부산대학교 도서관

The discovery of a tomb with remarkable contents at Tell Irbid, Jordan, in the center of the modern town, sheds light on the intercultural relations of the inhabitants of northern Jordan during the latter part of the Late Bronze Age and the beginning of the Iron Age. The tomb comprises a single burial chamber for one female of high rank. She had been buried with ceramic vessels and small finds, including jewelry. Outstanding finds of ivory from her tomb include two exquisitely carved boxes, one of them with a lid, and one palette with carved lions. Even more remarkable is a unique object of ivory with the carved decoration of an ungulate. The ivories from Irbid constitute the largest collection of such finds from this period in Jordan. This tomb, while featuring luxurious ivory objects of the highest artistic standard and some other precious items which could have been kept for quite a long period, contained only simple, locally produced pottery. This could point to a break in intercultural relations and a rupture in trade. The present article concentrates on the presentation of the tomb material--especially the ivories and the pottery--and chronology, the rank of the deceased, and intercultural relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]