Endnote 16 – A Reply to Baruch Halpern’s “Radical Exodus Redating Fatally Flawed”

Halpern takes us to task (footnote) for attributing the occupation of the highlands at the start of the Iron Age to the development of slaked-lime cisterns and iron tools. Although Halpern describes this notion as “preposterous,” it was in fact a mainstream view until recently. I actually abandoned this view some while ago and wrote to the editor of BAR (letter dated 9 January 1987) asking for our article to be amended accordingly. Although my letter was acknowledged the change was unfortunately overlooked.