Jerusalem Archives - Page 10 of 188

Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Two sets of large channels uncovered in the City of David (Givati Parking Lot) and dating to the time of King Joash (ca. 800 BC) have stymied investigators as to their purpose. Barnea Levi Selavan interviewed archaeologist Yiftach Shalev on location (15 min).

About 1,000 feet of the Upper Aqueduct bringing water to Jerusalem was discovered in a neighborhood south of the Old City. This is the longest section of this aqueduct ever discovered.

Bryan Windle highlights the top three reports in biblical archaeology in the month of August.

“The Western Wall Heritage Foundation conducted its biannual examination of the Western Wall stones on Tuesday in preparation for the influx of visitors expected around the Jewish High Holy Days.”

The Albright Institute has just opened applications for fellowships, awards, and internships for the next academic year.

The toilets of Iron Age Jerusalem are the subject of the latest episode of This Week in the Ancient Near East podcast.

Seetheholyland.net has added an article on the Church of St. John the Baptist in the Muristan, the oldest intact church in Jerusalem, built around the year 1070. The article includes photos of this rarely open church.

Mitchell First has written a short biographical article on Josephus.

John Delancey shares a video shot from the top of the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Jerusalem.

Brad Gray looks at the viticulture context behind Jesus’s words in John 15.

Leen Ritmeyer shares several reconstruction drawings and a photo of the Middle Gate of Jerusalem mentioned in Jeremiah 39.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Alexander Schick, Will Varner, Ted Weis, Explorator

Tagged Discoveries, Excavations, Jerusalem, Tourism, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Archaeologists working on Mount Zion have discovered, for the first time ever, destruction levels from the Romans and the Babylonians in the same space. Shimon Gibson believes that the evidence from the Persian period suggests that Nehemiah’s wall included not only the City of David but also the Western Hill.

“Ground-penetrating radar is revealing the secrets of a Roman legion camp near Tel Megiddo, including the ancient camp’s amphitheater for combat training.”

Chris McKinny and Joe Uziel write about “The Millo: Jerusalem’s Lost Monument” in the forthcoming issue of Biblical Archaeology Review. They discuss the subject in a video interview with Nathan Steinmeyer.

Bible Archaeology Report has created a list of the top ten discoveries related to the book of Isaiah.

Jerusalem Seminary has been given a grant to provide discounts on tuition for their fall courses. The grant also enables increased scholarships.

Jordan has a severe water crisis.

A rockslide at the waterfall in Nahal David at En Gedi led to the death of an 8-year-old boy and injuries to eight others. The Yonatan Bar David mentioned in the article is from Yad HaShmonah.

Amnon Ben-Tor, the director of excavations at Hazor since 1990, died on Tuesday at the age of 88.

An expanded edition has just been released of Amnon Ben-Tor’s Hazor: Canaanite Metropolis, Israelite City (Israel Exploration Society, 180₪)

Conference on Sept 11-12 at Ariel University: “Boundaries and Influences in the Archeology of Israel and the Eastern Mediterranean”

Ferrell Jenkins shares photos of carob pods like those that were eaten by the prodigal son.

The Bible Mapper Blog is now the Bible Mapper Atlas, with more than 150 maps freely available. You can find lists organized by historical event and by region here.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, John Black, Alexander Schick, Explorator

The recently collapsed section of the Roman aqueduct at Caesarea. Photo by Michael Schneider

Tagged Discoveries, Excavations, Jerusalem, Jezreel Valley, Lectures, Resources, Tourism, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Excavations conducted during the laying of a water pipe not too far from Lachish revealed the “most ancient gate ever discovered in Israel.” They are dating it to about 300 years earlier than the Early Bronze gate at Tel Arad. The gate has already been backfilled.

Archaeologists excavating Tel Shimron announced the discovery of a massive Middle Bronze monument that was 15 feet tall and covered the entire acropolis. The monument was very well-preserved because soon after its construction it was filled in with gravel.

A beautiful Herodian ceiling panel was discovered in secondary use in the Ophel excavations (YouTube).

One of the arches in Caesarea’s Roman aqueduct collapsed on Friday.

A suspension bridge crossing the Hinnom Valley is now open to pedestrians (YouTube).

Zedekiah’s Cave (aka Solomon’s Quarries) reopened earlier this month, and Zahi Shaked gives a 30-minute tour.

Some Jews and Christians are arguing over the right to pray in the area of a possible tomb of Elisha at Stella Maris on Mount Carmel.

Israeli officials are considering loaning the Megiddo Mosaic, which comes from an early Christian building, to the Museum of the Bible. (Ilan Ben Zion’s AP article is a disappointment.)

WUNC interviews Jodi Magness upon the completion of her 11-year excavation of the Huqoq synagogue.

Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am write about some of the many ritual baths that have been discovered throughout Israel. The article includes many photos.

Abigail Leavitt recounts various sites she visited this summer in Jerusalem. She has another post about a tour of the Shephelah.

“The Jewish National Fund, KKL-JNF, recently welcomed guests to visit the ancient Jewish synagogue in Ma’on, located in Israel’s southern Negev desert.”

Tour Caesarea virtually with DIVE (Digital Interactive Virtual Experiences) on August 30 ($20).

Joel Kramer goes to Mamre in the latest episode from Expedition Bible.

There are a number of late-summer festivals being held around Israel.

New release: The Changing Landscape of Israeli Archaeology: Between Hegemony and Marginalization, by Hayah Katz (Routledge, $42/$136).

The latest Jerusalem Tracker has been posted, with a roundup of news, publications, and media.

It may be hard to believe, but apparently there are unscrupulous shopkeepers in the Old City of Jerusalem.

HT: Agade, Gordon Dickson, Al Sandalow, Will Varner, Arne Halbakken, Roger Schmidgall, Keith Keyser, Wayne Stiles, Explorator

With the Israeli military gone, there are no obstacles to visiting Hyrcania in the Judean wilderness.

Tagged Discoveries, Galilee, Israel's Coast, Jerusalem, Judah, Museums, Negev, Resources, Shephelah, Tourism, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 1

“Experts from Rome have wrapped up weeks of careful archaeological work in one of the most sensitive parts of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,” the area in front of the Edicule.

“A 1,500-year-old “magic mirror” from the Byzantine period was discovered by a 17-year-old Israeli taking part in a Young Leaders’ Survival Course at the Usha archaeological site in northern Israel.”

“A rare 2,500-year-old marble disc designed to protect ancient ships and ward off the evil eye was discovered by a lifeguard” near Palmachim Beach.

“Archaeologists excavating the site of Legio—the legionary camp of Rome’s Sixth Legion located at the foot of Tel Megiddo in northern Israel—have unearthed the remains of a small amphitheater used not for performances but rather for brutal combat training exercises.”

Aren Maeir mentions four sites in the Jezreel Valley that are being excavated this summer. Of Tel Shimron, he writes that they have discovered “some of the nicest and most important finds ever found in Israel!”

A rare half-shekel coin dug up in the Ein Gedi nature reserve was inscribed with the words ‘The Holy Jerusalem’ in Hebrew.”

Scott Stripling discusses the latest results from the excavations at Shiloh on CBN News. Or listen to the two recent episodes of The Bible and the Spade.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee will be voting soon on whether to include Jericho on its list.

Aviv and Shmuel Bar-Am have written an informative article about the best viewpoints in Jerusalem (though I think they left one of the best out).

A fox was spotted along the wall of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.

Jonathan Klawans recommends a visit to the Benedictine Monastery of the Resurrection in the village of Abu Ghosh.

“The director of the Israel Museum, Denis Weil, has resigned just a year and a half after taking up the position.”

New release: The Two Houses of Israel: State Formation and the Origins of Pan-Israelite Identity, by Omer Sergi (SBL Press, $55)

Walking The Text’s recommended resource of the month is Experiencing the Land of the Book, by Charles H. Dyer.

Israeli authorities have taken actions to protect Tel Aroma in Area B from destruction by vandals.

Guiding tours of the Dead Sea on his boat, Noam Bedein is making new discoveries, including a bubbling brook and new rock formations.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Explorator

The newest national park in Israel is Hippos. Now this Roman-Byzantine site in the Decapolis boasts paved paths, clean restrooms, and of course, a shop.

Tagged Dead Sea, Discoveries, Galilee, Jerusalem, Jezreel Valley, Jordan Rift, Judah, Museums, Resources, Samaria, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Bryan Windle’s report on “three things in Shiloh Samuel likely saw” includes discussion and photos of recent discoveries, including a building they think may be the tabernacle.

“Archaeologists working on a 2,000-year-old Roman cemetery discovered in Gaza last year have found at least 125 tombs, most with skeletons still largely intact, and two rare lead sarcophaguses.”

“A sword that was discovered by a diver off the coast of northern Israel in 2021 was likely lost overboard during a fierce naval battle between Crusaders and Muslim residents of coastal cities some 800 years ago.”

David Moster gives a video walkthrough of a beautiful 3D model of Herod’s Temple and Temple Mount.

The latest video from Expedition Bible looks at Jesus’s tomb, showing how strong the evidence is for the authenticity of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

Scott Stripling talks about the New Testament excavations at Khirbet el-Maqatir on a recent episode of Digging for Truth.

A volunteer at the Abel Beth Maacah excavations describes what a typical day on the dig is like.

Hybrid lecture on August 10: “Excavations at Khirbet Summeily, 2011-2023: A Preliminary Report,” by Jeff Blakely

Carl Rasmussen shares some older photos of an Intermediate Bronze cemetery discovered at Dhahr Mirzbaneh (Ain Samiya).

Abigail Leavitt shares photos of tombs in Jerusalem she recently visited.

Ferrell Jenkins shares photos of vineyards at Lachish then and now.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Alexander Schick, Explorator

This is the “Holy Sepulcher ladder” of the Jewish Quarter. This temporary pedestrian bridge floating over the Western Wall plaza is nearly 20 years old now.

Tagged Excavations, Galilee, Israel's Coast, Jerusalem, Samaria, Shephelah, Tomb of Jesus, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 2

Archaeologists are making progress in their second season of renewed excavations at Nimrud (ancient Calah), including the discovery of a depiction of Ishtar in a temple dedicated to her.

Royal tombs full of artifacts dating to 1500-1300 BC have been discovered near Hala Sultan Tekke on Cyprus. The site was discovered using magnetometers.

“A 2,500-year-old Phoenician shipwreck has been found underwater in the southeastern Spanish region of Murcia.”

MutualArt surveys the results of excavations and repatriations in Egypt this year.

Yigal Levin writes about the city of Dibon and the single reference to Dibon-Gad in the book of Numbers.

Marek Dospěl gives an overview of the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Adam E. Miglio considers the similarities between the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Book of Genesis.

Jessica Nitschke, the new editor of The Ancient Near East Today, explains her vision for the future of the website and newsletter.

New release: Ancient Egyptian Gold: Archaeology and Science in Jewellery (3500–1000 BC), edited by Maria F. Guerra, Marcos Martinón-Torres & Stephen Quirke (McDonald Institute Monographs; Cambridge; open access)

The Bible Mapper Blog continues to create helpful maps for Bible readers. Here are the latest:

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Explorator

The best museum in the Old City is now the Terra Santa Museum on the Via Dolorosa. Though it is not yet finished, it displays hundreds of impressive artifacts from around the country.

Tagged Discoveries, Egypt, Excavations, Jerusalem, Jordan, Mediterranean Islands, Mesopotamia, Resources, Weekend Roundup