Jim My comments were in response to you numerous statements about the supposedly poor conditions of the SouthernLevant as compared to the north and your use of this supposed contrast to support your theories as to why Abraham livedin the northern half of Canaan.If you had left your arguments as simply a matter of linguistics, that would be one thing.But your assertions about the conditionsof the south versus the north, as though you were an Archaeobotanist on the level of the great Ofer Bar Yosef is what prompted my response. Such demonstrably false assertions cannot be left to stand uncontested.
You wrote: "It is unlikely that the city of Hebron, by contrast, ever had a grove of oak trees." The question is, on what is such a statement, and many more like it, based? Not on science, that is for certain. Let's set the story straight once and for all. Anyone of the readers of this site can verify these facts for themselves and don'thave to endure the misinformation of Mr Stinehart.. I suggest you read: " Distribution and Extinction of Ungulates during the Holocene of the Southern Levant" byElla Tsahar Ido Izhaki , Simcha Lev-Yadun, , Guy Bar-Oz Available online.Play close attention to the charts: To sum very briefly Locations of ungulates, hoofed animals, from the Bronze age are studied. You will see, Hippopotamus thrived in the Southern Levant during the time of Abraham as far inland as near Tel Masos and south of Gaza as well as up the Palestine coast to Haifa. Hippos, require deep, slow moving rivers and abundant plant life to thrive...both were provided by an obviously lushforest fed by the waters of the hill country, forests which you have denied existed. Next, look at the charts for locations of hartebeest and the incredible, wondrous Aurochs,(wild cattle) which at the time stoodbetween 6 and 7 feet tall at the shoulders. They were swift and aggressive making it little wonder they were consideredto be gods by the locals. The greatest concentration of all these animals was in the Southern Levant. Add to this mix lions, bears, panthers, hyenas, wart hogsetc. This incredible assemblage of wildlife required a lush ecosystem to support them, and archaeobotanists have determined thepredominant tree in this forest was the oak.(five varieties) Oaks live to at least 850 years.. is also a no brainer that with oak as the predominate tree of the Mediterranean Forest there would be great oaks north and south in Canaan. We can therefore dismiss your claims about no oaks in Hebron and in fact every other claim you have made regarding thetrees in Canaan and Edom. This is not amateur guessing based on long outdated views, as you do so frequently, but the conclusions of University Level studies. During the Bronze Age the southern Levant was what scientists call an "African Echo"...as rich and as lush as any nationalpark in sub saharan Africa. You claim Hebron was "modest" and that Abraham used up his wealth here. Only if he were an incompetent fool. The point again being Abraham did not make his decision on where to go based the Aijulon supposedly being a morefertile, desirable place than the south. That is an outdated, uninformed view. Two closing points. By examination of the pollen core samples of soil dating back to 3000 BC and earlier archaeobotanisthave determined the hill country just north of Jerusalem underwent rapid deforestation beginning about 1400 BC thruabout 1100BC. At the same time you will read in the Ungulates piece, a great Extinction of the larger ungulates, the hippos and aurochsbegan about 1300 BC through about 800BC. Both incidents indicate the infiltration of a large, non indigenous group into Canaan which coincides with the invasion of the Hebrews of Joshua's time. This is physical, scientific evidence of an invading group, restricted to a specific time period that is not acknowledged by some.(some claim the Hebrews were indigenous peoples who just took over Canaan over time. The record of deforestation tells a different story)Unfortunately many mainstream "authorities" fail to examine the conclusions in archaeobotany, palynology and zooarchaeology. Jim, confine your arguments, such as they are, to linguistics, which is quite obviously subjective in many instances.No more comments about the "rugged" southern levant or some amateurish comments of the altitude of the hills aboutHebron. These are painful to read they are so misinformed. Don't continue to misinform others, particularly young people, by claiming to bean authority on ancient history, to know where oaks could and couldn't grow (you made some claim about few oaks in the shephelaof all things)or even the Amarna letters and your confused and long outdated chronology of of Aziru. Much has been discovered and long accepted conclusions revised in just the past 10 years. For everyone else I hope this info on Ungulates and the true, wondrous condition of ancient Palestine...south as well as north, will be of some use in future discussions and that they will no longer be cluttered by false claims. Rob Acosta . _______________________________________________ b-hebrew mailing list [email protected] http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew
