Ricerc@Sapienza

The non-urban Early Bronze IV period is crucial for the understanding of cycles of formation, collapse, and regeneration of urban societies in the Southern Levant during the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC. However, issues in archaeological periodization hinder the investigation of socio-cultural dynamics and socio-economic developments. This article will analyse the evidence from Jordan in the regional context and review issues in past and present periodization schemes for the Southern Levantine EB IV, in order to discuss how bridging the gap between stratigraphy and absolute chronology may
contribute to a better understanding of regional developments during this period.