Weekend Roundup, Part 1

One thousand female figurines have been found in Jerusalem, but until now no such mold has been discovered in the city. Archaeologists found one when sifting soil from the Kishle excavation south of the Tower of David Museum. Lauren K. McCormick gives more background on Judean Pillar Figurines, including some explanations for why so few molds have been found in Israel.

“A municipal employee searching for lost jewelry on the beach in Ashdod instead uncovered a rare 2,500-year-old coin from ancient Cyprus, which archaeologists say is the first of its kind ever found in Israel.”

A raid of a home of an antiquities thief in the Jordan Valley recovered “approximately 400 ancient coins, pottery fragments, several arrowheads, an antique dagger, and multiple seals and rings, all dating to the Persian, Hellenistic, Hasmonean, and Byzantine eras.”

Aren Maeir visited the excavations at Tel Shadud and Hazor.

“The top three reports in biblical archaeology in July 2026 featured evidence of Judahite idolatry, remains from the Babylonian destruction in Jerusalem, and the discovery of three, previously unknown Assyrian kings.”

Online lecture on Oct 6: “When Worlds Collide: Mediterranean Mercenaries and Israel’s Genesis,” by Aaron Burke (BAS Scholars Series, $10)

New release: Jewish Quarter Excavations in the Old City of Jerusalem Conducted by Nahman Avigad, 1969-1982, Volume X: Area M (The Peristyle House), by Ronny Reich (Israel Exploration Society, $111)

First time for sale on Kindle: Pax: War and Peace in Rome’s Golden Age, by Tom Holland (Basic Books, 2023; $1.99)

SBL Press is running a $5 flash sale through August 2 on three ebooks related to Phoenicia when you use code PHOENICIA:

HT: Agade, Ted Weis, Arne Halbakken, Explorator

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Weekend Roundup, Part 1

[I intended to post this roundup on Saturday. I apologize for the delay.]

Archaeologists working at Shiloh this summer discovered “a lavish ritual bath, a clay cooking pot and a rare purple-dye snail shell.”

Aren Maeir shares that they have been quietly excavating an Iron Age tomb at Gath for the last few years.

In preparation for conservation work, a small excavation was conducted in the Chorazim synagogue.

“The top three reports in biblical archaeology from June 2026 included accounts related to ancient Israel’s history, including potential evidence of Hezekiah‘s reforms, a new dig at Ashdod, and significant discoveries at Shiloh.”

On Digging for Truth, Jordan McClinton discusses his excavation of a favissa in the ongoing Shiloh excavations. He reports that they have found seven pieces of gold so far.

In a newly published study, scholars believe that the 364-day calendar mentioned in the Dead Sea Scrolls was actually used, but only in the sect’s early years.

Josh Aronson tells the story of some “temple incense” found in a cave at Qumran by Vendyl Jones, nearly all of which has now been lost.

New release: Excavations at Tell Qasile, Part Three, The Iron Age Town (The 1948–1950, 1959, 1982–1992 Seasons), by Amihai Mazar (Qedem 66, 300 NIS)

New release: Khirbet el-‘Aqd: A Hellenistic-Roman Stronghold in Western Judea, by Moshe Fischer and Oren Tal (Tel Aviv University, open-access)

The Jerusalem Post reviews The Names of Jerusalem: Jewish, Christian and Islamic Traditions, by Aaron Demsky, Christophe Rico, and Iraj Sheidaee.

Mordechai Cogan addresses the question of whether the Transjordan was considered part of the Promised Land.

David Bivin died this week. Best known as the founder of Jerusalem Perspective, David’s photographs have made a significant contribution to our work here. He was ever kind, encouraging, and generous. I join the many who will miss him.

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Arne Halbakken, Explorator, Paleojudaica

A young David Bivin with Michael Avi-Yonah at the Golden Gate in Jerusalem, June 1968

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Weekend Roundup, Part 1

A 7th-century BC mother-of-pearl stamp seal discovered at Tel Hadid depicts a moon standard, a worshiper, and a possible altar.

Early residents of Moza, near Jerusalem, used a sophisticated plaster technology that “bears on a long-standing puzzle in geology known as the ‘dolomite problem.’”

A 12-year-old boy discovered an ancient gemstone while excavating at Korazim.

Abigail the Archaeologist reports on week two of the Shiloh excavations.

“A new exhibition from the University of Haifa opened last weekend at the Silk Road Virtual Museum, an international initiative that tells the story of the Silk Road through dozens of heritage sites and archaeological finds from across the region.

Jeremy D. Smoak writes about the function of the Ketef Hinnom amulets in ancient religious practice. The article appears to be based on his book.

New release: The Oxford Handbook of Josephus, edited by Kenneth Atkinson ($208; Amazon)

All Israel News has posted a 7-minute video about the Great Isaiah Scroll exhibit.

Bible Mapper Atlas has added slideshows and virtual walking tours of many biblical locations. For one example, see the links below the map of Jesus’ Ministry beyond Israel.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Ted Weis, Alexander Schick, Explorator

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Weekend Roundup

A study of sheep and goat teeth indicates that shepherds traveled with their flocks between Galilee and the Golan Heights during the 10th to 8th centuries BC, despite ongoing conflicts between the Israelites and the Arameans.

The Times of Israel reports on the mass grave for children discovered at Azekah.

A Byzantine church in Nahariya was hit by a Hezbollah rocket but the large mosaic floor was not damaged.

Yana Tchekhanovets writes about the site of Nessana, a “a prominent Christian center and a vital caravan hub, facilitating travel to Sinai and the Egyptian monasteries” in the Byzantine period.

BibleStock’s first reading plan is now live on the YouVersion Bible App. This is the first reading plan on the app that features video from Israel. The 50-day plan takes you through the Gospel of Mark.

The first five episodes of The Sacred Thread: Season 1 have been released, and the final two will be released by the end of the month. The season finale will be celebrated with a special livestream event on Sunday, April 26 at 8:00 pm Eastern.

Available for pre-order: Archaeology, Jesus, and the Gospel of John: What Recent Discoveries Show Us, edited by Paul N. Anderson (Eerdmans, 650 pages, $100)

Jerusalem University College has announced its Summer Institute Online Series:

  • Treasures in the Book of Joshua, taught by Hélène Dallaire
  • The Land and the Logos, taught by Petra Heldt
  • Biblical Women in Jewish and Christian Art, taught by Shulamit Laderman
  • The Ark of the Covenant: A Biography, taught by Chris McKinny
  • Finding Bethsaida: An Exemplar in New Testament Historical Geography, taught by Steve Notley

Gary Byers discusses the history of the tabernacle on Digging for Truth.

On the Biblical World podcast, Chris McKinny and Kyle Keimer discuss the best archaeological finds of 2025 (part 2).

New maps have been created by Bible Mapper Atlas, including:

HT: Agade

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Weekend Roundup

Archaeologists have unearthed a Byzantine church with colorful mosaic floors at Nitzana (Nessana) in the Negev.

A lead sling bullet with the Greek word for “learn” was discovered in excavations at Hippos (Susita). The inscription “represents local sarcastic humor on the part of the city’s defenders, who wished to teach their enemies a lesson with a wink – ‘Learn your lesson!’” The underlying journal article is here.

Lauren K. McCormick writes about Byzantine baptismal halls at Hippos.

Rujm el-Hiri, the structure in the Golan Heights with concentric rings, is not unique, as scientists have identified 28 large circular structures within a 16-mile radius of the site.

“Archaeologists working off the coast of Libya have identified an underwater ‘ship graveyard’ near the ancient Greek city of Ptolemais.”

“Researchers are painstakingly reconstructing the oldest-known map of the night sky – previously thought lost forever – by X-raying parchment that contains the star catalog hidden beneath other text.”

“Amid rocket sirens and interceptions, two antiquities thieves were apprehended at the Horvat Hermesh site, which houses the remains of an ancient settlement from the Roman and Byzantine periods.”

“U.S. border officials in Philadelphia have seized a cache of 4,000-year-old Bronze Age swords and arrowheads, believed to be looted antiquities from Iran.”

The British Museum has released a video in the Curators’ Corner series about a monumental structure in Girsu that turned out to be the oldest bridge in the world.

The Greek City Times makes an argument for calling them the “Parthenon Sculptures,” not the “Parthenon Marbles.”

Military strikes have caused damage to historic sites in Isfahan, Iran.

“Lebanon has placed blue shields on 34 archaeological sites across the country to protect them during the ongoing war.”

ASOR webinar on March 25: “Lions, Rams, and Kings: Interpreting Animals at Persepolis,” by Neville McFerrin

BAS online course in August: “Historically Confirmed Figures in the Hebrew Bible,” by Lawrence Mykytiuk ($189)

BAS online class in October: “Ancient Texts and Scribes,” taught by Alice Mandell

The latest volume of Israel Museum Studies in Archaeology is now online.

On Digging for Truth, Bryan Windle discusses the “problems with using archaeological discoveries to interpret Scripture, instead of the other way around.”

HT: Agade, Explorator

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Weekend Roundup, Part 1

The opening of the Pilgrims’ Path from Siloam to the Temple Mount is reported by The Times of Israel, The Jerusalem Post, and Israel HaYom.

“A rare 2,000-year-old stone vessel recently uncovered in the Galilee is on display for the first time as part of the exhibition, ‘From the Great Assembly to the Knesset’ at the Knesset in Jerusalem.”

Vanessa Linares writes about the discovery of vanilla-spiced oil in a Middle Bronze Age tomb at Megiddo.

John DeLancey made a video of his walk on the new trail that runs from Chorazin to Capernaum.

Aren Maeir notes his visit to the excavations at Tel Goren (En Gedi), now in their second season.

A Ram for Mars, the third book in Christopher D. Stanley’s “A Slave’s Story” trilogy has been released ($5 on Kindle; paperback coming soon). I highly recommend the first two in the series and look forward to this one.

New release: Gaza: Archaeology and History, by Wolfgang Zwickel (Ägypten und Altes Testament, Zaphon, € 160)

Gordon Govier writes about Gabriel Barkay, the “Jewish archaeologist who inspired a generation of American Christians.”

HT: Agade, Keith Keyser

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About the BiblePlaces Blog

The BiblePlaces Blog provides updates and analysis of the latest in biblical archaeology, history, and geography. Unless otherwise noted, the posts are written by Todd Bolen, PhD, Professor of Biblical Studies at The Master’s University.

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