Three major salvage excavations in Israel may be excavated by private companies and directed by archaeologists with little experience. (Haaretz premium)

They’re already recruiting for next summer’s excavations in Israel, and you can get all the information for digging at Shiloh here.

Aren Maeir visited the new excavations of Kiriath Jearim and was very impressed with what he saw, suggesting that the site “will become one of the most important excavations in Israel.”

Carl Rasmussen explains how a solar eclipse in 763 BC helps us to establish an absolute chronology for OT events.

Steven Weitzman answers the question, “Can Genetics Solve the Mystery of the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel?”

Israel’s Good Name reports on his Bar Ilan U tour of the City of David.

Ferrell Jenkins explains the Megiddo water system with a drawing he made and several photos (including a labeled aerial photo).

Wayne Stiles shows how Banias Falls is a picture of despair.

We were very encouraged by some positive words about the new Photo Companion to the Bible by Ferrell Jenkins, Andy Naselli, Leen Ritmeyer, Charles Savelle, and Luke Chandler. Luke writes,

There is nothing like this resource available for teachers today. I cannot recommend the Gospels Photo Companion to the Bible strongly enough.

The introductory special continues through Monday, August 21.

Share:

The suggestion that el-Araj could be New Testament Bethsaida received lots of media attention, not all accurate. I’d recommend this report by Jeffrey Garcia and Steven Notley at the CSAJCO website.

An on-site interview with archaeologist Mordechai Aviam is posted at CBN’s Facebook page. The Today show sent a correspondent to the site. National Geographic sets some of the record straight. The Times of Israel looks at the two sites laying claim to the name of Bethsaida.

Jonathan Adler guides a video tour of a 2,000-year-old stone quarry that he excavated in Galilee. The Jerusalem Post provides a written report on the excavations.

The Abel Beth Maacah team shares a photo album from the 2017 season.

Nadav Na’aman argues that Khirbet Qeiyafa was not a Judahite city in a recent article in the Journal of Hebrew Scriptures.

Authorities are planning to stop the flow of sewage down the Kidron Valley.


The Wall Street Journal (subscription req’d) traces the path in which ISIS looted artifacts make their way out of the Middle East.

“Researchers have unearthed a 1,800-year-old writing tool, or stylus, at the Assos archeological site in northwestern Turkey.”

Excavations at Carchemish have uncovered 250 Hittite bullae this year.

Excavators at Tell Tayinat found fragments of a large female statue at the citadel gate complex.

Now online: Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities’ Newsletter for July 2017.

Wayne Stiles considers the strategic value of the International Highway (aka Via Maris).

Ferrell Jenkins shares a couple of beautiful photos of ibex at En Gedi and Ein Avdat.

Leon Mauldin explains the location and importance of Akeldama, the Field of Blood.

Cynthia Shafer-Elliott is on the Book and the Spade discussing “Canaanite DNA” and her excavation work at Tel Halif.

We will be making a big announcement in the BiblePlaces Newsletter on Monday. You can sign up for a free subscription here.

HT: A.D. Riddle, Lois Tverberg, Chris McKinny, Charles Savelle, Agade, Ted Weis, Joseph Lauer

Share:

The Preliminary Report for the 2017 excavation season at Tel Kabri has been posted.

ABR has provided a brief overview of discoveries at Shiloh this year.

ABR has posted Rodger C. Young’s article on “How Lunar and Solar Eclipses Shed Light on Biblical Events.”

Remove the tarps and launch the drone and this is what the excavations of Gath look like after this year’s digging was completed.

Israel’s Good Name reports on a university field trip to Tel Aroma and Mount Gerizim, including his encounters with birds and boars.

A team from Biblical Illustrator has made multiple trips to the Middle East to take photographs for their magazine.

The British Museum has uploaded a 3D model of the Rosetta Stone.

The IAA arrested five antiquities dealers in Jerusalem on charges related to selling $22 million of antiquities to Steve Green.

The Met has turned over to authorities a bull’s head that may have been looted from Lebanon.

Authorities seized an ancient Greek krater from the Met on suspicions it was looted from Italy.

Ferrell Jenkins explains the significance of Tisha B’Av.

Amnon Ben-Tor, who has been excavating at Hazor since 1957, is interviewed on the LandMinds Podcast.

Insights from Archaeology by David A. Fiensy has just been released by Fortress Press. The publisher’s site includes a free article from the book.

HT: Ted Weis, Charles Savelle, Agade

Share:

A large 4th-century AD winepress has been discovered and excavated in the Ramat Negev region.

The IAA has posted a 1-minute video in Hebrew.

A new study argues that everything we knew about the origin of the Philistines is wrong.


The Times of Israel reviews discoveries made in excavations at Magdala, with an eye on priestly inhabitants.

A new DNA study indicates that the modern-day Lebanese people are descended from people who
lived in the area 4,000 years ago.

Wayne Stiles reflects on a lesson Jesus taught when he walked on the Sea of Galilee.

The Tempe Mount Sifting Project has begun a video series that tours the Temple Mount, beginning with Solomon’s Stables, including footage of the destruction in 1999.

Steven Ortiz is on The Book and the Spade discussing the 10th season of excavations at Gezer.

On the 75th anniversary of his death, Sir Flinders Petrie is profiled in The National, with the focus on his support of eugenics.

The inaugural issue of Archaeology and Text is now online.

The Tell es-Safi (Gath) team got real creative for their season-end group photo.

HT: Joseph Lauer, Agade, Charles Savelle

Share:

Archaeologists working near biblical Aphek have discovered a large water reservoir dating to about the time of King Hezekiah. The press release includes a one-minute video.

They found Roman remains at el-Araj, a candidate for New Testament Bethsaida. Here’s a photo of some of the Roman mosaic floor.

The third week of the excavations of Gath has ended, and they found an inscription.

Chris McKinny summarizes the results of the third week at Tel Burna. And if you missed the second week review, you can find it here.

The Temple Mount Sifting Project has discovered a Doric capital dating to the 2nd century BC.


The Times of Israel profiles ABR’s new excavation project at Shiloh.

The Greek Orthodox Church has sold the amphitheater and hippodrome of Caesarea in a secretive manner that raises lots of questions.

Archaeologists have found 8 more ancient shipwrecks off the coast of Greece, bringing the total number now discovered there to 53.

“Egyptologists have discovered what they believe is the burial chamber of Ankhesenamun, Tutankhamun’s wife.”

Here are five surprising inventions of ancient Rome, including luxury cruise ships.

Ferrell Jenkins shares his experience and photos with camel caravans in the Sinai.

John MacDermot will lecture on “Olga Tufnell – The Life of a Petrie Pup” at the British Academy in
London on September 20.

Recent Shroud of Turin Research is the top of this week’s edition of The Book and the Spade.

I thought the Kindle sale for Eric Cline’s Three Stones Make a Wall: The Story of Archaeology was for one day only, but the $1.99 deal was still good the last time I checked.

HT: Carl Rasmussen, Charles Savelle, Joseph Lauer, Agade, Mike Harney

Share:

Archaeologists working in Shikhin, ancient Asochis. have discovered the 2nd-century AD house and workshop of an oil lamp maker who hailed from Judea. (Haaretz premium; 2013 story in the Jerusalem Post)

Ten jugs from the time of Eli and Samuel have been discovered in excavations at Shiloh.

The 7-year long excavation project of Carchemish has ended and the Karkamış Ancient City Archaeological Park is supposed to open May 12, 2018.

Israeli authorities arrested antiquity thieves near Tekoa who were making off with columns from a Byzantine church.

Chris McKinny has posted an overview of Week 2 at Tel Burna.

There were a lot of people digging at Gath last week. See the blog for daily reports.

If you’ve ever wondered how ancient walls are conserved, Leen Ritmeyer provides a very informative photo essay documenting the conservation process in the recent excavations of Shiloh.

Evangelical Textual Criticism posts a video which provides some details on the long awaited revelation of the first-century AD manuscript fragment of the Gospel of Mark.
Rami Arav responds to the PEF chairman’s explanation to why they cancelled the conference in Jerusalem.

“The European Union (EU) said on Thursday it would cut off financing for terror groups from the lucrative trade in priceless cultural artefacts stolen in war zones such as Syria and Iraq by imposing tough import controls.”

“Southwestern Seminary’s Charles D. Tandy Archaeological Museum was recognized with the 2017 Best of Fort Worth Award in the museum category.” The museum has been renovated in recent years and the collection expanded.

A new one-minute video provides a fly-through animation of the fortress of Khirbet el-Maqatir (Ai?).

Shmuel Browns took a bike ride out to Ein Henya, a traditional location for Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch.

Israel’s Good Name reports on a Bar Ilan University field trip to Latrun, Abu Ghosh, and Latrun.

Ferrell Jenkins reflects on the stork, both in the Bible and in the Bible lands.

Brandon Marlon has written about the “Rivers of Israel” (including the rivers in Jordan).

Wayne Stiles learns lessons about God’s will at Kadesh Barnea.

Logos is selling a video course on Jesus and Archaeology.

Kindle deal: NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible ($3.99).

New book from Wiley-Blackwell: A Companion to Assyria, edited by Eckart Frahm (hardcover $200, e-book $44; Amazon).

If you have used Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, here’s a way you can help.

HT: Joseph Lauer, Agade, Paleojudaica, A.D. Riddle

Share: