Galilee Archives - Page 63 of 84

Bethsaida Exhibition in Omaha

Twenty-five years of excavations at et-Tell on the northeastern side of the Sea of Galilee are being celebrated with a fundraiser and photographic exhibition at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Celebrating 25 Years of UNO’s Biblical Excavation Project:
Artifacts from the Dig & Hanan Shafir: Photographs of Bethsaida In recognition of the 25th anniversary, the UNO Art Gallery will host a collection of photography from Bethsaida by Hanan Shafir. Showing in the Weber Fine Arts Building on UNO’s Dodge Street campus, the exhibition will run from Aug. 24 to Sept. 27. The gallery is free and open to the public. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Groups are welcome to schedule an appointment outside of these times by calling 402.554.2796. Pre-Opening Fundraiser & Reception: Come see the place, the people, and the artifacts, meet the photographer, and listen to UNO Professor Rami Arav, lead excavator at Bethsaida. The event is Thursday, Aug. 23, from 6 to 9 p.m. All members of the public are welcome. Tickets are $40 in advance and $50 at the door. Proceeds will help faculty and students travel to Bethsaida and continue this important archeological study in coming years. Several gift items including commemorative pottery shards from Bethsaida will be raffled and Shafir’s photographs will be for sale by silent auction.

For more information, see the university’s website. HT: Jack Sasson Iron Age gate of Bethsaida

Tagged Excavations, Galilee, New Exhibits

Archaeologists have found a collection of right hands at the Hyksos capital of Avaris in Egypt. Collecting body parts was one ancient way of counting victims (cf. 1 Sam 18:25). Israeli scientists have developed a way to predict the location of sinkholes near the Dead Sea. Clay rods from the Neolithic period found years ago are not phallic symbols but were ancient matches for starting fires. A summary of the 13th season at Hippos/Susita has been released by the University of Haifa. There are more photos here. A large olive press from the 6th-8th centuries AD has been discovered in Hod HaSharon on Israel’s coastal plain. The National Project to Document Egypt’s Heritage has begun with the tombs of Beni Hasan. The Aleppo citadel has allegedly been damaged by shelling by the Syrian army. Eilat Mazar will be excavating more of the area between the Temple Mount and the City of David later this month. Nir Hasson has more on Sir Flinders Petrie, the archaeologist who lost his head. Wayne Stiles takes a closer look at Nebi Samwil and the neighboring Gibeon and concludes that they reveal similar spiritual lessons. Gordon Franz has obtained a copy of pseudo-archaeologist Robert Cornuke’s doctoral dissertation and finds that it’s a sham. Paul V. M. Flesher writes about the latest finds in the Galilean town of Huqoq. Leon Mauldin shares a photo of Mount Ararat with a rainbow. Haaretz has some tips for finding wifi in Israel. HT: Joseph Lauer, Jack Sasson A pile of hands used for counting the dead, depicted at mortuary temple of Ramses III in Medinet Habu (photo source)

Tagged Dead Sea, Discoveries, Egypt, Excavations, Galilee, Jerusalem, Syria, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup

Archaeologists at Hazor have discovered 14 large storejars full of grain burned in a massive conflagration during the period of the judges (c. 1300 BC). Volunteer Rob Heaton shares his experiences in the last days of the dig and more.

The 2012 Lautenschläger Azekah Archaeological Expeditions Blog is being updated daily. Yesterday they confirmed the discovery of ancient fortifications.

Matti Friedman describes a day of digging at the Philistine city of Gath.

The Israel Antiquities Authority’s Archaeological-Educational Center invites the public to

“Archaeologists for a Day” program at Adullam Park in the Shephelah on Monday, July 30. The cost is 20 NIS and pre-registration is required at [email protected], Tel: 02-9921136, Fax: 02-9925056. The invitation (Word doc in Hebrew) provides more details.

Seth Rodriquez has identified the most interesting photos for a Bible teacher from NASA’s Visible Earth website.

High-tech aerial photos remove the ground cover so you can see what lies below.

In a new article at The Bible and Interpretation, Yosef Garfinkel reviews some attacks on his work at Khirbet Qeiyafa and provides “an unsensational archaeological and historical interpretation” in which he provides 14 “facts,” concluding that “the site marks the beginning of a new era: the establishment of the biblical Kingdom of Judah.” That last word is problematic.

At Christianity Today, Gordon Govier interviews evangelical scholars about the potential impact of the discoveries at Khirbet Qeiyafa.

A 19th-century map of Jerusalem has been discovered in an archive in Berlin.

The story about Islamic clerics wanting to destroy the Egyptian pyramids is not true.

HT: Roi Brit, Joseph Lauer, Jack Sasson

Tagged Egypt, Excavations, Galilee, Jerusalem, Shephelah, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup

Bryant Wood has posted a summary of this season’s excavations at Khirbet el-Maqatir.

Joe Yudin recommends a short, wet hike near the Sea of Galilee.

Wayne Stiles explains why Shechem is the “most important crossroads in central Israel.”

He has also created the best illustrated page on the first-century boat in Galilee.

Ferrell Jenkins has discovered a way to keep tabs on the water level in the Sea of Galilee.

The discovery of gold coins in Apollonia and Kiryat Gat has led to an increase in illegal digging at sites in southern Israel. (A longer article and photos are available in an IAA press release in Hebrew.)

Israel’s Attorney-General says that all construction on the Temple Mount must adhere to existing laws.

An individual has filed a complaint with Israeli police against the playing of soccer on the Temple Mount.

Matthew Kalman’s story on the trial of the James Ossuary and Jehoash Tablet from The Jerusalem Report is now available for purchase in Kindle format (with free borrowing for Prime members).

The ASOR weekly roundup is here.

HT: Joseph Lauer

Tagged Excavations, Forgery, Galilee, Jerusalem, Samaria, Temple Mount

Samson Mosaic Discovered in Galilee Synagogue

A colorful mosaic depicting Samson and a pair of ignited fox tails has been discovered in the excavation of a Byzantine-era synagogue in Galilee. The depiction of Samson is accompanied by two female faces and a Hebrew inscription that speaks of rewards for those who do good.

The Israel Antiquities Authority has issued a press release:

Huqoq is an ancient Jewish village located approximately two to three miles west of Capernaum and Migdal (Magdala). This second season of excavations has revealed portions of a stunning mosaic floor decorating the interior of the synagogue building. The mosaic, which is made of tiny colored stone cubes of the highest quality, includes a scene depicting Samson placing torches between the tails of foxes (as related in the book of Judges 15). In another part of the mosaic, two human (apparently female) faces flank a circular medallion with a Hebrew inscription that refers to rewards for those who perform good deeds.
“This discovery is significant because only a small number of ancient (Late Roman) synagogue buildings are decorated with mosaics showing biblical scenes, and only two others have scenes with Samson (one is at another site just a couple of miles from Huqoq),” said Magness, the Kenan Distinguished Professor in the department of religious studies in [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill] College of Arts and Sciences. “Our mosaics are also important because of their high artistic quality and the tiny size of the mosaic cubes. This, together with the monumental size of the stones used to construct the synagogue’s walls, suggest a high level of prosperity in this village, as the building clearly was very costly.”

The site is being excavated by Magness along with David Amit and Shua Kisilevitz of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

The IAA has released three photos (direct link) of the mosaic floor, but none of them show Samson or the fox tails. Amit describes the scene: the “mosaic contains a description of the biblical Samson and two pairs of foxes with a flaming torch connecting their tails.” The story is recorded in Judges 15:3-5.

Jodi Magness, David Amit, and Shua Kisilevitz, co-directors of the Huqoq Excavation, with the mosaic. Photo by Jim Haberman.

Huqoq mosaic with female face and inscription. Photo by Jim Haberman.

Female face in Huqoq mosaic. Photo by Jim Haberman.

The story is reported by the Jerusalem Post, Arutz-7, and others. A volunteer working at the excavation this summer posted his experiences on a blog, but he does not mention the synagogue or Samson.

Tagged Discoveries, Galilee

Leeches Invade Sea of Galilee

From Haaretz:

Leeches have invaded Lake Kinneret’s [the Sea of Galilee’s] shores – for the second time in seven years.
Standing in the water for as little as two minutes will cause your legs to be covered in hundreds of leeches. These particular types are not blood-suckers, making them relatively easy to remove once one is out of the water.
They are found on the lakebed, at depths of 0.5 to one meter, at two spots over the last few days: near the Sapir visitors center and along the western coastline. They live off snails and other invertebrates.
The leeches first overran the shores of the lake seven years ago.
Four types of leeches are known to live in the Kinneret, but they are usually present only in small numbers. This year, however, huge quantities have been detected.

The rest of the story suggests some explanations, including human activity and the rapidly changing water level.

Sea of Galilee

Tagged Galilee