Approaching and Avoiding the Dead in Iron Age Israel: A Reexamination of the Textual and Archaeological Evidence

This article addresses the tension between approaching and avoiding the dead in ancient Israel, found both in the archaeological and biblical evidence. Its point of departure is a possible relationship between the prevalent tendency in the Iron Age southern Levant towards extramural burial (interment outside settlement boundaries) and attitudes regarding death in the Hebrew Bible, especially the concept of death pollution. By pursuing a reexamination of the textual and archaeological data without foregone conclusions regarding the correlation of biblical attitudes with extramural burial, this investigation offers a more nuanced characterization of the various stages of burial and post-mortem treatment of the corpse.