Religion and Craft Production in Iron Age Cis- and Transjordan

Dear Colleagues,

Drawing on the contemporary anthropological and archaeological debate on the archaeology of religion and development and transmission of technical knowledge, this volume identifies, analyzes and interprets cultic installations from Iron Age Cis- and Transjordan which are within or in the close neighbourhood of industrial zones. Concepts such as procurement networks and transfer of knowledge, technological experimentation, and modes of production all play a pivotal role in broader analyses of the interdependence between the development of craft production and wider socio-political and religious phenomena. The aim is to discuss patterns of correlation between belief systems, ritual behaviour, technical skills and socioeconomic organisations and to prompt more comprehensive analyses on the complementary technological and symbolic aspects of ancient craft production practices. We intend to underline the existence of more than one tie between the religious sphere and that of craft production, ties that go beyond the spatial association of artefacts and demand a wider discussion of religious belief and rituals, economic organisa-tions, and socio-political structures (Alberghina, D.M. 2023). On one hand, the human alteration of matter and the process of creation enacted during production processes (e.g., the ‘transformation’ from stone to metal during the smelting of ores in metallury, or the ‘transformation’ from a snail to purple during purple production, killing the snail in the process) plays a pivotal role in the symbolic juxta-position of primary production processes, rituals and magic. On the other, the interference of the human producers in the mysterious, sacred orders and rhythms of nature, represents a violation that requires rites to be counterbalanced. There seem to be multiple, complex layers of symbolism and religious connotations attached to production practices, craftsmen, their materials and techniques and the resulting products (Gell A. 1992). There is surely also an interplay of the development of rituality and magic symbolism connotations with the economic centrality of craft production, and this appears to be especially relevant in the case of the social and cultural context of ancient Palestine in which the negotiation of power, status and wealth was still fluid. 

Given the complex networks and many levels of symbolism hiding behind our topic, it is rather challenging to present data in a clear, organised form. The most forgiving way appears to be one which starts with introductory considerations about the theoretical background of “Religion and Craft Production”, followed by different craft production techniques (e.g., metallurgy, textile/weaving, and olive oil, faience, purple, ivory, and honey production) as attested archaeologically at some significants sites that identify the symbolic meanings and the religious knowledge constructions they potentially carry forward (Spielmann K.A. 2002). Last but not least, the biblical view on YHWH’s connection to craftsmen and craft production will be added to complement the archaeological evidence and to identify ritual and magic semantics of production through the lens of textual sources.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following: 

• Research area A: Archaeological evidence of cultic installations in production zones in Cisjordan;
• Research area B: Archaeological evidence of cultic installations in production zones in Transjordan;
• Research area C: Theoretical considerations of the link between crafting and religion;
• Research area D: Biblical view on crafting for the gods.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200-300 words summarising their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editor or to the Assistant Editor of Religions. Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editors for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.

References:

Alberghina, D.M. 2023, Smelting Metals, Enacting Rituals. The Interplay of Religious Symbolisms and Metallurgical Practices in the Ancient Eastern Mediterranean, Asia Anteriore Antica. Journal of Ancient Near East-ern Cultures 5: 3–22. doi: 10.36253/asiana-2134.

Spielmann K.A. 2002, Feasting, Craft Specialization, and the Ritual Mode of Production in Small‐Scale Societies, American Anthropologist 104(1): 195–207.

Gell A. 1992, The technology of enchantment and the enchantment of technology, in J. Coote and A. Shelton (eds), Anthropology, Art, and Aesthetics, Oxford, Oxford University Press: 40–63.

Prof. Dr. Angelika Berlejung
Dr. Omer Sergi
Guest Editors

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• archaeology of religion
• religious handicrafts
• religious symbolism
• craftsmen
• craft production