معرفی
Bob Becking is a Professor at Utrecht University (Netherlands) specializing in the intersection of historical climatology and ancient Near Eastern studies. He delivered a guest lecture on December 3, 2013, titled "Paleoclimatology and ancient Israel - two examples: David and the exile" as part of the academic series "The Hebrew Bible and its Contexts" chaired by Thomas Römer at Site Marcelin Berthelot.
His research examines how Holocene climate oscillations influenced human behavior and historical trajectories in Iron Age Israel/Palestine (1200-331 BCE), integrating evidence from the GISP II-project in Greenland with archaeological and textual analysis. He critically engages with biblical narratives like the Davidic monarchy, emphasizing evidence-based reconstruction of historical constraints including demography, technology, landscape, and politics.
Becking's work bridges paleoclimatology and religious studies, challenging uncritical appropriations of biblical figures while establishing environmental parameters for historical interpretation. His methodology prioritizes empirical evidence over narrative convenience in reconstructing ancient socio-political dynamics.
