Samaria Archives - BiblePlaces.com

Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Ruth Schuster has written a longer piece on Tel Burna (Libnah?), now that excavations have wrapped up. One point of focus is the 10th century BC destruction, believed to have been carried out by Shishak.

The Tel Burna team is headed to Khirbet Ether for excavations next summer.

“A replica of the Ark of the Covenant, painstakingly constructed, its creators say, to the Torah specifications of the sacred vessel that was the First Temple’s central fixture, was displayed in Jerusalem on Sunday evening.” The replica has already visited Jericho, Shiloh, and Mar-a-Lago.

JNS has a summary of sites excavated and artifacts discovered so far in 2024.

Abigail Van Huss explains the archaeological evidence found in the Mount Ebal Dump Salvage expedition on the latest episode of Digging for Truth.

The latest video in John DeLancey’s “Israel on Location” series features ibex at Sede Boqer.

Free this month on Logos: Alexander to Constantine: Archaeology of the Land of the Bible, by Eric M. Meyers and Mark A. Chancey

New release: Petra’s Temple of the Winged Lions, volume 1 and volume 2 (The American Center of Research, $133 and $141; both are open-access pdf)

Hybrid lecture on Oct 28: “The Relationship between Animals and Plants in the Ancient Near East – Effects on Farming, Inequality, and Empire,” by Shyama Vermeersch. For online attendance, register here.

Zoom lecture on Nov 11: “Ritual Baths (Mikvehs) in Synagogues: Between Law (Halakhah) and Piousness,” by Eyal Baruch

John Worrell, at one time a director of excavations at Tel el-Hesi, died last week.

The well-known Egyptologist Donald B. Redford died last week.

HT: Agade, Wayne Stiles, Gordon Franz, Chris Flanagan

Tagged Excavations, Jerusalem, Jordan, Resources, Sad News, Samaria, Shephelah, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Archaeologists believe that a collection of silver objects discovered at Megiddo nearly a hundred years ago is linked to Thutmose III’s campaign.

A decade after a Roman sword was discovered in the City of David, its missing tip has been recovered during a soil-sifting operation.

“A part of the ancient water aqueduct arch in Caesarea collapsed on Tuesday after the Caesarea Development Corporation (CDC), refused to take steps to prevent it despite the historical remains being under its jurisdiction.” This follows another collapse that occurred a year ago.

Scott Stripling gives an update on this summer’s discoveries at Tel Shiloh on The Book and the Spade podcast.

Scientists have developed a methodology to identify the source of basalt using “chemical fingerprints.”

All Israel News has created an 8-minute video explaining the significance of the Temple Mount Sifting Project.

Susannah Schild describes how, twenty years after moving to Israel and being unimpressed with its trees, she has come to appreciate them for their suitability to their environment and their value to the traveler.

“Steve Bryan walks through the healing at Bethesda in John 5 to explore what we can know about the pool from archaeological remains, and how that helps us make sense of the text.”

Jodi Magness writes about Charlemagne’s interest in Jerusalem.

The latest issue of ‘Atiqot features more than a dozen articles related to “rural life in the southern Levant.”

The folks at The Book Podcast invited me on to talk about Israel, pictures, and more.

HT: Agade, Mark V. Hoffman, Gordon Franz, Gordon Dickson, Arne Halbakken, Keith Keyser, Paleojudaica

Tagged Discoveries, Israel's Coast, Jerusalem, Jezreel Valley, Samaria, Temple Mount, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Archaeologists working in the drainage channel under the Siloam Road have announced the discovery of a “complete tableware set of Jerusalem’s residents” and “a delicate glass vial, nearly perfectly preserved, several small oil lamps with soot still in them from use, various coins and beads, and a collection of ceramic vessels used to hold perfume and oil.”

A very rare bronze coin minted under Emperor Hadrian’s successor was discovered in the Temple Mount Sifting Project.

Chandler Collins’s latest Jerusalem in Brief “highlights the Hinnom Valley in the 19th century, an original guide to Avi-Yonah’s Jerusalem model, a correction to a previous post, and upcoming events on historical Jerusalem.”

The Jerusalem Post is reporting on Jodi Magness’s new book on Jerusalem.

There is no evidence that the Mazor Mausoleum was the tomb of John the Baptist.

Jacob Sivak argues on the basis of a coin hoard and other evidence that Jewish independence in the land of Israel did not end in AD 70,

A new archaeological journal entitled “CARMEL” has been launched by The School of Archaeology and Maritime Cultures at the University of Haifa.

Joel Kramer’s latest video (with already 600k+ views!) is a witness stone mentioned in Joshua 24:26 and discovered at Shechem.

In a 30-minute video filmed on location at Gath, Nathan Steinmeyer talks with Aren Maeir about discuss the Philistines. This accompanies an article that Maeir wrote for the latest issue of Biblical Archaeology Review.

Leen Ritmeyer is impressed with a recently released 3D video on Herod’s Temple.

HT: Agade, Gordon Franz, Ted Weis, Arne Halbakken, Wayne Stiles, Alexander Schick

Tagged Discoveries, Jerusalem, Philistines, Resources, Samaria, Temple Mount, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup – Israel

A new study of textiles found in the Judean wilderness reveals that the color scarlet was made using powder of a scale insect.

“A nearly 2,000-year-old ring engraved with the image of Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom and battle — known to the Greeks as Athena — was found on Mount Carmel.”

An 8th century seal discovered at Hazor “depicts a battle between an unknown figure accompanied by Greek and Egyptian mythical creatures, and a large seven-headed serpent, commonly believed to be an illustration of the Lernaean Hydra from the Greek myth of Hercules’s 12 labors.”

The “altar” on Mount Ebal was recently damaged.

“The Saint Hilarion complex, one of the oldest monasteries in the Middle East, has been put on the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites in danger due to the war in Gaza.”

The final excavation season at Tel Burna (Libnah?) has concluded. Co-director Steven Ortiz is interviewed on The Book and the Spade, which is now available on a number of podcast platforms.

A discovery of lost papers from a dig in 1937 prompted a reevaluation of the Central Church of Shivta in the Negev.

Christopher Rollston explains why three mosaic inscriptions found at the Christian worship site near Megiddo are important in the study of Early Christianity.

A proposed Israeli law would expand the Israel Antiquities Authority’s jurisdiction into the West Bank.

Brent Nongbri shares photos of the Bedouin who first discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls. But there are questions. And another photo.

Israel’s Good Name reports on his outings to the Yodfat Monkey Park and Eilat and the Arava (Day I, Day II).

Wave Nunnally is on the Biblical World podcast to discuss recent events in Israel and the parables of the kingdom.

New release: Colonial Archaeology in Palestine in the 1930s: The First Expedition to Lachish, by Yosef Garfinkel (Israel Exploration Society and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; 260 NIS).

New release: The Economy of the Later Roman Province of Third Palestine, by Walter D. Ward (Archaeopress, £16–34)

New release: Ancient Synagogues in Palestine: A Re-evaluation Nearly a Century After Sukenik’s Schweich Lectures, by Jodi Magness (Oxford University Press, $100, free download)

New release: The Dead Sea Scrolls: New Insights on Ancient Texts, by Alex P. Jassen and Lawrence H. Schiffman (Springer, $89–119)

New release: Hesi after 50 Years and 130 Years: Paying Tribute to the Long Excavation History at Tell el-Hesi, edited by John R. Spencer, James W. Hardin, and Jeffrey Blakely (Eisenbrauns, $100, but Amazon has it at 60% off right now; Kindle $53). The Bible and Interpretation has posted the first chapter which is an introduction to the volume.

Israel now requires visitors from visa-exempt countries to purchase electronic travel authorization prior to boarding their flight to Israel. The government website is here.

As a reminder, we have number of useful photo collections related to Israel, including the Pictorial Library’s Galilee and the North, Samaria and the Center, Judah and the Dead Sea, and Negev and the Wilderness. All five Israel volumes are available as a set (6,000 photos) for only $119 today with code RAMAH.

HT: Agade, Gordon Franz, Arne Halbakken, Ted Weis, Steven Anderson, Gordon Dickson, Mark V. Hoffman

Tagged Dead Sea Scrolls, Excavations, Galilee, Israel's Coast, Resources, Samaria, Shephelah, Tourism, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part 1

Chandler Collins’s latest Jerusalem in Brief summarizes well the major radiocarbon study recently published. He challenges one of the conclusions and notes a preliminary response by Israel Finkelstein.

“A volunteer recently uncovered a colorful and intricately decorated bowl dating back to the Abbasid period of the 9th or 10th century, at Khirbet Hevra near Rehovot.”

Aren Maeir just wrapped up a short spring season excavating at Gath.

A bomb placed at “Joshua’s altar” on Mount Ebal was discovered before anyone was harmed.

Zoom lecture on May 22: “No Place Like Home: Ancient Israelite Houses in Context,” by Cynthia Shafer-Elliott

Biblical Byways is planning a study tour of biblical sites in Israel for September 18-27.

The Aerial Archaeology in Jordan project, now in its 26th season, has more than 180,000 images available online. Management is now being transferred from Britain to Jordan.

Ferrell Jenkins shares a photo he took of sheep grazing along the desert road in Jordan.

HT: Agade, Gordon Franz, Arne Halbakken, Alexander Schick

Tagged Discoveries, Jerusalem, Jordan, Lectures, Philistines, Photo Resources, Samaria, Tourism, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup

Archaeologists working at Huqoq in Galilee discovered an extensive underground complex used by Jewish villagers to hide from the Romans during the First and Second Jewish Revolts. The site will be open to visitors on March 29 and April 5 with free registration.

In a new relief sculpture discovered in eastern Turkey, “Antiochos of Commagene calls on the people to ‘obey and respect the law.”

Lechaion, one of the harbors of ancient Corinth, is at least 500 years older than previously thought.

Israeli authorities arrested Palestinians who built a parking lot on top of Umm ar-Rihan, a Second Temple period archaeological site in the northern West Bank.

New release: Jerusalem through the Ages: From Its Beginnings to the Crusades, by Jodi Magness (Oxford University Press, 624 pages, $40; also at Amazon)

New release: Transjordan and the Southern Levant: New Approaches Regarding the Iron Age and the Persian Period from Hebrew Bible Studies and Archaeology, edited by Benedikt Hensel (Mohr Siebeck, €109)

New release: What’s in a Divine Name? Religious Systems and Human Agency in the Ancient Mediterranean, edited by Alaya Palamidis and Corinne Bonnet (De Gruyter; $165; free download)

James Riley Strange reviews Ancient Synagogues Revealed 1981–2022, edited by Lee I. Levine, Zeev Weiss, and Uzi Leibner.

Infusion Bible Conference is offering a digital download of “The Last Days of Jesus” conference (video lectures and notebook) for $69.

The Ancient Arabia website features a digital atlas, a gazetteer, and a thematic dictionary.

All Israel News has an article about two tabernacle replicas in Israel.

Hayah Katz believes that decline of Christian interest in biblical archaeology has contributed to increasing Jewish interest in the field.

Leon Mauldin just visited Ostia, the port city of Rome, and he shares some photos from his visit.

Ferrell Jenkins has posted photos of Corinth’s temple of Apollo and Erastus inscription.

Abigail Leavitt: “I spent the past week digging at Khirbet Rafid, a site across the highway from Tel Shiloh.”

HT: Agade, Gordon Franz, Gordon Dickson, Arne Halbakken

Tagged Discoveries, Galilee, Greece, Holidays, Italy, Jerusalem, Samaria, Tourism, Turkey, Weekend Roundup