NOTES ON MIDDLE BRONZE I 
(or MIDDLE CANAANITE I)
(or EB-MB PERIOD)
about 2200-2000 B.C.E.

MBI is generally contemporary with the First Intermediate Period
in Egypt

           Describe this period in Egyptian History.

           Dating period based on Carbon 14, pottery sequence,
           and pieces from dateable contexts.

Characterization of period as Nomadic.
           
           No significant sedentary occupation.

           Tomb culture primarily
           
           There is some evidence of temporary shelters
           and habitation at  Jericho (Tell es-Sultan), for example.

Describe Tombs and Tomb structures 
[Pritchard, The Bronze Age Cemetery at Gibeon].

           Single shaft tombs with one to  multiple
           chambers.

           Dolmens may have also been used in this period,
           particularly in the Golan.

           Period of greatest tomb building in Eretz Israel.

Describe Burials

           Fetal position usually single burials.

Grave Goods (metal)

           Weapons made of copper.  Some bars of copper found at 
           sites attest to local metal industry.

           Mostly curled-tail javelins and a few daggers

           Beads

Pottery 
[Amiran, Pottery of the Holy Land., pp.79-89].

           Flat-based period of pottery continues from EB.  Pre-dates
           standard pottery of Palestine which is round-based.

                     Hand-made pottery with little decoration. Teapots
                     and four-spouted lamps dominate.

           Pottery traditions breakdown into three groups: Northern(Group B),
           Southern (Group A), and Later(Group C).

                     Describe each pottery tradition.

                     Discuss pottery chronology.

Prelude to the Middle Bronze II
           
           The  transition from First Intermediate Period
           to Middle Kingdom in Egypt.

           The Tale of Sin-uhe [ANET].
           

           Tomb painting from Beni Hasan caves.
           [ANEP., No. 3]