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Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Hundreds of Israelis trekked to Har Karkom on December 21 to see the “Burning Bush” phenomenon.

Israel’s (quasi-)observance of the sabbatical year may provide income for Gaza’s farmers.

Dozens of ancient sites in Jerusalem are suffering from neglect.

Israeli police caught a group of antiquities thieves plundering Horvat Zaak, a Jewish village from the Second Temple period in southern Judea.

Elisabeth Yehuda writes about wine production in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.

The Israeli government has approved a $48 million aid package for the tourism industry, some of which is designated for retraining programs.

The list of speakers and topics has been released for JUC’s Transitions in the Land online seminar. Registration is free and open to all.

The complete series of 26 episodes is now available of “Conversations in the Archaeology and History of Ancient Israel with Israel Finkelstein.”

Releasing today: Footsteps Every Day: A Daily Devotional is a year-long journey through all four Gospels, led by Bob Rognlien, author of Recovering the Way. The website includes a video introduction and sample devotions.

Ralph W. Klein died this week.

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

Three new top 10 lists for 2021:

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

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Weekend Roundup, Part 2

“Two statues believed to be dating back to 2,000 years were unearthed during excavation works in the ancient Roman city of Blaundus in western Turkey.”

Five marble statue heads from the Hellenistic and Roman periods were discovered in excavations at Cnidus (Knidos).

“A 4,000-year-old mound and an architectural structure inside it have been unearthed after the water level of Atatürk Dam receded 15 meters in the southeastern province of Adıyaman.”

“The Temple of Venus and Roma, located in the Roman Forum opposite the Colosseum, has undergone a €2.5 million restoration sponsored by the luxury fashion house Fendi.”

Biblical Archaeology Review has posted its annual list of dig opportunities for 2022. The Biblical Archaeology Society is offering dig scholarships of $2,000.

The first-ever Spring Bible and Archaeology Fest will be held on April 2 and 3.

“Left in ruins by jihadists, Iraq’s once-celebrated Mosul museum and its 2,500-year-old treasures are being given a second life.”

Austen Henry Layard, renowned as the excavator of Nimrud, used his archaeological fame to catapult him into a career of politics and diplomacy.

The National Library of Israel has a new section on its website to share manuscripts from St. Catherine’s Monastery and related materials.

The final reports for the Tall Zirā‘a / Gadara Region Project have now been published. The volumes are also available in pdf format for free.

New exhibition at New York University: Pompeii in Color: The Life of Roman Painting (Jan 26 to May 29).

BBC Radio episode on the Hittites: “Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the empire based in the Land of Hatti during the Late Bronze Age, in modern Turkey, and the discoveries there over the last century.”

Carl Rasmussen begins a series on anchor stocks discovered at Malta and their possible relationship to Paul’s shipwreck.

Lectures from La Sierra University’s recent Archaeology Discovery Weekend are now online, including these two by Mark Wilson:

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

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Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Israel Nature and Parks Authority has created an educational farm in the Hinnom Valley, and some people aren’t happy about it.

Antiquities robbers have removed some steps and seating in the Roman amphitheater of Sebastia (ancient Samaria).

Jerusalem police arrested a man after a search of his home turned up a Hasmonean coin, a Hasmonean oil lamp, and a seal ring with Hebrew inscriptions.

Israel has returned to Egypt 95 artifacts illegally smuggled into Israel.

The Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem has ordered that there be no singing of Christmas carols in church on December 25.

Bryan Windle has written a well-researched, well-illustrated article on Bethlehem.

Jordan Ryan is the guest on The Book and the Spade, discussing architectural features of churches in the Holy Land.

“The Wisdom of Peers: The Madaba Plains Project After Fifty Years” tells the story of the longest-running archaeological project in Jordan (15 min).

New release: The Prophets of Israel: Walking in the Ancient Paths, by James K. Hoffmeier

Steve Mason: “If we leave biblical and New Testament authors out of the frame, Flavius Josephus (37–100+ CE) was the most consequential ancient writer in the West.”

Zoom lecture on Dec 15: “The Political Expansion of the United Monarchy,” by Steven Ortiz.

The free Jerusalem University College global online seminar, Transitions in the Land, will be held on January 8-9. A full schedule is coming, but registration is now open. Speakers include Gabriel Barkay, Lynn Cohick, Richard Hess, Steven Ortiz, Sandra Richter, William Schiedewind, and your roundup writer.

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Ted Weis, Alexander Schick, Arne Halbakken, Paleojudaica, Explorator

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Weekend Roundup, Part 1

“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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Weekend Roundup, Part 1

“A rare 2,000-year-old silver shekel coin, thought to have been minted on the Temple Mount plaza from the plentiful silver reserves held there at the time, has been uncovered in Jerusalem” by an 11-year-old girl participating in a sifting operation.

A Roman game carved into the city square near Jerusalem’s Damascus Gate is known as Alquerque, a kind of proto-checkers (Haaretz premium).

Archaeologists have identified six prominent characteristics of royal architecture in the Levant during the time of Israel’s kings. The underlying journal article is here.

Andrew Lawler tells the story of when rabbis entered an area under the Temple Mount through Warren’s Gate with hopes of finding the Ark of the Covenant.

Archaeologist Barak Monnickendam-Givon is interviewed on The Jerusalem Post’s Zoomcast series about archaeological evidence related to Hanukkah and the Maccabees.

Israel21c has an article on 6 archaeological discoveries related to the Maccabees.

Bryan Windle’s top three reports in biblical archaeology is out for the month of November.

For the Thanksgiving episode of The Book and the Spade, Gordon Govier shares the story of his own “life in ruins” (direct link).

Zoom lecture on Nov 30: “The Mysteries of the Ark of the Covenant,” by Thomas Christian Römer

Zoom lecture on Dec 16: “Agrippa II: – The Last of the Herods,” by David Jacobson

It looks like another Christmas in Bethlehem without tourists.

Amazon has a buy-2-get-1-free special on the ESV Archaeology Study Bible and other books.

Preserving Bible Times is shifting their resources over to a digital-only format, and now until the end of the year, they are offering their print books and CDs and DVDs at reduced prices.

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

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Weekend Roundup, Part 1

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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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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