Images in Transition: The Southern Levant and Its Imagery between Near Eastern and Greek Traditions

The material culture of the Southern Levant from the late 5th century to the early 3rd century BCE is marked by evolving local and regional traditions enriched by the adoption and adaptation of features reflecting Persian and Greek culture. Processes of influence and interaction – often referred to as Persianization and Hellenization – alongside expressions of persisting local and regional cultural identities, were central themes of the conference titled “Images in Transition: The Southern Levant and its Imagery between Near Eastern and Greek Pictorial Traditions.” This volume compiles a selection of presentations from the conference, highlighting the diversity of topics discussed. Addressing selected motives and object genres or focusing on specific sites and practices from various perspectives, case studies examine cultural processes that occurred in the Southern Levant during the Persian and early Hellenistic period. Their synthesis provides a better understanding of significant cultural change and persistence during this age of transition.