Weekend Roundup Archives - Page 160 of 169

Wednesday Roundup

Concerning yesterday’s ceremony inaugurating the “Water Gate” in Jerusalem, Leen Ritmeyer responds to my question of whether any archaeologist believes Eilat Mazar with a careful, well-illustrated presentation of his conclusions. Ritmeyer was actually the one to suggest to Mazar in the 1980s that the structure may be a gate, but instead of investigating the possibility, she called a press conference to announce the discovery!

Arutz-7 has a two-minute video tour of the newly opened Ophel City Wall site. Ferrell Jenkins posts more photographs.

In his latest Asia Minor Report (posted online by Leen Ritmeyer), Mark Wilson provides a link of free online books of early explorers in Turkey. The archive has lists of similar works for Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Greece, and Italy.

Wilson also points to a website with panoramic photos of sites in north central Turkey.

FRIGKÜM’s website features three-dimensional panoramic photos of the various Phrygian sites (n.b. the labels are in Turkish). The pictures were taken in 160 locations throughout the three provinces as part of the Phrygian Valley 360 Degree Virtual Tour Photography Project. The photography is breathtaking so check it out. The apostle Paul probably saw some of these amazing monuments when he traveled through Phrygia on his second journey (Acts 16:6).

In regular features at the Jerusalem Post, Danny Herman takes viewers on a four-minute video tour of the Western Wall Tunnels, Yehoshua Halevi explains how he takes nature photographs in Israel, and Wayne Stiles considers whether archaeologists are really excavating New Testament Bethsaida.

Newly excavated parts of the underground Crusader city of Acco (Acre) are now being opened to the public.

Templars Tunnel in Acco

Tagged Discoveries, Jerusalem, Resources, Turkey, Weekend Roundup

Wednesday Roundup

Antiquities thieves were caught in the act of pillaging a site in the Shephelah. The specific site is not identified, but the article references “a severe wave of theft digs in the area of the Elah Valley near Beit Shemesh.” One is reminded of the recent Israeli archaeologist squabble in which Oded Lipschitz apparently accused Yosef Garfinkel of illegally excavating Socoh. Perhaps the authorities have now discovered the real culprits.

In the latest CitySights video, Danny Herman explores the suggested locations for the tomb of King David.

Leen Ritmeyer’s book on the Jerusalem temple is the best on the subject. David Lang reviews The Quest: Revealing the Temple Mount in Jerusalem on the Accordance Blog.

The Wild West (Jerusalem): If you’re a tourist who wants to get a look at Mea Shearim in Jerusalem, you might want to think twice before venturing in. Apparently Israeli police consider the ultra-orthodox neighborhood a “no-go zone” because they are attacked when they enter. If you get in trouble, don’t expect the police to come to your rescue.

John Byron explains “Why Biblical Scholars Should Participate in at Least One Dig.” I think he only scratches the surface on the value of joining an excavation, but I believe there is at least one thing every biblical scholar (and full-time teacher of the Bible) should do: Go on a Study Tour of Israel. I wouldn’t say that one cannot teach the Bible without such a study, but neither would I say that a one-legged man cannot snow ski.

HT: BibleX

Tagged Jerusalem, Shephelah, Tourism, Weekend Roundup

What’s New and Popular at BAS

With the most recent “roundup” here on Wednesday, there are not enough items of interest to warrant another edition this weekend. Instead, I have recently learned about (a new?) feature at the BAS website. You can check the same link each week for new content. From BAS:

Here’s a quick list of what’s brand new and most popular this week on the award-winning Web site of the Biblical Archaeology Society, publishers of Biblical Archaeology Review magazine.
BRAND NEW
Roman Ships Transported Live Fish June 03, 2011
Large Underground Water Source Found in Jerusalem June 02, 2011
Hawass Says Report of New Pyramids is Inaccurate June 01, 2011
Jerusalem Tunnels Reveal City’s Ancient Past May 31, 2011
Researchers Create Replicas of Cuneiform Tablets May 27, 2011
MOST POPULAR
A Case Against the Repatriation of Archaeological Artifacts
The Pharaoh, the Bible and Liberation (Square)
The Birth and Death of Biblical Minimalism
Scholar’s Study
2011 Archaeological Digs Seeking Volunteers

Three items struck me in the list’s one-sentence introduction:

1. What is the difference between “brand new” and “new”? Is it necessary or helpful to include the word “brand”?

2. Is there some value in informing your readers that your website is “award-winning”? Does it matter what kind of award it is?

3. In the 1990s we spoke of the World Wide Web, but it seems that in the last ten years or so, the Web has become the web and we don’t have Web sites, but websites.

None of these items are all that significant, but they stood out to me.

With regard to the links themselves, I recommend “A Case Against the Repatriation of Archaeological Artifacts,” by Rachel Hallotte.

Tagged Weekend Roundup

Wednesday Roundup

The theft of dozens of antiquities from Eleusis (Eleusina, Elefsina) has been solved and the items recovered by Greek police.

Nearly 2,000 artifacts smuggled out of Turkey have been recovered and returned this year alone. The article notes that the country has almost 200 museums.

The Israeli government approved a plan to rehabilitate the polluted Kishon River. After the three-year process is complete, plans call for converting the area into a park with bicycle and walking paths.

Leen Ritmeyer comments on Israel’s largest underground stream, discovered recently in construction of the railway under Jerusalem.

Wayne Stiles explains the historic significance of Beth Shean and its attraction to archaeologists. The article also includes a two-minute aerial fly-over of the ancient city.

The NY Times profiles the full-size replica of Noah’s Ark being built in Holland. One consideration the original builder did not have: making the boat fire-proof. The article mentions the possibility of the ark visiting London for the Olympic Games next year as well as interest from Texas and Israel. A photo shows how impressive the boat is.

After raising $3 million for the replica of Noah’s Ark in Kentucky, an updated webpage now provides details about various sections of the theme park. Visitors will enjoy seeing reconstructions of the Tower of Babel, a walled city, and a first-century village. The children’s area will include zip lines.
Yuval Baruch, Jerusalem District Archaeologist, is interviewed on the LandMinds radio show.

An article in Popular Archaeology reviews the excavations of copper mines in the Aravah and the possible implications for our understanding of the time of Solomon.

Israel is celebrating today “Jerusalem Day,” and the unification of the city in 1967 is remembered in the return of Jehuda Hartman to the Western Wall to “update” an iconic photo. Hartman comments on some of the great changes to the Western Wall area in the last four decades.

HT: Explorator, Jack Sasson

Tagged Greece, Jerusalem, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup

Aren Maeir has posted the schedule of the 31st Annual Conference of the Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Bar-Ilan University.

Gary Byers has a report on discoveries from the first week of excavating Khirbet el-Maqatir.

Stephen Gabriel Rosenberg has posted his review of “Archaeology in Israel Update—April 2011.”

He reviews the demonstrations over graves in Jaffa, Jordan’s demand for the return of fake metal codices, Jacobivici’s “Nails of the Cross,” and the politicization of the Kenyon Institute (formerly the British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem).

The ASOR blog has several dozen links to news from the world of archaeology.

Israel is moving forward with plans to construct the largest desalination plant in the world. When constructed, 65% of Israel’s water consumption will come from desalinated sources.

Kevin DeYoung’s post on “being better Bereans” is broader than the usual focus of this blog, but I suspect that many readers attracted to a blog like this one may be tempted to make some of the mistakes he describes. I recommend it highly.

If you’ve been waiting to pick up the new book by Ronny Reich, Excavating the City of David: Where Jerusalem’s History Began, do so this weekend, while the price is knocked down from $50 to $30 at the Biblical Archaeology Society website. They also have a good deal on Hershel Shanks, Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. And the third edition of Ancient Israel. The sale ends at 11:59 pm on Monday.

Tagged Discoveries, Lectures, Resources, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup

David Hendin describes the conclusion of a two-week season of excavating at Sepphoris with Eric and Carol Meyers.

Israel’s water crisis is over, says the former head of the Water Authority. No, it’s not, says the Authority’s spokesman. “We will be under the red line this summer in all three main reserves.”

Giovanni Pettinato, well known for his work in translating the Ebla tablets, has passed away.

John Lund, a 70-year-old tour guide from Utah, was arrested this week in Israel for selling stolen antiquities. He allegedly made $20,000 from recent sales, but only had to post bail of $7,500. (Does that make sense to anyone else?) James Davila faults the media for calling Dr. Lund an Egyptologist despite the fact that “he is a retired adjunct lecturer in areas that have nothing to do with ancient history.” He concludes that, “it has become obvious that the media could not identify an Egyptologist if one rose up from an alabaster coffin in front of them”!

A number of interesting travel pieces have been written in the last week or two:

Ferrell Jenkins has located a portion of the Roman road in the eastern Galilee near the Golani Junction.

Jenkins also points out Carl Rasmussen’s photos that reveal just how oppressive a khamsin in Jerusalem is.

Shmuel Browns describes Mount Arbel and what you can see on a hike in the area.

Joe Yudin takes his readers to the places of Gideon’s life, including his hometown of Ophrah, the Hill of Moreh, and the Spring of Harod.

Wayne Stiles continues his weekly “Sights and Insights” column with a visit to Tel Arad’s Early Bronze and Iron Age cities.

Jonathan Goldstein investigates some of the more modern attractions in Nazareth.

Tagged Galilee, Jerusalem, Negev, Weekend Roundup