Archaeologists working in southeastern Turkey believe they have discovered the “oldest narrative depiction in history.”

The recent discovery of several dozen bronze statues in Italy may affect how historians understand the relationship between the Etruscans and the Romans.

ScienceDaily: “Using advanced geochemical analyses, a team of scientists has uncovered new answers to decades-old questions about trade of tin throughout Eurasia during the Late Bronze Age.”

Ruth Schuster has written a well-illustrated article about how the “desert kites” mystery was solved.

Archaeologists used LIDAR to discover a Roman temple underneath a church in Croatia.

A 17-minute video produced by the British Museum explains what the Rosetta Stone actually says.

Tim Johnson writes about his visit to Syracuse, the “greatest Greek city,” and one that Paul briefly visited on his way to Rome.

“A number of looted artefacts returned to Turkey and Italy in the past three months have been revealed to be from the private collection of prominent American philanthropist Shelby White.”

George Smith, best known for his work on the Epic of Gilgamesh, is the subject of the latest episode on the Thin End of the Wedge.

Some Roman centurions and gladiators have been arrested after they threatened to beat up tourists at the Colosseum.

Discussion on a agreement between the British Museum and Greece to send the Elgin Marbles to Athens is “at an advanced stage.”

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Gordon Dickson, Keith Keyser, Explorator

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“A lead sling bullet has been discovered in Yavne bearing an inscription showing that it may have belonged to a Greek soldier in the war against the Hasmoneans during the Hellenistic Period.”

The Times of Israel has more about the Roman road discovered in Galilee, with photos.

“In an unusual collaboration, archaeologists in Israel are working with police to analyze prints left on fifth- or sixth-century pottery shards.”

The Temple Mount Sifting Project recently had to “carry out excavations in landscaping terraces into which soil removed from the Temple Mount was placed for long-term storage about 15 years ago.”

Nava Panitz-Cohen explains what we know about various references in the Bible to pots, bowls, jugs, and other cookware.

In the latest video from Expedition Bible, Joel Kramer goes to Ketef Hinnom to look at the discovery of the oldest copy of Scripture.

Chandler Collins writes about the history of the discovery and significance of Robinson’s Arch in Jerusalem.

Meital Sharabi describes some of the sights to see in Nazareth.

Logos has Craig Evans’s “Jesus and Archaeology” mobile ed course on sale for $25.

John DeLancey is leading a tour next June that incorporates the “Gallelujah Festival” into its itinerary.

New release: An Accidental Archaeologist: A Personal Memoir, by Eric M. Meyers (Cascade, $30; Amazon).

The Institute of Biblical Culture has announced its 2023 Biblical Hebrew course.

ASOR webinar on Dec 15: “From Paganism to Christianity to Islam: The Transformation of Ancient Caesarea,” with Marsha Rozenblit, Yael Aron, Anna Iamim, and Jennifer Stabler.

Bryan Windle, who writes so many good posts at Bible Archaeology Review, is raising money so he can join next year’s excavation at Shiloh.

Carl Rasmussen shares photos from his recent visit to the theater/odeum at the Herodium.

In a well-illustrated post, Leen Ritmeyer explains why he believes that Jesus was born not in a cave but in the stable block of a large ancestral home in Bethlehem, possibly the “habitation of Chimham” mentioned in Jeremiah 41:17.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Gordon Dickson, Keith Keyser, Explorator

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“The ruins of an ancient Greek city [Skepsis] in Asia Minor have become visible for the first time in three decades due to a drought that has caused the water of the Bayramiç Dam to recede.”

“The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities is implementing a project to restore the Great Hypostyle Hall in Karnak Temple in Luxor, in a bid to reveal the original colors of the Pharaonic inscriptions and subsequently draw more tourists and increase the country’s revenues.”

This year’s excavations have concluded at ancient Kition in Cyprus.

Egypt is calling on the British Museum to return the Rosetta Stone.

Ferrell Jenkins marks the 100th anniversary of the opening of King Tut’s tomb with several photos he took of the tomb in about 1978.

Jaafar Jotheri proposes reforms to the excavation license sections of the heritage law in Iraq.

The coins of “Roman emperor Sponsian” are still fake, says Koen Verboven. He gives seven reasons why.

The table of contents for the latest issue of BASOR is online.

Phillip Long has posted the biblical studies carnival for November.

The Appian Media team recently traveled to an authentic brick-making facility outside of Luxor, Egypt. They have released a completed scene of the “Out of Egypt” film for everyone to enjoy.

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

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A Roman ship has been discovered off the coast of Croatia.

Unique olive oil is being produced from an ancient grove at Hadrian’s Villa.

Peter Lacovara disputes the claim that the treasures of King Tut’s tomb would have been dwarfed by those of greater pharaohs. I hope that someone writes a response.

The Bible Archaeology Report has a new well-researched top ten list: Top Ten Historical References to Jesus Outside of the Bible.

New release: The Connected Iron Age: Interregional Networks in the Eastern Mediterranean, 900-600 BCE, edited by Jonathan M. Hall and James F. Osborne (University of Chicago; $45).

New release: From the Passion to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Memories of Jesus in Place, Pilgrimage, and Early Holy Sites Over the First Three Centuries, by Jordan J. Ryan (T&T Clark; $36; Amazon).

You can compete in BAR’s winter caption contest by submitting a proposal online.

Free download: L’Orient des Bonfils (1867-1918) – a new volume that tells the story of the most active photographic studio in the Middle East. The text is in French, and the majority of the 850-page book are photographs. Click the red button to download the pdf.

The Hellenic Education Research Center offers a number of summer programs. Mark V. Hoffman highly recommends the course on Jews and Early Christians.

With so many free maps now available from Bible Mapper, the new PassageBrowser and MapFinder are welcome tools to quickly find the map you need.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken

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Scientists say that fish teeth discovered near the Jordan River provide the oldest evidence of fire-cooked food.

“The Theft Prevention Unit of the Israeli Antiquities Authority caught three Bedouins red-handed destroying historical items at an archaeological site near Negev town of Rahat.”

A study of crosses carved on pillars in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher has determined that they were made by Armenian priests in the 16th century.

Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am take readers on a tour of the ruins of Gezer.

Israel21c provides a list of 10 important sites in Jerusalem’s ancient history.

Shmuel Browns shares photos from his visit to the Dagon fortress and monastery at Qarantal.

The winter issue of Biblical Archaeology Review includes stories on the Mesha Stele and David’s kingdom, Judah’s stamped jar handles, and the calculation of the date of Christmas.

The BAS Winter Symposium will be held on Sat., Feb 11, with the topic of “Gods, Religion, and Cult in Ancient Israel.” Speakers include Theodore J. Lewis, Erin Darby, Mary Joan Leith and Christopher Rollston.

Aren Maeir’s course on Biblical Archaeology is a finalist for the 2022 edX Prize.

The 2023 JUC Online Seminar’s theme is “Explore the Gap: Stories in Context.” The free event will be held on February 3 and 4.

New release: The Holy Land Devotional: Inspirational Reflections from the Land Where Jesus Walked, by John A. Beck (Baker; $20). This looks like a great Christmas gift idea.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Joseph Lauer

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A seven-word inscription on an ivory comb discovered at Lachish and dated to about 1600 BC is the earliest Canaanite sentence ever found. “The inscription is a plea, a wish, or a desire that the small comb be successful in getting rid of the irritating lice.” The press release is here, and the underlying journal article is here.

Christopher Rollston: “Restorations are *not* a Good Foundation for Dramatic Proposals: Reflections on the New, So-called, “Hezekiah” Inscription.”

Two episodes have been released in Legio 2022, a documentary series about one of the excavations in the Jezreel Valley Regional Project.

Museum of the Bible and DIVE are hosting a virtual tour of Caesarea on December 7 ($20).

“A new multi-faceted project by the Yeshiva University Center for Israel Studies introduces the Samaritans to a wide and varied audience, and explores how they have managed to survive for millennia despite efforts by conquering powers to erase them.”

The Tel Burna Excavation Project has unveiled their 2023 season poster.

Yuval Gadot will give this year’s Howard Lecture at the University of Georgia on November 14 on “New Revelations from Zion: the Archaeology of Jerusalem from the Great Age of Reform.”

Mordechai Aviam will lecture on “Finding Bethsaida: From Biblical Jewish Village to the Church of the Apostles” on November 15, 7 pm, in New York City.

“Jerusalem: City of Change: New Archaeological Work, New Views, New Issues” is the title of a conference to be held at Boston University on November 16.

Friends of ASOR webinar on Dec 1: “Something from the Time of Jesus? Tourists, Souvenirs, and Buying the Holy Land,” with Morag M. Kersel ($12).

Jodi Magness will be giving the Schweich Lectures on Biblical Archaeology at The British Academy on December 5, 6, and 8, on the subject of “Ancient Synagogues.” The lectures will be recorded and posted and will also be published in book form.

New from Eisenbrauns: Tel Miqne 10/1: Tel Miqne-Ekron Excavations 1994–1996, Field IV Upper and Field V, The Elite Zone Part 1: Iron Age IIC Temple Complex 650, by Seymour (Sy) Gitin, Steven M. Ortiz, and Trude Dothan (30% off with code NR22).

The ASOR Blog has preliminary results of the Academic Genealogies of Near Eastern Scholars (AGNES) Project.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Joseph Lauer, Jared Clark, Wayne Stiles, A.D. Riddle, Explorator

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