Canaanites, Phoenicians and Israelites

The transition from the Late Bronze Age to the Iron Age marks a drastic change in the societal organisation in the Eastern Mediterranean basin, as triggered by the wane of imperial powers such as Hittite and Egyptian Empires. Consequently, new communities and distinct identities gradually emerge within the same regions, where cohabitation, communication and interaction between different cultural groups can be observed. This study thus investigates such cultural dynamics in the Early Iron Age in the southern Levant, as reflected in the technique and production of an anthropomorphic mask recently excavated at Tel Rekhesh which illuminates the discussion concerning the origin of the technique employed for representing the mask's beard.