Exodus-Conquest Archives - Page 6 of 7

Weekend Roundup, Part 2

Now online: the video of Eugene Merrill’s recent lecture on “Ai and Old Testament Chronology: Who Cares?”

Places of the Passion Week in 360-Degrees – Wayne Stiles shares some new photos.

The ASOR Blog has a series of posts about Passover and Jesus:

The Last Passover of Jesus, by James H. Charlesworth
Passover as Jesus Knew It, by Helen K. Bond
Did Jesus Celebrate Passover in Sepphoris?, by Eric M. Meyers

Also on the ASOR Blog: 10 Tips for Packing for a Dig

The sale of a Nebuchadnezzar II cylinder set a world auction record.

Now available for Kindle: Hebrew Bible and Greek New Testament with English translation ($6.99)

iPad users can purchase the HebrewBible app here ($9.99).

Happy 6th Blogiversary to BibleX!

HT: Ted Weis

Tagged Excavations, Exodus-Conquest, Holidays, Jerusalem, Lectures, Resources, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup

Bryant Wood made the case that Khirbet el-Maqatir is biblical Ai in a lecture he gave at the recent symposium held at Houston Baptist University.

Biblical Archaeology Review has posted online the documentation for this month’s cover story,

“Archaeology Confirms 50 Real People in the Bible.” This is a valuable resource, and more easily accessible than the author’s monograph.

An alabaster statue of a New Kingdom princess has been discovered in excavations near Luxor. The 6-foot statue was once part of a 56-foot-tall statue that guarded the entrance to a temple.

“Iraq’s southern Dhi Qar province is ‘a global museum of antiquities,’ dotted with hundreds of unexcavated ancient cities whose archeological treasures could rival those of the great Sumerian capital of Ur, experts say.”

BibleX points to an article on the time and cost of Paul’s missionary journeys.

Israel experienced a very bad dust storm earlier this week, resulting in the closure of a number of the country’s airports.

Mark Hoffman explains how to make a custom Bible map using Accordance as well as other options.

The ASOR Archaeology Weekly Roundup links to stories about Pompeii, the Apostle Philip, and more.

I’m on this week’s edition of The Book and the Spade with Gordon Govier, discussing the upcoming summer excavations in Israel. (Here’s a direct link.)

Luke Chandler invites you to join him on a tour of Israel. At $3,300, it is one of the most affordable trips I know of.

Wayne Stiles flew out to Israel yesterday and will be blogging about his trip daily. He also will be posting new pictures on his Instagram feed. I’m heading over as well, but I don’t expect to have much time to write on this blog while I am away.

HT: Jack Sasson

Tagged Discoveries, Egypt, Excavations, Exodus-Conquest, Mesopotamia, Weather, Weekend Roundup

Khirbet el-Maqatir Exhibit Coming to Houston

I would like to see this:

Khirbet el-Maqatir: History of a Biblical Site will be a year-long exhibit of 42 artifacts from excavations in Israel at Khirbet el-Maqatir, thought to be the site of ancient Ai from Joshua 7-8. The Civil Administration for Judea and Samaria has approved the loan of these artifacts for exhibit at the Houston Baptist University’s Dunham Bible Museum from January 21-December 19, 2014. In conjunction with the exhibit, a symposium will be held on February 8th, focusing on the role of archaeology in understanding ancient history and biblical studies as well, including critical reflection on the excavations at Khirbet el-Maqatir and what light they shed on the ancient, biblical world. Starting from Genesis 12-13 and moving toward Maqatir’s magnificent monastery, 4,000 years of history will be on display. Special attention will be given to the Late Bronze Age fortress (Ai of Joshua 7-8) and the Early Roman/New Testament village (perhaps Ephraim of John 11:54).

I don’t believe that these artifacts have been on public display before. Khirbet el-Maqatir has been excavated under the direction of Bryant Wood since 1995.

The website also announces a conference to be held in conjunction with the exhibit. Speakers include Bryant Wood, Eugene Merrill, and Leen Ritmeyer. All of the details are here.

Khirbet el-Maqatir (left) and valley of Joshua’s ambush
Photo from Samaria and the Center

Tagged Exodus-Conquest, Lectures, Museums, New Exhibits, Samaria

Wednesday Roundup

The eleventh season at Khirbet el-Maqatir has concluded with word of a spectacular find that cannot yet be revealed. The team excavated several Roman-period silos, a first-century ritual bath, and an Iron Age house.

The season at Tel Burna is coming along nicely. The First Week Wrap-up provides an overview of the known stratigraphic sequence of the site. The report for days 6-7 include a photo of a large monolith and a beautiful Iron IIB pavement.

John Black shows how archaeological work in Jerusalem has undermined historical criticism of the Gospel of John.

A Picasso drawing is being raffled to raise money to preserve the archaeological remains of Tyre.

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo was recently closed to tourists by striking employees.

Leon Mauldin illustrates Jeremiah’s message of the cursed man who will be like a “shrub in the desert.” He follows that up with a photo of a “land of salt.”

Barry Britnell shows with photos why the Cilician Gates are important for Paul’s journeys.

Douglas Petrovich provides a summary of his recent article that serves as a “John the Baptist” role for his forthcoming book, Evidence of Israelites in Egypt from Joseph’s Time until the Exodus.

Southern pool of Bethesda
Photo from the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands

Tagged Egypt, Excavations, Exodus-Conquest, Jerusalem, Lebanon, Museums, Samaria, Shephelah, Turkey

Bryant Wood Presents Biblical Archaeology Seminar in SLC

From the Daily Herald (Provo, UT):

Calvary Chapel of Salt Lake will be hosting a weeklong presentation by Biblical archaeologist Bryant G. Wood next [this] week. Wood will present a “college level” overview of Biblical archaeology at three different workshops; Wood’s “Biblical Archaeology Seminar” is free and open to the public.

The first session will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, followed by a session from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday.

The concluding session will be held Jan. 12 from 8 a.m. to noon, and will be preceded by a complimentary breakfast.

Wood, a specialist in Canaanite pottery, has pursued Biblical archaeology since 1973. He received international media attention in the 1990s for his study of the ancient city of Jericho. Wood disputed earlier findings that suggested the city was not inhabited at the time of the Old Testament account of its destruction and capture by the ancient Israelites.

See the article for contact information. Bryant Wood is director of Associates for Biblical Research and excavator of Khirbet el-Maqatir, a possible location of biblical Ai.

Bryant Wood examining ancient walls of Jericho

Tagged Exodus-Conquest, Lectures

Lectures on the Exodus and Settlement

The Fall 2012 Lecture Series of the California Museum of Ancient Art (Beverly Hills) is entitled

“The ‘Exodus’ and Settlement of the Land of Israel: Examining the Literary and Archaeological Evidence.” Four Monday evening lectures are scheduled:

Oct 15, 2012: “The Exodus from Egypt in Biblical Literature and Tradition” by Dr. P. Kyle
McCarter, Jr., Johns Hopkins University

Oct 22, 2012: “The Exodus Narrative — Did it Really Happen? An Egyptologist’s Perspective” by Dr. Donald Redford, Pennsylvania State University

Oct 29, 2012: “The Israel Stela of Pharaoh Merenptah: Earliest Extra-Biblical Reference to Israel” by Dr. Peter Brand, University of Memphis

Nov 5, 2012: “The Settlement of the Hill Country of Canaan around 1200 BCE” by Dr. Robert Mullins, Azusa Pacific University

I do wish they had asked someone to present the biblical view. Whether or not it’s “extremist,” it is at least as defensible as any other view. (If you attend, I’d appreciate knowing if anyone acknowledges the problem of Merneptah Stela.)

Lectures are $22, or $76 for the whole series, payable with a mail-in form and a check. More details about each lecture is available at the website. The recordings will be available on CD and DVD.

HT: G. M. Grena

The mountains of Sinai (photo source)

Tagged Exodus-Conquest, Lectures