An archaeological commentary on the Josianic reforms.

Abstract

In the earlier part of this century, archaeology was imported into biblical studies as a tool to demonstrate the historical accuracy of the Bible. Methodological differences, however, prevented very meaningful dialogue and eventually the two disciplines drifted apart. Archaeology has matured in the intervening years and now can enter a dialogue with biblical studies as an independent discipline. While biblical studies and archaeology work with different sets of data and approach the same subject with different questions, the disciplines can meaningfully intersect when they are interpreted through the perspective of anthropology of religion. Anthropology, with its study of the nature of religion and ritual, provides a matrix into which archaeology and biblical studies can place their respective data and find an interpretive framework. This dissertation uses Josiah's reforms (2 Kings 23) as a test case to bring archaeology and biblical studies into dialogue. The text lists activities and artifacts that were objects of Josiah's reform. The first three chapters deal with biblical and general anthropological data. Chapters four and five focus specifically on bamot and goddess worship. Chapter six discusses an array of artifacts: worship of the heavenly bodies, cult functionaries, child sacrifice, standing stones, the occult, and figurines. Each section examines the biblical data, anthropological theory, and any artifactual evidence that might reflect cultic practices. The purpose has been not to offer a comprehensive or exhaustive list of artifacts, but to show the types of objects that attracted Josiah's attention.