Geshur
Geshur (
Location
Geshur is identified with the area stretching along the eastern shore of the
Religion
Excavations of et-Tell have revealed evidence of the Geshurite religious practices including high places, decorated stelae, offering vessels, sacrificial animals and dedicatory inscriptions.[6] This material culture reveals strong influences from neighbouring countries.[6] Their religious worship appears to have centered around worship of the moon-god in the form of a bull which was common in southern Syria, whilst an Egyptian influence can be seen in their art and amulets.[6] The bull stele from the city gate has alternatively been interpreted as either a symbol of the chief god Hadad, in charge of rainfall; the moon god, who brought about the swelling of the rivers; or a combination of the two.[7] The influence of the Israelite religion to the south may be seen in dietary practices and the selection of sacrificial animals.[6]
Historical sources
Hebrew Bible
The name "Geshur" is found primarily in biblical sources and has been taken to mean "stronghold or fortress".
1 Samuel 27:8 reports that
Amarna letters
Two of the Late Bronze Age Amarna letters (EA 256 and EA 364) identify 'the land of Garu', as a disputed territory in the Golan between the city states of Hazor and Ashtaroth. Some scholars believe that this 'Garu' is identical with the biblical Geshur,[9] although this is contested by others who contend that it is based on a "hypothetical and disputed assumption".[3]
Statue of Shalamaneser III
Some scholars believe the inscription on the broken statue of Shalmaneser III that describes cities captured by him may include the phrase "the Geshurite seized my feet. I received his tribute", although this is by no means certain.[3]
Archaeology
Capital at et-Tell
Archaeologists tend to agree that the capital of the kingdom was situated at et-Tell, a place also inhabited on a lesser scale during the first centuries BCE and CE and sometimes identified with the town of Bethsaida of New Testament fame.[10] Imposing archaeological finds, mainly the Stratum V city gate, date to the post-Geshurite 8th century BCE, but there are indications, as of 2016, that the archaeologists are close to locating the 10th-century BCE, that is: Geshurite, city gate as well.[10] The et-Tell site would have been easily the largest and strongest city to the east of the Jordan Valley during Iron II era.[3]
Tell Hadar
Tell Hadar is a small site located on the northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee which archaeological surveys have revealed as containing architectural features distinct from those of ancient Israel. Some archaeologists have suggested the site may have been under the control of Geshur.[11]
Tel Dover
This small Iron I-IIa settlement located southeast of Galilee near the Yarmuk River may have marked the southern border of the kingdom.[12]
Haspin
In 2020, a dig supervised by the Israel Antiquities Authority uncovered a massive fortress dating to Iron Age I in the vicinity of Haspin. Artefacts from the site, believed to depict some sort of lunar deity, were found to greatly resemble similar objects found during excavation at et-Tell, which lead the head archeologists to conclude that the two sites were connected in some way. Others remain skeptical, as a concrete connection between the two sites has not been exhibited by any other evidence found during the excavation, at the time.[13]
References
- ^ "2 Samuel 3:3". www.academic-bible.com.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8264-1316-1.
- ^ S2CID 73603495.
- George Ernest Wright and Floyd Vivian Filson(1946). The Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible. The Westminster Press. p. 51.
- ^ Moshe Kochavi; et al. (Jul 1992). "Rediscovered! The Land of Geshur". Biblical Archaeology Review.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-931112-39-0.
- ^ Cultic stele, Bethsaida, Iron Age II, 9th-8th century BCE. From The Israel Museum, Publisher: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2005
- ISBN 9781628370843.
- JSTOR 3264563.
- ^ a b Philippe Bohstrom (20 July 2016). "Mighty Fortifications Found by Archaeologists Show Kingdom of Geshur More Powerful Than Thought". Haaretz. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
- ^ Kochavi, Moshe (Jul–Aug 1992). "Rediscovered! The Land of Geshur". BAR: 84–85 – via Center for Online Judaic Studies.
- ^ Rapuano, Yehudah (2001). "Tel Dover". Hadashot Arkheologyot: Excavations and Surveys. 113: 19–21.
- ^ Massive 3,000-year-old Fortified Complex Found in Israeli Golan Heights, Haaretz
Further reading
- Sergi, Omer; Kleiman, Assaf (2018). "The Kingdom of Geshur and the Expansion of Aram-Damascus into the Northern Jordan Valley: Archaeological and Historical Perspectives". Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research. 379 (1): 1–18. S2CID 165795960.
- Pakkala, Juha (2010). 'What do we know about Geshur?'. Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament 24 (2): 155-173.
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Geshur, Geshurites". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.