Political Change and Material Culture in Middle to Late Bronze Age Can

Shlomit Bechar examines the complex relationship between administrative shifts and material culture in Political Change and Material Culture in Middle to Late Bronze Age Canaan, Volume 1. This archaeology and history text focuses on northern Canaan during the seventeenth to fourteenth centuries BCE. By analyzing architectural and ceramic remains, the author investigates whether political transitions drive changes in material goods or if shifts in culture instigate new political structures. The research highlights how the Egyptian conquest of the southern Levant, following the expulsion of the Hyksos, served as a primary catalyst for these societal transformations.

This scholarly work provides a macro-typological analysis of ceramic assemblages to trace the evolution from attached specialists to independent producers. It explores how the new administrative systems established after the campaigns of Thutmose III altered local economies and production methods. As a significant contribution to ancient history and social science, this volume offers deep insights into the Bronze Age Levant. It serves as a vital resource for specialists studying archaeology, ancient Egypt, and the socio-political dynamics of the ancient Near East.