Last night, on a whim, I jotted down some thoughts on the new Photo Companion to the Bible and sent them out in the BiblePlaces Newsletter. The response has been terrific. If you didn’t see it already, you can read it here. Introductory discount ends today.
A first-century AD tomb in Irbid, Jordan, will open to the public next month. The unique tomb contains oil paintings, transcriptions, and drawings.
A Hellenistic temple and network of water tunnels has been uncovered at Gadara.
An analysis of a water pipe from Pompeii suggest that the Romans probably experienced daily problems with vomiting and diarrhea, as well as liver and kidney damage. The problem wasn’t lead, but the acutely toxic antimony. Cf. 1 Timothy 5:23.
The latest issue of Biblical Archaeology Review has a number of articles of interest, including the capital city of Samaria, Hebrew on Herod’s time, and NT figures known outside the Bible.
The William Kelly Simpson Memorial Colloquium will be held at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History on October 7.
The Israel Exploration Society is having a clearance sale for all final reports of the Masada excavations. Each of the 8 volumes is reduced to $30 plus shipping.
Among the resources for Accordance on sale now is the three-volume Archaeology of the Land of the Bible series (by Mazar, Stern, Meyers, and Chancey).
GTI Study Tours is a unique travel agency that I’ve heard rave reviews about. They are offering a highly-discounted “Pastors and Christian Educators” Study Tour of Turkey in February with Mark Strauss.
HT: Agade, Chris McKinny, Joseph Lauer
Three major salvage excavations in Israel may be excavated by private companies and directed by archaeologists with little experience. (Haaretz premium)
They’re already recruiting for next summer’s excavations in Israel, and you can get all the information for digging at Shiloh here.
Aren Maeir visited the new excavations of Kiriath Jearim and was very impressed with what he saw, suggesting that the site “will become one of the most important excavations in Israel.”
Carl Rasmussen explains how a solar eclipse in 763 BC helps us to establish an absolute chronology for OT events.
Steven Weitzman answers the question, “Can Genetics Solve the Mystery of the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel?”
Israel’s Good Name reports on his Bar Ilan U tour of the City of David.
Ferrell Jenkins explains the Megiddo water system with a drawing he made and several photos (including a labeled aerial photo).
Wayne Stiles shows how Banias Falls is a picture of despair.
We were very encouraged by some positive words about the new Photo Companion to the Bible by Ferrell Jenkins, Andy Naselli, Leen Ritmeyer, Charles Savelle, and Luke Chandler. Luke writes,
There is nothing like this resource available for teachers today. I cannot recommend the Gospels Photo Companion to the Bible strongly enough.
The introductory special continues through Monday, August 21.
- Tagged Excavations, Galilee, Jerusalem, Jezreel Valley, Judah, Photo Resources, Samaria, Weather, Weekend Roundup
If you don’t subscribe to the BiblePlaces Newsletter, or if some helpful filter put it into a folder you never check, you can read it here. Or go straight to the big news of our new photo collection here.
My biased opinion: it’s our best collection ever.
It’s on sale this week. If you ever think you’ll need photos of the Gospels, grab this collection now because the price is low and you’ll receive free updates for life.
- Tagged Photo Resources
The suggestion that el-Araj could be New Testament Bethsaida received lots of media attention, not all accurate. I’d recommend this report by Jeffrey Garcia and Steven Notley at the CSAJCO website.
An on-site interview with archaeologist Mordechai Aviam is posted at CBN’s Facebook page. The Today show sent a correspondent to the site. National Geographic sets some of the record straight. The Times of Israel looks at the two sites laying claim to the name of Bethsaida.
Jonathan Adler guides a video tour of a 2,000-year-old stone quarry that he excavated in Galilee. The Jerusalem Post provides a written report on the excavations.
The Abel Beth Maacah team shares a photo album from the 2017 season.
Nadav Na’aman argues that Khirbet Qeiyafa was not a Judahite city in a recent article in the Journal of Hebrew Scriptures.
Authorities are planning to stop the flow of sewage down the Kidron Valley.
The Wall Street Journal (subscription req’d) traces the path in which ISIS looted artifacts make their way out of the Middle East.
“Researchers have unearthed a 1,800-year-old writing tool, or stylus, at the Assos archeological site in northwestern Turkey.”
Excavations at Carchemish have uncovered 250 Hittite bullae this year.
Excavators at Tell Tayinat found fragments of a large female statue at the citadel gate complex.
Now online: Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities’ Newsletter for July 2017.
Wayne Stiles considers the strategic value of the International Highway (aka Via Maris).
Ferrell Jenkins shares a couple of beautiful photos of ibex at En Gedi and Ein Avdat.
Leon Mauldin explains the location and importance of Akeldama, the Field of Blood.
Cynthia Shafer-Elliott is on the Book and the Spade discussing “Canaanite DNA” and her excavation work at Tel Halif.
We will be making a big announcement in the BiblePlaces Newsletter on Monday. You can sign up for a free subscription here.
HT: A.D. Riddle, Lois Tverberg, Chris McKinny, Charles Savelle, Agade, Ted Weis, Joseph Lauer
- Tagged Antiquities Trade, Discoveries, Egypt, Excavations, Galilee, Jerusalem, Judah, Lebanon, Shephelah, Turkey, Weekend Roundup
(Posted by Michael J. Caba)
This series of posts examines the historical reliability of the New Testament books of Luke and Acts by comparing these books to other ancient textual sources and the archaeological record. Supplemental information of additional interest is often given as well.
One of the eight persons mentioned in Luke 3:1-2 is Caiaphas the high priest. There are a number of references to Caiaphas in historical sources with one being inscribed on a recently discovered burial ossuary of his granddaughter Miriam that, in addition to Miriam, makes reference to both Caiaphas and his son Yeshua. This discovery was announced in 2011 in the Israel Exploration Journal (V. 61, N. 1), and the following photo, which is used with the permission of Dr. Boaz Zissu, depicts the ossuary:
Miriam daughter of Yeshua son of Caiaphas, priests of Ma’aziah from Beth ‘Imri
This series of posts examines the historical reliability of the New Testament books of Luke and Acts by comparing these books to other ancient textual sources and the archaeological record. Supplemental information of additional interest is often given as well.
One of the eight persons mentioned in Luke 3:1-2 is Caiaphas the high priest. There are a number of references to Caiaphas in historical sources with one being inscribed on a recently discovered burial ossuary of his granddaughter Miriam that, in addition to Miriam, makes reference to both Caiaphas and his son Yeshua. This discovery was announced in 2011 in the Israel Exploration Journal (V. 61, N. 1), and the following photo, which is used with the permission of Dr. Boaz Zissu, depicts the ossuary:
The text, which is located along the upper front rim, is translated from Aramaic into English as:
Miriam daughter of Yeshua son of Caiaphas, priests of Ma’aziah from Beth ‘Imri
Additional information on this artifact is provided by the Israel Antiquity Authority.
Further, a second ossuary inscribed with the name “Caiaphas” was found in Israel in 1990 and can now be seen in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Though not entirely certain, this ossuary is commonly thought to belong to the high priest Caiaphas himself, and the bones found within (those belonging to a 60-year-old man) may have been those of the high priest.
The following picture depicts this second ossuary, and an article in the NY Times from 25 years ago announcing its discovery can be found at this link.
Further, a second ossuary inscribed with the name “Caiaphas” was found in Israel in 1990 and can now be seen in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Though not entirely certain, this ossuary is commonly thought to belong to the high priest Caiaphas himself, and the bones found within (those belonging to a 60-year-old man) may have been those of the high priest.
The following picture depicts this second ossuary, and an article in the NY Times from 25 years ago announcing its discovery can be found at this link.
Of additional interest is the fact related by the 1st-century Jewish historian Josephus that Caiaphas was also known by the name “Joseph” (Antiquities 18.4.3).
Because of his high profile in the New Testament, Caiaphas has often been depicted in various works of art over the centuries. One famous portrayal is located in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, Italy (outside Venice). The interior of the chapel was painted by the early Renaissance painter Giotto and dates to c. 1305. Though not as developed and awe-inspiring as later High Renaissance art (ca. 1500), this painting depicts an early attempt to portray perspective (depth) and a more natural lifelike world from which later artists would learn and progress. For those interested in historical studies, particularly art history, the chapel is well worth the visit.
Caiaphas is the seated figure who is tearing his shirt at the testimony of Jesus as noted in Matthew 26:65.
For other similar correlations between the biblical text and ancient sources, see Bible and Archaeology – Online Museum.
