These proceedings of the conference held in Brussels to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Institute of Archaeology Queen Elisabeth of Belgium at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem contains ten substantial studies dealing with the archaeology and history of the Land of Israel and its cultural milieu in biblical times. The main purpose of the conference, stressed in the title of the volume, was to show the rich variety of civilizations that met in this region and influenced its culture. The impact of Bronze Age Palestine, Syria, Egypt, the Philistines, the Persians, the Hellenistic Seleucids, and of course the Hebrew kingdoms of Israel and Juda, made the Land of Israel indeed to a cross-road of civilizations.