The Temple Mount Sifting Project writes about the research into the reconstruction of the temple courts’ colorful geometric floor patterns, including the release of a couple of new digital reconstructions of the Temple Mount.

The rabbi of the Western Wall is demanding the Israel Museum return the Temple Mount stone inscribed “to the place of trumpeting.”

An archaeological project to cultivate ancient varieties of grapes at Avdat has begun to bear fruit.

“Hidden beneath a thick canopy in the western Galilee, Khirbet Tzonam, once a Byzantine town, has amazing stone arches, courtyards and ruins – and still feels like a discovery.” (Haaretz subscription)

“The Byzantine-era church in Nahariya that had been hit by a Hezbollah rocket in April has reopened to the public.”

A couple of antiquities thieves have been indicted after they were caught collecting artifacts at Horvat Hadarim near Tel Dor.

Bible Mapper Atlas has created a new poster map of the land of Israel during the New Testament. It is available in high-resolution for free.

Titus Kennedy is on Digging for Truth to discuss archaeology and the people of the Bible.

On the Biblical World podcast, Paul Anderson discusses the extensive archaeological evidence that supports the historicity of the Gospel of John.

The latest video from Expedition Bible looks at five of the most significant evidences for the enduring name of God.

Marek Dospěl provides an overview of the Gezer Calendar.

New release: Judeans in the Land of the Nile. Papers on Achaemenid Egypt, Elephantine, and the Hebrew Bible Presented in Copenhagen, August 19–20, 2024, edited by Kacper Ziemba and Frederik Poulsen (Münster, 75 EUR)

Available for pre-order on Logos: Jerusalem: The Temple Mount, by Leen and Kathleen Ritmeyer (Carta, $13)

Yuval Goren, archaeology professor at Ben Gurion University in the Negev, died recently.

Keith Schoville, longtime professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison, died at the age of 98. Gordon Govier writes about their partnership on The Book & The Spade.

Daniel Sivan, longtime professor at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, died last week.

HT: Agade, Ted Weis, Explorator, Paleojudaica

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[I intended to post this roundup on Saturday. I apologize for the delay.]

Archaeologists working at Shiloh this summer discovered “a lavish ritual bath, a clay cooking pot and a rare purple-dye snail shell.”

Aren Maeir shares that they have been quietly excavating an Iron Age tomb at Gath for the last few years.

In preparation for conservation work, a small excavation was conducted in the Chorazim synagogue.

“The top three reports in biblical archaeology from June 2026 included accounts related to ancient Israel’s history, including potential evidence of Hezekiah‘s reforms, a new dig at Ashdod, and significant discoveries at Shiloh.”

On Digging for Truth, Jordan McClinton discusses his excavation of a favissa in the ongoing Shiloh excavations. He reports that they have found seven pieces of gold so far.

In a newly published study, scholars believe that the 364-day calendar mentioned in the Dead Sea Scrolls was actually used, but only in the sect’s early years.

Josh Aronson tells the story of some “temple incense” found in a cave at Qumran by Vendyl Jones, nearly all of which has now been lost.

New release: Excavations at Tell Qasile, Part Three, The Iron Age Town (The 1948–1950, 1959, 1982–1992 Seasons), by Amihai Mazar (Qedem 66, 300 NIS)

New release: Khirbet el-‘Aqd: A Hellenistic-Roman Stronghold in Western Judea, by Moshe Fischer and Oren Tal (Tel Aviv University, open-access)

The Jerusalem Post reviews The Names of Jerusalem: Jewish, Christian and Islamic Traditions, by Aaron Demsky, Christophe Rico, and Iraj Sheidaee.

Mordechai Cogan addresses the question of whether the Transjordan was considered part of the Promised Land.

David Bivin died this week. Best known as the founder of Jerusalem Perspective, David’s photographs have made a significant contribution to our work here. He was ever kind, encouraging, and generous. I join the many who will miss him.

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Arne Halbakken, Explorator, Paleojudaica

A young David Bivin with Michael Avi-Yonah at the Golden Gate in Jerusalem, June 1968

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“A newly conserved ritual bath from the Second Temple period has been opened to the public at Tel Hebron.”

Forty-two pages of Paul’s letters in the 6th-century manuscript Codex H have been recovered using multispectral imaging to recover “ghost” text.

The latest issue of Jerusalem Journal of Archaeology is now online (open-access). One of the articles is about a new Hebrew ostracon from Lachish.

A recent book recounts a story of an archaeology professor who saw golden vessels from the temple in a basement in St. Anne’s Church.

Bryan Windle highlights the top three reports in biblical archaeology for the month of April.

The NY Times looks at the challenge museums face in securing artifacts from theft while at the same time maintaining a feeling of openness (gift link).

New release: Hippos (Sussita) of the Decapolis: The Civic Basilica and the Southern Bathhouse, by Arleta Kowalewska and Michael Eisenberg (Eisenbrauns, $130, but 30% off with code ANE26).

Claire Pfann, co-founder with her husband Stephen of the University of the Holy Land, died in February.

It’s not biblical archaeology or geography, but as the faculty editor, I am pleased with volume 3 of the TMU Journal of Biblical and Theological Studies.

I have not seen any AI-generated videos related to biblical archaeology until one showed up in my Google Alerts this week. Entitled “Ketef Hinnom: The Oldest Biblical Secret,” the 1.5-minute video is pure AI, from the information to the imagery. The essence of the report is accurate, but the photos are misleading, and not a single image of relevance ever appears (such as the site or the amulets). I fear we’ll see more of this, if not be swamped by it. Posted 4 days ago, the video already has 14,000 views.

HT: Agade, Alexander Schick, Explorator

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“Archaeologists working in Upper Egypt have uncovered around 3,000 ostraca pottery fragments during the current excavation season … [which] raises the total number of ostraca found at the site to approximately 43,000…, making it the largest known collection of inscribed pottery fragments from a single archaeological location in Egypt.”

“Ancient Egyptian craftspeople used a corrective fluid similar to modern-day Wite-Out to fix their mistakes, according to researchers at the University of Cambridge’s Fitzwilliam Museum.”

An underground Roman-era vaulted water channel has been discovered in northeastern Turkey.

For the first time in a millennium, water is now flowing below the now-reconstructed monumental arches of the Asopos Bridge at Laodicea.

“A striking, large-scale marble lion, with its detailed mane and head turned in a noble pose, has emerged from the earth at Philippi.”

“Greece’s archaeological sites generated higher revenue in the summer of 2025, even as visitor numbers declined.”

“Archaeologists in Rome have uncovered a well-preserved necropolis decorated with Winged Victory figures.”

A small graffito recently discovered in a theater corridor at Pompeii offers a rare glimpse into how ordinary people experienced the spectacle of the games.”

“The first permanent exhibition of Pompeii’s historic casts is now on display in Italy, paying homage to those who were brutally killed after being engulfed by an inundation of volcanic ash.”

“Here are 10 practical and creative ways to spark a child’s interest in archaeology — including how social media can play a positive role.”

Michael Foust interviews Chris McKinny about the upcoming docudrama Legends of the Lost Ark.

Hybrid lecture at the Albright on March 25: “From Kaiser to AI: Current Projects of the DEI Jerusalem,” by Katja Soennecken

Jack Lundbom, author of the three-volume commentary on Jeremiah in the Anchor Bible series, died last month.

New release: The Jesus Discoveries: 10 Historic Finds That Bring Us Face-to-Face with Jesus, by Jeremiah Johnston (Bethany House, $16). The ten include the Shroud of Turin, the James Ossuary, and the Palatine Graffito.

Carl Rasmussen’s outstanding Zondervan Atlas of the Bible for Kindle is on sale at the moment for $3.99 (reg. $25).

Season 1 of The Sacred Thread will begin releasing on March 24 on Angel Studios. “Seven episodes unpacking each phrase of the prayer Jesus taught — expanding on the feature film with deeper scholarship, new stories, and breathtaking cinematography.”

HT: Agade, Keith Keyser, Ted Weis, Arne Halbakken, Explorator

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A beautiful seal with a Hebrew inscription from the time of Hezekiah was discovered in the Mount Carmel range. The seal is believed to have belonged to an official from Judah, and LMLK seal impressions were also found at the site.

The Caesarea aqueduct will be restored in a project that will take 40 months and cost 40 million shekels ($13 million). “The work will include planning, conservation, the constructive stabilization of each of the aqueduct’s 85 arches, engineering treatment of the upper aqueduct (the water channel itself), and of course, arranging a safe pedestrian crossing under the arches.”

The Grotto in Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity will be restored for the first time in 600 years.

The Humble Skeptic visited the Hecht Museum and asks whether an ossuary discovered in 1983 that mentions Joanna the granddaughter of Theophilus might be related to the two individuals mentioned in the Gospel of Luke (18 min).

Bryan Windle shares the results of his research into the excavations of Jericho in a two-part episode of Digging for Truth.

BibleMapper has posted an audio-visual reading of very interesting Genesis 14.

The Duke University Chronicle writes about the relationship of Carol and Eric Meyers over many years of teaching and leading excavations in Galilee. (The story doesn’t mention it, but interested readers may want to pick up Eric’s An Accidental Archaeologist: A Personal Memoir. I personally enjoyed it.)

Aren Maeir announces that the 8th Annual “Jerusalem Days” conference will be held on July 7-10 at Yad Yitzah Ben-Zvi in Jerusalem on the topic of “Jerusalem: Between East and West.”

John James Davis, professor and president of Grace Theological Seminary, died this week.

Gabriel Barkay was honored this week in an event attended by many friends, colleagues, and students. The report of the evening includes recorded tributes by Paul Wright and Andy Vaughn.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Ted Weis, Keith Keyser, Explorator

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“More than 17,000 archaeological artefacts have disappeared from museums and heritage sites in the Gaza Strip, according to Gaza’s cultural authorities and international human rights organisations.”

“Inspectors in Israel have seized hundreds of ancient and forged coins hidden inside a balcony planter at a private home in East Jerusalem.”

John DeLancey filmed a video walking up the Pilgrim’s Road from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple Mount the day after it finally opened to the public.

Stephen Compton proposes that an Assyrian relief depicts Sennacherib’s siege of Jerusalem, not Eltekeh. (I disagree with several things, including the underlying premise that Sennacherib besieged Jerusalem.)

A summary of the 2025 excavations at Shiloh has been published.

Bryan Windle describes the fortifications of Jericho City V, the level he believes was destroyed by Joshua.

New release: The Chronicles of David and Solomon: 1 Chronicles 10 – 2 Chronicles 9: A New Translation and Commentary, by Yigal Levin (Bloomsbury, $126-$158; more at Amazon)

Robert Stein, longtime professor of New Testament at Bethel College and Seminary and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, died recently.

BibleMapper has created a beautiful poster map of the land of tribes of Reuben, Gad, and eastern Manasseh.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Paleojudaica

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