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Deconstructing and Recomposing the Narrative of Spiritual Life in the Chalcolithic of the Southern Levant (4500–3600 B.C.E.)

Abstract

The serendipity of discovery can determine the process and progress of the archaeological interpretation of religious belief and ritual practice. The Chalcolithic period (4500-3600 B.C.E.) of the southern Levant is used as a case study. Had the material expressions of Chalcolithic religion been discovered in a different sequence, our understanding of that religion might have been distinctly altered. We first present a chronological narrative of discovery, with summary headlines, and then proceed to dismantle previous syntheses. Finally, we construct our own framework for understanding Chalcolithic religion, which is essentially a life-cycle religion with extensive, almost ever-present, ritual reference to death and the regeneration of life. [ritual, mortuary landscape, ossuary, iconography, secondary burial]

Expediting Reincarnation in the Fifth Millennium BCE: Interpreting the Chalcolithic Ossuaries of the Southern Levant

“…As one might expect, an extensive ritual praxis accompanied the extended primary‐to‐secondary depositional process. This is best seen at the site of Gilat, much of which we have interpreted as a mortuary temple (Rowan and Ilan , 251–2; Ilan and Rowan , 96–8). Primary burials are found there, as well as scattered bones left over or missed from post‐decarnation collection, extensive remains of feasting (cooking paraphernalia, vessels of consumption in great numbers, large mammal bones with signs of butchery, many figurines and broken ritual vessels, etc.…”

“…The utilization of natural caves was supplemented, for the first time, by the excavating of artificial tombs. Separate cemeteries became normative (Ilan and Rowan ).…”

“…The essence (soul) passes into an afterworld, stays there for some time, and is reborn, emphasizing the continuity of society and identity. Deities may have been understood to oversee reincarnation; elsewhere, we have suggested that the tomb was conceived of as the earth‐mother goddess’ womb and the ossuary and bones the planted seed (Ilan and Rowan , 104). The famous ‘Gilat Lady’ figurine (Fig.…”

Temples in the Ghassulian Culture: Terminology and social implications

“…Amiran 1989;Gilead 2002;Ilan and Rowan 2012;Rowan and Ilan 2007), is that its plan (Fig. 1) serves as a good example for temple architecture when compared to the definitions discussed above.…”

“…Drabsch 2015a; Joffe, Dessel, and Hallote 2001;Levy 2006a;Levy and Golden 1996;Ussishkin 2014), or on the general ideas related to Ghassulian ritual behavior (e.g. Elliott 1977;Epstein 1978;Ilan and Rowan 2012;Rowan and Ilan 2007). In order to understand the implications that such vague definitions have on our understanding of Ghassulian society, it is crucial to present a detailed overview of the sites and remains that were regarded as temples, sanctuaries or shrines: En Gedi, Teleilat Ghassul, Gilat and Shiqmim.…”