"Moats were a common element around settlements in ancient Palestine. This is the first study to highlight this neglected phenomenon. Because Palestine is a dry region, these moats were rarely water-filled. Instead, they were often cleverly designed with a shape that best served their special purpose. As would be expected, this purpose was in many cases to prevent the enemies from attacking the city wall, but there were also other reasons behind the making of a moat. " "A full understanding of the connection between the shape and function of a moat provides a key to understanding not only the moats, but also other associated elements in the fortifications of settlements in Palestine. " "Moats appear not only in reports from archaeological excavations and surveys but also in more ancient sources, i. e. reliefs and texts. This book includes a survey of these and a discussion of the ancient terminology for moats, especially in the Old Testament. "--BOOK JACKET. Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved