Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Archaeologists have discovered at Megiddo a collection of ceramics possibly linked to Pharaoh Necho’s army (pdf here). Necho killed Judah’s King Josiah in 609 BC. The underlying journal article is available for purchase.

Archaeologists have launched a new excavation at Alexandrium/Sartaba, the first in more than 40 years.

The Roman period gate beneath Damascus Gate in Jerusalem has re-opened and now features a new exhibit.

The latest Jerusalem Tracker lists dozens of the newest publications related to the Holy City.

The 50th anniversary issue of Biblical Archaeology Review includes a number of important articles:

  • “A Decade of Discoveries in Biblical Jerusalem,” by Yuval Gadot, Yiftah Shalev, and Joe Uziel
  • “Nails or Knots—How Was Jesus Crucified?,” by Jeffrey P. Arroyo García
  • “Breaking New Ground: Celebrating 50 Years of Biblical Archaeology”
  • “New Directions: How Archaeology Illuminates the Bible,”
    by Jennie Ebeling

Hybrid lecture at the Albright on March 12: “Tel Lachish 2013-2017: Excavations of the Palace Domestic Quarter, Area AA,” by Michael G. Hasel

Webinar on March 19: “Amulets and their Critics: Jews, Christians, and Samaritans in Late Antique Palestine,” by Megan Nutzman

Nathan Steinmeyer continues his series on geographical regions of Israel with a look at the Hula Valley.

Bryan Windle summarizes the top three reports in biblical archaeology in the month of February.

Chris McKinny and Kyle Keimer conclude their review of the best archaeological finds of last year on the Biblical World podcast.

Jerusalem University College has several short-term programs scheduled for the coming months:

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Keith Keyser, Gordon Franz, Arne Halbakken, Ted Weis

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Weekend Roundup, Part 2

A new study reveals that ancient Egyptian mummified bodies smelled “woody,” “spicy,” and “sweet.”

Archaeologists working in Egypt have completed the excavation and relocation of a gold processing complex in use for a millennium beginning circa 1000 BC.

Archaeologists working in central Turkey have found evidence of ironmaking dating to 2200 BC.

A new study has been released describing the “production and use of obsidian mirrors found at Tepecik Çiftlik” in central Turkey.

“Archaeologists excavating Göbekli Tepe have uncovered evidence that challenges previous theories about the site’s purpose.”

“Authorities in Turkey have sealed off a luxury spa that was set up by illegally modifying a 1,500-year-old cistern near Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.”

A headless bronze statue believed to depict Marcus Aurelius is being returned by The Cleveland Museum of Art to Turkey.

“Archaeologists in Pompeii have unearthed a rare depiction of initiation rites into a secret female cult that centred on Dionysus.”

A new theory has been proposed to explain how the brains of a man who died in the Mount Vesuvius explosion turned to glass.

“A close look at Pompeii’s stone-paved streets has shown how traffic through the ancient city changed dramatically after it was incorporated into the Roman world.” (subscription)

Hybrid lecture on March 12 at ISAC: “Epigraphy and Exploration at Beni Hassan, Egypt,” by Anna-Latifa Mourad Cizek

The Jerusalem Post explains why mummies are disappearing from museums.

The palace of Knossos set a new record in 2024 with more than one million visitors.

Howard Carter’s lost suitcase has been found and will be auctioned.

HT: Agade, Explorator, Gordon Franz, Ted Weis, Paleojudaica

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Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Bible History Daily has posted a video of a recent presentation by Chris McKinny and Erika Brown of top finds in biblical archaeology in 2024.

Paul S. Evans uses the War of 1812 as an analogy to explain how neither the Assyrians nor the biblical writers were deceptive in claiming victory in Sennacherib’s invasion of Judah in 701 BC.

A new exhibit entitled “Treasures Saved from Gaza” will be going on display at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris on April 2 (subscription).

“Divine Warrior” is the latest episode in Walking The Text’s series on Biblical Images of God.

Zoom lecture on March 5: “Refugees in the Early Iron Southern Levant,” by David Brown

New release: Urbanism in the Iron Age Levant and Beyond: Research on Israel and Aram in Biblical Times VII, edited by Aren Maeir, Shira Albaz, and Angelika Berlejung (Mohr Siebeck, €170)

The latest issue of Buried History has been released (open-access).

A new group of Dead Sea Scrolls have been added to the exhibit at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

Bezalel Porten, professor emeritus at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, died this week.

Jerusalem Seminary is hosting two free online lectures. Register here.

  • March 1: “The Shepherd-King, the Tribulation and the End of Exile,” by Dr. Noel Rabinowitz
  • March 8: “Engaging the Oral Torah with Yeshua/Jesus,” by Elazar Brandt

HT: Agade, Explorator, Gordon Franz, Ted Weis

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Weekend Roundup, Part 1

In the second season of excavations at Hyrcania in the Judean wilderness, archaeologists uncovered a colorful Byzantine mosaic and two Jewish ritual baths.

A tourist who came to Shiloh to pray for a child found a rare Second Temple period coin when he returned to give thanks.

The discovery at a Byzantine monastery near Jerusalem of a female skeleton wrapped in heavy metal chains is raising questions about women’s participation in extreme asceticism.

Ferrell Jenkins has posted a photo of Gibeah of Saul from circa 1970.

New release: After the Tomb: The Unexpected Encore, by Stephen Austin. In a series of 50 vignettes, this book imagines what may have happened in the 50 days between Jesus’s resurrection and Pentecost. My first impression is very positive.

New release: Scribal Representations and Social Landscapes of the Iron Age, by Mahri Leonard-Fleckman (Oxford University Press, $99)

A conference on the archaeology and history of Jerusalem will be held at the Schloss Beugen in Rheinfelden, Germany, on April 27th to 29th, 2025. Aren Maeir has posted the schedule.

Accordance Bible Software is running a sale of up to 67% off image collections, virtual tours, biblical atlases, and more. There are a number of offerings that are the lowest prices I’ve ever seen.

Behind the Scenes of the New Testament, edited by Bruce W. Longenecker, Elizabeth E. Shively, and T. J. Lang, is Walking The Text’s recommended resource this month.

Gesher Media has just released an Ark of the Covenant poster. Regularly priced at $34, you can use coupon ARK20 to get it for only $20 through February 28.

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

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Weekend Roundup, Part 2

The ancient harbor of Adramyttium, mentioned on Paul’s voyage to Rome (Acts 27:2), became visible when the Aegean sea receded. Photos are posted in the Turkish article.

Recent excavations in Perga have uncovered five statues.

Egypt has begun restoring the Ramesseum in Luxor.

MrBeast spent 100 hours inside the Giza pyramids, including visiting areas not open to the general public.

Mark V. Hoffman notes a temporary exhibition entitled “In the Footsteps of Paul” that is at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki through April and then will be in Athens.

Mark V. Hoffman also gives an introduction to MARBLE (Modular Aggregation of Resources on the Bible), a UBS project that includes biblical texts, semantic dictionaries, images, and videos.

New release: Tel Dover (Khirbet ed-Duweir) on the Yarmuk River: The Late Bronze and Iron Age Levels, by Amir Golani and Samuel R. Wolff (Ägypten und Altes Testament 130; Zaphon; €75).

New release: Slavery and Servitude in Late Period Egypt (c. 900–330 BC), by Ella Karev (Ägypten und Altes Testament, €70)

New release: Scribes and Language Use in the Graeco-Roman World, edited by Sonja Dahlgren, Martti Leiwo, and Marja Vierros (The Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters, free pdf).

Color paintings made by Joseph Lindon Smith in an Egyptian tomb remain valuable today.

An archaeological exhibition entitled “From Sharjah to Rome via the Spice Route” is currently on display at the Colosseum in Rome.

Lawrence Schiffman is giving two lectures on the Dead Sea Scrolls at Penn State University on February 19:

  • 12:15 to 1:30 pm: “Temple City: Jerusalem and its Temple in the Urban Planning of the Dead Sea Scrolls” (register for Zoom here)
  • 6:00 to 7:30 pm: “The Dead Sea Scrolls and the History of Judaism” (register for Zoom here)

The Itinerarium, written by the anonymous Piacenza Pilgrim circa 570 and translated by Andrew S. Jacobs, is now available online.

Colleen Morgan explains how AI imagery could be used to develop fake archaeology.

Chris McKinny and Kyle Keimer discuss the best archaeological finds of 2024 on the Biblical World podcast.

HT: Agade, Gordon Franz, Arne Halbakken, Explorator, Paleojudaica

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Weekend Roundup, Part 1

A Second-Temple-period inn that served travelers moving between Tiberias and Sepphoris is being excavated near the Golani Junction. Volunteers are welcome now through March.

“Archaeologists have uncovered an ancient glass workshop in the Jewish quarter of Hebron, dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries.”

The Jerusalem Post has more information about the new archaeological exhibit at Ben Gurion airport, as does The Times of Israel. The Rabbi of the Western Wall wants his stone back.

“The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) has rejected the idea of receiving responsibility for antiquities in the West Bank.”

Ran Silberman reviews the history and interpretation of the “Pool of Siloam” over the last twenty years.

Adam Montefiore explains the significance of Tu BeShvat, the Israeli festival for planting trees.

The list of sessions for this week’s Archaeology and Site Conservation of Judea and Samaria international conference is online. The PEF and others denounced the event. An academic boycott of archaeological research in these areas is hurting researchers.

Nathan Steinmeyer gives a brief introduction to the importance of the Judean Desert in biblical history.

Andrew Lawler writes for Archaeology Magazine about the origin of the pork taboo.

The Jerusalem Post interviewed Doron Spielman about his forthcoming book, When the Stones Speak: The Remarkable Discovery of the City of David and What Israel’s Enemies Don’t Want You To Know.

The T&T Clark Encyclopedia of Second Temple Judaism is much cheaper in paperback (vol. 1, vol. 2) than it is in hardcover.

Brad Gray explores the good shepherd in the latest episode of the “Biblical Images of God” series at Walking The Text.

Michael Hasel and Yosef Garfinkel discuss the ivory comb of Lachish on the latest episode of The Book and the Spade.

Yesterday’s “Jerusalem in Brief” looks at the Ordnance Survey Map of 1865, Kathleen Kenyon’s view of ancient Jerusalem, and a new book by Lukas Landmann with high-quality photos.

The University of Haifa’s School of Archaeology and Maritime Cultures has begun an English-taught Master’s program on Heritage Management.

Online lecture on March 1: “Teaching Scripture in the Context of the Biblical World,” with Oliver Hersey and Jack Beck. The announcement also notes that Jerusalem University College will offer a $500 discount on a short-term course to those who register.

HT: Agade, Gordon Franz, Arne Halbakken, Explorator, Paleojudaica

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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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