The Early Bronze Age period is the period in which urban settlements first appear in the southern Levant, and it is therefore considered a very important and influential period in the history of the area. Many of the cities that developed in this period appear in the bible, like Jerusalem, Megiddo, Hazor, and more. This period in the southern Levant is parallel to the development of the great civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt.

The period spreads over 1,300 years, between 3,700 and 2,400 BC. This long duration of time is divided into four main stages:

Early Bronze Age 1a (3,700-3,300 BC)

Early Bronze Age 1b (3,300-3,100 BC)

Early Bronze Age 2 (3,100-2,900 BC)

Early Bronze Age 3 (2,900-2,400 BC)

The beginning of the period (Early Bronze Age 1a-b) is characterized by simple, rural villages, scattered and distant from each other. The structures and tools found in them are very simple. The economy was based on “Mediterranean package” agriculture: cereals, vines, olives, sheep, and cattle. The early stages of the period are also characterized by the presence and cultural influence of the kingdom of Egypt in the southwestern part of the area.

During the period (Early Bronze Age 2) the area underwent majour changes. The Egyptian presence disappeared as the settlements grew and became denser. Regional trade systems began to be developed, for instance, with Egypt, as well as the construction of public and cult buildings. The period’s findings show the emergence of social classes. Later on, the settlements were fortified, and an urbanization process began.

Significant differences between social classes are evident at the height of the period (Early Bronze Age 3) and the urbanization process, together with the abandonment of rural settlements for the well-fortified cities. At that time, the regional trade decreased.

The Early Bronze Age period ended with the collapse of the urban system, as the cities were abandoned. It seems the area’s populations went back to rural and nomadic subsistence strategies, often far away from the areas of the Early Bronze Age settlements, and the intermediate Bronze Age begins.    

Sources

Shai, I. (Accessed on 5 June 2023). The Bronze Age 3,700-1,150 BCE. Israeli Institute of Archaeology. https://www.israeliarchaeology.org/%D7%AA%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%AA/the-bronze-age/?lang=en

Faust, A., & Katz H. (Eds.). (2019).  Archaeology of the land of Israel: From the Neolithic to Alexander the Great (vol. 1). Lamda – The Open University.