'Keseph': The Use of Silver Money in the Southern Levant from the Middle Bronze Age to the End of the Iron Age (~2000-600 BC)

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Conflicts of Interest

Identified Weaknesses

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Paper Summary

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Southern Levant: Banking on Silver Before Coins Were a Thing!

This archaeological study analyzes silver hoards in the Southern Levant to explore the use of silver as pre-coinage money from the Middle Bronze Age to the Iron Age. The study reveals that silver, adopted as money as early as the Middle Bronze Age, became the dominant form during the Iron Age, despite periods of shortage and debasement with copper, reflecting broader economic changes and trade ties with Anatolia and Mesopotamia.

Possible Conflicts of Interest

None identified

Identified Weaknesses

Subjectivity of Contextual Interpretations

The paper relies heavily on interpretations of archaeological contexts, which can be subjective and open to multiple interpretations. More evidence, like detailed written records, would be needed to strengthen the claims made.

Limited Geographic Scope

Although comparisons are made to other areas, the focus is on one specific region. More research in a broader geographic area would help to provide a more complete picture of the development of silver money.

Potential Overemphasis on Silver

The paper draws conclusions about silver as a primary medium of exchange. It acknowledges the use of other items like gold or barley, but doesn't fully explore the extent to which they may have also functioned as currency, potentially oversimplifying the economic picture.

Not all hoards buried for safekeeping were removed

The destruction/abandonment of the sites may be connected to the quantity of the silver that was kept hidden. More explanation regarding the local and global circumstances in which silver was not retrieved is needed.

Rating Explanation

This is a well-researched and detailed archaeological study using hoard analysis and lead isotope studies of hoards, to trace the history of pre-coinage money in the Southern Levant. It presents a compelling case for the early adoption and enduring significance of silver in the region's economy. While the analysis relies on contextual interpretations which can have some inherent subjectivity, the large dataset of hoards and supporting chemical composition analysis mitigate this limitation.

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