Farther to the southeast, the 10th century saw the emergence of a fort at Arad, along the southern border of Judah. There, too, was a three-part temple, built into the northeast corner. Its outer courtyard had a sacrificial altar. An adjacent broad room opened to a small niche on the far side with one or two standing stones and two altars containing traces of animal fat.10
cornelia southern charms | temp
The Judean pillar figurines (JPF), zoomorphic figurines, model furniture, and horse-and-rider figurines represent power, fertility, and abundance. In Transjordan, drummers and figures of identifiable deities are prevalent. In Judah more than 800 pillar figurines dominate the art of the period between 722 and 586 bce. Four hundred and five were found in Jerusalem alone. Often appearing in domestic contexts, some have interpreted them as goddesses, especially Asherah, who would provide women with an object of religious devotion when the temple banned female priests.16 Erin Darby has noted the greater complexity of the social context for these images and the possibility of their use by men as well as women.17 Some have suggested they served as good luck charms or as a physical expression of prayers. They are all cheaply made of clay and often mass produced; aspects not characteristic of divine images. 2ff7e9595c
Comments