If you’re in the Dallas area this Friday, you might want to stop in for a free lecture on Tel Burna (possibly biblical Libnah) at Dallas Theological Seminary. The announcement gives location details but is not clear who is giving the lecture. I think it is Chris McKinny, one-time writer of our popular “Secret Places” series. (We’re hoping we see Chris back around these parts before too long!)
There is a great opportunity for older archaeology enthusiasts to have their photographs preserved in the Non-Professional Archaeological Photographs-project. The team is particularly interested in photographs taken by students and volunteers in excavations prior to 1980. If you have some of these photos, or if you know someone who does, please get in touch with NPAPH Project as soon as you can.
The official website has lots of details. You can also check out their Facebook page. The trailer below describes their vision.
Some archives are already online for viewing:
Dan P. Cole Photo Collection – Shechem and Gezer
Gordion Expedition Collection – the ancient Phrygian capital
Leo Boer Photograph Collection, 1953-1954 – travels of a student
Others cover Italy, The Netherlands, and Guatemala.
Leen Ritmeyer has photos and interpretation of the latest illegal excavations on the Temple Mount.
Ritmeyer suspects the revealed wall line may be the northern boundary of the 500-meter square pre-Herodian Temple Mount.
New excavations began at Tel Hebron this week.
Gershon Galil has translated the earliest Jerusalem alphabetic inscription be a reference to “wine part.”
Some rare fabrics dyed with extract from the murex shell have been discovered. The three colors found “represent the most prestigious colors in antiquity: indigo, purple and crimson.”
A couple of Top Discoveries of 2013 have been posted: Gordon Govier (Christianity Today) and
Noah Wiener (Biblical Archaeology Society).
In 2012, from time to time I surveyed excavation reports published by the Israel Antiquities Authority. I did not have time for that in 2013, but you can peruse the list here.
Scholars are using Google Earth to trace ancient trade routes around Antioch of Syria.
Currently on exhibition at the Israel Museum: Mapping the Holy Land II: Cartographic Treasures from the Trevor and Susan Chinn Collection.
Logos Bible Software has a pre-publication sale on Biblical Archaeologist/Near Eastern Archaeology 1992–2011 ($140).
Timothy Valentino has written an outstanding eulogy for Professor David A. Dorsey.
HT: Joseph Lauer, Jack Sasson, Charles Savelle
Some intrigue surrounded the recent discovery of a well-preserved Israelite proto-Aeolic capital when the tour guide who stumbled across it reported that the authorities told him to keep silent about it, ostensibly for political reasons. For the background and photos, see this report from last April.
This week a story in Arutz-7 claims that the secret location will be revealed next Friday. The article begins:
The location of a major archaeological find that was kept secret until now will be revealed to the public on Friday, next week. The find is being touted as a royal castle that could have belonged to Israel’s most celebrated king – the Bible’s King David.
There are several problems with this sensational report: (1) this type of architecture in Judah dates to several centuries after the time of David; (2) the impressive proto-Aeolic capital is in a water system and evidence of a palace is so far lacking; (3) the location has already been published in D. Ein-Mor and Z. Ron, “An Iron Age Royal Tunnel Spring in the Region of Nahal Rephaim,” in G. Stiebel et al., eds., New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region, 2013. An abbreviated version is available online in Hadashot Arkheologiyot. (This reference comes from Zachi Dvira, via Joseph Lauer.)
It is possible that by overreaching in claims, the media may obscure the true significance of this discovery. Rather than speak of palaces and David, the comparison should rather be made with Hezekiah’s Tunnel.
(1) Both of these tunnels are water systems that bring water from a spring to a storage pool. (2) These are two of the longest underground water channels in the Judean hills, with Hezekiah’s Tunnel running 1,750 feet and the new one at ‘Ain Joweizeh running about 700 feet. (3) Both date to about the 8th century BC, with the date of the ‘Ain Joweizeh tunnel coming from a comparative analysis of other proto-Aeolic capitals found in Judah and Jordan. (4) Both seem to have royal connections, with the Siloam Inscription in Jerusalem and the royal architecture at ‘Ain Joweizeh.
What was the purpose of the ‘Ain Joweizeh tunnel? The excavators suggest that it may have been connected to “an estate or royal palace similar to Ramat Rahel here during the eighth–seventh centuries BCE; another possibility is a settlement from this period that is mostly buried beneath the farming terraces covering the ravine.” Presumably significant features are not visible on the surface and the excavators did not have the time to begin a large-scale excavation of the area. The proximity of the site to the security wall may complicate present or future attempts at excavation.
The site is located 5.5 miles (9 km) southwest of the Old City of Jerusalem, 3.5 miles (5.5 km) northwest of Bethlehem, and just down the slope to the west of Har Gilo. The map below shows the site circled in red.
Another image showing the inside of the tunnel itself is posted at Maariv. (HT: Joseph Lauer)
David Dorsey, longtime professor of Old Testament at Evangelical Seminary in Myerstown, Pennsylvania, died last week. The local newspaper carries his obituary and the seminary website provides his faculty profile. Carl Rasmussen shares some personal reminiscences on his blog.
The first I heard of Dr. Dorsey was in a class with Anson Rainey. He described one of his students who purchased a motorcycle so he could drive throughout the country, studying the sites and roads.
One result of his dedication was the discovery of biblical Makkedah, location of the cave where five Canaanite kings hid from Joshua (Josh 10:16).
This research led to Dr. Dorsey’s dissertation on The Roads and Highways of Ancient Israel, published by Johns Hopkins in 1991. This work is the standard reference on the subject and I’ve benefited it from it in numerous ways. One of my dissertation readers had little to say in one of his passes through my early chapters, but of all the works he could have chastised me for neglecting, the one he chose was Dorsey’s book. While all who knew Dr. Dorsey could testify to the impact that Israel had on his life, Dr. Dorsey forever left his mark on historical geography of ancient Israel through this book.
Another way that Dr. Dorsey changed lives was through his trips to Israel. His passion brought many to Israel and some caught the bug and returned. One of those became a close friend to my wife and me more than 20 years ago and she served our students at IBEX for more than 10 years. Without Dr. Dorsey’s vision and work, many hundreds would have missed out from just this one relationship.
On a family vacation several years ago, I asked Dr. Dorsey if we might visit with him. He and his wife Jan provided the warmest possible welcome and while our kids swam in the backyard, they shared with us their lives, treasures, and dreams. It was a splendid day and I left with the desire to imitate Dr. Dorsey’s gracious spirit.
Several things remained. Dr. Dorsey had been long at work on a two-volume project on every law in the Old Testament from a Christian perspective. For years I have prayed weekly that the Lord would sustain his health to complete this project. Dr. Dorsey also had an extensive collection of photos from his motorcycle years, and while I included a handful in the recent edition of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands, I wanted to reserve most of these for a separate collection in the future.
To many, Dr. Dorsey has been a model Old Testament scholar, an inspiring teacher in the classroom, and a faithful man of God. His departure is a tremendous loss.
Yesterday we listed the top stories related to discoveries and technology. Today we conclude with three additional categories. Yesterday’s introduction applies here as well.
Significant Stories in 2013:
Museums Return Artifacts to Turkey (and here and here)
The Level of the Dead Sea Rose (and may keep rising)
King Herod Exhibit Opening at Israel Museum (and here and here)
The Cyrus Cylinder Toured the US (and here)
IAA: Jehoash Tablet Is an Antiquity and Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Oded Golan
King Solomon’s Mines, After All
Replica of King Tut’s Tomb Planned To Save Original
Antiquities of War-torn Syria Are Being Extensively Looted
Two Major Snow Storms in Jerusalem
Noteworthy Posts:
Arguments Against Locating Sodom at Tall al-Hammam
Online Museum: Bible and Archaeology
Report Published for Gezer Regional Survey
Picture of the Week: Jordan River Flooding in 1935
Why Is There Little Evidence for David’s Kingdom?
Picture of the Week: Locust Plague of 1915
The Grotto of Saint Paul in Ephesus
Secret Places: 1st Century Synagogue at Magdala
Favorite Resources in 2013:
Satellite Bible Atlas, by William Schlegel (and here)
Views That Have Vanished (in Accordance)
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Archaeology, ed., Daniel M. Master
Everyday Life in Bible Times, by John Beck
The World of the New Testament, eds., Joel B. Green and Lee Martin McDonald
Previous Years:
Top Stories of 2012 (and more)
Top Stories of 2011 (and more)
Top Stories of 2010 (and more)
Top 8 of 2008 (and more)
We wish our readers a happy new year!
