ABSTRACT
Several of the material traits that are connected with the Israelites have been shown to stem from or represent an ideology and ethos of egalitarianism, 'primitive democracy' and simplicity. This has been reflected in the limited repertoire of Iron I pottery, the four-room house plan, and the lack of painted decoration on Iron Age 'Israelite' pottery; it is probably also connected to the lack of imported pottery in Israelite sites, and with several other material traits. The number of archaeological digs and the amount of finds in the areas of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah greatly exceed those in most neighboring regions, including Aram, Ammon, and Moab. Biblical scholars, belonging to all schools, have long emphasized the 'democratic' and egalitarian character of Israelite society as portrayed by the biblical narratives, to a large extent following studies of other ancient Near Eastern societies.
