The James Ossuary has been released by the Israel Antiquities Authority to the owner Oded Golan. Matthew Kalman explains how police contamination of the James Ossuary was a factor in the the verdict of “not guilty.” Ninety antiquities on sale in a Jerusalem auction were returned to Egypt last week. Nir Hasson reports on antiquities dealers in Israel who are fighting governmental efforts to force them to use a computer database. Haaretz: How a Canaanite goddess conquered ancient Egypt The Biblical Archaeological Society is providing open access to its seven articles on Lachish in honor of the opening of the fourth expedition. The Catholic Herald runs a recent interview with Jerome Murphy-O’Connor. Leen Ritmeyer shares some of his own reflections. The Book and the Spade re-runs an interview from 2008. Ritmeyer shares a screenshot of a digital picture of ancient Jerusalem from the forthcoming iMax 3D movie. HT: Joseph Lauer, Jack Sasson
Yitzhak Sapir claims that Matthew Kalman has misrepresented the verdict regarding the ownership of Oded Golan’s artifacts. Kalman has responded briefly.
A report from this season’s excavations of the Roman camp of Legio near Megiddo is now online.
Wayne Stiles provides a perspective, with photos and video, from atop the walls of Jerusalem.
The lecture schedule for the Bible and Archaeology Fest is now online. There are many interesting topics planned.
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is now offering a masters of arts in biblical archaeology in partnership with Mississippi State University.
Haaretz reports on students excavating in the port of Dor as part of a new English MA in Maritime
Civilizations at Haifa University.
An article at The Christian Science Monitor about Khirbet Qeiyafa is more interesting for its profile of Israel Finkelstein.
Barry Britnell suggests a number of opportunities to learn.
Britnell also links to a beautiful video on the Sky Above Jerusalem.
HT: Joseph Lauer, Jack Sasson
Photo from Samaria and the Center
- Tagged Forgery, Israel's Coast, Jerusalem, Jezreel Valley, Lectures, Shephelah, Weekend Roundup
Gordon Franz reports on his time at the “International Noah and Judi Mountain Symposium” in Sirnak, Turkey. He also provides a summary of a number of the presentations.
On The Book and the Spade this week: “Discovering Dalmanutha” with Ken Dark (direct link).
Norma Franklin believes the Megiddo water system was built during the Middle Bronze Age.
George Athas asks, “What’s New in Biblical Inscriptions?” and he suggests a cautious approach in announcing new discoveries.
An enormous Corinthian capital has been excavated at a temple of Hadrian in western Turkey.
A report in the Belfast Telegraph provides details about the ongoing excavations at Sidon.
Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am provide a tour of Gezer.
Before there was writing, there were clay balls. Scholars are trying to decipher the code from objects found in Iran.
Dove Booksellers reports that the retail price is jumping up to $395 for The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Archaeology. It’s on sale for $257 until Tuesday (cheaper than Amazon).
HT: Jack Sasson, Joseph Lauer, Explorator
Photo from Eastern and Central Turkey
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)
- Tagged Excavations, Lectures, Shephelah
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
Photo from the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands
- Tagged Galilee, Jerusalem, Shephelah, 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