NEW RADIOCARBON DATES FROM TEL KABRI SUPPORT A HIGH MIDDLE BRONZE AGE CHRONOLOGY

This article presents new radiocarbon evidence from the Middle Bronze Age palatial site of Tel Kabri (Israel). The final phase of the palace (Phase III) can be dated to Middle Bronze Age II, with an end date around the transition from Middle Bronze II to III or very early in Middle Bronze III. According to our C-14 data, the end of Tel Kabri Phase III (and thus the transition from Middle Bronze II to III) can be dated to similar to 1700 BC. This date is about 50-100 yr earlier than traditional chronological models for the Middle Bronze Age propose (similar to 1650 BC according to the traditional chronology or similar to 1600 BC according to the low chronology). C-14 data from Tel Kabri thus add additional evidence for a higher Middle Bronze Age chronology for the Levant, consistent with recent C-14 evidence from Tell el-Dab(c)a (Egypt), Tel Ifshar (Israel), and Tell el- Burak (Lebanon).