A story of figs and the end of the world

🔴 A story of figs and the end of the world

The picture you see here was taken in August 1996 at the archaeological site of Tel Miqneh, which is not far from the city of Ashdod, in Israel. And not far from Jerusalem, only 35 km from the site.

These topographical details brought, it must be said - and this is of course the most interesting - that this jar filled with charred figs comes from layer VIII of the aforementioned archaeological site (so Tel Miqneh).

Gold this stratum corresponds to the first quarter of the 12th century AD. J. -C. i.e. at the end of the Bronze Age, a most turbulent period during which tradition (and many specialists) place the Trojan War. Among other conflicts, which were not missing at this time as we will see.

Daniela Lefèvre-Novarro - who teaches ancient history at the University of Strasbourg - gave Storia Mundi a very interesting lecture on this subject. But let's go back to our charred figs and the final bronze age troubles.

During this exciting time, the great powers that have so far dominated the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean basin are subject to enormous pressure that will ultimately cause their loss: wars, popular uprising es and long-term raids multiply without explanation of those upsets for sure. Nor make a clear causal link: did migrations and raids cause the collapse of the Bronze Age kingdoms or, on the contrary, a consequence?

Among the protagonists of this drama, the People of the Sea occupy one of the very first places. Their devastating raids are well attested, especially in Egypt where they suffered a rough defeat to Ramses III's troops during a great battle that took place... In the first quarter of 12th century AD J. -C. she as well! The low-relief and long inscription of Médinet Habou give one of the most eloquent accounts of a propaganda method typical of the imperial communication of the time.

It is often overlooked but the Palestinians – which the Egyptians call Peleset and Pelesetīm Hebrews – are part of those terrible Sea People. Sensibly at the same time as they were attacking powerful Egypt, late 13th - early 12th centuries AD. J. -C. so the Palestinians are ravaging Canaan They destroy among other things the establishment that occupied the Tel Miqneh site in the fighting during which they take control of part of the region. At the site of the destroyed village, they found one of the five Palestinian cities mentioned by the Tanakh: Ekron.

Our jar of charred figs is a modest but precious testimony to this.

Photo: Ilan Stulman.