Lachish ewer explained

The Lachish ewer is an ancient jug discovered at Tell el-Duweir dating from the late 13th century BC, identified as the site of the ancient city of Lachish, one of the most important cities in the Kingdom of Judah.

Interpretation and significance

The Lachish ewer shows iconicity in its simple and graphic design, characterized by the effervescent depiction of gazelles mid-leap. The common goats flanking a tree motif is known from very early examples, such as Babylonian Akkadian. During this era they symbolize the goddess Asherah.

The jug is considered as important as pithos A from Kuntillet Ajrud and the Ta'anakh cult stand. It is one of the most common points of reference to demonstrate the typical characteristics of art of its type and era, its attention-grabbing aspect being an unmistakably menorah-like tree as the object of focus and a manifestation of the goddess.^[1] The ewer and its cousin, a goblet from the same city, show how the tree and pubic triangle can be synonymous or interchangeable.^[2]

called the Burna krater was publicized in 2022.

See also

• Lachish
• Lachish letters
• Lachish reliefs
• LMLK seal
  • Kuntillet Ajrud inscriptions Ta'anach cult stand

Bibliography

• Hestrin . Ruth . The Lachish Ewer and the 'Asherah . Israel Exploration Journal . Israel Exploration Society . 37 . 4 . 1987 . 0021-2059 . 27926074 . 212–223 . 2023-12-28.
• Locatell . Christian . McKinny . Chris . Shai . Itzhaq . Tree of Life Motif, Late Bronze Canaanite Cult, and a Recently Discovered Krater from Tel Burna . Journal of the American Oriental Society . 142 . 3 . 2022-09-30 . 2169-2289 . 10.7817/jaos.142.3.2022.ar024.
• Book: Winter, Urs . Frau und Göttin . Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht . Freiburg, Schweiz Göttingen . 1983 . 3-525-53673-9 . de.
• The Lachish Ewer: An Offering and a Tribute . Eretz-Israel: Archaeological, Historical and Geographical Studies . Steiner . Richard C. . 32 . Joseph Naveh Volume . 103*–112* . 2016 . 0071-108X . 26732502 . 20.500.12202/7785 . free.

Notes and References

1. Book: Sommer, Benjamin D. . The Bodies of God and the World of Ancient Israel . Cambridge University Press . 2011 . 978-1107422261 . 44–49.
2. Ziffer . Irit . 2010 . Western Asiatic Tree-Goddesses . Ägypten und Levante / Egypt and the Levant . Austrian Academy of Sciences Press . 20 . 411–430 . 10.1553/AEundL20s411 . 1015-5104 . 23789949 . 2024-02-20.