Preliminary remarks on the Iron Age Cypriot imports in Tell Keisan, a Phoenician city in Lower Galilee (Israel)

Abstract

Preliminary remarks on the Iron Age Cypriot imports in Tell Keisan, a Phoenician city in Lower Galilee (Israel) The paper deals with one of several scientific topics mirrored in the history of Tell Keisan, specifically the relationships between Israel/Palestine, Cyprus, and Phoenicia, and is based primarily on the hitherto unpublished Cypriot decorated pottery finds from this site. The earliest occurrence of the Iron Age Cypriot imports at Keisan has been recorded in Stratum 8 (10th century BC), while their increased quantities appear in Strata 5 and 4 (c. 8th-7th century BC). The Black-on-Red ware is the most numerous, while the White Painted and Bichrome wares are quite rare. In Stratum 3 (580-380 BC), the number of Cypriot imports drops dramatically. This was probably the result of a rapid change in the political and then economic situation in this region. In 525 BC, Cyprus became part of the fifth Persian satrapy. This must have had a disastrous effect on the economic situation of some of the Cypriot regions and was one of the reasons for the total cessation of Cypriot imports to the Levantine mainland.

Keywords

• Palestine
• Cyprus
• Phoenicia
• Tell Keisan
• Iron Age
• Cypriot pottery