William G. Dever
Encyclopedia
William G. Dever is an American
archaeologist, specialising in the history of Israel and the Near East
in Biblical times. He was Professor of Near Eastern Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Arizona
in Tucson
from 1975 to 2002. He is a Distinguished Professor of Near Eastern Archaeology at Lycoming College
in Pennsylvania.
. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University
in 1966.
Excavations at Gezer
from 1966-71, 1984 and 1990; Director of the dig at Khirbet el-Kôm and Jebel Qacaqir (West Bank) from 1967-71; Principal Investigator at Tell el-Hayyat excavations (Jordan) 1981-85, and Assistant Director, University of Arizona Expedition to Idalion, Cyprus
, 1991, among other excavations.
He used his extensive background in Near Eastern field archaeology to argue, in Did God Have a Wife ? Archaeology and Folk Religion in Ancient Israel (2005), for the persistence of the veneration of Asherah
in the everyday religion of 'ordinary people' in ancient Israel and Judah. Discussing extensive archaeological evidence from a range of Israelite sites, largely dated between the 12th and the 8th centuries BC, Dever argued that this 'folk' religion, with its local altars and cultic objects, amulets and votive offerings, was representative of the outlook of the majority of the population, and that the Jerusalem-centred 'book religion' of the Deuteronomist
circle set out in the Hebrew Bible was only ever the preserve of an elite, a 'largely impractical' religious ideal.
Dever's views on the worship of Asherah are based to a significant extent on inscriptions at Khirbet el-Qom
and Kuntillet Ajrud
(though see also his discussion of the significance of a cultic stand from Taanach
). His views on worship of the goddess as expressed in this book have been criticised. On his methodological approach more generally, Francesca Stavrakopoulou
has suggested that his use of the term 'folk religion' 'ultimately endorses the old stereotype of 'popular' or 'folk' religion as the simplistic practices of rural communities', so perpetuating existing 'derogatory assumptions' that more recent discourses on the topic have sought to counter.
In retirement, Dever has become a frequent author on questions relating to the historicity of the Bible
. He has been scathing in his dismissal of "minimalists" who deny any historical value to the Biblical accounts. However he is far from being a supporter of Biblical literalism
either. Instead he has written:
and
However, Dever is also clear that his historical field should be seen on a much broader canvas than merely how it relates to the Bible:
More recently, he has become friendlier to the minimalist position, recognizing, "Originally I wrote to frustrate the Biblical minimalists; then I became one of them, more or less."
Dever joined the faculty at Lycoming College
in autumn 2008. He was appointed Distinguished Professor of Near Eastern Archaeology. Regarding his new position, Dever commented: “For a small college to have so many students majoring in archaeology is unprecedented. To find students who are interested in the discipline and a faculty and administration that are supportive, augurs very well. It was really refreshing to see what a small college with a sense of community, of commitment, and of values was like.”
A complete list of Dr. Dever's publications is available at the University of Arizona's online CV for him.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
archaeologist, specialising in the history of Israel and the Near East
History of the Levant
The Levant is a geographical term that refers to a large area in Southwest Asia, south of the Taurus Mountains, bounded by the Mediterranean Sea in the west, the Arabian Desert in the south, and the Zagros Mountains in the east. It stretches 400 miles north to south from the Taurus Mountains to the...
in Biblical times. He was Professor of Near Eastern Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
in Tucson
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
from 1975 to 2002. He is a Distinguished Professor of Near Eastern Archaeology at Lycoming College
Lycoming College
Founded in 1812, Lycoming College is located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. One of the 50 oldest colleges in America, Lycoming enrolls 1400 undergraduate students from over 28 states and 12 foreign countries. Eighty percent of the college's students live on campus...
in Pennsylvania.
Education
Dever is a 1955 graduate of Milligan CollegeMilligan College
Milligan College is a Christian liberal arts college founded in 1866 and located immediately outside of Elizabethton in Carter County, Tennessee, United States. The school has a student population of just over 1,100 students as well as a campus that is located just minutes from downtown Johnson City...
. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1966.
Career
Dever was Director of the Harvard Semitic Museum-Hebrew Union CollegeHebrew Union College
The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is the oldest extant Jewish seminary in the Americas and the main seminary for training rabbis, cantors, educators and communal workers in Reform Judaism.HUC-JIR has campuses in Cincinnati, New York, Los Angeles and Jerusalem.The Jerusalem...
Excavations at Gezer
Gezer
Gezer was a Canaanite city-state and biblical town in ancient Israel. Tel Gezer , an archaeological site midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, is now an Israeli national park....
from 1966-71, 1984 and 1990; Director of the dig at Khirbet el-Kôm and Jebel Qacaqir (West Bank) from 1967-71; Principal Investigator at Tell el-Hayyat excavations (Jordan) 1981-85, and Assistant Director, University of Arizona Expedition to Idalion, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, 1991, among other excavations.
He used his extensive background in Near Eastern field archaeology to argue, in Did God Have a Wife ? Archaeology and Folk Religion in Ancient Israel (2005), for the persistence of the veneration of Asherah
Asherah
Asherah , in Semitic mythology, is a Semitic mother goddess, who appears in a number of ancient sources including Akkadian writings by the name of Ashratum/Ashratu and in Hittite as Asherdu or Ashertu or Aserdu or Asertu...
in the everyday religion of 'ordinary people' in ancient Israel and Judah. Discussing extensive archaeological evidence from a range of Israelite sites, largely dated between the 12th and the 8th centuries BC, Dever argued that this 'folk' religion, with its local altars and cultic objects, amulets and votive offerings, was representative of the outlook of the majority of the population, and that the Jerusalem-centred 'book religion' of the Deuteronomist
Deuteronomist
The Deuteronomist, or simply D, is one of the sources underlying the Hebrew bible . It is found in the book of Deuteronomy, in the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings and also in the book of Jeremiah...
circle set out in the Hebrew Bible was only ever the preserve of an elite, a 'largely impractical' religious ideal.
Dever's views on the worship of Asherah are based to a significant extent on inscriptions at Khirbet el-Qom
Khirbet el-Qom
Khirbet el-Qom is an archaeological tomb-site in the territory of the biblical kingdom of Judah, between Lachish and Hebron, containing an inscription with the phrase "...by his Asherah"....
and Kuntillet Ajrud
Kuntillet Ajrud
Kuntillet Ajrud is a late 9th/early 8th centuries BCE site in the northeast part of the Sinai peninsula. It is frequently described as a shrine, but this is not certain....
(though see also his discussion of the significance of a cultic stand from Taanach
Taanach
Ta'anakh or Taanach is a small village in Israel in Ta'anakh region.Just to the east is a 40 metre high moun which was the site of the biblical city Taanach. 12 Akkadian cuneiform tablets were found here. The main remain visible today is a 11th Century Abbasid palace....
). His views on worship of the goddess as expressed in this book have been criticised. On his methodological approach more generally, Francesca Stavrakopoulou
Francesca Stavrakopoulou
Francesca Stavrakopoulou is an atheist Bible scholar and senior lecturer in the University of Exeter's department of Theology and Religion. The main focus of her research is Israelite and Judahite history and religion...
has suggested that his use of the term 'folk religion' 'ultimately endorses the old stereotype of 'popular' or 'folk' religion as the simplistic practices of rural communities', so perpetuating existing 'derogatory assumptions' that more recent discourses on the topic have sought to counter.
In retirement, Dever has become a frequent author on questions relating to the historicity of the Bible
The Bible and history
The Bible from a historical perspective, includes numerous fields of study, ranging from archeology and astronomy to linguistics and methods of comparative literature. The Bible may provide insight into pursuits, including but not limited to; our understanding of ancient and modern culture,...
. He has been scathing in his dismissal of "minimalists" who deny any historical value to the Biblical accounts. However he is far from being a supporter of Biblical literalism
Biblical literalism
Biblical literalism is the interpretation or translation of the explicit and primary sense of words in the Bible. A literal Biblical interpretation is associated with the fundamentalist and evangelical hermeneutical approach to Scripture, and is used almost exclusively by conservative Christians...
either. Instead he has written:
I am not reading the Bible as Scripture… I am in fact not even a theist. My view all along—and especially in the recent books—is first that the biblical narratives are indeed 'stories,' often fictional and almost always propagandistic, but that here and there they contain some valid historical information. That hardly makes me a 'maximalist.'
and
Archaeology as it is practiced today must be able to challenge, as well as confirm, the Bible stories. Some things described there really did happen, but others did not. The Biblical narratives about AbrahamAbrahamAbraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
, MosesMosesMoses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
, JoshuaJoshuaJoshua , is a minor figure in the Torah, being one of the spies for Israel and in few passages as Moses's assistant. He turns to be the central character in the Hebrew Bible's Book of Joshua...
and SolomonSolomonSolomon , according to the Book of Kings and the Book of Chronicles, a King of Israel and according to the Talmud one of the 48 prophets, is identified as the son of David, also called Jedidiah in 2 Samuel 12:25, and is described as the third king of the United Monarchy, and the final king before...
probably reflect some historical memories of people and places, but the 'larger than life' portraits of the Bible are unrealistic and contradicted by the archaeological evidence.
However, Dever is also clear that his historical field should be seen on a much broader canvas than merely how it relates to the Bible:
The most naïve [misconception about Syro-Palestinian archaeologySyro-Palestinian archaeologySyro-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, particularly when the area of inquiry centers on ancient Palestine...
] is that the rationale and purpose of 'biblical archaeologyBiblical archaeologyFor the movement associated with William F. Albright and also known as biblical archaeology, see Biblical archaeology school. For the interpretation of biblical archaeology in relation to biblical historicity, see The Bible and history....
' (and, by extrapolation, Syro-Palestinian archaeology) is simply to elucidate the Bible, or the lands of the Bible
More recently, he has become friendlier to the minimalist position, recognizing, "Originally I wrote to frustrate the Biblical minimalists; then I became one of them, more or less."
Dever joined the faculty at Lycoming College
Lycoming College
Founded in 1812, Lycoming College is located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. One of the 50 oldest colleges in America, Lycoming enrolls 1400 undergraduate students from over 28 states and 12 foreign countries. Eighty percent of the college's students live on campus...
in autumn 2008. He was appointed Distinguished Professor of Near Eastern Archaeology. Regarding his new position, Dever commented: “For a small college to have so many students majoring in archaeology is unprecedented. To find students who are interested in the discipline and a faculty and administration that are supportive, augurs very well. It was really refreshing to see what a small college with a sense of community, of commitment, and of values was like.”
Selected publications
- Dever, William G. (2001), What Did the Biblical Writers Know and When Did They Know It?What Did the Biblical Writers Know and When Did They Know It?What Did the Biblical Writers Know and When Did They Know It? is a book by biblical scholar and archaeologist William G. Dever detailing his response to the claims of minimalists to the historicity and value of the Hebrew Bible.- Summary :...
What Archaeology Can Tell Us about the Reality of Ancient Israel, Eerdmans ISBN 0-8028-4794-3 - Dever, William G. (2003), Who Were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come from?Who Were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come from?Who Were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come From? is a book by American biblical scholar and archaeologist William G. Dever.Dever has been prominent in the debate between biblical "maximalists" and "minimalists" over the weight which can be accorded the Bible as a historical text...
, Eerdmans ISBN 0-8028-0975-8 - Dever, William G. (2005), Did God Have a Wife?Did God Have a Wife?Did God Have a Wife?: Archaeology and Folk Religion in Ancient Israel, , is a book by Syro-Palestinian archaeologist William G. Dever, Professor Emeritus of Near Eastern Archeology and Anthropology at the University of Arizona...
: Archaeology and Folk Religion in Ancient Israel, Eerdmans ISBN 0-8028-2852-3
A complete list of Dr. Dever's publications is available at the University of Arizona's online CV for him.