EthnicityEthnicity

Dr Diana EdelmanUniversity of Sheffield

Dr Diana EdelmanUniversity of Sheffield

Emic: insider’s view

Etic: outsider’s view

An ethnic trait or marker can be anything that is used by a given group of people in their daily life or culture.

Emic: insider’s view

Etic: outsider’s view

An ethnic trait or marker can be anything that is used by a given group of people in their daily life or culture.

Some typical ethnic traits:

dietlanguageclothing, hairstylesreligion, ritualburial customsdance, musicpottery forms and styles of decoration

shared common historyarchitecture

Some typical ethnic traits:

dietlanguageclothing, hairstylesreligion, ritualburial customsdance, musicpottery forms and styles of decoration

shared common historyarchitecture

Israel and Judah can designate:

geographical regions political entities people who are associated with a

specific geographical region or political unit

Israel came also to designate a religious community that worshipped one god, Yahweh Elohim

Israel and Judah can designate:

geographical regions political entities people who are associated with a

specific geographical region or political unit

Israel came also to designate a religious community that worshipped one god, Yahweh Elohim

A diaspora is a community of displaced persons living apart from their place of origin.

Are diaspora communities primarily political or ethnic?

A diaspora is a community of displaced persons living apart from their place of origin.

Are diaspora communities primarily political or ethnic?

Emic traits of ‘Israel’ given in the Hebrew Scriptures:

Kosher diet Use of mezzuzot on doorposts of houses

Fringes on clothes Use of tefillin Attendance at 3 pilgrimage festivals: Passover, Feast of Weeks, Feast of Booths

Circumcision of male babies on 8th day after birth

Adherence to Torah as canonical body of texts

Emic traits of ‘Israel’ given in the Hebrew Scriptures:

Kosher diet Use of mezzuzot on doorposts of houses

Fringes on clothes Use of tefillin Attendance at 3 pilgrimage festivals: Passover, Feast of Weeks, Feast of Booths

Circumcision of male babies on 8th day after birth

Adherence to Torah as canonical body of texts

Verifiable traits of monarchic era Judahites from HB texts:

None

Likely traits from HB texts:

Attendance at religious festivals

Circumcision of male children

Verifiable traits of monarchic era Judahites from HB texts:

None

Likely traits from HB texts:

Attendance at religious festivals

Circumcision of male children

Archaeologically verified traits of Judahites:

Pottery forms and decorative styles Diet Dress (siege of Lachish) Hebrew dialect Burial in family tombs; no cremation Worship of Yahweh and Asherah and pantheon; honoring of dead ancestors

architecture

Archaeologically verified traits of Judahites:

Pottery forms and decorative styles Diet Dress (siege of Lachish) Hebrew dialect Burial in family tombs; no cremation Worship of Yahweh and Asherah and pantheon; honoring of dead ancestors

architecture

The Siege of Lachish from the Palace of Sennacherib (704-681

BCE) at Nineveh

The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III (858-824 BCE) Found at Nimrud