A Late Bronze to Early Iron Age tomb at Saḥem, Jordan

In 1992 a rich tomb dating from the Late Bronze to the Early Iron Age period was discovered in the village of Sahem in the north-west of Jordan. The burial gifts contain more than 200 items of fired clay, stone and metal including objects of bronze, silver and gold. Clay vessels, figurines of clay and stone, scarabs of composite, carnelian and rock crystal, daggers and other bronze tools, jewellery and toggle pins are amongst the objects. The objects are both locally made, including imitations of clay objects of foreign origin, and imports. The aims of this study include attempts to date the burial gifts, to group obviously contemporaneous items in order to establish a phasing, and to draw some conclusions about the society to which the tomb belongs. The goods reflect the life of a prosperous society, whose wealth was based on agriculture. The evidence of trade with Egypt, the Mycenaean world and Syria is indicated. Religious activities and burial customs are mirrored by figurines depicting a religious amalgamation of the Egyptian goddess, Hathor, and the Canaanite goddesses Ashera / Astarte / Anat.