Antiquities Trade Archives - Page 20 of 30

Weekend Roundup, Part 2

The restoration of the Roman aqueduct of Gadara has been completed, and the tunnel is now open to the public.

Researchers have discovered Iron Age II pottery at Sela in Jordan.

The goal of the SCHEP project is to encourage people in Jordan to protect the ancient sites in their communities.

Britain has returned to Egypt a stolen ornamental tablet of Pharaoh Amenhotep I.

“The Ministry of Antiquities began the work of the second phase of the project of documenting the rock inscriptions in the ancient area of South of Sinai.”

Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities has posted an annual newsletter for 2018.

Saudi Arabia now wants tourists to come visit its archaeological sites.

“Trade Routes in Arabia – Masterpieces of the Monuments of Saudi Arabia through the Ages” is a new exhibit at the Louvre in Abu Dhabi.

In a third post on Assos, Carl Rasmussen describes the theater and the ancient harbor.

The British Museum celebrated its 260th birthday this week. A birthday blogpost provides some numbers, including the number of objects in the collection: 8 million!

The BBC attempts to explain why ancient people drilled holes in their heads.

Near Eastern Archaeology is soliciting articles for publication.

Wayne Stiles is leading a tour of Greece and Turkey in September.

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Ted Weis

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

Weekend Roundup

A 2,000-year-old bronze ring with a solitaire gemstone was uncovered in the City of David National Park in Jerusalem.

Ceramic jars and cooking pots suggest the Persian Empire used Tel Keisan, near the city of Akko in
Northern Israel, as a base camp in their effort to conquer Egypt (Haaretz premium).

Police caught antiquities thieves in the act of excavating Huqoq for ancient coins.

The petrified remains of a harnessed horse has been uncovered in Pompeii.

Emma Maayan-Fanar writes about her recent study at Shivta which revealed a painting of Jesus.

Longer, hotter summers and drier winters are a threat to the remaining cedar trees in Lebanon.

The NY Times reports on the only tourist boat operation on the Dead Sea.

”By analysing the architecture and historical documentation, it is possible to reconstruct a detailed history of the Karak Castle during the Crusader period.”

Several people are dead and a dozen injured after a bomb blast struck a tourist bus near the Egyptian pyramids in Giza.

“Finds Gone Astray” is a new exhibit opening on Monday at the Bible Lands Museum. The Times of Israel provides some of the background for these artifacts that have been recovered from thieves and smugglers in the West Bank since 1967.

Carl Rasmussen asks: Herod or Jesus: Which “King” Has Had the Most Lasting Influence?

What is the Samaritan Torah? David Moster has created a 10-minute video to answer that question.
National Geographic has produced a 4-minute animated video on The History of the Bible.

Gary Knoppers died last week.

HT: Ted Weis, Agade, Joseph Lauer, Charles Savelle

Tagged Antiquities Trade, Dead Sea, Discoveries, Egypt, Italy, Jerusalem, Jordan, Judah, Lebanon, Museums, Negev, New Exhibits, Samaria, Tourism, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup

The Ultra-Orthodox are upset that the French government won’t allow entrance into the Tomb of the Kings in Jerusalem. The French claim that they have renovated the site and with the right assurances, they will open it to the public.

A long tunnel has been covertly dug underneath the “Tomb of David” on Mount Zion and now some people are mad.

The large number of tourists visiting the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem has led to the development of an app that will handle reservations.

“The inauguration ceremony of Egypt’s new Greco-Roman Museum [in Alexandria] will be held by the end of 2019.”

Three ancient cities in Crete are the focus of an exhibit at the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens, Greece.

Harvey Mudd College is giving its Cypriot artifacts to the University of Cyprus.

Don McNeeley shares a report on the 2018 annual meeting of the Near East Archaeological Society.
You can join the society here.

The video is now online for the 2018 Plenary Address for the ASOR Annual Meeting: “Between Looters, Private Collectors, and Warlords: Does Archaeology Stand a Chance?” by Hélène Sader, Professor of Archaeology, American University of Beirut.

Tali Erickson-Gini is on The Book and the Spade talking about the Timna Park excavations and the opportunity for the public to volunteer.

Wayne Stiles compares Peter’s boast in the Upper Room to his failure in the Garden of Gethsemane to find application today.

That “ark of the covenant” in the church in Ethiopia—it’s a replica.

Rick Lanser believes he has evidence that supports the birth of Jesus on Nisan 1, 6 BC.

Ferrell Jenkins’s favorite photos this week include Hasankef, the Roman road near Saglikli, and Riblah.

Justin Taylor interviews the filmmaker who has created “The Chosen,” the first-ever multi-season drama about the life of Christ.

HT: Joseph Lauer, Agade, Ted Weis

Tagged Antiquities Trade, Egypt, Jerusalem, Judah, Lectures, Museums, New Exhibits, Tourism, Turkey, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup

“The discovery of a cuneiform fragment at Tel Mikhmoret recorded a slave sale and revealed physical evidence of the presence of Babylonians in biblical Samaria.”

Authorities have recovered from antiquities thieves a Neolithic stone ritual mask that comes from the Hebron hills.

Archaeologists have found evidence for trephination in a Late Bronze tomb at Megiddo (Haaretz premium).

“In one of the largest tombs ever found in Luxor, Egypt, archaeologists have discovered a sarcophagus holding the mummy of a woman named Pouyou who lived during the 18th dynasty.”

Egyptian officials announced that treasures from the tomb of Tutankhamun will tour ten cities in the world prior to the 2020 opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza. The exhibit is currently in Los Angeles and then heads to Paris. The other cities have not yet been announced.

“Inside the Cloak-and-Dagger Search for Sacred Texts” is in this month’s issue of National Geographic. As you would expect, the text is engaging and the photos beautiful.

“National Geographic has commissioned leading British indie production company, Caravan to produce The Bible from Space, a two-part documentary special which reveals the truth behind the biggest, most incredible stories from the Old Testament.” You can be sure that any TV production which promises to “reveal the truth” does not.

Carl Rasmussen is having second thoughts about the route of Paul’s ship from Chios to Miletus.

Luke Chandler is leading a tour of Israel in June, with the option to stay longer and join an archaeological excavation.

SourceFlix has released a 4-minute video about Tel Dibon, including footage of an early-morning fly-over. Ferrell Jenkins writes about the same site and provides some nice photographs.

A board game dating to the time of Abraham, the Royal Game of Ur, is making a comeback in Iraq.

The online Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) entitled “Biblical Archaeology: The Archaeology of Ancient Israel and Judah” begins on Wednesday.

The Institute of Biblical Culture is offering your choice of a free class.

If you’re not a subscriber to the BiblePlaces Newsletter, you can sign up in a few seconds. We send about three issues a year, with one coming next week.

HT: Agade, Ted Weis, Charles Savelle

Tagged Antiquities Trade, Discoveries, Egypt, Jezreel Valley, Jordan, Judah, Mediterranean Islands, Resources, Tourism, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 2

Appian Media has released a trailer for their new series, “Searching for a King.” They have some impressive footage. They also are asking for some quick help with a survey.

“At the annual meeting this week of the American Schools of Oriental Research in Denver, Colorado, scholars will discuss whether to rechristen the 118-year-old society on the grounds that its moniker is irrelevant and racist.” There’s more here.

Mary Shepperson recounts the “turbulent life” of the British School of Archaeology in Iraq. The article includes some interesting photos.

Iraqi technicians are restoring ancient Babylon under a U.S.-funded project, with the goal of making the site worthy of UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

New book: Archaeogaming: An Introduction to Archaeology in and of Video Games, by Andrew Reinhard.

Mosaics looted from Turkey and sold to Bowling Green State University are now being returned.

Lawrence Schiffman explains how Dead Sea Scroll forgeries were exposed by high-tech tests.

Yosef Garfinkel’s recent lecture at the Lanier Theological Library is now online, and Carl Rasmussen recommends it. The library has also made available many seminar videos from 2012 to present.

Artofthe.Bible is a new catalog of 5,800 works of art from wikimedia arranged in 116 Bible stories.

“A Biblical Spice Rack” was published in Bible Review in 1997 and is now available online through Bible History Daily.

Robert Alter has completed his translation of the entire Hebrew Bible. It will be released in time for
Christmas. (An Amazon coupon code good through today will save $5 off purchase of $20 or more: NOVBOOK18.)

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

Tagged 10th Century, Antiquities Trade, Dead Sea, Mesopotamia, Resources, Shephelah, Turkey, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 2

The nymphaeum in downtown Amman has reopened to the public.

A Palestinian was caught trying to smuggle 70 ancient coins from Jordan into the West Bank.

Another man was arrested for trying to smuggle two tetradrachm from the time of Alexander the Great out of Gaza.

The Guardian posts a review of the “I am Ashurbanipal” exhibit that opened this week at the British Museum.

The British Museum Shop offers a number of interesting items related to the Ashurbanipal exhibit.

The Vatican Museums are considering putting a daily cap on the number of visitors.

A new festschrift honors Aren Maier: Tell it in Gath: Studies in the History and Archaeology of Israel.

Ada Yardeni’s final book, The National Hebrew Script, is now available for pre-order at Carta.

New from Baylor University Press: Magdala of Galilee: A Jewish City in the Hellenistic and Roman Period, edited by Richard Bauckham.

The Land and the Book audio program visits the Oriental Institute Museum.

Scott Stripling, Scott Lanser, and Henry Smith discuss “Relating the Bible to Archaeology” in the latest episode of Digging for Truth.

Flash floods in Jordan killed 12 and forced the evacuation of 4,000 in Petra. Here’s another video and several more showing the deadly torrent.

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Explorator, Charles Savelle, Ted Weis, Paleojudaica, Alexander Schick

Tagged Antiquities Trade, Galilee, Jordan, Museums, New Exhibits, Philistines, Resources, Tourism, Weekend Roundup