After leaving Egypt, Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. B.C. Kenyon Disputes Later on, from 1952-1958, Kathleen Kenyon did further excavations at the site on behalf of the British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem. Kenyon considered many of Garstang's dates and conclusions to be inaccurate. For example, in considering City IV, she believed that the town was destroyed around 1550 B.C., and that it remained uninhabited for more than 150 years thereafter. The historical accuracy of the Bible, therefore, was called into question.
Pottery is one of the archaeologist's main dating tools.
The type of material, the shape, and the color can determine the culture and time from which a piece originated, thus providing evidence in establishing the date of artifacts found at a particular site. We are obliged to make two observations concerning Kenyon's statement. Let us review Kenyon's assertions. Her presumption was based on the excavations of Megiddo, which had yielded significant quantities of imported ceramics. But she jumped to the conclusion that if Jericho City IV was to be dated at 1400 B.C., then this city must yield Cypriote ware as well.