Unveiling the obscure: exploring the function and meaning of Levantine shrine models through an ethnoarchaeological lens

This article examines pottery vessels commonly referred to as “shrine models” or “portable shrines,” which were found throughout the Bronze and Iron Age Levant. While these vessels are often recognized for their significant religious importance, their exact functions and meanings remain unclear to modern scholars. This study aims to offer new insights into these questions by drawing on ethnoarchaeological parallels from India, suggesting that these vessels may have served as symbolic dwellings for the spirits of deities or the deceased and offering insights into potential associated religious rituals.