Between Text and Artifact: Integrating Archaeology in Biblical Studies Teaching (Archaeology and Biblical Studies)

WHERETHE GIRLSARE:ARCHAEOLOGYAND WOMEN'S

LIVES IN ANCIENTISRAEL

CarolMeyers

DukeUniversity

INTRODUcnON

Mentioning"women"and"theBible" inonesentencecanevokea
varietyofresponsesfromstudents.Mostofwhattheysayconsistsofunex-
aminedandill-foundedassumptions;theirnotionsareprobablyrootedin
traditionalunderstandingsofthebiblicalworldthatarcpartofinstitutional
religionandthatalsoappearingenemlculrumlproduclions,includingthe
contemporarymedia.LetmeprovideafewexamplesofcommentsthatI
colleCledrecentlyfromstudentsatlllebegillningufacuur:,eIteachun
"WomeninBiblicalTradition":

• WhenItoldmyfatherI wastakingthiscourse,hesaid,"Women
  inthebiblicaltradition?Huh?[sthereevenonewoman?"


• \Vomenweretobeseen,notheard.


• Womenwereshroudedandquiet.


• ArewomenasdevaluedintheBibleastheyseem?


• Ihavevery few impressionsofwomen's roles. However,
  subservienceiswhatcomestomind.


• Ihavealway~assumedthatwomenwerevastlyinferiortomen
  inbiblicaltimes.


• Ithinkofwomeninthebiblicalperiodasbeingoppressed.


• Ithinkhusbandswouldleavethehouseholdforthedayand
  onlycomehomealtheendoftheday.


• Womenwereprimarilycare-givers.


• Womenweremainly[i.e.,only]wivesandmothers.

Theimages provided in lhesequotalionsfrom my studentsreflect
threeoverlappingproblems.First, thefirst threestatementsindicatethe
malterofinvisibility,thesensethalwomenareabsentfromthebiblical

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