Joppe 2

JOPPE

The twilight town. 2.

2^nd Millennium BC

16^th century BC: The conquest of Yapu in the first campaign of the pharaoh Thutmosis III is evident from his topographical list. Yapu was taken by a trick by a fellow called Dhuit and Thutmosis did not take part in its conquest. After its conquest, Yapu became an Egyptian administrative centre, as is evident from the Amarna letters as well as from the papyrus Anastasi I. It describes Yapu as a large city with an arsenal and with workshops for repairing chariots.

It should be noted that archaeological excavations at the mound of ancient Yapu did not reveal any signs of destruction that might be attributed to its conquest by Thutmosis’s troops (Area A, Startum VI). It is possible that its conquest by trick saved it from destruction.

There is also a certain link between a number of towns in the south, near Jaffa, and the people of Dan, like Tell Qasile. This town was important in the 12^th and 11^th century. It was close to the coast with a temple and with much Philistine pottery. For the first time we see here appear iron objects. The tribe Dan has not space enough and emigrates to the north to the town of Lesem.

12^th – 11^th century BC: Originally Philisteia was the name of a strip of land in the Holy Land between Jaffa and Gaza with the foothills of Judaea forming its eastern boundary.

However you look at it, the Bible has a major impact on telling the story of Joppe, at least if you may or can believe the content of the Bible.

11^th century BC: Josh.19:47: Joppe is given to the tribe of Dan together with a corridor to this place. That Joppe really was taken by the tribe of Dan is not certain, but the fact, that it is also said, that the people of Dan had ships, makes it plausible.

10^th century BC: Hiram responded to the request of Salomon as follows:

2 Chron.16: “And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, according to all thy need, and we will bring it on rafts on the sea to Joppa; and thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem.”

This statement makes it not clear if Joppe is independent, under Hiram or under Salomon.

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