Volume 113 (2023)

The Archaeology of Purity

The articles comprising this issue are concerned with the roots of Jewish ritual purity, which is first encountered in biblical times, reached a peak in the ‘purity culture’ of the Late Second Temple period until the Bar Kokhba Revolt, extended into later periods, and continues today. The Jewish complex system of purification was significantly developed by the Sages, who interpreted the biblical requirements and prescribed directives and regulations for contracting impurity and restoring purity. Various aspects of purity are addressed in this volume, offering a broad theoretical perspective based on the vast literary evidence and archaeological data, drawing general conclusions, challenging previous assumptions and suggesting a methodological framework for future studies.