Abstract
Monograph History and Formation of Identity of Ancient Israel describes emergence, rise and decline of ancient Israel and Judah from three main angles drawing from three sources of information which are kept for the methodological reason in balance. First is the material culture (archaeology), the second non-biblical texts (epigraphics) and the third biblical texts (biblical studies).
Author critically goes throught existing theories and reviews in which way they deal with three sources mentioned. Čapek's own perspective is more critical towards concepts promoting early emergence of Israel and Judah (i.e. 10th century BCE and 9th century BCE for the latter) especially if these are based on biblical texts. On the basis of material culture and epigraphics it turns out that early statehood is not secured neither of these sources too.
As for biblical texts which are only later to events they refer about, author draws attention to concepts of memory and identity shaping, both crucial for these texts and their predominantly retrospective understanding of history in which Israel/Judah play particular and unique role.