Canaan
In Canaan, like elsewhere in the region, the people went on to develop an advanced civilization. They lived in large cities with magnificent palaces and temples. They had writing, mathematics and a calendar, they also became great artisans, creating beautiful works of art. The main cities of Canaan were Jericho, Ugarit, Tyre, Sidon, Ebla, Biblos, Lachish, Hazor, Megiddo, Jerusalem and later, the North-African Phoenician settlement of Carthage. Like all the other ancient societies, the Canaanite's had many gods, but their main gods were "EL" and his son "Baal" with EL being the supreme god.
The main Canaanite Goddess was Athirat (Asherah, Ashtartian) 'the Lady of the Sea' or Elat 'the goddess'. She was El's loving consort and is protective mother of her seventy children, who may also be known as the gracious gods, to whom she is both mother and nursemaid. Initially Astarte is one of her children, but over time the two became merged in some cultures. Canaanite Goddesses were worshipped in many lands under different names.Throughout its existence, Canaan's history was one of Egyptian domination. Sometimes this took the form of loose oversight, and sometimes it took the form of direct over-lordship with garrisoned troops. The reason for this close involvement was that Canaan provided a buffer zone for Egypt's security, and was the route out; going north and east, for Egyptian trade and military excursions. Not to mention the famous Canaanite Cedar trees that Egypt was dependent upon for its building projects. (later called the "Cedars of Lebanon").
The introduction of "bronze" in the Early Bronze Age (3000–2000 B.C.) brought about a cultural revolution marked by the development of metallurgy, and a decline in pottery. By the Middle Bronze Age (2000–1550 B.C.), Amorites who were originally nomads from the desert regions to the east, and southern Anatolia (modern Turkey), had penetrated Canaan and were inhabiting the hilly areas around the cities. From these hills, they launched raids and harassment attacks against the cities.
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