Canaanites (jan 1, 3500 BC – jan 1, 1200 BC)

Description:

Canaan was a Semitic-speaking civilization in the Southern Levant during the late 2nd millennium BC, holding significant geopolitical importance in the Amarna Period as a convergence point for Egyptian, Hittite, Mitanni, and Assyrian interests. Known from the Bible as the "Promised Land," Canaanites, or the general population of this region, were later identified with the Phoenicians and Punics. Key archaeological sites include Tel Hazor, Tel Megiddo, En Esur, and Gezer.

The term "Canaan" derives from the Hebrew Kənaʿan, influenced by Greek and Latin translations, and appears in ancient texts such as the Amarna letters. The name may originate from the Semitic root knʿ, suggesting "lowlands" or "subjugated," or alternatively from the Hurrian Kinaḫḫu, referring to the color purple, significant in the region's dye trade. The region's history spans from early migration and agricultural developments in the Chalcolithic period to complex urban societies in the Bronze Age, influenced significantly by migrations and cultural exchanges across the Middle East.

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