Weekend Roundup, Part 2

The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities has posted a “Special Edition” of their Newsletter, featuring a list of archaeological discoveries, openings (and re-openings), major projects, temporary exhibitions, repatriated antiquities, changes to archaeological services (including photography fees and student discounts), publications, conferences, and more.

Archaeological work has revealed a fortress at Tell el-Maskhuta in the eastern Nile Delta.
Al-Ahram Weekly reviews the 30 top discoveries made in Egypt in 2017.

“Researchers in London have developed scanning techniques that show what is written on the papyrus that mummy cases are made from.”

The Encyclopedia of the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt, edited by Kathryn A. Bard (Routledge, 1999) is now online for free download.

Archaeologists working at Perga in Turkey plan to restore two towers, water fountains, the theater, and the stadium by 2019.

Turkey will resume issuing visas to American tourists after stopping for several months.

Pompeii has opened three restored Roman houses to visitors.

Scholars are using a fine-detail CT scanner to attempt to read a codex of Acts that dates to the 5th or 6th centuries.

At ANE Today: “A Proper Answer: Reflections on Archaeology, Archaeologists and Biblical
Historiography,” by Israel Finkelstein.

For purchase or free download: Highlights of the Collections of the Oriental Institute Museum, edited by Jean M. Evans, Jack Green, and Emily Teeter.

If you’re not a subscriber to ARTIFAX Magazine (in print), you can sign up here.

Lois Tverberg’s Reading the Bible with Rabbi Jesus is out.

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Keith Keyser

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Weekend Roundup, Part 3

The first-ever issue of Biblical Archaeology Review without Hershel Shanks at the helm has been published. This annual excavation issue also includes articles on an ancient Jerusalem trash dump, Canaanite art at Hazor, and the Ketef Hinnom silver amulets.

Carl Rasmussen explains Paul’s walk from Troas to Assos with photos and a map.

A writer for The New York Times describes his visit to Alexandria.

A study shows that black ink from Egyptian papyri contains copper.

The Egyptian government is working on a bill to increase the penalty for smuggling antiquities to life imprisonment.

Police in Turkey have recovered over 26,000 artifacts from a smuggling ring in Istanbul.

The German Protestant Institute of Archaeology in the Holy Land (GPIA) has launched a new website for its project DOJAM – Documentation of Objects in Jordanian Archaeological Museums.   

The winter issue of the Oriental Institute’s News & Notes is online.

The ancients used meteoritic material in the forging of daggers, axes, and jewelry.

Rome will begin charging tourists to visit the Pantheon.

The New York Metropolitan Museum purchased a 14th-century illuminated Hebrew Bible before it was to be auctioned by Sotheby’s.

How did the 1917 Jerusalem surrender flag end up in Ohio?

William Dever, Carol Meyers, and Israel Finkelstein were among those receiving awards at the 2017 ASOR Annual Meeting.

LiveScience suggests some major finds in biblical archaeology in 2017.

Merry Christmas!


HT: Ted Weis, Joseph Lauer, Agade

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Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Underwater excavations of Corinth’s harbor at the port of Lechaion have exposed five-ton stone blocks and a perfectly preserved wooden post. This article has lots of illustrations. A 2-minute video takes you there.


The New York Times reports on the numerous ancient finds from Rome’s ongoing subway project.

Archaeologists have been excavating a large Byzantine church complex near Beth Shemesh.

Excavations have revealed that the population of Shiloh switched from Gentile to Jewish following the Maccabean Revolt.

New excavations have revealed a Hasmonean-era settlement at Susiya near Hebron.

Israel’s Culture Minister is initiating a $70 million plan to uncover, preserve, and develop historical sites in Jerusalem and vicinity.

The Israeli government has approved funding for a hiking trail through the West Bank and Golan Heights.

“The ancient city of Hazor in the Galilee seems to have muscled its way to fame and fortune partly by developing a unique business in farming sheep, instead of goats like everyone else in Canaan 3,700 years ago.”

Recent excavations at Jericho show a close relationship between the city and Egypt.

Archaeologists have traced the history of a menorah relief in various buildings in Tiberias.

A young girl discovered a Hasmonean-period oil lamp in a porcupines’ den near Beth Shean.

Elsewhere antiquities thieves denied their activities by claiming that they were “just hunting porcupines.”

New book, with free ebook download: Finding Jerusalem: Archaeology between Science and Ideology, by Katharina Galor.

Cuneiform cookies are all the rage this Christmas. This video will teach you how to bake Ugaritic
Tablet Biscuits.

HT: Ted Weis, Joseph Lauer, Agade, Mark Hoffman, Charles Savelle, Explorator, Chris McKinny,
Mike Harney

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Weekend Roundup

Archaeologists have excavated an Edomite/Idumean temple in a live-fire zone near Lachish that they first identified using drones. High-res photos and a video are available here.

An ancient gymnasium with well-preserved mosaics has been discovered near biblical Iconium (modern Konya) in Turkey. (References that suggest it was near the Laodicea mentioned in
Revelation are apparently incorrect.) For more photos, see this article in the Turkish press.

Scholars have identified the first-known Greek copy of the Apocalypse of James.

Owen Jarus corrects some misinformation about the “castle” recently “discovered” under the waters of Lake Van.

You can learn more about pigeons and ancient dovecotes from Jennifer Ramsay’s article at the ASOR Blog.

Turkish authorities have arrested four men who tried to sell an ancient Torah manuscript.

Indiana Joan, a real-life tomb raider, is 95 years old and lives in Western Australia.

Carl Rasmussen explains how the Altar of Augustan Peace (Ara Pacis) illustrates an aspect of “the fulness of time” when God sent his Son.

The First Days of Jesus, by Andreas J. Kostenberger and Alexander Stewart, is for sale for Kindle for $2.99.

The second edition of the NET Bible has been released. Print copies are available here. In an act of remarkable transparency (and courage!), they have posted a complete list of changes.

R. Steven Notley (Nyack College) will be lecturing on “Geography, Christianity and the History of
Second Temple Judaism” at the Yeshiva University on Wednesday, December 6th, 6:45-7:45pm in the Furst Hall Room 308, 500 W 185th St, NYC.


The New York Times reviews the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Chanan Tigay describes his worldwide hunt to unravel the mystery of Moshe Shapiro’s “Dead Sea Scrolls.”

Now open: The Jordan Trail runs from Gadara (Um Qais) in the north to Aqaba in the south. The official website includes downloadable maps and GPX files. Here’s a fun video on hiking the trail by Epic Trails.

HT: Charles Savelle, Agade, Joseph Lauer, Bill Schlegel, Mike Harney, Wayne Stiles, A.D. Riddle

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Weekend Roundup

Seven inscriptions were discovered in three Byzantine churches excavated in Galilee this summer. Haaretz (premium) also covers the story. Archaeologists have discovered a Hellenistic-era gymnasium in the Fayoum province of Egypt. A recently discovered Assyrian tablet provides the first-known diagnosis to determine infertility. An intact sundial from the Roman period has been discovered in the excavation of a theater near Mount Cassino in Italy. A year-long mysterious excavation with high security in Tarsus ended with no explanation of what they found or why they were excavating. A gemstone discovered in Pylos, Greece, from the 15th century BC is a “masterpiece of miniature art.” Megan Sauter describes the Terra Sancta Museum, a new stop on the Via Dolorosa. Wayne Stiles’s post this week on Lachish includes some new drone video footage he shot recently. The Museum of the Bible is the topic of discussion this week on The Book and the Spade. Israel welcomed its 3 millionth tourist of 2017 this week. A new Biblical Archaeology Review Archive provides every article from 1975 to 2016 and is on sale for $130. Or you can subscribe to All-Access Membership for $35/year. HT: Jared Clark, Agade, Charles Savelle

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Weekend Roundup, Part 2

“The ancient city of Ephesus . . . is set to once again have a harbor on the Aegean coast, according to an ambitious new project.”

Archaeologists working at Saqqara in Egypt have discovered a portion of a large obelisk from the Old Kingdom period.

The rulers of Gaza are systematically destroying one of the earliest archaeological sites in the Gaza Strip.

“There is a growing emerging consensus among Dead Sea Scroll scholars that many of the fragments in the private collections are fakes.”

Atlas Obscura has a brief, illustrated article on the Tophet of Carthage.

“A Dartmouth-led study has demonstrated how the latest aerial thermal imagery is transforming archaeology due to advancements in technology.”

Yeshiva University Museum is hosting an international conference on “The Arch of Titus – from Jerusalem to Rome, and Back.”

Prior to its opening in November, the Museum of the Bible will be hosting a scholarly panel to “discuss evolutionary process for developing content” as well as addressing questions about disputed artifacts in their collection.

Yale students are “touring” Nimrud before it was destroyed via a new VR system. The story includes a 4-minute video.

A new free MOOC from Bar Ilan University on “The Bible in Light of the Ancient Near East” begins later this month. Some video previews are available: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5.

Israel’s Good Name reports on his recent visit to Apollonia (Arsuf).

Kenneth Holum, whose work included directing excavations of Caesarea, died last month.

HT: Paleojudaica, Joseph Lauer, Agade

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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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