The Ancient Israelite World: Insights from the Archaeological Sciences with a Focus on Food and Society

Archaeological sciences studies, where archaeological questions are approached with techniques and knowledge from Natural, Life, and Exact Sciences, have an ever-growing impact on the study of ancient Israel (ca. 1200-586 BCE). The significant impact includes changes in excavation and research methodology, the ability to develop new and nuanced research questions, and the refinement of our understanding of various aspects of ancient Israel, including the material culture, language, society, economy, politics, and religion. This chapter reviews several changes in research methodology and the development of specific research questions that are the outcome of studies based on archaeological science. It then focuses on the archaeological science field of zooarchaeology and the topic of food and identity in ancient Israel.