A 4th century BC vase discovered at et-Tell (Bethsaida?) has a depiction of an image copied from the Parthenon in Athens.

Haaretz (premium): “A team of Israeli scientists and archaeologists has embarked on a massive four-year project to accurately radiocarbon-date the complex layers of ancient Jerusalem.”

A stele from the reign of Ramses II has been discovered at San al-Hagar.

Roman funeral mummy portraits from Egypt, dating to the first three centuries AD, are on exhibit at Northwestern University’s Block Museum. There’s a 3-minute video here.

ASOR Blog: “What were the types of musicians and instruments in Ancient Egypt, how were they used, and where did they come from?”

How do scholars reconstruct the rules for ancient board games?

David Z. Moster of 929 Chapters has launched a new YouTube channel with a video on “How to 
Study the Bible with Ancient Near Eastern Texts.”

The Spring 2018 issue of DigSight includes reports on the Fourth Expedition to Lachish, ecology on ancient seals, and more.

Scott Stripling reports on Week Two of the winter’s work processing material from Khirbet el-Maqatir.

Leon Mauldin writes of the possible connection between the apostle Paul and Gush Halav in Galilee.

Ferrell Jenkins shares photos that illustrate a king making a footstool of his enemies.

Wayne Stiles is leading a tour to Israel this October.

HT: Joseph Lauer, Agade, Ted Weis, Charles Savelle

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“Excavations are being carried out to make an underground pedestrian passageway, leading from beneath the Church of All Nations at Gethsemane to a private area on the other side of the Jericho
road.”

Scientists have discovered evidence of Byzantine agriculture in the Negev on the basis of bones of a gerbil.

Popular Archaeology considers whether there was an “iron throne” in the void of the Pyramid of
Cheops.

“Egyptian and American archaeologists unveiled two new discoveries in Aswan, including a royal administrative complex in the ancient Egyptian city of Tel Edfu and a collection of artefacts in the Kom Ombo temple.”

Scott Stripling reports on Week One of processing objects from ABR’s excavation of Khirbet el-Maqatir.

The lecture schedule for the Albright Institute for January and February has been released.

The Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem has posted its spring lecture schedule.

The National Geographic Museum has opened a new exhibit now through August: Tomb of Christ: 

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre Experience. Samuel Pfister at the Biblical Archaeology Society provides a solid review.

Episodes 6-10 of “Following the Messiah” were released yesterday. All are free.

John DeLancey of Biblical Israel Ministries and Tours has created a 17-minute video on “Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus.”

Crossway has announced its Bibles coming in 2018, including the ESV Archaeology Study Bible.

Leon Mauldin has been visiting the British Museum and shares photos of a golden diadem and the 

Israel’s Good Name had a successful trip looking for wildlife in the Huleh Valley.

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Charles Savelle

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“The Legio camp [at Megiddo] is the only full-scale imperial Roman legionary base found so far in the eastern empire” and to date they’ve unearthed a monumental gate, a dedicatory inscription, and the cremated remains of a Roman soldier.

The first royal winery of King Herod was discovered at the Herodium. The story does not seem to be in the English press yet, but you can read a Google-translated version of the Israel Nature and Parks

Authority story here. UPDATE: I’ve posted Joseph Lauer’s improved translation here.

Some Israelis are accusing authorities of not protecting Herod’s palace at Jericho from destruction caused by the nearby building of homes.

A new exhibit at the Haifa Hostel tells the story of ancient Castra on the slopes of Mount Carmel.

A new exhibit at the Hecht Museum at the University of Haifa documents the transition of the city of Sussita (Hippos) from pagan to Christian.

The ASOR Blog has a well-illustrated piece on the Ottoman and Turkish history of Majdal Yābā (aka Migdal Aphek, Mirabel).

Leen Ritmeyer explains how Jerusalem’s garbage dump refutes the theory that the temple was built over the Gihon Spring.

New from Wayne Stiles: How to follow God by pondering amazing bird migrations in Israel.

Now published: The Elephant Mosaic Panel in the Synagogue at Huqoq, by Karen Britt and Ra’anan
Boustan. Authorized photos are available at National Geographic. Dr. Britt will lecture on the subject on Feb. 21 at UNC Asheville.

At The Book and the Spade, John DeLancey talks with Gordon Govier about Excavation Plans for 2018.

Israel’s Good Name describes his experience in an archaeological survey of Tel Goded (Moresheth-Gath?) in part 1 and part 2.

With 3.6 million tourists in 2017, Israel hit a new record. This was a 25% increase over 2016. For some trends in tourism between 1990 and 2011, see this booklet.

Israel saw lots of rain yesterday, but probably not the “100 inches” claimed in this article’s subhead.

Lawrence Stager died at the age of 74 after a fall at his home. He directed the excavations at Ashkelon for 30 years.

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Keith Keyser, Charles Savelle

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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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Yehiel Zelinger discusses the excavations of Bliss and Dickie on Mount Zion and shares a great photo of his own excavations there. (I’d love to see a labeled version, if anyone knows of such or can create one…)

Archaeologists working in Turkey have uncovered evidence related to the collapse of the Assyrian empire.

The first phase of the renovation of St. Catherine’s Library is complete.

The BBC tells the story of the relocation of the modern inhabitants of ancient Gadara through its former security guard.

The third issue of the newsletter of Tel Aviv U’s Institute of Archaeology includes field reports from this year’s work at Ashdod-Yam, Kiriath Jearim, Beth Shemesh, and the City of David.

And now Hollywood gives us . . . Samson. (Whether you are interested in the trailer or not, click the link to see how archaeologist Aren Maeir keeps his volunteers in line.)

Ferrell Jenkins shares a beautiful aerial photo of Jerusalem from the west.

A writer for Haaretz (premium) asks, Why doesn’t Israel have a museum for Jesus?

LiveScience looks into the backstory of a bone that Oxford scientists believe comes from the real St. Nicholas.

The city of Nazareth has cancelled Christmas celebrations in protest of Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Was the census that brought Jesus to Bethlehem a coincidence?

Among the specials for Accordance’s 12 Days of Christmas is the Biblical Archaeology Review (1975-2012).

We’ll have part three of the roundup tomorrow with another dozen stories.

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

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Egypt announced the discovery of two private 18th-dynasty tombs in Luxor yesterday.

Heath D. Dewrell provides an introduction to child sacrifice in Israel that is based on his recent monograph on the subject.

The Jewish Week interviews Lawrence Schiffman about his involvement with the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The Anglo-Israel Archaeological Society has posted its schedule of spring lectures.

Writing on Forbes, Sarah Bond suggests five ways to listen to the music of the ancient world.

With Germany’s refusal to recognize Israeli ownership of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Israel Antiquities Authority is not allowing any scrolls to be part of a special exhibit at the Bible Museum in Frankfurt.

This week on The Land and the Book with Charlie Dyer: a discussion on Biblical Customs and Curiosities with George Knight.

Tel Lachish and Tel ‘Eton are the latest stops on the tour schedule of Israel’s Good Name.

Ferrell Jenkins shares a photo of a new scene he saw on his last visit to Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity.

If you’ve ever wondered how an expert restores dozens of pottery sherds into an intact vessel, watch this short video.

Check out this site if you’re interested in touring southern Jordan on a bike. Or ride your bike 850 miles (1,400 km) in the Holyland Challenge from Mount Hermon to Eilat.

HT: Joseph Lauer, Agade, A.D. Riddle

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