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“New archaeological findings in the city of Yavne may shed light on the city 2,000 years ago, when it was the center of Jewish life in the region and home to the Sanhedrin.”

A lead sling stone bearing the name of a Seleucid leader who fought against the Hasmoneans was recently found in the southern Hebron Hills.”

Archaeologists have uncovered ancient glass kilns from the Roman period in the Jezreel Valley.

A Hasmonean-era oil lamp was discovered in the City of David shortly before Hanukkah began.

Chris McKinny and Kyle Keimer talk with Andrea Berlin about her excavations of Tel Anafa and Tel Qedesh and how that illuminates the history of the Galilee in the Hellenistic and Roman periods.

Gordon Govier writes about ancient seal impressions discovered through the use of wet-sifting for Christianity Today (subscription).

Israel’s Good Name reports on his visit to the Crusader ruins of Beit Itab in the Judean hills. He has also begun a new blog: Israel’s Good Bird.

Shechem is the latest site to be considered in Kyle Keimer’s “Why” series.

Jerusalem University College has announced its slate of spring online courses, including:

  • Ancient Egypt and the Biblical World, taught by Paul Wright
  • Archaeology of the Judean Shephelah, taught by Chris McKinny and Kyle Keimer
  • Lessons from the Land: Applications for Teaching and Ministry, taught by John Monson
  • Physical Settings of the Bible, taught by Chandler Collins
  • The World of Jesus and His Disciples, taught by Rebecca Pettit

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Arne Halbakken, Explorator, Ted Weis

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A new study suggests that Sennacherib’s army collected three million stones in order to construct the massive siege ramp at Lachish in about 25 days.

Researchers studying dolmen fields in southern Jordan discovered several unfinished dolmens, providing insights into how these megalithic tombs were constructed.

Authorities have recovered more than 6,000 ancient coins from the owner of a jewelry store in Ashkelon.

“Why is a citrus fruit – also known in Hebrew as etrog – featured in the magnificent mosaic paving the main hall of a caliphate castle in Jericho?”

La Sierra University’s Archaeology Discovery Weekend is being held today and tomorrow with the theme, “Southwest Turkey: Famous Cities, Churches, and Synagogues.”

In the latest episode of the Biblical World podcast, “Kyle and Chris interview Erez Ben-Yosef (Tel Aviv University) concerning his work on the 11th through 9th century BC copper industry in the Arabah of Israel and Jordan.”

Jordan is eager to end its tourism slump, and the recent filming of movies including Dune, Aladdin, and Star Wars: Rogue One may help to attract visitors.

Zoom lecture on Nov 15: “Coin Deposits: From Ancient Synagogues in Late Antique Palestine,” by Tine Rassalle

Zoom lecture on Dec 2: “Synagogues as Jesus Knew Them,” by James R. Strange

New release: Excavations in the City of David, Jerusalem (1995-2010), by Ronny Reich and Eli Shukron

New release: To Explore the Land of Canaan: Studies in Biblical Archaeology in Honor of Jeffrey R. Chadwick, edited by Aren M. Maeir and George A. Pierce (DeGruyter, $100)

Registration has opened for the 2022 season at Tel Burna.

The Institute of Biblical Culture is now taking registrations for a beginning course in Biblical Hebrew starting in January.

The Top Ten Discoveries Related to Joshua and the Conquest includes some familiar finds and some new ones. With 53 footnotes, this is a well-researched summary that will very useful for many.

The video downloads and conference notebook for the Infusion Bible Conference on Paul and His Roman World are now available for purchase. This is a valuable resource.

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Ted Weis, Arne Halbakken, Keith Keyser, Explorator

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A fragment of an ancient Canaanite deity has been discovered in the temple at Moza, providing some explanation for why high places in Judah were condemned by the biblical writers.

A fortress in the French Hill neighborhood of Jerusalem is being renovated. This fortress is believed to have protected the city during the time of Judah’s kings.

After a $12 million renovation project, a beautiful mosaic is about to open to the public at Hisham’s Palace in Jericho.

The debate continues as to whether Herod’s Galilean temple was located at Caesarea Philippi or at Omrit, and a permanent exhibit including a large column from Omrit is now on display at Tel Hai College.

Eight antiquities thieves digging for buried gold were nabbed in the act.

“Hear, O Israel: The Magic of the Shema” is a new exhibit at the Israel Museum open through April 2022.

Hicham Aboutaam shares his six favorite pieces in the Israel Museum.

An online course on Joshua’s Altar Site begins on Sunday with the 5-lesson study featuring Shay Bar, Scott Stripling, Ralph Hawkins, Zvi Koenigsberg, and Aaron Lipkin.

The Urim and the Thummim are the subject on the latest episode of the Biblical World podcast, with Doug Bookman joining host Mary Buck to share his research.

Bryan Windle’s top three reports in biblical archaeology this month are all likely to end up in the year’s top 10 list.

This week we released Paul’s Epistles in our Photo Companion to the Bible series. The sale price ends soon.

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Arne Halbakken, Charles Savelle, Daniel Wright, Paleojudaica, Ted Weis

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We have more stories this weekend than perhaps ever before for a single week (nearly 50), so expect a third installment of the roundup on Monday.

The first-ever ancient depiction of the balm of Gilead was discovered on an amethyst seal found by volunteers sifting soil from near the Temple Mount. There’s a 3-minute video here.

Excavations at el-Araj (Bethsaida?) have wrapped up for the season, and the archaeologists discovered a large apse and two partial inscriptions in the mosaic floor of what they believe is the Church of the Apostles.

A diver found a Crusader-era sword in perfect condition off the coast of northern Israel. There is a short video here.

Not only the Crusader sword but much more has been discovered because of a once-in-a-century storm that occurred in December 2010.

Archaeologists discovered a hoard of silver coins from the Hasmonean era in Modiin.

Daniel Master is a guest on the Book and the Spade to discuss the recent excavations at Tel Shimron.

An organization is calling on the Israeli government to excavate and open to tourists the site of ancient Gibeah of Saul, more recently home to King Hussein’s unfinished palace.

“Members of the Samaritan faith gathered at sunrise on Wednesday to mark Sukkot, a month after Jews celebrated the festival.” The short story includes a brief video.

NY Times: “Rameh, a Palestinian town [in Galilee] surrounded by olive groves, has long had a reputation for producing especially good oil.”

Megan Sauter writes about the importance of three purple textile fragments from the time of David recently discovered in the Central Timna Valley Project.

Andrew Califf writes about seven lesser-known archaeological sites in Israel (Haaretz paywall).

The Museum of the Bible is offering virtual tours of Masada and Megiddo on November 10 and 17, “using advanced images combined with an online interactive classroom to create a rich, immersive experience.”

A new exhibition by the Israel Antiquities Authority at the Yigal Allon Center in Kibbutz Ginossar offers a glimpse of the centuries when Jewish sages managed to rebuild a community in the Galilee.”

Kyle Keimer and Chris McKinny discuss Cabul in the days of Solomon in the latest episode of OnScript’s Biblical World.

When children volunteering at the Temple Mount Sifting Project stole some of the artifacts, the director used the opportunity to instruct them on the community’s responsibility.

On sale for Kindle: A Week in the Fall of Jerusalem, by Ben Witherington ($3.99)

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Arne Halbakken, Ted Weis, A.D. Riddle, Paleojudaica, Explorator, BibleX

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Archaeologists have discovered a private toilet in Jerusalem that dates approximately to the time of Manasseh or Josiah.

Archaeologists have identified the first-known Crusader army camp in Israel near ancient Sepphoris.

“Jewish heritage sites in Judea and Samaria are being systematically vandalized and destroyed by local Arabs, according to a watchdog group which monitors archeological sites in the area.”

Amihai Mazar has prepared a list of publications by the late Eilat Mazar that are available for order from the publishing house.

Aren Maeir’s MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) on Biblical Archaeology will run again beginning on November 1.

In the second episode of the Special Texts of the Ancient Near East series, Mary Buck and Chris McKinny discuss the Mesha Stele.

The latest subject in Bryan Windle’s archaeological biography series is Hoshea, the last king of Israel.

The 24th Annual Bible & Archaeology Fest is only one week away, and the complete list of speakers and topics is online.

“The Institute of Biblical Culture is pleased to announce the David Marcus Giving Library, which will provide more than 2,000 scholarly books to the general public free of charge, aside from shipping. The first of six subject areas is Assyriology. To view the collection and request any of the hundreds of books, visit the Institute of Biblical Culture website.”

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Arne Halbakken, Explorator

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A curious tour guide found a stash of ancient coins all lumped together on the beach of Atlit.

An Israeli girl found a Byzantine-era coin at the ancient site of Chorazin during a scavenger hunt game.

Haaretz (premium) posts some photos of recent finds made in the excavations of Azekah.

Construction has begun on a controversial elevator at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron.

“New research based on the analysis of dozens of pottery vessels has suggested has shown that in the period between the Assyrian conquest and the Babylonian destruction, a new cultural group emerged in the biblical Kingdom of Judah.”

Live Science has a follow-up article on the 8th-century earthquake evidence found in Jerusalem with responses from scholars who agree with the earthquake conclusion.

Chris McKinny and Kyle Keimer discuss the site of Khirbet er-Ra‘i/Arai, including the “Jerubbaal” inscription and whether the site should be identified as biblical Ziklag.

The latest episode in This Week in the Ancient Near East podcast considers the significance of the “Jerubbaal” inscription.

There are more archaeological connections to the reign of King Jehoash than you might think, as Bryan Windle shows in his latest archaeological biography.

If you’re in Jerusalem this month or next, you can try out the ropes course or the zip line at the Tower of David Museum.

HT: Agade, Ted Weis, Arne Halbakken, Joseph Lauer

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