Lachish (Hebrew: לכיש, romanized: Lāḵîš; Koine Greek: Λαχίς; Latin: Lachis) was an ancient Canaanite and later Israelite city in the Shephelah ("lowlands") region of Canaan on the south bank of the Lakhish River. The current tell by that name, known as Tel Lachish (Hebrew: תל לכיש) or Tell el-Duweir (تل الدوير), has been identified with Lachish. Today, it is an Israeli national park operated and maintained by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. It lies near the present-day moshav of Lakhish, which was named in honor of the ancient city. Lachish was first mentioned in the Amarna letters (dated to the mid-14th century BCE) when it was a significant Canaanite city-state referred to as Lakisha. There is clear archeological evidence for (one or two) violent destruction(s) at Lachish in the late 13th/early 12th century BCE, but there is no historical evidence conclusive about the perpetrators with potential theories discussing internal Canaanite conflict, the Sea Peoples, people from the Habiru group or others. In the Book of Joshua (written around 600-700 BCE), Lachish is cited as one of the cities conquered by the Israelites for joining the league against the Gibeonites (Joshua 10:31–33). According to the Hebrew Bible, the territory was later assigned to the tribe of Judah according to Joshua 15:39 and may have become part of the united Kingdom of Israel. Lachish emerged as one of the most important cities in the Kingdom of Judah, second only to the capital, Jerusalem. Lachish is best known for its siege and conquest by the Neo-Assyrian Empire in 701 BCE, an event famously depicted on the Lachish reliefs, which can be seen today in the British Museum. According to the Book of Jeremiah, Lachish and Azekah were the last two Judean cities to fall to the Neo-Babylonian Empire before the conquest of Jerusalem according to Jeremiah 34:7. One of the Lachish letters, written in 597–587 BCE, warns of the impending Neo-Babylonian destruction. It reads: "Let my lord know that we are watching over the beacon of Lachish, according to the signals which my lord gave, for Azekah is not seen." This pottery inscription can be seen at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. The siege ramp at Lachish, designed for deploying battering rams against the city during the Neo-Assyrian siege, is the oldest known in the world and the sole example found in the ancient Near East.
History
Neolithic Occupation at the site of Lachish began during the Pottery Neolithic period (5500–4500 BCE). Flint tools from that period have been found.
Chalcolithic During the Chalcolithic (c. 4500-3800/3500 BCE), Lachish had a settlement on the mound as part of the Ghassulian period.
Early Bronze Major development began in the Early Bronze IB (3300–3000 BCE). By the end of the Early Bronze IIIA (c. 2750-2500 BCE), Lachish had become a large settlement. Most of the recovered pottery is of Khirbet Kerak Ware. EBA mound levels not properly excavated. In Early Bronze IIIB (c. 2500-2350 BCE), drier climatic conditions led to an urban crisis in the Southern Levant and by Early Bronze IV (c. 2350-2000 BCE) severe drought events caused many sites to become abandoned.
Middle Bronze (Levels VIII–IX) The MBA period has not been extensively excavated at the site. During the Middle Bronze (2020/2000–1550 BCE), the settlement developed. In the Middle Bronze I (2000-1820 BCE), the mound was resettled. Remains of a cult place and an assemblage of votive cultic vessels were found in Area D. In the Middle Bronze IIA, the development continued.
Level IX (MB IIB) Level VIII (MB IIC; Hyksos period) with mudbrick fortress and palace. Destroyed. Short-lived phase of squattered before LBA re-establishment.
Hyksos period In the Middle Bronze IIB-C (1630-1550 BCE), Lachish became a major city in the Southern Levant. An impressive glacis-like structure was constructed around the city, which shaped its present steep slopes and sharp corners. The proposed glacis fronted a city wall built of massive stones. In Area P, a large mudbrick fortress was excavated. Finds from the fortress include 4 scarabs and a number of scarab sealings. These were of "both the local Canaanite MB IIC style and the Hyksos style". Radiocarbon dating produced a date in the mid-16th century BCE. By the end of Middle Bronze IIC the city was destroyed by fire. Some features originally ascribed to the Iron Age by the early excavators have now been redated to the MBA and LBA.
Late Bronze Age
In the Late Bronze Age (1550–1200 BCE), Lachish (Levels VI-VII) was re-established and developed slowly, eventually becoming one of the large and prosperous cities of the Southern Levant. It is first attested as rkjšꜣ (Lakisha) in a New Kingdom text, the Papyrus Hermitage 1116A.
18th Dynasty Sparsely populated (LB IB): Fosse Temple I. Destruction. Level VII (LB IIA): Fosse Temple II. Lakhish came under the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt, which expelled the Hyksos by Ahmose I and his successors, and established an empire that was most powerful following the military campaigns of Thutmose III. In the Amarna Period (c. 1350 BCE), Lachish was a city-state and petty kingdom, part of the Egyptian Empire. During a period of political turmoil, it was in conflict with neighboring rivals. The toponym Lakiša (Akkadian: urula-ki-siki) has seven references in the Amarna Archive. Lakiša appears in five letters sent from Gath (EA 335), Jerusalem (EA 287, 288) and Lachish (EA 328, 329, 332).
EA 336: Abdi-Ashirta of Gath complained that Lakish was hostile. EA 287: The ruler of Jerusalem complains about Lakish, Gezer and Ashkelon providing support to his enemies.
Ṯipti-Baʿlu/Haddu of Lachish is mentioned five times in the Amarna Archive, in letter from Egypt (EA 333), Lachish (EA 330, 331, 332). He holds the title "Man of Lachish" (Akkadian: LU₂ urula-ki-šaki, petty king, cf. LU-GAL "Great Man, King"). Zimri-Haddu of Lachish is mentioned 5 times in the Amarna Archive, in letters from Egypt (EA 333), Jerusalem (EA 288), Lachish (EA 329) and Unknown location (EA 294). He was eventually killed by his servants allied to the Habiru.
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