordan / P. M. Michèle Daviau -- The Judean Pillar-base Figurines : Mothers Or Mother-goddesses? / William G. Dever -- The House And The World : The Israelite House As A Microcosm / Avraham Faust And Shlomo Bunimovitz -- Healing Rituals At The Intersection Of Family And Society / Erhard S. Gerstenberger -- Family Religion From A Northern Levantine Perspective / Timothy P. Harrison -- Horses And Riders And Riders And Horses / R. Kletter And K. Saarelainen -- Feast Days And Food Ways : Religious Dimensions Of Household Life / Carol Meyers -- The Roles Of Kin And Fictive Kin In Biblical Representations Of Death Ritual / Saul M. Olyan -- A Typology Of Iron Age Cult Places / Rüdiger Schmitt -- The Textual And Sociological Embeddedness Of Israelite Family Religion : Who Were The Players? Where Were The Stages? / Ziony Zevit. Edited By Rainer Albertz, Beth Alpert Nakhai, Saul M. Olyan, And Rüdiger Schmitt. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes.

This volume is the most recent collective contribution of a group of biblical scholars and archaeologists who are engaged in an ongoing debate about the nature of family and household religion in ancient Israel and its environment. It is intended to complement the volume Household and Family Religion in Antiquity, edited by John Bodel and Saul M. Olyan, which grew out of a conference held at Brown University in 2005 on household and family religion in the ancient Mediterranean world, with an emphasis on cross-cultural comparison. Several meetings after the Brown conference carried the theme forward, and a fourth meeting at Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster in April 2009 emphasized theoretical and methodological challenges facing scholars of household and family religion (e.g., the conceptualization of family/household religion, the problem of identifying pertinent artifacts, and the difficulties inherent in using texts together with material evidence). This volume is a direct outgrowth of the Münster meeting.

For both the meeting and the volume, the goal was to bring together a group of specialists in biblical studies, epigraphy, and archaeology who would utilize a variety of humanistic and social-scientific approaches to the data and would also be willing to engage in dialogue and debate; during the conference in Münster, there was much vigorous intellectual engagement. The essays published here reflect the energy of that conference and will contribute, both individually and collectively, to the advancement of our knowledge of Israelite family and household religion.