Correlation and chronology: Samaria and Megiddo Redux

Following a comprehensive reanalysis of Samaria and Megiddo, it can now be shown that at Samaria only Building Period I can be attributed to the 9th-century BCE Omride dynasty and that Building Period II must be downdated to the 8th century BCE, while at Megiddo it is Stratum V that must be attributed to the 9th century BCE and Stratum IV (IVA) that must be downdated to the 8th century BCE. In addition, Stratum IVB (VA-IVB) has now been proved non-existent. This new stratigraphic correlation revealed a number of similarities in the monumental architecture at both sites. These similarities provide a clear chronological correlation between the two 9th-century BCE cities, as well as the two 8th-century BCE cities, and so provide a firm link to the chronological anchor represented by Omride Samaria. The debate regarding the chronology of the Iron Age strata has been in the limelight for the last decade (see, among others, Ben-Tor 2000; Finkelstein 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002a, 2002b, 2004; Mazar 1997, 1999a, 1999b). Although crucial 14C evidence for lowering the date of the Iron Age strata of some of the major archaeological sites in the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Hazor, Tel Hadar, Kinrot, Megiddo, Taanach, Dor, and Gezer) by ca. 100 years has recently become available (Finkelstein and Piasetzky 2003a, 2003b, 2003c; Sharon 2001) the debate continues to rage (Bruins, van der Plicht, and Mazar 2003a, 2003b).