Samaria Archives - Page 27 of 33

Weekend Roundup

One archaeologist is calling the 900-seat arts center built by Hadrian the most important Roman discovery since the discovery of the Forum in the 1920s. There is a photo of the dig site here.

The Temple Mount Sifting Project blog has a series of posts on the recent debris removal from the
Temple Mount. Nadav Shragai provides a summary in Israel Hayom. Leen Ritmeyer provides a brief commentary.

A baptistery has been discovered in the Byzantine monastery of Khirbet el-Maqatir.

Ferrell Jenkins has wrapped up his series of photo illustrations for the book of Acts.

The BBC has a month-by-month review of archaeological stories in 2012.

Our Archaeological Surveys Bibliography has been significantly expanded.

HT: Jack Sasson, Joseph Lauer, Ted Weis

Tagged Discoveries, Italy, Jerusalem, Resources, Samaria, Temple Mount

Wednesday Roundup

Leen Ritmeyer has photos from Alexander Schick of a wooden version of the formerly Holyland Hotel model of Jerusalem, now on display at Ben Gurion Airport.

Haaretz has a story about a Canaanite banquet hall discovered at Tel Kabri.

The Samaritans are using genetic testing (and abortion) to reduce the chances of birth defects caused by inbreeding.

The first snow of the season has fallen on Mount Hermon.

Vandals have attacked the Monastery of the Cross in Jerusalem for the second time this year.

You can now purchase the high-resolution artwork from the ESV Study Bible. The maps, illustrations, and charts/diagrams are available in packages for $10, or you can download everything for $25.

Eisenbrauns has a 30-50% off sale on the 4 volumes of the Ashkelon reports.

HT: Jack Sasson

Model of Jerusalem at Ben Gurion Airport.
Photo by Alexander Schick.

Tagged Discoveries, Galilee, Israel's Coast, Jerusalem, Photo Resources, Resources, Samaria, Weekend Roundup

Wednesday Roundup

Excavations are underway now at ancient Carchemish. We’ve commented on the plans previously here.

I really like how Wayne Stiles takes our photos and creates beautiful articles that explain the biblical history so well. This week he writes about the tabernacle at Shiloh.

James Davila points to a new article on the metal codices from Jordan and explains why he thinks they’re still fake.

Caspari Center Media Review: Jerusalem’s local conservation committee rejected plans to build a four-story hotel next door to Mary’s Well in the pastoral village of Ein Karem. Those who opposed the plan said that the construction posed a great risk to the well, which, according to Christian tradition, is where Mary the mother of Jesus bathed. “The water from the well is considered holy for Christians and pilgrims from all over the world come to this place to fill up bottles with water from the well. … Damaging the well would be very harmful to the country.”

HT: Jack Sasson

Shiloh, home of the tabernacle
(photo from the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)

Tagged Forgery, Judah, Samaria, Turkey

Barcodes on the Road of the Patriarchs

The Jerusalem Post describes a new program that will allow tourists with smartphones to watch videos instead of enjoying the ancient sites.

Visitors to Judea and Samaria should bring their smartphones along with bottles of water, if they want to learn about the biblical sites that dot Route 60.
Thanks to a program of the Council of Jewish Communities of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip, new signs have been placed at selected spots along the highway, known as the Path of the Patriarchs.
Signs have also been posted at archeological sites in the settlements of Elon Moreh, Susisya and Shiloh as well as in Hebron and by the Lone Tree in Gush Etzion.
Each sign has a bar code that can activate smartphones, whose users have downloaded the free app Scanlife. Once activated, smartphone owners can view videos describing the sites.

The full story is here. Perhaps the plan is not as awful as it sounds.

HT: Charles Savelle

The Lebonah Valley along the Road of the Patriarchs

Tagged Judah, Samaria, Tourism

Wednesday Roundup

Eilat Mazar has resumed excavations in the (so-called) Ophel, and her partners at Armstrong College plan to provide regular updates. They begin with an on-location interview of Mazar.

Excavations continue to reveal Egyptian presence in Joppa from the New Kingdom period.

Mark Fairchild’s search for ancient synagogues in Turkey is profiled in the local press. The article includes an interesting video by Fairchild of his discoveries.

In light of an article in the Wall Street Journal, Charles Savelle reflects on the value of knowing biblical geography.

Ferrell Jenkins is back in Israel and he shares a rare photo of Jacob’s well.

King Tut and his predecessors may have been afflicted with temporal lobe epilepsy.

Did you forget to celebrate the 2000th anniversary of Caligula’s birthday?

Clean-up of the polluted Kishon River is finally scheduled to begin, 12 years after divers were found
to have contracted cancer.

The cedars of Lebanon are threatened by climate change.

As Rosh HaShanah (the New Year) begins in Jewish homes around the world at sundown on Sunday,

Wayne Stiles reflects on the Gezer Calendar and other ways we keep time.

The 50th anniversary of Lawrence of Arabia inspires Anthony Horowitz to travel to Jordan.

HT: Explorator, Jack Sasson

Wadi Rum. Photo from the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands.

Tagged Egypt, Excavations, Holidays, Italy, Jerusalem, Jordan, Lebanon, Samaria, Turkey, Weekend Roundup

Wednesday Roundup

The Israel Trail has been included in National Geographic’s list of the world’s best hikes. Tourists are returning to Shiloh, and the majority are evangelical Christians. Jerusalem firefighters have battled 5,000 fires this summer, the majority of them arson. Eight new animal species have been discovered in a cave 300 feet below Ramle. If approved, a new hotel rating system in Israel should cause prices to drop. The latest in the Top 5 series at the Jerusalem Post: Jerusalem hostels. Twelve new skyscrapers will change Jerusalem’s skyline. Wayne Stiles provides a history of the Garden Tomb. A bill has been drafted which would provide separate prayer times for Jews and Muslims on the Temple Mount. Accordance has a sale on the Anchor Bible Dictionary, marked down to $200 until August 21. Interior of the Garden Tomb (photo source)

Tagged Jerusalem, Resources, Samaria, Temple Mount, Tourism, Weekend Roundup