BiblePlaces Blog Redesign Template

Weekend Roundup, Part 2

A research study by the University of North Carolina-Wilmington argues the Egyptian pyramids were built along a now dried up branch of the Nile River. “The existence of the river would explain why the 31 pyramids were built in a chain along a now inhospitable desert strip in the Nile Valley.”

A Japanese archaeological team doing a ground-penetrating radar survey near the Giza Pyramids has not discovered a giant structure.

A Brazilian graphics artist has brought to life the face of Egyptian ruler Armenhotep III.

New release: Alternative Egyptology: Critical Essays on the Relation between Academic and Alternative Interpretations of Ancient Egypt, edited by B.J.L. van den Bercken (Sidestone; €15-95; open-access)

Daniel Vainstub writes about child sacrifice in the Bible and the extensive archaeological evidence for child sacrifice discovered in the western colonies of Phoenicia.

Jason Borges explains the geography and history of the Cilician Gates. He includes many good photos.

“The Department of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies at Pennsylvania State University is pleased to announce the creation of a two-year M.A program in Ancient Mediterranean Studies. This program is designed for students who can benefit from graduate instruction in any of the following areas: the Ancient Near East, Egypt, the Levant, the Hebrew Bible, early Judaism, Greece, Rome, Early Christianity, and the modern reception of the ancient Mediterranean world.”

Konstantinos Politis positively reviews Mount Machaerus: An Introduction to the Historical, Archaeological, and Pilgrim Site Overlooking the Dead Sea in the Kingdom of Jordan, by Győző Vörös. The book is available on Amazon and as a free download. The book includes many photos including one taken in front of Damascus Gate with Machaerus visible in the distance (p. 16).

Barry Kemp, longtime professor of Egyptology at the University of Cambridge, died on Wednesday.

HT: Agade, Gordon Franz, Arne Halbakken, Joseph Lauer, Ted Weis

Tagged Discoveries, Egypt, Jordan, Resources, Sad News, Turkey, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 1

A cuneiform inscription discovered nearly 100 years ago at Beth Shemesh is one of the earliest of its kind found outside Ugarit. It has now been deciphered as a locally made inscription written by a student learning the alphabet.

Archaeologists are trying to explain why large storage jars suddenly showed up at Tel Burna in the Late Bronze Age after having gone out of style many years earlier. The underlying journal article is available here.

Alex Winston writes about the Second Temple period tombs located in the Sanhedria neighborhood in northern Jerusalem.

Abigail Leavitt reports on her participation in a mini-dig at Rujm es-Sia in the Jordan Rift.

The Late Bronze temple at Azekah is the subject of the latest podcast episode at This Week in the Ancient Near East.

Daniel Pioske writes about the meanings that archaeological ruins have for us today and for those in the Old Testament. He has also written a related book.

On June 10, a panel of scholars will be discussing Jodi Magness’s latest book, Jerusalem Through the Ages: From Its Beginnings to the Crusades, at the Albright Institute and on Zoom.

Walking The Text’s recommended resource of the month is the Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Pentateuch.

HT: Agade, Gordon Franz, Arne Halbakken, Joseph Lauer, Ted Weis

Tagged Excavations, Jerusalem, Jordan Rift, Resources, Shephelah, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 2

A royal fort or palace from the reign of Thutmose III was discovered in northern Sinai.

An Assyrian scholar believes that he has interpreted five “mystery symbols” inscribed in various locations at Dūr-Šarrukīn, the capital of Sargon II. “He argues the Assyrian words for the five symbols (lion, eagle, bull, fig tree and plow) contain, in the right sequence, the sounds that spell out the Assyrian form of the name ‘Sargon’ (šargīnu).”

“Conservators Verena Kotonski and Barbara Wills took on the challenge of conserving a unique 2,300-year-old ancient Egyptian coffin.”

“An ancient Egyptian mummified head displayed in a school library in Australia now has a fresh face, thanks to a meticulous scientific reconstruction.”

“Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs” is a new exhibit opening in Cologne, Germany in July.

“Elephantine: Island of the Millennia” is now open at the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, with a major focus on the writings discovered there. The museum has posted a related documentary on the Elephantine Project (50 minutes).

Marek Dospěl explains what Coptic is.

New release: Assur 2023: Excavations and Other Research in the New Town, edited by Karen Radner and Andrea Squitieri (PeWe-Verlag; print and open-access)

New release: The Greek and Latin Inscriptions in the Isparta Archaeological Museum, by Asuman Coşkun Abuagla (199 euros)

Arkeonews has a story about the Diolkos, with a photo of a well-preserved section on a Greek army base.

Titus Kennedy explains major archaeological discoveries in Anatolia, Greece, and Rome, in the latest episode of Digging for Truth.

HT: Agade, Gordon Franz, Arne Halbakken, Alexander Schick

Tagged Egypt, Greece, Mesopotamia, Museums, New Exhibits, Resources, Turkey, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Chandler Collins’s latest Jerusalem in Brief summarizes well the major radiocarbon study recently published. He challenges one of the conclusions and notes a preliminary response by Israel Finkelstein.

“A volunteer recently uncovered a colorful and intricately decorated bowl dating back to the Abbasid period of the 9th or 10th century, at Khirbet Hevra near Rehovot.”

Aren Maeir just wrapped up a short spring season excavating at Gath.

A bomb placed at “Joshua’s altar” on Mount Ebal was discovered before anyone was harmed.

Zoom lecture on May 22: “No Place Like Home: Ancient Israelite Houses in Context,” by Cynthia Shafer-Elliott

Biblical Byways is planning a study tour of biblical sites in Israel for September 18-27.

The Aerial Archaeology in Jordan project, now in its 26th season, has more than 180,000 images available online. Management is now being transferred from Britain to Jordan.

Ferrell Jenkins shares a photo he took of sheep grazing along the desert road in Jordan.

HT: Agade, Gordon Franz, Arne Halbakken, Alexander Schick

Tagged Discoveries, Jerusalem, Jordan, Lectures, Philistines, Photo Resources, Samaria, Tourism, Weekend Roundup

Registration Ending for My History Course

Registration for my course on The History of Israel’s United Monarchy closes on Friday, and the class begins on Monday. The time commitment is minimal (90 minutes a week), and the cost affordable ($189).

My goal is to deepen your understanding of the century or so when all twelve tribes were united under a single king. To do that, I’ll be drawing on archaeological discoveries, geographical insights, and extrabiblical sources to supplement what the Bible records.

My interest goes beyond decades of teaching a related course and leading “life of David” field studies around Israel to writing a (forthcoming) book and creating photo collections for 1-2 Samuel and 1-2 Kings. I’ll be bringing the best of everything to this homework-free course.

The class meets on six successive Mondays, from May 13 to June 17, from 8:00-9:30 pm (Eastern Time). Everyone who registers will receive the valuable course materials along with access to the lecture recordings.

The course is one of three offerings in the Jerusalem University College Online Summer Institute. The other two are: Edible Landscapes of the Biblical World, taught by Chandler Collins on Tuesdays, and Jesus the Galilean, taught by Wave Nunnally on Thursdays.

Registration closes on Friday.

Tagged 10th Century, Lectures

Weekend Roundup, Part 2

“Newly-deciphered text from ancient scrolls may have finally revealed the location of where Greek philosopher Plato was buried, along with how he really felt about music played at his deathbed.”

Marek Dospěl provides a quick primer of the ancient Egyptian language.

Bible History Daily explains why Egeria’s Travels is such a valuable “source of geographical and historical information.”

Ruth Schuster explores the history of the pomegranate.

The Yale Babylonian Collection has a permanent exhibition space in the Yale Peabody Museum for the first time.

A virtual one-hour tour of Pompeii is being offered on May 23.

Titus Kennedy is a guest on Digging for Truth to discuss archaeological sites in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Persia.

Free this month from Logos: Warfare in the Old Testament: The Organization, Weapons, and Tactics of Ancient Near Eastern Armies, by Boyd Seevers

Bible Mapper Atlas has just produced a poster map of Paul’s travels.

HT: Agade, Gordon Franz, Ted Weis, Arne Halbakken, Joseph Lauer

Tagged Discoveries, Egypt, Greece, Museums, Resources, Tourism, Weekend Roundup