Byblos in the Late Bronze Age: Interactions between the Levantine and Egyptian Worlds by Marwan Kilani (review)

Marwan Kilani, in the introduction to the volume, explains the structure of the book (a separate foreword was not included). He states that the book is divided into two main parts, namely the archaeological and the written sources. The archaeological sources are described first because, according to the author, “[they yield] information about the structures of the city and the dynamics characterizing its history, while the written sources focus more on specific events and well-defined interactions” (2). The archaeological sources, however, concern only objects of clear Egyptian origin found in the Levant, while the written sources considered include “Egyptian written sources, Amarna Letters, documents from Ugarit, and one Hittite text” (2). In this volume, the archaeological part certainly has less weight than the written sources. However, the book is nonetheless a good starting point for a subsequent in-depth study of the archaeological themes concerning Byblos and the Levant. In the archaeological sections, a summary of the site’s excavation history is appreciable; it is followed by a catalog of selected object categories. The catalog focuses on a selection of the objects, especially architectural fragments, while the discussion of archaeological areas and relevant buildings is lacking.

The book’s introduction, which concerns the aims and the structure of the book, represents the first actual chapter, followed by five more chapters that discuss the explicit theme. Chapter 2, “Sources—Archaeological Evidence,” is entirely dedicated to the archaeological evidence of Byblos, presented after a long introduction to the history of the excavations and the digging techniques applied. The excavation areas of the city are summarily presented together with the author’s interpretation, which takes into consideration the advent of new technologies since the original excavations took place. Chapter 3, “Archaeological Evidence—Quantitative Analyses,” like the preceding one, discusses the archaeological fieldwork. Here it is presented as a quantitative analysis applied to stratigraphy, taking into account the spatial distribution of objects in order to demonstrate a possible association of strata with specific categories of objects, such as Mycenaean pottery, Egyptian scarabs, spindle whorls, and loom weights. At the end of the section another catalog of fragments of Egyptian statues and reliefs, found in Byblos during the old fieldwork, is presented. Chapter 4, “Archaeological Evidence—Sectors and Areas of Interest,” reviews the main excavation areas of interest to the author for which Kilani also lists selected objects of Egyptian origin, such as fragments of statues and reliefs found in the following excavation areas: the Tower Temple, the Temple of the Lady of Byblos, the Obelisk Temple, the Chapel of Ramses II, Necropolis K, the area of Royal Tombs, and the Nahr El-Kalb area. These areas are all presented in close alignment with the old excavation reports, other than for the Obelisk Temple. For the Obelisk Temple only, the author tries to give his own interpretation of the building’s construction and occupation phases providing three-dimensional reconstructions. Catalogs of Egyptian-origin objects are integrated in the chapter, including bronze figurines, stone vessel fragments, doorjamb fragments, scarabs, and statue fragments.

Chapter 5, “Written Sources,” inaugurates the second section, relating to the presentation and analysis of written sources. The whole part dedicated to written sources is arranged chronologically and includes all the attestations that may refer to the city of Byblos or its territories. The sources are presented in an exhaustive manner, utilizing presentation and localization, transliteration from the ancient language with side-by-side translation, and the author’s comment. Very appreciable are also the plans of every building within which a relevant inscription was found, along with, where possible, a precise indication of the written source’s findspot. It starts with Thutmose III, passing through Amenhotep II and the Amarna period, and ends with Ramses II and the New Kingdom. The Amarna period is analyzed with particular care, providing information also at a geopolitical, social, and economic level...