Questions about Monotheism in Ancient Israel : between archaeology and texts

Archaeologists offer different perspectives and new and multiple types of evidence to the discussion of emerging monotheism in late eighth to sixth century B.C.E. Israel. Two examples exemplify how archaeology clarifies the historical context in which texts were produced and received, and demonstrates the religious practices of the period. The first example considers the effects of the later eighth century Assyrian campaigns on centralization of the cult in Jerusalem and in prophetic exhortations. In the second example, excavation of the royal Judahite fort of Arad situated on the nation's southern border revealed religious worship at a temple in a military outpost including animal sacrifice and the veneration of massebot ("standing stones"). These two archaeological studies contribute to our understanding of emerging monotheism both in practice and as depicted in biblical texts.Feature: Monotheism and the redefinition of divinity in ancient Israelapplication/pd