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“A rare coin from the time of the Bar Kochba revolt, bearing the name ‘Eleazer the Priest,’ has been discovered at the foot of a cliff in the Judean Desert by Israeli archaeologists.” The IAA is also welcoming the public to join them in the hunt for antiquities in the Judean wilderness.

The bust of a huge statue of Ramses II was discovered in the el-Ashmunein area in Minya Governorate in Egypt.

Archaeologists have uncovered a painting in the House of Leda at Pompeii that “depicts Phrixus and Helle, two twins from Greek mythology, as they travel across the sea on a magical ram while fleeing from their evil stepmother.”

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has inaugurated its Biblical Studies and Archaeology Center.

The NY Times has a story on the purple dye factory at Tel Shiqmona.

With the opening of the entrance pavilion to the Tower of David Museum, The Jerusalem Post has a story about the design and construction process.

Amy Erickson explores the question of why the story of Jonah was so frequently depicted in the catacombs of Rome.

The plant remains discovered in the Philistine temples at Gath are the subject of the latest episode of This Week in the Ancient Near East.

Nathan Steinmeyer explains why the Babylonian king Nabonidus may be considered the world’s first archaeologist.

Zoom lecture on Mar 12, 11:00 Eastern Daylight Time: “The cities of the Zagros and their scenes on the Assyrian wall reliefs,” by Dlshad Aziz Marf (Zoom link)

Dewayne Bryant is a guest on Digging for Truth to talk about the historicity of King David.

Now online: The full episode of National Geographic’s “Buried Secrets of the Bible with Albert Lin: Sodom & Gomorrah” (45 min)

The latest Jerusalem in Brief looks at “a tower named after a Philistine giant, some new books, and a dinner party in the middle of World War I.”

HT: Agade, Ted Weis, Gordon Dickson, Keith Keyser

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Israeli reserve soldiers discovered an ancient basalt mortar while on patrol near the Gaza Strip.

Marek Dospěl summarizes the argument for locating Peter’s house at Bethsaida (el-Araj) rather than Capernaum.

“The ancient remains of an unborn fetus found in the headless mummy of an Egyptian teenager shows she died while giving birth to twins.”

The latest issue of ‘Atiqot focuses on “The Archaeology of Purity,” and includes articles about the Pool of Siloam, ritual baths, and a chalk quarry on Mount Scopus.

New release: The Nubian Pharaohs of Egypt: Their Lives and Afterlives, by Aidan Dodson (AUC Press, $35)

The bi-weekly Research Seminar of the Archaeology department at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev will now be accessible to the public via Zoom. Lectures are given in English, and take place every other Tuesday, 9:15-10:45 am Eastern Time. The next lecture will be on January 23 entitled “Identities in the Making: Foodways and Table Manners in the City, Village, and Temple in Hellenistic Idumea,” by Débora Sandhaus.

Petra M. Creamer looks at what burial practices reveal about the power of an empire over its subjects, looking specifically at mortuary practices in couple of Assyrian cities.

The Biblical Archaeology Society is offering a free 2024 calendar (with email address and option to receive daily newsletter).

Steven Anderson who works with me on the Photo Companion to the Bible was interviewed for the Daily Dose of Aramaic (YouTube, Vimeo) to celebrate a special milestone for that ministry.

Carl Rasmussen has posted photos taken by David Padfield inside the Dome of the Rock.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Ted Weis

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“Two IDF reservists recently discovered a 1,500-year-old, well-preserved pottery oil lamp from the Byzantine period in the mud of a Gaza staging area.”

Archaeologists excavating a Middle Bronze level in Jaffa discovered a jar containing the skeleton of an infant.

A study of the magnetic field recorded in bricks burned during Hazael’s conquest of Gath “will make it possible for archaeologists to identify burnt materials discovered in excavations and estimate their firing temperatures.”

There are reports of new damage to the “altar” on Mount Ebal.

Jerusalem Dateline has a 20-minute special edition on the excavations at Shiloh.

The new radiocarbon dates from Gezer are the subject of the latest episode of This Week in the Ancient Near East.

New release: Tell es-Safi/Gath III: Studies on the Early Bronze Age, Part 1, edited by I. Shai, H. J. Greenfield, and A. M. Maeir (Zaphon)

New release: The Excavation of the Templar Fortress at Jacob’s Ford (1993-2009), by Kate Raphael (Hebrew Union College, 300 NIS)

New release: The Essential Archaeological Guide to Bible Lands: Uncovering Biblical Sites of the Ancient Near East and Mediterranean World, by Titus Kennedy (Harvest House, $35; Logos, $17)

On sale for Logos: Unearthing the Bible: 101 Archaeological Discoveries That Bring the Bible to Life, by Titus Kennedy ($6)

Archaeological volunteers who received a BAS Dig Scholarship share some of their stories from the summer excavations at Abel Beth Maacah, Azekah, Shikhin, Shimron, and Tel Hadid.

David Padfield has posted nearly 100 photographs of the model of Jerusalem at the Israel Museum, using AI to help remove tourists and other distracting items.

Carl Rasmussen shares some photos that David Padfield took inside Al Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.

The creator of the Bible Mapper Atlas lists the top 10 maps released in 2023, in his own opinion.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Ted Weis, Gordon Dickson

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A couple of 12-year-old boys hiking in the hills west of Jerusalem discovered a coin from the time of Herod Agrippa I.

An analysis of fingerprints on Late Bronze pottery discovered at Tel Burna suggests that the potters were mostly young females.

Haaretz has a story about the miniature Jeroboam seal impression that a new study claims is genuine. (It was real before it was fake before it was real again.) Some, I suspect, may grow only more suspicious of the authentication methods in use. BHD has a brief response from Christopher Rollston.

Lawrence Schiffman discusses the recent research that supports the existence of a centralized government during the time of David and Solomon.

Biblical Archaeology Society has released its 2024 digs list, featuring 20 excavations mostly in Israel and Jordan. They do us a great service by compiling this list every year. They are also offering $2,000 dig scholarships.

David Moster has created a video telling the story of Ruth using beautiful images from the American Colony photo collection.

Approaching Jerusalem looks back at three topographical disagreements in the middle of the 19th century between Edward Robinson and George Williams, including the route of the Second Wall.

Jewish Press has a rare article on the important biblical site of Beth Horon. I don’t think I was aware of the lookout point that he mentions.

Leon Mauldin shares a couple of aerial photos of Joppa.

The 125th anniversary celebration of the German Protestant Institute for Archaeology has been rescheduled to March 4-7.

Israeli guide Dan Mossek is guest on the GTI Tours podcast discussing Hanukkah and Jesus’s declaration that he is the light of the world.

John DeLancey has posted a 1-minute non-narrated video walking into the Chapel of the Shepherds at Shepherds’ Field in Beit Sahour.

Nathan Steinmeyer looks at why it is so difficult to determine what the star of Bethlehem was.

Bryan Windle lists the top ten archaeological discoveries related to Christmas. They are quite interesting, and I was unaware of a couple of them.

HT: Agade, Ted Weis, Gordon Dickson, Arne Halbakken, Paleojudaica

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The oldest ceramic rooftiles discovered in Israel date to the 2nd century BC and were found in the Givati Parking Lot excavations in the City of David.

Leen Ritmeyer recalls his previous visits to the Gaza Strip, and shares reconstruction drawings from archaeological remains discovered there.

The Times of Israel follows up on the recent publication of articles challenging the Mount Ebal “curse inscription,” including a response from Scott Stripling. Peter van der Veen, one of Stripling’s co-authors, has released a photo and some comments on the inscription on the exterior of the lead object.

The American tourist who smashed ancient statues in the Israel Museum was acquitted but sent to involuntary hospitalization. His attorney claimed that he suffers from “Jerusalem Syndrome.”

The Israel Antiquities Authority Conference will be held on December 11 in Jerusalem. The conference title is “In Those Days at This Time – The Hasmoneans are Coming,” and admission is free.

New release: Jewish Quarter Excavations in the Old City of Jerusalem, Volume IX. “Volume Nine presents the wealth of small finds from the Palatial Mansion, built in the 1st century CE and destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE.” (Israel Exploration Society, 380 NIS)

Logos deal: Week in the Life Series  (7 vols) for $25

Jerusalem University College is hosting its 4th annual online seminar, “Culture Counts” on January 13. Registration is free, and the three presentations are:

  • Home Sweet Home: Ancient Israelite Households in Context, by Cynthia Shafer-Elliott
  • Life in the Roman Army, by Carl Laney
  • Hosting a Rabbi: A Lesson in Discipleship from Mary and Martha, by Cyndi Parker

BAS’s February Bible and Archaeology Fest will be held on February 24-25. Registration is open now for $149.

Mark Hoffman explains why now is a good time to (re-)sign up for the free BiblePlaces Newsletter.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Ted Weis

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A new dataset of radiocarbon dates from Gezer “provides an independent source of absolute dates that will allow researchers to better understand the events at Gezer and to place them in a regional perspective.” Of particular interest is that the Solomon gate dates to the time of Solomon, contrary to the Low Chronology promoted by Finkelstein who calls the study “meaningless.” The underlying journal article is here.

When the war began in Israel on October 7, Israel’s museums acted quickly to protect their most precious artifacts.

Avshalom Halutz writes a “short history of Gaza,” reviewing the last 5,000 years of the coastal city’s conflicts (Haaretz premium

Ariel David reports on the recent study that argues that Jerusalem’s Millo was “defensive complex that protected the ancient water spring of Jerusalem for centuries.”

Online lecture in the BAS Scholars Series on Dec 6: “The Life of Jesus Written in Stone: The Earliest Commemorative Churches in Roman Palestine,” by Jordan Ryan, Wheaton College ($10)

Online “gala event” on Dec 10: “New Discoveries in the Temple Mount Sifting Project Research,” with Zachi Dvira, Gabriel Barkay, Haim Shaham, Anat Mendel-Geberovich, and Mordechai Kedar

New release: From Nomadism to Monarchy? Revisiting the Early Iron Age Southern Levant, edited by Ido Koch, Oded Lipschits and Omer Sergi (Eisenbrauns, $100)

Jerusalem Seminary is offering a 6-week audit-only version of “Israel Matters: A Theology of People and Land,” with Gerald McDermott, for only $79. A full description is here.

Now online: A Biblical Archaeology Conference held last Saturday, hosted by the Institute for Creation Research, with presentations by Randall Price and Tom Meyer

Bible Mapper Atlas has added a number of new maps in the last few months:

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken

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