Canaanite (KAY-nah-nite)

Levantine peoples, predecessors of Phoenicians and Israelites

The Canaanites were a Semitic-speaking people of the Ancient Near East who inhabited parts of the modern-day Levant. They were known for their religious practices, which included a pantheon of gods and goddesses. Established around 3500 BCE, it lasted until 1200 BCE.

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Various Semitic dialects related to Phoenician and later Hebrew.

Shared customary codes and values

Social hierarchy was evident in their burial practices and religious rituals.

Common Etiquette rules

Likely included hospitality and allegiance to one’s city-state.

Common Dress code

Garments were likely made of wool or linen, often with colorful dyes, as indicated by textile remains and artistic depictions.

Art & Architecture

Canaanite art is known from artifacts such as pottery, seals, and small figures. Megiddo, Hazor, and other sites reveal a sophisticated level of urban planning and construction techniques.

Foods & Cuisine

Based on agriculture, including wheat, barley, olives, and grapes; meat from domesticated animals and fish was also consumed.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

Religious practices included offerings and sacrifices, festivals, and possibly rites of passage, as suggested by archaeological finds.

Coming of Age Rites

Specifics are unclear, but may have been marked by religious ceremonies or changes in social status.

Funerary and Memorial customs

Varied practices including shaft tombs, sarcophagi; grave goods suggest beliefs in an afterlife and the importance of status in death as in life.

Common Taboos

Likely included prohibitions against offenses to the gods and social transgressions based on their law codes, such as the Code of Hammurabi, which influenced the region.

Common Myths and Legends

Stories of gods like Baal, Anath, and Asherah, as depicted in mythological texts from Ugarit.

Historical figures

While not many individual names survive, Canaanite kings and religious figures are known from inscriptions and external sources like the Bible or Egyptian texts.