The late bronze age collapse and the early iron age in the levant: the role of climate in cultural disruption

Abstract

It is generally accepted from the historical sources that the fall of the city and kingdom of Ugarit was the result of a military invasion by the Sea Peoples in the first quarter of the 12th century BC. Here we present an advanced picture of cultural and landscape changes for the Late Bronze Age collapse and the ancient Dark Age of history. The Gibala data indicate that the collapse of Levantine countryside towns occurred during a c. 1175-825 calibrated yr BC severe drought event corresponding with the Dark Age and suggest a link between climate induced environmental changes and eastern Mediterranean cultural history. This key study examines the diachronic urban development of the ancient coastal site of Gibala-Tell Tweini. Urban collapse and urban change of Gibala was linked with the Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age new social adaption, possibly stimulated by a climatic stress event in the northern Levant