fbpx

“Excavations at a Byzantine-era church in the northern Negev desert have revealed 1,500-year-old wall etchings of ships, likely left by Christian pilgrims who had arrived by sea to the Holy Land.”

The Times of Israel has a follow-up article on the major carbon-14 study of Jerusalem that was recently published.

John Drummond pulls together the archaeological evidence for the reign of Solomon.

The latest issue of Biblical Archaeology Review includes articles on Solomon’s royal complex at Gezer, the large Moabite site of Kh. Balu’a, and the dawn of the Iron Age in Israel.

Israel21c identifies the top seven archaeological sites in Israel related to Jewish history as the Western Wall, Masada, Caesarea, Tiberias, Megiddo, En Gedi, and the City of David.

The Qumran Digital Project Lexicon has a new website.

Archaeologists have identified the original sarcophagus of Ramesses II from a fragment discovered in 2009 at Abydos.

The “Hazael and His World: Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Discovery of the Tel Dan Inscription” conference will be held in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on June 5 and 6.

The 100th issue of Syria: Archéologie, Art et Histoire has been released (open-access).

Online lecture on June 2 in the BAS Scholars Series: “Paul on Cyprus: Crossing the Divide,” by Thomas Davis.

Paul’s hometown of Tarsus is not on the itinerary of most tourists to Turkey, but it has much to offer. Jason Borges identifies ten sites within the city and five sites in the vicinity that are worth seeing.

The Institute of Biblical Culture is giving away hundreds of books related to the Old Testament.

In light of a recent conference celebrating William Dever, Glenn Corbett reflects on the future of biblical archaeology.

HT: Agade, Gordon Franz

Share:

A research study by the University of North Carolina-Wilmington argues the Egyptian pyramids were built along a now dried up branch of the Nile River. “The existence of the river would explain why the 31 pyramids were built in a chain along a now inhospitable desert strip in the Nile Valley.”

A Japanese archaeological team doing a ground-penetrating radar survey near the Giza Pyramids has not discovered a giant structure.

A Brazilian graphics artist has brought to life the face of Egyptian ruler Armenhotep III.

New release: Alternative Egyptology: Critical Essays on the Relation between Academic and Alternative Interpretations of Ancient Egypt, edited by B.J.L. van den Bercken (Sidestone; €15-95; open-access)

Daniel Vainstub writes about child sacrifice in the Bible and the extensive archaeological evidence for child sacrifice discovered in the western colonies of Phoenicia.

Jason Borges explains the geography and history of the Cilician Gates. He includes many good photos.

“The Department of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies at Pennsylvania State University is pleased to announce the creation of a two-year M.A program in Ancient Mediterranean Studies. This program is designed for students who can benefit from graduate instruction in any of the following areas: the Ancient Near East, Egypt, the Levant, the Hebrew Bible, early Judaism, Greece, Rome, Early Christianity, and the modern reception of the ancient Mediterranean world.”

Konstantinos Politis positively reviews Mount Machaerus: An Introduction to the Historical, Archaeological, and Pilgrim Site Overlooking the Dead Sea in the Kingdom of Jordan, by Győző Vörös. The book is available on Amazon and as a free download. The book includes many photos including one taken in front of Damascus Gate with Machaerus visible in the distance (p. 16).

Barry Kemp, longtime professor of Egyptology at the University of Cambridge, died on Wednesday.

HT: Agade, Gordon Franz, Arne Halbakken, Joseph Lauer, Ted Weis

Share:

Chandler Collins’s latest Jerusalem in Brief summarizes well the major radiocarbon study recently published. He challenges one of the conclusions and notes a preliminary response by Israel Finkelstein.

“A volunteer recently uncovered a colorful and intricately decorated bowl dating back to the Abbasid period of the 9th or 10th century, at Khirbet Hevra near Rehovot.”

Aren Maeir just wrapped up a short spring season excavating at Gath.

A bomb placed at “Joshua’s altar” on Mount Ebal was discovered before anyone was harmed.

Zoom lecture on May 22: “No Place Like Home: Ancient Israelite Houses in Context,” by Cynthia Shafer-Elliott

Biblical Byways is planning a study tour of biblical sites in Israel for September 18-27.

The Aerial Archaeology in Jordan project, now in its 26th season, has more than 180,000 images available online. Management is now being transferred from Britain to Jordan.

Ferrell Jenkins shares a photo he took of sheep grazing along the desert road in Jordan.

HT: Agade, Gordon Franz, Arne Halbakken, Alexander Schick

Share:

“Newly-deciphered text from ancient scrolls may have finally revealed the location of where Greek philosopher Plato was buried, along with how he really felt about music played at his deathbed.”

Marek Dospěl provides a quick primer of the ancient Egyptian language.

Bible History Daily explains why Egeria’s Travels is such a valuable “source of geographical and historical information.”

Ruth Schuster explores the history of the pomegranate.

The Yale Babylonian Collection has a permanent exhibition space in the Yale Peabody Museum for the first time.

A virtual one-hour tour of Pompeii is being offered on May 23.

Titus Kennedy is a guest on Digging for Truth to discuss archaeological sites in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Persia.

Free this month from Logos: Warfare in the Old Testament: The Organization, Weapons, and Tactics of Ancient Near Eastern Armies, by Boyd Seevers

Bible Mapper Atlas has just produced a poster map of Paul’s travels.

HT: Agade, Gordon Franz, Ted Weis, Arne Halbakken, Joseph Lauer

Share:

An Israeli team believes that they have established an absolute chronology for Jerusalem in the Iron Age based on a study of 100 samples of organic material. One upshot is that Jerusalem was larger and more urban in the time of David and Solomon. Another conclusion is that the Broad Wall was built not by Hezekiah but by Uzziah. The underlying journal article is not free, but the 84 pages of “supporting information,” including pictures, is free.

A related lecture will be given at the Albright and on Zoom on May 16: “Radiocarbon Chronology in Historical Jerusalem and the Challenges to Reconstruct Its Urban Development,” by Elisabetta Boaretto

“Archaeologists have uncovered rare evidence of burial practices at a rural cemetery in the Jezreel Valley, where more than 3,000 years ago the dead were honored with rituals that involved the use of fire and beeswax.” They are not sure if the occupants were Israelites, Canaanites, or other.

Tuvia Pollack explains why there are two Golgotha sites.

Israel365 has a well-illustrated article about the site of Magdala.

A Final Conference will be held on May 31 and June 1 for the “Stamp Seals from the Southern Levant” project.

New release: Judah in the Biblical Period: Historical, Archaeological, and Biblical Studies, by Oded Lipschits (De Gruyter, $145; Amazon)

Accordance Bible Software is offering users three free books by Alfred Edersheim:

Three other books by Edersheim are on sale for only $4.99 each:

Bryan Windle surveys the top three reports in biblical archaeology in the month of April.

HT: Agade, Gordon Franz, Ted Weis, Arne Halbakken, Joseph Lauer

Share:

Archaeologists believe they have found a villa belonging to Emperor Augustus near Mount Vesuvius.

The city of Anqa is said to be “a near mirror image of Dura-Europos, of the same size, comparable composition, and potentially equal value to scholars of the region.”

A new study suggests that “wine produced around the Mediterranean during the Roman era may have been just as complex and flavorful as wine produced today, in contrast to what is commonly assumed.”

“Egypt welcomed home a 3,400-year-old statue depicting the head of King Ramses II after it was stolen and smuggled out of the country more than three decades ago.”

We don’t know much about Shalmaneser V, but Bryan Windle still managed to create a pretty extensive illustrated archaeological biography.

Webinar on May 9: “Sensing the Past: Sensorial Experiences in Ancient Mesopotamia,” by Allison Thomason

The Albright Institute posts videos of their special lectures on their YouTube channel. Recent lectures include:

Chris McKinny and Kyle Keimer conclude their series of the best archaeological finds of 2023 on the Biblical World podcast.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Gordon Franz, Paleojudaica

Share: