The Roads and Highways of Ancient Israel (Asor Library of Biblical and Near Eastern Archaeology)

Rating:
Summary: detailed examination of a neglected topic
Review: Dr Dorsey has undertaken a challenging and much needed survey of the Iron Age road network in the area known as Ancient Israel. Based on various excavated sites and etymological analysis, he traces the likely routes where direct evidence for roads is no longer available, but also examines treks used through the Roman period and beyond.

Most archaeological analysis centers on the architecture, ashen debris and pottery from particular tells, because these are where people lived and died. Roads are much like sea routes -- frequently traversed, but seldom inhabited -- and so leave precious little to be subsequently excavated. Dorsey thus begins with an analysis of the existing literature and expands on biblical descriptions and commentaries regarding the routes described in ancient times. The necessity of travel by ancient people on religious or commercial ventures, by official representatives on royal errands, or by armies is demonstrated for the biblical period, and would apply to earlier times. Most travel would have been conducted on foot, although donkeys were also used (horses being scarce until David's reign in Iron Age II). Width and quality of the road surfaces lacks definitive judgment, but paved streets were almost certainly restricted to cities, given the costs of foundation and brickwork. Dorsey reasonably asserts that roads would have to be repaired after the winter rains, and indicates that bridges appear not to have been built by the Israelites.

The bulk of the work is devoted to Israel's road network in subdivided sections. While not expressly stated, one gets the impression that while the interconnecting routes provide much more diverse coverage than a layman might expect, that the travel predominated along the plains and valleys closer to the coast than the highlands. This seems to confirm the assertion made by some historians that after the kingdom divided, Samaria, despite its greater wealth and population, was more vulnerable because part of its territory lay in the path of covetous empires seeking control of the coastal highways, whereas Judah in the hinterlands could be ignored for a longer period.

While extensive in scope and frequently providing context with scriptural references to historical descriptions or poetic hymns, selected portions of _Roads_and_Highways_ can be a tedious read for the nonspecialist, being unfamiliar with obscure placenames. I read the book while commuting to work so context couldn't be supplemented by other sources, so eventually I plan to reread it alongside a detailed Bible atlas in the future. Despite my complaint for more context, Dorsey's reference nonetheless constitutes an important addition in a much neglected aspect of biblical studies.

Rating:
Summary: detailed examination of a neglected topic
Review: Dr Dorsey has undertaken a challenging and much needed survey of the Iron Age road network in the area known as Ancient Israel. Based on various excavated sites and etymological analysis, he traces the likely routes where direct evidence for roads is no longer available, but also examines treks used through the Roman period and beyond.

Most archaeological analysis centers on the architecture, ashen debris and pottery from particular tells, because these are where people lived and died. Roads are much like sea routes -- frequently traversed, but seldom inhabited -- and so leave precious little to be subsequently excavated. Dorsey thus begins with an analysis of the existing literature and expands on biblical descriptions and commentaries regarding the routes described in ancient times. The necessity of travel by ancient people on religious or commercial ventures, by official representatives on royal errands, or by armies is demonstrated for the biblical period, and would apply to earlier times. Most travel would have been conducted on foot, although donkeys were also used (horses being scarce until David's reign in Iron Age II). Width and quality of the road surfaces lacks definitive judgment, but paved streets were almost certainly restricted to cities, given the costs of foundation and brickwork. Dorsey reasonably asserts that roads would have to be repaired after the winter rains, and indicates that bridges appear not to have been built by the Israelites.

The bulk of the work is devoted to Israel's road network in subdivided sections. While not expressly stated, one gets the impression that while the interconnecting routes provide much more diverse coverage than a layman might expect, that the travel predominated along the plains and valleys closer to the coast than the highlands. This seems to confirm the assertion made by some historians that after the kingdom divided, Samaria, despite its greater wealth and population, was more vulnerable because part of its territory lay in the path of covetous empires seeking control of the coastal highways, whereas Judah in the hinterlands could be ignored for a longer period.

While extensive in scope and frequently providing context with scriptural references to historical descriptions or poetic hymns, selected portions of _Roads_and_Highways_ can be a tedious read for the nonspecialist, being unfamiliar with obscure placenames. I read the book while commuting to work so context couldn't be supplemented by other sources, so eventually I plan to reread it alongside a detailed Bible atlas in the future. Despite my complaint for more context, Dorsey's reference nonetheless constitutes an important addition in a much neglected aspect of biblical studies.