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Syro-Palestinian archaeology is a term used to refer to archaeological research conducted in the southern Levant. Palestinian archaeology is also commonly used in its stead,〔Davis, 2004, p. 146.〕〔Dever, 2001, p. 61.〕 particularly when the area of inquiry centers on ancient Palestine.〔On page 16 of his book, Rast notes that the term Palestine is commonly used by archaeologists in Jordan and Israel to refer to the region encompassed by modern-day Israel, Jordan and the West Bank. On page ix, he defines "ancient Palestine" the same way but also includes the Gaza Strip.〕 Besides its importance to the discipline of biblical archaeology, the region of ancient Palestine is one of the most important to an understanding of the history of the earliest peoples of the Stone Age.〔Rast, 1992, p. xi.〕 The geographical scope of Syro-Palestinian archaeology includes ancient southern-central Syria, Israel and Palestine, both west and east of the Jordan River, or what was once known as ancient "Greater Canaan".〔 In modern-day terms, this comprises Israel, the Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon, and parts of Syria.〔〔While Dever does not explicitly mention the West Bank and Gaza Strip in his definition, other scholars like Rast do explicitly name them and as such, for purposes of precision, they are mentioned here.〕 The southern Levant's geographical location on the land bridge connecting Asia and Africa and its proximity to the "cradle of humankind" in Africa and the ancient civilizations of the Near East has played a key role in determining the prehistory and history of social change in the region dating back over one million years.〔 Though the term Syro-Palestinian archaeology "is commonly employed by archaeologists in the southern Levant, it is rarely used by specialists in Syria itself."〔Akkermans and Schwartz, 2003, p. 2.〕 Syro-Palestinian archaeology is marked by a degree of acrimony not shared in other area studies in the field that is often influence by the complex politics of the region. Classical archaeologists who consider Biblical scriptures to be legitimate historical documents have been attacked by alternative archaeologists who consider the data from excavations as being incompatible with the Biblical historical record.〔Henry, 2003, p. 143.〕 The dispute led to a definitive split between Classical archaeologists and Syro-Palestinian archaeologists in the 1970s, and continues to rage within the field(s) of Syro-Palestinian and Classical archaeology today. ==Terminology and scope== Syro-Palestinian archaeology is one of the terms used to refer to archaeological research conducted in the southern Levant. As an aspect of archaeology, it encompasses excavations, salvage, conservation and reconstruction efforts, as well as off-site research, interpretation, and other scholarship. The terminology for archaeology in the southern Levant has been defined in various, often competing or overlapping ways. Prior to and during the period of the British Mandate in Palestine (1920–1948), archaeology of the region was typically described as Palestinian archaeology or biblical archaeology. Under the influence of William F. Albright (1891–1971), biblical inquiry and narratives became increasingly important; indeed, Albright conceived of Palestinian archaeology or Syro-Palestinian archaeology as a sub-field of biblical archaeology. "The archaeology of ancient Israel," is described by Franken and Franken-Battershill as, "but a small part of the far greater study of Palestinian archaeology ()" in ''A Primer of Old Testament Archaeology'' (1963).〔Franken and Franken-Battershill, 1963, p. 1.〕 While both classical archaeology and Syro-Palestinian archaeology deal with the same general region of study, the focus and approach of these interrelated disciplines differs. Even scholars who have continued to advocate a role for classical archaeology have accepted the existence of a general branch of Syro-Palestinian archaeology.〔 In addition, Classical archaeology may cover areas relevant to the Bible outside of the southern Levant (e.g., Egypt or Persia) and it takes into account the use and explanation of Biblical texts, which Syro-Palestinian archaeologist ignore. Beyond its importance to the discipline of classical archaeology, the region of the southern Levant is critical for an understanding of the history of the earliest peoples of the Stone Age. In academic, political, and public settings, the region's archaeology can also be described in terms of ancient or modern Israel, Jordan, Palestine and Syria. Archaeologists may define the geographic range more narrowly, especially for inquiries that focus on 'Israel' or 'Palestine,' whether construed as ancient or modern territories.〔For example, see Aharoni, Finklestein, Rast, and Silberman.〕 The shifting terminology over the past 50 years reflects political tensions that operate within and upon the field. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Syro-Palestinian archaeology」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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