The Land of Canaan – Archaeology of the Southern Levant - Five talks by Dr Felicity Cobbing

This series will provide a broad view of the prehistory and early history of geographical Palestine (comprising modern day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, southern and coastal Syria, and the Sinai peninsula). Sitting at the crossroads of the ancient world, this region is fundamentally important for the telling of our human story. However, current events, polarised opinions and ideologies often overshadow this, leading to misconceptions and a lack of appreciation for the region’s importance for our shared cultural heritage.

With a focus on archaeological and historical evidence, the talks will offer a framework for understanding the distant past of the region from the Palaeolithic to the Assyrian invasions of the 7th century BCE with a clarity that is often absent.

Felicity Cobbing leads our Essential Jordan tour in April 2027.

The talks take place every Thursday from 30 April to 4 June 2026 at 4.30pm (London) and, including Q&A, will last just under an hour. They are available for viewing for eight weeks after the last episode is streamed (until 30 July 2026).

Please note that there is no talk on Thursday 21st May.