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Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Archaeomagnetic dating of the outer revetment wall at Lachish confirms that the wall was destroyed in the Assyrian siege of 701 BC.

Ancient phylacteries were not colored black, as they are today, according to a study of several leather tefillin cases discovered near the Dead Sea. The underlying journal article is here.

“The Israel Nature and Parks Authority has opened a new visitors’ complex at its desert oasis facility, Einot Zukim (Ein Feshkha) on the northern Dead Sea.”

Suembikya Frumin explains how archaeobotany helps researchers to understand Philistine religion.

The top three reports in biblical archaeology last month were “studies were conducted on the Nile River, the Beth Shemesh Inscription, and destruction layers in Jerusalem.”

Neville Teller gives a brief review of Jodi Magness’s new book Jerusalem Through the Ages.

Zoom lecture on June 26: “Origins and Resilience: The Vitality of Judaism in Archaeology, Art and Texts,” by Paul Collins

On the latest episode of Digging for Truth, Bryan Windle discusses the reign of Mesha, king of Moab.

The summer issue of Biblical Archaeology Review includes articles on Gezer’s royal complex, excavations at a Moabite site, Byzantine paintings at Shivta, and more.

You do not see many photos illustrating John’s baptizing ministry at Aenon near Salim, but Ferrell Jenkins has one.

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Gordon Franz, Wayne Stiles, Arne Halbakken, Mark Hoffman

Tagged Dead Sea, Jordan, Philistines, Shephelah, Tourism, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 2

“A new room with painted blue walls, a very rare colour in Pompeian spaces, has emerged in Pompeii during recent excavations in the central area of the ancient city.”

A new study considers how an expansion in the floodplain near Luxor around 2000 BC affected Egyptian history.

Erica Scarpa has written a very helpful primer of the Ebla archives.

Hybrid lecture on June 11: “Political Ecology of the Levant during the Iron Age,” by Canan Çakirlar

Zoom lecture on June 19: “The Trojan War: The Epic in Art,” by Renee Gondek ($10)

A free “study day” at the British Museum on July 20 will feature a number of speakers addressing various aspects of the library of Ashurbanipal.

“A collection of exceptional sculptures from Egypt’s 26th Dynasty (664–526 BCE) is currently on view at the Getty Villa of the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.”

Jews are much less interested in the location of Mount Sinai than Christians.

Carl Rasmussen shares his experience and some photos of local Turkish cuisine.

HT: Agade, Gordon Franz, Wayne Stiles, Arne Halbakken

Tagged Discoveries, Egypt, Italy, Lectures, Syria, Turkey, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 1

A fire that caused damage to the Israel Museum is being investigated as an act of arson.

“A very rare 9,000-year-old stone mask hailing from the South Hebron Hills has gone on public display for the first time at the Israel Museum.”

The Megiddo Mosaic, evidence of one of the earliest Christian meeting places in Israel, will be going on display for the first time ever at the Museum of the Bible in DC.

A new study attempts to explain the purpose of a Roman road that was built from the Sea of Galilee across the Golan Heights but that avoided local villages.

Daniel Vainstub proposes that mmšt on lmlk seal impressions is not the name of the city but a reference to “a huge and unique ad hoc collection of agricultural products initiated by King Hezekiah as part of his preparations.”

The Jerusalem Post has a short story about Jewish presence in Rafah, long before it belonged to the “Gaza Strip.”

Jodi Magness is guest on the What Matters Now podcast, speaking about Jerusalem and her recently released book on the city.

Chandler Collins has rounded up the latest news, publications, and media about Jerusalem, with links to books, journal articles, book chapters and sections, pop media and blog articles, digital resources, developments, and upcoming events.

The Biblical Archaeology Society has announced its 2024 dig scholarship winners.

Alan Millard, longtime professor at the University of Liverpool, died on Wednesday.

HT: Agade, Gordon Franz, Arne Halbakken, G. M. Grena

Tagged Golan, Israel's Coast, Jezreel Valley, Judah, Museums, Sad News, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 2

Scientists believe they have found evidence of treatment for brain cancer in an skull found in Egypt.

A 14-minute video explains why the ancient Egyptians were obsessed with cats.

New release: Archaeology and Geology of Ancient Egyptian Stones, by James A. Harrell (Archaeopress, £16-125)

New release: Five New Kingdom Tombs at Saqqara, by Maarten J. Raven (442 pages, €20-150; free to read online)

The NY Times has posted an obituary for Egyptologist Barry Kemp.

Dura Europos and its sister city are the subject of the latest episode of This Week in the Ancient Near East podcast.

Ancient Anatolia Day will be celebrated online and in person at Wolfson College, Oxford, on June 17.

A temple of the emperors (Sebasteion) has been uncovered in the agora of Nicopolis.

Archaeologists working at Pompeii have found charcoal drawings of gladiators apparently made by children watching the contests in the city’s amphitheater.

New release: The Village in Antiquity and the Rise of Early Christianity, edited by Alan Cadwallader, James R. Harrison, Angela Standhartinger, L. L. Welborn (T & T Clark, $140). The book covers Israel, Galilee, Egypt, Galatia, Lycus Valley, Ephesus region, Corinth region, and more.

Peter Herdrich writes about the challenges, opportunities, and best practices of digitizing cultural heritage.

HT: Agade, Frank McCraw, Gordon Franz, Gordon Dickson, Arne Halbakken, Ted Weis, Keith Keyser

Tagged Egypt, Greece, Italy, Mesopotamia, Resources, Turkey, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Archaeologists excavating in the Givati parking lot in the City of David discovered a gold ring inset with a red garnet that was extremely well-preserved.

The Times of Israel has more information on the Iron Age Canaanite cemetery in the Jezreel Valley.

After two years and $5 million in renovations, the Herodian Quarter in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City is reopening.

In a new study, Nadav Na’aman argues that there was only one place in the Bible named Gilgal and it has nothing to do with the five footprint-shaped sites identified by Adam Zertal.

The “University of Haifa’s School of Archaeology and Maritime Cultures (SAMC) has recently launched a new international Master’s program, offering an MSc in Archaeological Sciences.”

New release: The Ancient Water System of Sepphoris (Land of Galilee 6), by Tsvika Tsuk (322 pages, $70, via Mordechai Aviam)

Jeffrey Chadwick is on the Biblical World podcast to talk about his excavations at Hebron.

Now online: Mapping the Holy Land: The Foundation of a Scientific Cartography of Palestine, by Haim Goren, Jutta Faehndrich, and Bruno Schelhaas.

Ora Negbi, longtime professor of archaeology at Tel Aviv University, died recently.

John Boardman, a classical archaeologist at Oxford, died last week.

The Bible Mapper Atlas continues to release free maps. Here are the latest:

HT: Agade, Frank McCraw, Gordon Franz, Gordon Dickson, Arne Halbakken, Ted Weis, Keith Keyser

Tagged Discoveries, Jerusalem, Jezreel Valley, Judah, Resources, Sad News, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup

“Excavations at a Byzantine-era church in the northern Negev desert have revealed 1,500-year-old wall etchings of ships, likely left by Christian pilgrims who had arrived by sea to the Holy Land.”

The Times of Israel has a follow-up article on the major carbon-14 study of Jerusalem that was recently published.

John Drummond pulls together the archaeological evidence for the reign of Solomon.

The latest issue of Biblical Archaeology Review includes articles on Solomon’s royal complex at Gezer, the large Moabite site of Kh. Balu’a, and the dawn of the Iron Age in Israel.

Israel21c identifies the top seven archaeological sites in Israel related to Jewish history as the Western Wall, Masada, Caesarea, Tiberias, Megiddo, En Gedi, and the City of David.

The Qumran Digital Project Lexicon has a new website.

Archaeologists have identified the original sarcophagus of Ramesses II from a fragment discovered in 2009 at Abydos.

The “Hazael and His World: Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Discovery of the Tel Dan Inscription” conference will be held in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on June 5 and 6.

The 100th issue of Syria: Archéologie, Art et Histoire has been released (open-access).

Online lecture on June 2 in the BAS Scholars Series: “Paul on Cyprus: Crossing the Divide,” by Thomas Davis.

Paul’s hometown of Tarsus is not on the itinerary of most tourists to Turkey, but it has much to offer. Jason Borges identifies ten sites within the city and five sites in the vicinity that are worth seeing.

The Institute of Biblical Culture is giving away hundreds of books related to the Old Testament.

In light of a recent conference celebrating William Dever, Glenn Corbett reflects on the future of biblical archaeology.

HT: Agade, Gordon Franz

Tagged 10th Century, Discoveries, Egypt, Jerusalem, Lectures, Mediterranean Islands, Resources, Syria, Turkey, Weekend Roundup