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A Phoenician plaque, a stone pillar and the remains of boatsheds were unearthed as a result of 2021’s archaeological excavations in Kition-Pampoula, Cyprus.”

A bronze military diploma has been discovered in southeastern Turkey.

A new study has determined that a mummified fetus was preserved through acidification as the mother’s body decomposed.

“Five Roman artefacts from the ancient city of Palmyra, a site damaged during Syria’s decade-long conflict, were returned to Damascus on Thursday by a private Lebanese museum where they had been on display since 2018.”

“Turkey’s mercenaries continue to systematically destroy archaeological sites and everything related to the historical heritage of Syria.”

Archaeologists are surprised that Mesopotamians were cultivating millet centuries before the invention of large-scale irrigation.

Ramses the Great and the Gold of the Pharaohs, “an internationally touring exhibition that made its world premiere at the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) in November” is “a feat of technology, its layered display creating an immersive experience without the use of 3-D glasses.”

Apparently one of the “secrets” of Istanbul is the “Mosaic Museum of the Grand Palace of Constantinople.” It’s now on my list for my next visit.

The Historical Geography of the Biblical World unit is accepting paper proposals for the 2022 Annual Meeting in Denver.

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Arne Halbakken, Keith Keyser, Charles Savelle

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Archaeologists working in the temple of Amenhotep III in Luxor have discovered remains of a pair of gigantic limestone colossi.

“A joint Egyptian-Italian Mission excavating near Aswan in Egypt has discovered a tomb from the Greco-Roman period containing twenty mummies.”

“Scientists found the first recorded example of a bandaged wound on a mummified body, which could offer more insight into ancient medical practices.”

“Scholars have concluded that King Tutankhamun was not murdered, after a lengthy investigation that seemed to refute popular theory.”

Joshua Berman says that marks of Egyptian culture in the Torah give evidence of the Israelites’ sojourn in Egypt.

Deb Hurn argues that the meteoric airburst theory for the destruction of Tall al-Hammam does not match various details in the biblical text for the destruction of Sodom.

The world’s largest mosaic is now open to the public underneath the newly built Antakya Museum Hotel (in biblical Antioch on the Orontes).

“A new study has revealed that some 4,500 years ago the ancient Mesopotamians were the first to create a hybrid animal, producing an entirely new beast by mating two different species.”

New technology is allowing scientists to better determine the sex of ancient skeletons.

Candida Moss writes about the relationship that ancient Romans had with their dogs.

A Hellenistic necropolis near Naples is opening to the public for the first time.

Nimes is my favorite Roman city in France, and National Geographic reviews some of the highlights.

Michael Shutterly has written a brief guide to the coins of the Persian kings.

Carl Rasmussen shares photos of what’s new at Laodicea—“a two hundred foot long, 25 foot high Frescoed Wall.”

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Explorator, Arne Halbakken

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“Archaeologists working in the Wadi Al-Nasab region of the Sinai have uncovered the headquarters of a [copper and turquois] mining operation that dates back to the Middle Kingdom.

“After war and insurgency kept them away from Iraq for decades, European archaeologists are making an enthusiastic return in search of millennia-old cultural treasures.”

The only fresco preserved from the Greek classical world is in Paestum in southern Italy.

A newly restored gladiator helmet is on display at the Pompeii exhibition at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh.

A new archaeological institute will be opening in Gaziantep in southeastern Turkey.

In the first of a two-part article, Deb Hurn looks at the evidence for the location of Sodom.

The BAS Scholars Series begins on March 10 with Mark Goodacre speaking about the resurrection. This is the first of a quarterly virtual lecture series that will include Aren Maeir, Jodi Magness, and Joan Taylor.

Zoom lecture on Jan 22: “Modernity Meets Mesopotamia: An Ancient Assyrian Palace in Los Angeles.” I’ve driven by this outlet mall many times and wondered what the story was…

Christopher Rollston discusses the alleged Isaiah bulla on the Biblical World podcast.

In his final post on Paul’s shipwreck on Malta, Carl Rasmussen suggests where the ship ran aground.

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Arne Halbakken, Wayne Stiles, Alexander Schick

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Excavations revealed an ancient synagogue in Side near Antalya (biblical Attalia), a city where Paul preached, albeit six centuries after his visit.

“A team of researchers has successfully digitally unwrapped the mummified body of the pharaoh Amenhotep I, who lived around 3,500 years ago.”

Mark Boslough claims that the Sodom cosmic airburst theory has significant shortcomings.

108-year-old Sumerologist credits Istanbul museum for long career.”

“A digital model of Babylon is under development.”

Virtual workshop on January 11 at the Albright Institute: The Religious Soundscape of the Holy Land: From the Crusades to the Late Ottoman Empire

Webinar on January 20: “The Not-So-Innocents Abroad: The Beginnings of American Biblical Archaeology,” by Rachel Hallote

Carl Rasmussen writes about an anchor stock at Malta with the name of an Egyptian deity on it.

John DeLancey and Kyle Keimer give a virtual tour of highlights in the archaeological wing of the Israel Museum (part 1 of 4).

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Alexander Schick, Arne Halbakken, Charles Savelle

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A cache of 13,000 inscribed potsherds from the Roman and Byzantine eras have been discovered in Sohag, Egypt.

New discoveries have come to light at Pompeii in the House of the Library.

An article in Haaretz contrasts an ancient Roman doll with the modern Barbie.

A team of scientists believe they have a new understanding of the Antikythera mechanism.

The US has returned 200 antiquities stolen from Italy, including items seized from the Fordham Museum and the Getty Museum.

A new museum of Roman antiquities opened in Narbonne, France last week.

Lonely Planet names their 10 ten museums in Istanbul.

Online exhibit: Mesopotamia: An Intimate Look at Some Extraordinary Objects from an Exhibition at the Getty Villa

Clay tablets from the library of Ashurbanipal reveal an ancient Assyrian remedy for hair loss (subscription req’d).

The recorded presentations are now online for the conference on “Perspectives on the Ramesside Military System.”

Dirk Obbink owes Hobby Lobby a full refund for the $7 million of ancient papyri that he sold them.

Nearly a million tourists have visited the ancient city of Dara in southeastern Turkey this year.

New release: Edgar J. Goodspeed, America’s First Papyrologist, by Todd M. Hickey and James G. Keenan

Glenn Corbett is leading a Jordan Seminar at the Dead Sea in April.

Carl Rasmussen has begun a series on the shipwreck of Paul on Malta. He is also leading a trip to Malta, Sicily, and Italy in the spring.

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

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The first example of Roman crucifixion in northern Europe has been discovered. The skeleton of a man with a nail through his right heel was uncovered in a cemetery near Cambridge that dates to the 3rd or 4th century AD. The underlying article, published by British Archaeology, is available in pdf format.

Archaeologists working at the Temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor have discovered hundreds of items in an ancient garbage dump.

Two more mummies with tongues wrapped in golden foil have been discovered in Egypt.

Kathleen Martinez has spent the last 15 years determined to find Cleopatra’s tomb.

A new study suggests ancient Egyptian elites drank thick porridge-like beer.

Leather scale armor from the Neo-Assyrian empire has been discovered in China.

Archaeological work is being carried out in Iraq by a number of foreign teams.

One of the world’s largest collectors of ancient art has surrendered 180 looted antiquities. Nearly 50 of those will be returned to Greece soon.

A tablet with the Epic of Gilgamesh has been returned to Iraq after being looted from a museum during the 1991 war.

Turkish Archaeological News has a day-by-day report for November’s stories.

Carl Rasmussen has posted some photos of the new “Museum in the Istanbul Airport.”

William J. Fulco died in late November.

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Ted Weis, Arne Halbakken, Richard Bauckham, Paleojudaica, Explorator

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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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