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Top 10 Discoveries in Biblical Archaeology from 2017

What are the top discoveries of the year? Here is my list, based on a review of the stories and roundups posted on the BiblePlaces Blog throughout 2017.

1. Dozens of seal impressions naming officials of the First Temple Period were found in the City of David.

2. A capital from Solomon’s Colonnade was discovered in Temple Mount Sifting Project.

3. A Timna copper mining camp was dated to time of David and Solomon through the analysis of donkey dung.

4. New excavations at el-Araj challenge the identification of et-Tell with Bethsaida.

5. A small Roman theater was found next to the Western Wall of the Temple Mount.

6. Evidence of the Roman destruction of Jerusalem was discovered along the road from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple Mount.

7. Merneptah’s destruction of Gezer was found, corresponding to its mention in the Merneptah Stele.

8. The Augustus Temple Altar foundation was unearthed at Caesarea.

9. Analysis of the traditional tomb of Jesus in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher supports a 4th-century date, as long believed.

10. Seven inscriptions were discovered in three Byzantine churches excavated in Galilee this summer.

All ten of these come from Israel, and five come from Jerusalem. Three are related to the Old Testament, and six are from the world of the New Testament.

You can revisit the top stories of previous years at the links below:

Tomorrow I’ll post a list of other significant stories and discoveries from the year.

Tagged Analysis, Discoveries

Weekend Roundup, Part 3

The first-ever issue of Biblical Archaeology Review without Hershel Shanks at the helm has been published. This annual excavation issue also includes articles on an ancient Jerusalem trash dump, Canaanite art at Hazor, and the Ketef Hinnom silver amulets.

Carl Rasmussen explains Paul’s walk from Troas to Assos with photos and a map.

A writer for The New York Times describes his visit to Alexandria.

A study shows that black ink from Egyptian papyri contains copper.

The Egyptian government is working on a bill to increase the penalty for smuggling antiquities to life imprisonment.

Police in Turkey have recovered over 26,000 artifacts from a smuggling ring in Istanbul.

The German Protestant Institute of Archaeology in the Holy Land (GPIA) has launched a new website for its project DOJAM – Documentation of Objects in Jordanian Archaeological Museums.

The winter issue of the Oriental Institute’s News & Notes is online.

The ancients used meteoritic material in the forging of daggers, axes, and jewelry.

Rome will begin charging tourists to visit the Pantheon.

The New York Metropolitan Museum purchased a 14th-century illuminated Hebrew Bible before it was to be auctioned by Sotheby’s.

How did the 1917 Jerusalem surrender flag end up in Ohio?

William Dever, Carol Meyers, and Israel Finkelstein were among those receiving awards at the 2017 ASOR Annual Meeting.

LiveScience suggests some major finds in biblical archaeology in 2017.

Merry Christmas!

HT: Ted Weis, Joseph Lauer, Agade

Tagged Antiquities Trade, Discoveries, Egypt, Italy, Jordan, Museums, Technology, Tourism, Turkey, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 2

Yehiel Zelinger discusses the excavations of Bliss and Dickie on Mount Zion and shares a great photo of his own excavations there. (I’d love to see a labeled version, if anyone knows of such or can create one…)

Archaeologists working in Turkey have uncovered evidence related to the collapse of the Assyrian empire.

The first phase of the renovation of St. Catherine’s Library is complete.

The BBC tells the story of the relocation of the modern inhabitants of ancient Gadara through its former security guard.

The third issue of the newsletter of Tel Aviv U’s Institute of Archaeology includes field reports from this year’s work at Ashdod-Yam, Kiriath Jearim, Beth Shemesh, and the City of David.

And now Hollywood gives us . . . Samson. (Whether you are interested in the trailer or not, click the link to see how archaeologist Aren Maeir keeps his volunteers in line.)

Ferrell Jenkins shares a beautiful aerial photo of Jerusalem from the west.

A writer for Haaretz (premium) asks, Why doesn’t Israel have a museum for Jesus?

LiveScience looks into the backstory of a bone that Oxford scientists believe comes from the real St. Nicholas.

The city of Nazareth has cancelled Christmas celebrations in protest of Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Was the census that brought Jesus to Bethlehem a coincidence?

Among the specials for Accordance’s 12 Days of Christmas is the Biblical Archaeology Review (1975-2012).

We’ll have part three of the roundup tomorrow with another dozen stories.

HT: Ted Weis, Joseph Lauer, Agade, Mark Hoffman, Charles Savelle, Explorator, Chris McKinny,
Mike Harney

Tagged Egypt, Excavations, Galilee, Holidays, Jerusalem, Jordan, Movies, Museums, Shephelah, Turkey, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Underwater excavations of Corinth’s harbor at the port of Lechaion have exposed five-ton stone blocks and a perfectly preserved wooden post. This article has lots of illustrations. A 2-minute video takes you there.

The New York Times reports on the numerous ancient finds from Rome’s ongoing subway project.

Archaeologists have been excavating a large Byzantine church complex near Beth Shemesh.

Excavations have revealed that the population of Shiloh switched from Gentile to Jewish following the Maccabean Revolt.

New excavations have revealed a Hasmonean-era settlement at Susiya near Hebron.

Israel’s Culture Minister is initiating a $70 million plan to uncover, preserve, and develop historical sites in Jerusalem and vicinity.

The Israeli government has approved funding for a hiking trail through the West Bank and Golan Heights.

“The ancient city of Hazor in the Galilee seems to have muscled its way to fame and fortune partly by developing a unique business in farming sheep, instead of goats like everyone else in Canaan 3,700 years ago.”

Recent excavations at Jericho show a close relationship between the city and Egypt.

Archaeologists have traced the history of a menorah relief in various buildings in Tiberias.

A young girl discovered a Hasmonean-period oil lamp in a porcupines’ den near Beth Shean.

Elsewhere antiquities thieves denied their activities by claiming that they were “just hunting porcupines.”

New book, with free ebook download: Finding Jerusalem: Archaeology between Science and Ideology, by Katharina Galor.

Cuneiform cookies are all the rage this Christmas. This video will teach you how to bake Ugaritic
Tablet Biscuits.

HT: Ted Weis, Joseph Lauer, Agade, Mark Hoffman, Charles Savelle, Explorator, Chris McKinny,
Mike Harney

Tagged Discoveries, Excavations, Galilee, Golan, Greece, Italy, Jerusalem, Jordan Rift, Judah, Resources, Samaria, Shephelah, Tourism, Weekend Roundup

Walking the Bible Lands: Registration Ends Today

Registration for Walking the Bible Lands ends today. If you haven’t checked out the new free Christmas videos about “The Promise that Changed the World,” you can do that here. By joining Walking the Bible Lands, you get great new content every month, plus several bonuses right now.

Sites & Insights
Dig This!
Audio Devotional
Audiobook: Going Places with God
Audiobook: Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus

Everything is explained right here.

Registration closes at midnight and the price will never be this low again. Check it out here.

Tagged Resources

My Favorite Book of the Year: Reading the Bible with Rabbi Jesus

At a faculty roundtable last month, we went around and answered a series of questions for our students majoring in Biblical Studies. One question asked was, “What is the best book you’ve read this year?” My answer was Reading the Bible with Rabbi Jesus, by Lois Tverberg.

Officially the book doesn’t release until next month, but that’s too late for Christmas. And I’ve learned that the author has some copies available now. I want to encourage you to consider buying one or more, from her directly, before it’s available at Amazon and other bookstores.

You get an idea for what the book is about from the subtitle: How a Jewish Perspective Can Transform Your Understanding. You can also get an idea from the table of contents and the free sample chapter. And the endorsements are stellar. Here’s what I wrote for the back of the book cover:

Just what exactly did Jesus share with his disciples on the road to Emmaus? This excellent book unfolds so many valuable truths in the Scriptures that are often ignored or misunderstood. Lois Tverberg is a trustworthy guide whose insightful discoveries provide a delightful appetizer to some of the most exciting passages in the Old Testament. I’m recommending it to everyone I know.

Let me break that down a bit.

This book addresses many of my favorite subjects, including individualism vs. community, intertextuality, and the concept of a righteous king.

This book highlights some of my favorite OT passages, bringing out the glory of Isaiah 53, Daniel 7, Zechariah 9, and 2 Samuel 7.

This book is full of truths that are precious to me from my study of Jesus’s Bible (aka the Old Testament). I don’t think these truths should be radical, but it took me too long to learn them and I find my students are usually ignorant of them.

This summer my family memorized Isaiah 11-12. If that strikes you as strange and you’re asking, why not something “practical” such as in the Book of James, then this book will definitely help you understand why I want my kids’ brains steeped in this glorious passage of Isaiah.

Frankly, most of us Christians have done it all wrong, starting at the back of the book (in the New Testament) and wondering why certain things don’t make sense and why the Old Testament is mysterious in so many places. We need to start at the beginning, and I highly recommend Reading the Bible with Rabbi Jesus as an easy way to get you excited to do that yourself, with your family, or in your church or Bible study.

You’ll be able to buy it in bookstores next month, but I would encourage you to consider buying it directly from Lois now because: (1) you can give them as presents; (2) you’ll be supporting the author directly, and she deserves the reward for her many years of labors on this!

I’ll close with what I wrote to Lois after I finished reading the preview copy: “My prayer is that this book will reach many—for the good of their souls and the glory of our Savior!”

Tagged Resources