Biblical Archaeology Society has just announced the release of New Testament Archaeology in Pictures. This CD includes 285 digital images (1024×768 resolution) for $70. We weren’t impressed with the previous The Biblical World in Pictures CD (nor was The Journal of Biblical Studies), but we haven’t seen this one. If anyone has it, feel free to add a comment here. We’re always looking for good teaching resources.
Mars Hill in Athens. I took this picture yesterday.
As a grad student in biblical history, I recognized the reference value of Biblical Archaeology Review and began a subscription and collecting back issues. It took me about a decade to get them all (the 70s are rare), but I finally succeeded. I had them all bound (not cheap), and then they came out with all the issues on CD. The advantages of having the articles on computer are obvious, but the printed editions with their large, beautiful pictures still are useful. Now I see a nearly complete set of the first 20 years for sale. The listing, as received from my ABEBooks want list is:
Biblical Archaeology Review (ISSN 0098-9444), Shanks, Hershel (Editor) Biblical Archaeological Society, Hard Cover & Paperback, A set of 17 bound volumes and 14 loose-leaf bi-monthly issues from 1975 to 1995 (vv1-17,20 are bound). Issues 18:1, 4 issues are missing.
Bookseller: International ALERT Academy, Big Sandy, TX
Price: US$ 266.00View or Order this Book:
http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/ListingDetails?bi=662079020&cm_la=want
I paid much more than that just to have my issues bound. Some issues cost me $10 each. Of course if you’re going to be moving back and forth across the ocean, the CD is preferable!
I’ve heard that the text is close to going to the printer for the revised edition of the Encyclopedia Judaica. The original edition, published in 1972, has been an essential reference work on all subjects related to Jewish life and Israel. The new edition probably won’t be for sale for a year, I’d guess. The 16 volume set will cost $1900!
Somehow I’ve managed to avoid buying BibleWorks for all these years (using Logos instead), but now I see a new version has been announced. There are a lot of new features apparently, but the one of interest here are the satellite maps. In their words:
BibleWorks comes with a set of beautiful satellite maps that you have to see to believe! The collection includes a full set of editable site and terrain overlays for major locations in Israel and Egypt, along with detailed overhead and elevation data and a comprehensive list of archaeological sites. You can even create your own map views, select sites to display, annotate key locations and trace journeys or battle lines.
If you haven’t seen it already, take a look at my review of Electronic Maps for Bible Teaching. (And no, I still haven’t made it to doing Part 2.)
Update: The program is for sale from Rejoice Christian Software for $349 with free shipping. In my experience, they usually offer the lowest prices.
I suppose I should send out a BiblePlaces Newsletter for this one, but time is short with a group arriving tomorrow and I don’t know that I will. But putting it on the blog is easy…
A month ago a friend alerted me to a new “virtual tour” of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. It was selling for $20 and I downloaded the demo and was impressed. But I didn’t want to spend the $20 at the moment. A few weeks later I heard that the price was down to $10 and so I went and bought it. Now I just happened to check the site again to see if the special was still on and I see the price is down to ZERO. Until Jan 2.
You can’t beat that price. And it comes with an 89-page essay about the church written by an expert on it, Tom Powers (whom I also am happy to count a friend).
I know that if you’re a Protestant, the church probably doesn’t give you the warm fuzzies. But it probably is built on the actual place of the crucifixion and burial, and it certainly is an interesting and historic building.
It’s free here. Until Jan 2 Jan 8.
Three years ago I started a new project. One year ago I started a new website for this same project. Today it is “done.”
Entitled Life in the Holy Land . com , this website is the historic counterpart to BiblePlaces.com. Whereas BiblePlaces.com give you the here and now, LifeintheHolyLand.com gives you the there and then.
Take a look. There’s a lot there, and I hope that it will provide both for fun browsing and for help in research.
There is more to come, but we’re launching it with five major regional categories (Galilee, Jerusalem, Judah, Lebanon, Egypt) and three cultural categories (Bible Illustrated, Peoples of the Holy Land, Way of Life). Altogether there are about 100 pages and 400 illustrations. I think it is unique in the internet. There are sites with tons of thumbnail pictures and no explanations, and other sites with entire books but no pictures, but this combines the best of both.
Many thanks to Seth Rodriquez for countless hours of work in putting this together. It took the two of us all of 2005 (with breaks for work, school, and the like :-)). David Niblack created the design.
So you, the fine readers of this blog, know first. I’m thinking about a way to promote the site, by giving a way a free CD to anyone who puts a link on their website (or gets one on someone else’s site). That would include blogs. If you’re interested, send me 1) the website; 2) your CD of choice; any one you like from any of my work; if you think you already have them all, ask for something special and I’ll see what I can do; 3) your address. My email address is tbolen23 at bibleplaces.com.