Prof. Aren Maeir
About
arenmaeir@gmail.com
Prof. Aren Maeir is a Professor of Archaeology at Bar-Ilan University and Head of the Institute of Archaeology.
With over 30 years of experience, he is a leading authority on the Bronze and Iron Age archaeology of the Levant.
Maeir has published more than 20 books and 350 articles, notably directing the long-term excavations at Tell es-Safi/Gath.
His research interests extend beyond the Levant to explore long-range connectivity and cultural exchange between the Near East and Southeast Asia, providing a broad geographical context for the development of ancient civilizations and their interconnections.
Lecture Abstract:
Recent study, and in particular utilizing various scientific perspectives, have brought to light early and diverse connectivity between the Land of Israel and surrounding regions and the Indian subcontinent and other regions in southeast Asia during Antiquity (2nd mill BCE until late Antiquity). These finds indicate the much more diverse and extensive connections that existed between these regions from very early periods, and point to the existence of long-range maritime connections between the regions, much earlier than previously assumed. While these finds have been discussed in previous studies (and will be summarized by A. Gilboa's paper in this conference), in my presentation I wish to stress the broad, even worldwide implications of this new data. Not only do these new finds exemplify the connections between the southern Levant (and the Land of Israel included), and the Indian subcontinent in early times, but they are excellent witnesses of the broad and wide ranging connectivity that existed between not only these two regions, but on a much broader scale. To a large extent, we see here hints to the extensive, but insufficiently known ""rhizomatic"" connectivity that existed throughout the Afro-eurasian landmass. While these extensive levels of interconnections have been recognized in medieval and modern times, I wish to argue that they already existed in antiquity.
In fact, one might even venture to suggest that traditions that report that the earliest arrival of Jews in India might have already occurred during the Iron Age (First Temple Period) might have some basis, just as connections between Judah and Sheba (Yemen? Ethiopia?) in the Iron Age, once thought to be completely mythical are now seen as distinctly possible in light of recent finds.
In my opinion, it is only a matter of time until explicit evidence of these connections will surface, such as through the discovery of commercial intrepots and sunken ships. Through the finds in the Land of Israel deriving from the Indian subcontinent and beyond, and the commercial connectivity emanating from these connections, we have the opportunity to better understand much broader issues of cultural and economic connections in the ancient world.