New evidence for Middle Bronze Age chronology and synchronisms in the Levant: Radiocarbon dates from Tell el-Burak, Tell el-Dab'a, and Tel Ifshar compared

Abstract

We report a set of radiocarbon data for the Middle Bronze Age monumental building at Tell elBurak in Lebanon, dating it to the 19th century b.c., and summarize the relevant archaeological information concerning the stratigraphy and dating of the building. The radiocarbon data from Tell el-Burak is consistent with the high Middle Bronze Age radiocarbon dates recently reported for Tell el-Dab'a in the eastern Nile Delta and with radiocarbon dates for Middle Bronze Age Tel Ifshar in the coastal plain of Israel. A comparison of these radiocarbon dates questions the current (low) Middle Bronze Age absolute chronology of the southern Levant, which is largely based on the stratigraphic sequence of Tell el-Dab'a. Due to open questions in the archaeological dating of Tell el-Dab'a, we argue against using a single site as a main reference for dating the Middle Bronze Age in the Levant and argue for adopting a comprehensive and independent approach based on archaeological, historical, and radiocarbon evidence from all relevant sites. © 2016 American Schools of Oriental Research.