Biblical leader of Canaan's conquest
Joshua
The Bible depicts him conquering Canaan, but the archaeology discussed here does not support a swift, comprehensive invasion.
What the sources say
Each block is a sourced statement. Click the number to see the cited page.
3 statements
According to the book of Joshua, Israel settled by destroying cities such as Jericho and Ai, yet there is no clear archaeological evidence of this massive conquest. A few cities, such as Hazor, show destruction, with no proof that the Israelites caused it; others, supposedly destroyed, show no signs of violence. Ai does not even seem to have been inhabited at that time.
As for the famous conquest of Jericho, there is no evidence of destruction in this period: the city at that time did not even have walls to come tumbling down.
The chapter's historical reconstruction diverges sharply from biblical Israel's story. It omits Abraham, Moses, King David, the Exodus and Joshua's conquest. While scripture separates Israelites from Canaanites and places their beginnings abroad, the authors propose that Israelite culture may have branched from Canaanite culture, with Amorites, Hyksos and Habiru among possible precursors. Evidence also suggests Israelite religion resembled neighboring traditions.