I found today’s reading to be vastly interesting as far as it’s discussion on archeology and the process by which archeologists are able to piece together a site’s past. I have always thought that ancient civilizations are the most fascinating to study, which is rather frustrating because we typically know the least about them. In high school I wrote a novel about life as a Roman slave during the time of Julius Caesar and constantly struggled with how to vividly portray a lifestyle and time period that I myself am so far removed from.
One point I would like to further discuss in class, however, is Cosby’s seemingly offhand comment about there being no archeological evidence that Jerico was surrounded by a wall at the time that the Israelites arrived there and, with the help of God, knocked a wall down. I was expecting the book to expound upon that, in my opinion, rather crucial and puzzling point, but it wasn’t brought up again. It’s not so much that I am disturbed or upset that this evidence is missing from the historical record, I’m just genuinely curious as to what Cosby is implying. Is he saying that we perhaps got the dates wrong and that the Israelites came at a different time than we originally thought? Is he suggesting that there truly was no wall when they got there and that the ‘wall’ was some sort of metaphor? This is something that I’d love to talk through in class and hear Jordan’s thoughts on.
Caroline's Encounters 