*8.1. Israelite Ethos of Simplicity and Egalitarianism*

Many studies, on the basis of various considerations, textual and material alike, concluded that an ethos of egalitarianism and simplicity existed in Israelite society. Before focusing on the material evidence for this ethos, which is our main concern here, I should note that that many biblical scholars and historians, on the basis of various texts, claimed that Israelite society had such an ideology (e.g., Lods 1932; Wolf 1947; Albright 1961, p. 119; Mendenhall 1962; Kelso 1968, p. 48; Speiser 1971; Gordis 1971, pp. 45–60; Humphrey 1978; Gottwald 1979; Lenski 1980; Cross 1988; Berman 2008; Shapira 2009).<sup>19</sup> While the texts are problematic sources, and each interpretation is met with counter-interpretations, the plethora of evidence for this ethos in so many biblical genres cannot be easily dismissed. Moreover, the ancient Israelites' material culture, which seems more straightforward, clearly support the existence of such an ethos. In the section below I would therefore like to present some of the material patterns that expose this ethos (for a more extensive discussion, see Faust forthcoming).

Before outlining the evidence, however, it must be stressed that we are not discussing an egalitarian society—such societies do not exist—but a society that has an ethos of egalitarianism. In such a society, many overt signs of hierarchy are not accepted, but others might be found, along with evidence for real stratification (see (Faust 2004, 2011, 2013), and many references; cf., (Parker Pearson 1982). Even pre-monarchic Israel had various form of leadership (like the elders), and this is clearly true for the stratified Iron II society, which had a full spectrum of hierarchy, from kings, though administrators, to the local elders (e.g., Reviv 1989; Faust 2012, and references). As we will see, the discussed ethos coexisted with actual stratification, and while not negating it, it did limited some expressions of hierarchy (while allowing others, cf., Stein 1994; Blanton 1998; Faust forthcoming).
