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Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Bible Land Passages has just released “The City of David Underground: What’s inside Hezekiah’s Ancient Tunnel?” (8 min).

The Times of Israel has a nicely illustrated story by Aviva and Shmuel and Bar-Am on the excavations of Usha in western Galilee. The site is one of many along the Sanhedrin Trail that has been excavated by volunteers, mostly pre-army teens.

The southern wall of the Temple Mount is being illuminated in the evening as part of a new initiative to attract tourists for evening visits to the Jerusalem Archaeological Park.

The Biblical Archaeology Society has released a new ebook entitled The Dead Sea Scrolls: Past, Present, and Future. The book celebrates the 75th anniversary of the discovery with a number of articles by and interviews with leading scholars. (Requires email address)

Leen Ritmeyer shares photos and reconstruction drawings of the Arbel synagogue in Galilee.

Cynthia Shafer-Elliott gives an introduction to the geographical context of ancient Israel.

Experience Israel Now is celebrating their seventh anniversary.

Ferrell Jenkins shares photos that illustrate the beauty of the Bible Land.

“Unearth the Land of the Bible” is a 10-day tour sponsored by the Israel Ministry of Tourism to give American Christians exposure to archaeological sites and an opportunity to excavate.

The Caesarea Maritima International Conference 2022 will be held on October 22-26 at NYU’s Washington Square campus. (I don’t have a link at this time.)

New release: Ashkelon 9: The Hellenistic Period, by Kathleen J. Birney (Eisenbrauns; $140; save 30% with code NR22).

The Minerva Center for the Relations between Israel and Aram in Biblical Times has launched a Mini-MOOC, featuring shorter video clips (10-15 min) to introduce major topics of the Center’s research:

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Ted Weis, Paul Mitchell

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Weekend Roundup, Part 2

Marking the 100th anniversary of the discovery, the National Geographic Museum in Washington DC has an immersive exhibit, “Beyond King Tut.” The University of Oxford’s Bodleian Libraries is running an exhibit, “Tutankhamun: Excavating the Archives.” They have created a 1.5-minute fly-through video of a 3-D model. Some of the original photos of the tomb’s opening have been digitally colorized. You can view some very high-resolution photographs that were taken in the creation of a facsimile of the funerary chamber in order to reduce the number of tourists.

Zahi Hawass has written a history of the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square in Cairo.

Zahi Hawass wants the Rosetta Stone to be donated to the Arab Republic of Egypt. (Is this news?)

Friends of ASOR webinar on Sept 15: “The Good Kings: The Modern Obsession with Ancient Egyptian Kingship,” featuring Prof. Kara Cooney and moderated by Prof. Sarah Parcak.

A new exhibition on “Byblos. The World’s Most Ancient Port” will be held at the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities from October 14 to March 12.

The British Museum Blog: “Discover how a collaborative international partnership helped restore eight ancient glass vessels after their destruction in the 2020 Beirut explosion.”

The BBC Travel series Ancient Engineering Marvels explores the Ziggurat of Ur, noting that tourism is slowly returning to Iraq.

“A marble statue of the Anatolian mother goddess Cybele created 2,350 years ago has been discovered in the ancient city of Antandrus.”

Ahmet Denker has spent 12 years working on a virtual reconstruction of the temple of Artemis in Ephesus.

“Algeria, Croatia, Egypt, France, Italy, Morocco, Spain and Tunisia are working together on an underwater archaeological expedition, researching the Skerki Bank region off the Sicily and Tunisian coasts.”

The BBC looks at the challenge of understanding what is (and what isn’t) ancient children’s toys.

A digital artist has created a photograph of what he thinks Alexander the Great looked like.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Alexander Schick, Joseph Lauer, Explorator

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Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Israel HaYom surveys the history of Shiloh along with the present quest to discover the location of the tabernacle. Scott Stripling believes he knows the location but is not sure he’ll ever be able to prove it.

“Archaeologists announced Tuesday the discovery of a 1,200-year-old estate in Israel’s southern Negev desert, boasting unique underground structures that allowed its owners to overcome the searing summer heat.”

Nathan Steinmeyer takes viewers to excavations at Tel Shimron in a 4-minute video that is the second in a series on excavating in the Bible lands. Tel Shimron is one of the largest sites in the Jezreel Valley region.

Archaeologists are excavating a fortified village in Samaria that existed at the end of the Bar Kochba Revolt. You can see a drone video of the site here and more information and photos here.

Writing for The Jerusalem Post, Aaron Reich’s article claims to provide “everything you need to know about the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.” It’s a decent introduction.

The oldest synagogue in Jerusalem is a non-rabbinic form of Judaism known as Karaism. Daniel J. Lasker has written a book about the subject, and his post on the ASOR Blog gives an introduction.

“Between the former rains (in autumn) and the latter rains (in spring) Israel receives all its rainfall. Except for this week, when it rained in summer!”

Ferrell Jenkins reports on a recent visit to Taanach.

There is a campaign to turn Hebron Road in Jerusalem into a “pedestrian-friendly space with cafes, bike paths, and more.”

Rejuvenation podcast: “Dr. Jodi Magness, the outstanding archaeologist, prolific writer and excellent educator, joins Eve Harow to talk about her renewed decade long excavation at the ancient Jewish village of Huqoq in the Galilee.”

Zoom lecture on Sept 15: “Flavians in Galilee (67 CE): Their Aims and Activities,” by Steve Mason

The Fall 2022 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review includes articles on Diaspora Jews living in Jerusalem in the 1st century, the lethal capabilities of slings, and the location of Magdala.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Joseph Lauer, Explorator, Paleojudaica

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Weekend Roundup, Part 6

The ancient language of Linear Elamite has been almost completely deciphered, about a century after its discovery. The journal article’s authors are not happy with the way the breakthrough was reported by the Smithsonian Magazine.

The world’s oldest bar joke dates to about 2000 BC, but no one knows why it was funny.

The British geologist sentenced to 15 years in Iraqi prison has had his conviction overturned, and he has left the country.

Kyle Keimer has written the first of a three-part series exploring the connection between feasting and kingship from the time of Saul to Jesus.

An Israeli researcher used a series of voyages in a replica of an ancient merchant ship, along with wind measurements over a period of 15 years, to determine how mariners sailed against the westerly winds in the Mediterranean (Haaretz subscription).

Here is another impressive list from Bryan Windle: Top Ten Discoveries Related to the Book of Daniel.

New release: The Hunt for Ancient Israel: Essays in Honour of Diana V. Edelman, edited by Cynthia Shafer-Elliott, Kristin Joachimsen, Ehud Ben Zvi, and Pauline A. Viviano (Equinox, 2022; $55-$110; Amazon).

New release from The Oriental Institute: “Like ‘Ilu Are You Wise”: Studies in Northwest Semitic Languages and Literatures in Honor of Dennis G. Pardee, edited by H. H. Hardy II, Joseph Lam, and Eric D. Reymond (Studies in Ancient Oriental Civilization 73). Free pdf download.

New release: The Ishtar Gate of Babylon: From Fragment to Monument, by Helen Gries (Schnell & Steiner, 2022), paperback, 80 pages, $15.

Norman Gottwald died earlier this year.

Aren Maeir explains why he has scaled down his excavations of Gath in the context of calling on all archaeologists to take seriously their responsibility to publish. He has written a longer article on the need for publishing for Palestine Exploration Quarterly.

Lois Tverberg shares some fascinating (and sobering) insights from her trip to Africa in “Learning to Read my Bible through Ancient Eyes – Rain and Sacrifice.” (See the post note at the bottom for a way you can help.)

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Joseph Lauer, Explorator, Paleojudaica

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Weekend Roundup, Part 5

Recent excavations are revealing details of the lives of middle-class inhabitants of Pompeii.

“Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of a Roman bridge from the Imperial era during an excavation alongside the Via Tiburtina in north-east Rome.”

The Getty Villa is returning one of its signature pieces, “Orpheus and the Sirens,” after it was determined that they were illegally excavated in Italy.

Deloitte estimates the value of Rome’s Colosseum to be $79 billion.

Carl Rasmussen shares photos he took of the recently renovated Mausoleum of Caesar Augustus (part 1, part 2).

The Brandeis magazine tells the story of recently retired classical archaeologist Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow, at one time known as the “Queen of Latrines.”

There are some impressive Roman mosaics that few tourists visit in western Switzerland.

“Works being carried out in the town of Tomares in Spain have brought to light 19 Roman amphorae containing 600 kilos (1322.77 lbs.) of bronze coins from the 4th century.”

New exhibition in Trier, Germany: “The Fall of the Roman Empire” (until Nov 27).

The Museum of the Bible is hosting a new exhibit, “Samaritans: A Biblical People” from September 16 to January 1. The exhibition was created under the direction of Steven Fine and a panel discussion and documentary are part of the opening events.

The Center for Near Eastern Archaeology (CNEA) at La Sierra University is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The annual Archaeology Discover Weekend will be held on November 12 and 13.

New from Christopher D. Stanley: Paul and Asklepios: The Greco-Roman Quest for Healing and the Apostolic Mission (The Library of New Testament Studies)

New exhibition publication: David Roberts: Artist and Traveler, by John Olbrantz (Hallie Ford Museum of Art, Willamette University, 2022). Hardcover, 152 pages, 96 color illustrations, $45.

A complete list of speakers and topics for the 25th Annual Bible and Archaeology Fest (virtual, Oct 8-9) is now online and includes:

  • James Charlesworth, “Discovering the Tombs of David and Solomon After 50 Years of Searching”
  • Ralph Hawkins, “The Promise of the Conquest of Canaan in the Book of Exodus”
  • Thomas Levy, “Archaeological Science and Biblical Edom”
  • R. Steven Notley, “Byzantine Bethsaida and the House of St. Peter”
  • Shelley Wachsmann, “‘Some Went Down to the Sea in Ships…’: Ships, Boats, and Seafaring in Biblical Times”

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Joseph Lauer, Explorator, Paleojudaica

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Weekend Roundup, Part 4

“A statue head dated to the 2nd century AD was unearthed during the excavations at the Ancient Smyrna Theater.”

Archaeologists found the VIP seats of the ancient amphitheater of Pergamum.

Archaeologists have discovered a gladiator burial ground in near Adana in Turkey.

Restoration has begun on the floor mosaics of the ancient synagogue of Sardis.

The main building and exhibition halls of the Istanbul Archaeology Museums were opened last month after extensive renovations. Renovations continue on the Museum of the Ancient Orient, the Tiled Kiosk Museum and the northern wing of the Classical Building.

This article has some nice photos of the world’s largest mosaic, now part of the Antakya Museum Hotel in the ancient Antioch on the Orontes.

BBC: “More than 85m beneath the famous fairy chimneys of Cappadocia lies a massive subterranean city [Derinkuyu] that was in near-constant use for thousands of years.”

The Turkish Archaeological News surveys the top stories for the month of July.

New release: Excavations at Karkemish II. The Inner West Gate in Area N, by S. Mantellini and S. Pizzimenti (Ante Quem 2021). Free pdf downloads of entire series here.

“Greek archaeologists have discovered a virtually intact grave of an ancient noblewoman buried with her golden jewellery at a Roman burial monument in the island of Sikinos.”

“The majestic ancient Greek monument unearthed in Northern Greece in 2012 and known as the Amphipolis Tomb could open for visitors by the end of 2022.”

Ancient Athens 3D has created a video with a beautiful virtual model of the Parthenon.

Giovanna Dell’ortho describes some of the sites in Thessaloniki.

“Ancient Greeks had a great love and respect for their dogs, cherishing them as companions, protectors, and hunters, as evidenced by several dog tombstones discovered over the centuries.”

Archaeologists believe they have found a mega-monument at the ancient burial mound of Laona in Cyprus.

National Geographic takes a road trip through western Cyprus (requires registration).

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Joseph Lauer, Explorator, Paleojudaica

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About the BiblePlaces Blog

The BiblePlaces Blog provides updates and analysis of the latest in biblical archaeology, history, and geography. Unless otherwise noted, the posts are written by Todd Bolen, PhD, Professor of Biblical Studies at The Master’s University.

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