Radiocarbon challenges archaeo-historical time frameworks in the Near East: The early bronze age of Jericho in relation to Egypt

Our stratified radiocarbon dates from EB Jericho (Trench III) on short-lived material are significantly older than conventional archaeo-historical time frameworks. The calibrated ¹⁴C date of Stage XV Phase 1i-1ii (Early to Middle EB-I Kenyon) is 100-450 years older. Stage XVI Phase 1xi-1xii (Early EB-II Kenyon) is 200-500 years older. Stage XVI Phase 1xii-1xiii (destructive end EB-II) is 200-300 years older. Stage XVII Phase 1xviii a - 1xix a (Early EB-III) is 100-300 years older than conventional archaeo-historical time estimates. As the beginning of the Chalcolithic in the Near East has "become" a 1000 years older, from about 4000 in the 1960s to about 5000 BC in current perception based on ¹⁴C dating, it should not be surprising that the Early Bronze Age and related Egyptian Dynasties also yield ¹⁴C dates that are older by a few hundred years than current archaeo-historical time frameworks. Egyptian chronology should not be regarded as ultimately fixed. Egyptologists in the first half of the 20th century gave much older dates for the earlier Dynasties. The new ¹⁴C evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of an older Early Bronze Age and older dates for Dynasties 1-6.