why the Canaanite palace was abandoned 3,700 years ago?
The abandonment of the Canaanite palace(s) around 3,700 years ago corresponds to a tumultuous period in the ancient Near East, often attributed to a combination of factors that include:
- Environmental Factors: Archaeological and paleoclimate data suggest that the region experienced severe droughts around this time. Drought can lead to crop failures, famine, and general economic decline, causing settlements to be abandoned.
- Political Instability and Warfare: The Late Bronze Age collapse, which affected much of the Eastern Mediterranean and Near East, saw the weakening or collapse of major empires like the Hittites, Egyptians, and Mycenaeans. This instability likely led to increased conflict, invasion, and displacement in the Levant, where Canaanite city-states existed.
- Internal Strife: Internal power struggles, succession crises, or shifts in trade routes could also have weakened Canaanite city-states, making them vulnerable to conquest or internal collapse.
- Migration and Population Movements: Large-scale migrations, such as those by the Sea Peoples, contributed to the upheaval in the region. These groups may have directly attacked or indirectly pressured Canaanite settlements, forcing inhabitants to flee or abandon their homes.
- Economic Decline: The palace complexes were often centers of administration and trade. If trade networks collapsed due to political changes or climate-induced economic downturns, the palaces would lose their significance and possibly be abandoned.
Each Canaanite site might have its own specific reasons for abandonment, but generally, the collapse of Late Bronze Age societies in the region was a complex interplay of environmental, political, economic, and social factors. More detailed accounts of specific palace abandonments would depend on the archaeological findings and historical records related to each site.