Shephelah Archives - Page 41 of 67

DigSight Summer 2013

The latest issue of the SAU Institute of Archaeology DigSight is now available online in pdf format.

Contents include:

Excavating Lachish 2013
Qeiyafa Final Celebration
New Museum Coordinator
Battle Over David in South Africa
Institute of Archaeology at ASI
Director’s Letter
Recent Sightings
Upcoming Events

The first article reports on the initial season of excavations at Lachish. The team hopes to find answers for the following questions:

When was Lachish inhabited for the first time in the Iron Age?
When was Lachish first fortified in the Iron Age?
How did the economy, administration, international connections, writing, cult, and art develop in the first 200 years of the Kingdom of Judah?
Was there a fortified city in Lachish relating to 2 Chronicles 11:5–12, which recounts Rehoboam’s rebuilding of the city?

The archaeologists are focusing their work on the northeast quarter of the site and they have already exposed part of the fortification system near the well.

Information about upcoming lectures is provided on the last page of the newsletter, including these events:

October 22, 2013, 7 p.m.

“Excavating Nebuchadnezzar’s Destruction at Lachish” Michael G. Hasel, PhD (Southern Adventist University)

February 11, 2014, 7 p.m.

“Tell Jalul: A Levitical City of Refuge in Jordan?” Randall W. Younker, PhD (Andrews University)

March 11, 2014, 7 p.m.

“Ossuaries and the Burials of Jesus and James” Jodi Magness, PhD (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill)

Lachish from the south

Tagged Excavations, Lectures, Shephelah

Weekend Roundup

Yosef Garfinkel is interviewed about Khirbet Qeiyafa at The Bible and Interpretation. He explains why he believes that King David “certainly slept there a few nights every year.”

Bryant Wood has a round-up of significant archaeological discoveries made in 2013.

Ferrell Jenkins shares an illustration of bargaining in the Middle Eastern.

Clyde Billington and Gordon Govier discuss the discovery of gold near the Temple Mount on this week’s edition of The Book and the Spade (direct link here).

There’s a new website for the Montfort Castle project.

This video on the Bread Culture of Jordan addresses both ancient and modern aspects of this way of life.

Gordon Franz passes on word that Gabriel Barkay recently presented a paper in Jerusalem suggesting that Absalom’s Pillar in the Kidron Valley belonged to Herod Agrippa (Acts 12:20-23). If I hear
more, I’ll note it in a future blog post.

HT: Jack Sasson, Aren Maeir

Pillar of Absalom with snow, tb022603216

The “Pillar of Absalom” in the Kidron Valley, Jerusalem
Photo from the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands

Tagged Galilee, Jerusalem, Shephelah, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup

Leen Thobias has some impressive 360-degree images of Israel and Jordan here.

It must be a bit discouraging when you find in your sealed excavation locus a beer bottle cap. (Photos here.)

Theories about the identity of Khirbet Qeiyafa are discussed in this Haaretz article. The most helpful section is what everyone agrees on.

A Tel Aviv professor wants to know if a mound of stones in the Sea of Galilee marks the place where Jesus walked on water.

If you’ve been waiting to see the new Samson mosaic found last summer at the Huqoq synagogue, you should check out Jodi Magness’s new article in Biblical Archaeology Review, currently online for free.

The anarchy in Egypt has not been good for archaeological sites and museums.

Archaeologists have found evidence that cinnamon was produced on the northern coast of Israel in ancient times.

Fifteen foreign archaeological teams are preparing to begin fifteen projects in Saudi Arabia.

Foundation Stone shares a 7-minute video showing some results from this summer’s excavations at Azekah.

Leen Ritmeyer has created some new reconstruction drawings of Jerusalem throughout its history.

HT: Joseph Lauer, Jack Sasson

Tagged 10th Century, Discoveries, Egypt, Excavations, Galilee, Israel's Coast, Jerusalem, Museums, Resources, Shephelah, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup

Hershel Shanks has weighed in on the Israeli government’s astonishing about-face on the Jehoash Inscription.

Gordon Govier and I discuss the “palace of David” discovery in this week’s broadcast of The Book and the Spade (direct link here).

Luke Chandler has an exclusive scoop on recent finds from Khirbet Qeiyafa.

Ferrell Jenkins has posted a beautiful aerial photo of Gezer.

Wayne Stiles writes about 5 Christian Sites in Jerusalem You Should Know About.

My memory of whitewater rafting on the Jordan River is more thrilling than what this Haaretz writer
describes, but maybe it’s just grown with the telling.

This article about antiquities thieves in Jordan reveals that some ancient sites are guarded by
powerful genies.

The Garden of Eden is to become a national park in Iraq. (If you don’t see a guard armed with a
flaming sword, it may be a swindle.)

Accordance is ending the summer with some deals sure to interest those who love Bible geography,
history, and archaeology.

HT: Joseph Lauer, Jack Sasson

Walls of alleged “palace of David” at Khirbet Qeiyafa.
Photo by Steven H. Sanchez

Tagged Forgery, Jerusalem, Jordan Rift, Mesopotamia, Resources, Shephelah, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup

The best way to get up to speed on the major discoveries at Hazor from the Bronze Age is with Amnon Ben-Tor’s article on the ASOR Blog.

A brief report of the finds and surprises from the season at Gezer has been written by the excavators.

This year’s excavations of Gath are over, but Aren Maeir is making us wait for a summary of “one of the most productive, interesting and overall great seasons we have had since the project began (in 1996…).” Check out the rest of his blog for season-end photos.

Though most tourists skip Ashkelon, this Haaretz article reveals how the site is “a treasure full to bursting.”

I failed to note previously a couple of articles following up on the discovery of the “palace of David” at Khirbet Qeiyafa. A Baptist Press article provides some balanced coverage. And excavation volunteer Luke Chandler gives his personal perspective.

The theater in Assos is being renovated to accommodate events for up to 5,000 people.

Mark Wilson provides some background for 1 Corinthians 3:17 from the destruction of the Ephesian temple of Artemis.

The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Archaeology is now reduced to $235. It’s currently out of
stock, and I don’t know how long the discount will last. (This is an unusually large discount when compared with other Oxford sets such as OAENE, OEAGR, and OEBB.)

HT: Jack Sasson

The theater and acropolis of Assos
Photo from the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands, Western Turkey

Tagged 10th Century, Excavations, Galilee, Philistines, Resources, Shephelah, Turkey

Wednesday Roundup

The discovery of an ancient olive press in Jerusalem was announced yesterday.

The “Naked Archaeologist” is suing one of its many critics in Israeli court.

Megiddo V: The 2004-2008 Seasons is now available from Eisenbrauns.

The warm springs of Sachne/Gan HaShlosha are one of the best places to swim in Israel, particularly on a school day when the crowds are absent.

The BibleMap App connects every chapter of the Bible with Google Maps.

Chris McKinny has been leading students from The Master’s College IBEX program at the Tel Burna Excavation Project for several years. His work is the subject of a new article on the college’s website.

Luke Chandler shares a 7-minute video of a recent field trip to the important site of Gezer.

Tourists will surely be affected by the massive renovation of Highway 1 between Tel Aviv and
Jerusalem.

The warm springs of Sachne/Gan HaShlosha
Photo from the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands

Tagged Jezreel Valley, Resources, Shephelah, Technology, Tourism, Weekend Roundup