OT: Drought and the Collapse of the Hittite Empire

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05693-y

Just published and quite detailed. The Hittites in the OT appear to be the group moving southeast into what today would be southern Syria, and intruding into northern Israel.

The Hittite Empire in today's Turkey, doesn't get much press, but was a major player in the Eastern Mediteranean (Egypt, Ugarit, Cyprus) and east against what would be Mari and early Assyria.

The Nature article discusses the Hittite economy, dependence on agriculture, and collapse, suggested by 3 years of intense drought. The issue, of course, is the similar collapse of a whole sequence of empires near the same time (end of the Late Bronze).

And if you enjoy tree-ring dating, they're using a juniper species as a base ... ours are pretty iffy for climate/years.

Detective story!

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MJ. Smith

Often classed as an Indo-European language. PIE scholars are obsessed with trees: Proto-Indo-European Trees: The Arboreal System of a Prehistoric People: Friedrich, Paul: 9780226264806: Amazon.com: Books

DMB

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1246471#Comment_1246471

Thank you!

I knew akkadian plant names lasted, but not the broader 'tree'. Closer to home, we argue junipers (AZ/UT) vs cedar (misguided TX).

Veli Voipio

Thanks Denise! After thinking a while I conclude that this fits perfectly to my wild chronological speculation!, Leaning to Cyrus Gordon's thoughts and my own speculation of 6 month long year before the Assyrian influence. I can think that the drought mentioned in the Joseph story was in 1198-1196 BCE, and relate dry the 7 dry years. The family of Jacob came after that to Egypt (actually a bit later than Cyrus Gordon thought). The campaign of Mernephta was before that. Well, this is just wild speculation [:)], and may provide a too late date, please don't lose your sleep!

DMB

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1246520#Comment_1246520

Well, this is just wild speculation ,

I wouldn't use 'wild'; maybe 'considered'. And 'thought provoking'.

I've not figured out droughts. Strangely (!) here in the American southwest, a major (what we would call) civilization collapsed about the same time. On the other side of the world. 'To this day' archaeologists try to understand how something like that can happen, almost in a flash ... gone.

My 'considered' Moses wondering is that on/about 1,200 bc, 'Egypt' was both north and east of Jerusalem, but not really mentioned in the OT accounts. I've always wondered if the 'escape' got moved from north (slaves) to south (slaves). Better accomodates the directionality, chariots problem, and pathing.

Your timing equation isn't so far-fetched, at least reading the akkadian fragments (in english).