Archaeology
What types of objects do archaeologists dig for?
Buildings and roads
Graves and skeletons
Trash
Which empire had control over Mesopotamia around 2000 BCE?
Babylon
Ancient Indo-Iranians were closely connected to which other ancient group (that we have learned about!)?
Indo-Aryans
True or false: Persian is a language and a culture
True
Which archaeological theory about the origin of Israel developed in the 1920s (first)?
Gradual Migration Theory: ancient Israel slowly migrated from Egypt into the Levant
How do archaeologists know where to dig?
They look in places where ancient people liked to live: close to rivers and on good soil
What evidence of ancient Israel from 1213 BCE was found in Egypt?
The Merneptah Stele
Which tribes were included in the Indo-Iranian group?
Medes and Persians
Zoroastrianism became the official religion of Persia under which King?
Darius I
Which archaeological theory about the origin of Israel developed in the 1970s (second)?
Internal Development Theory: ancient Israelites were Canaanites who developed a new religion
Archaeology is the study of...
human history through the excavation and analysis of physical remains.
When did Cyrus I begin his reign?
650 BCE
Who or what were the Achaemenids?
A small Persian tribe that became leaders of the Persian Empire
Why is fire sacred in Zoroastrianism?
Fire represents light and truth in Zoroastrianism
Which archaeological theory about the origin of Israel developed in the 1990s (third)?
Farmers to Pastoralists: Israel was a group of farmers that became pastoralists, then returned to farming
How do archaeologists know how old something is?
Carbon dating: they test how much carbon is left in something that was once alive.
Relativity dating: they record what layer of earth the object was found in
What year did Babylon conquer Jerusalem?
597 BCE
In order to establish the Persian Empire, Cyrus I had to defeat and annex which group? (Hint: the first empire to be conquered by the Persians!)
Median Empire
Cyrus II made what argument in the Cyrus Cylinder?
Marduk, the lead Mesopotamian god, selected him to conquer and lead Babylon
What theory about the origin of Israel developed after excavations at Ebla?
The Eblaites were a possible ancestor of the Hebrews
Do all archaeologists agree on what discoveries mean?
No: Archaeologists often have different interpretations for the same evidence.
What year did Xerxes I take the throne?
486 BCE
Why was Cyrus II able to claim so much territory in one lifetime?
He annexed pre-existing empires
How far west did Darius I successfully conquer?
Macedonia
Which Persian leader did the ancient Hebrew author of Isaiah write about?
Cyrus II