Re: : Just Joined, got lots of questions -help?

Ivanovas/Milatos Says:
Hello,
on the subject of the Philistines:
the Bible says they had come from Crete (Kaphtor) to the Levantine
coast.
The end of the thirteenth century saw a lot of moving peoples in the
eastern
Mediterranean....
......The one strange thing that might at some time in the future prove
to be a
linguistic link is the way the Peleset - warriors are painted in the
temple
of Ramses III at Medinet Habu. Their headgear looks like upright
feathers
.... the sign no. 2 of the famous Cretan Phaistos Disc depicting a man
with
exactly that kind of thing on his head.......
......The languages found in the region of Palestine (name deriving from
Philistines) are, as far as I know, all of the Western-Semitic kind
......actual connections between Western Galilee and the Minoan world
before the end of the 17th cent. BC
Sabine


Sabine Thanks for your message.

It was very informative. I really appreciate the reference you
provided, I will try to find the book, on the Sea Peoples.
The Sea Peoples, are a stated mystery to archaeologists – they don't
seem to know who the people are for certain – based on found artifacts
and buildings and writings of the their neighbors. That why I was
curious to find out what light linguists could cast on the subject. It
is not surprising that Minoan influence is found in Galilee. Their
influence is also found in decorative motifs of the Egyptians, and here
and there in the Eastern Mediterranean. Its pretty clear that they
were a sea going peoples involved in trade. But as I understand it,
evidence for Minoan in the Middle East is too early for the Sea
peoples, whose invasion -or more properly invasions have been put
circa1225 – 1175BCE. And the Minoans were put out of business in 1450
BCE.
The Bible, as you noted does ascribe the Philistines to Caphtor, which
is usually taken to mean Crete - and since the Hebrew invasion and
Kingdoms were contemporary with the Philistines invasion - that has to
be given a lot of credence. (But as you know, the actual writing of the
bible came quite a bit later, and it was not contemporary with the
Invasion, which may have reduced its historical precision). Assuming,
that the Philistines were from Crete – does that mean they were remants
of the original inhabitants i.e. Minoans or the Achaean/Mycenaen Greeks
who are thought to have invaded and taken over Crete in 1450 BCE and
who were in turn probably invaded circa 1250 BCE? Or was Crete just a
stop over for the invaders who moved onto the Levant? (but the last
one, seems unlikely to me).
Either way – its surprising when you say all of the language found so
far is Semitic! Does this mean that all the writing found is from a
later period, when they may have abandoned their original language? Or
has writing been found of a Semitic language of an earlier period.? If
so, it seems to me that such evidence would cast grave doubt on them
being a Greek-related group. It is also surprising, if the Philistines
were Semites – because the bible say they were uncircumcised.
Circumcision was common with many Levant Semites and ancient Egyptians
– not just Jews. And many archaeologist ascribe some Greek
participation to the Sea Peoples. (They don't seem to know which
Greeks though).
I thank you for the information, may all go well with you
Brent