Shephelah Archives - Page 37 of 65

Weekend Roundup

This video captures the “streams in the desert” during a recent flash flood in the Nahal Zin.

The spring season of excavations at Tel Burna has concluded.

The Times of Israel suggests “five glorious places from which to look out over Jerusalem.”

Mark Hoffman describes the new Google Maps Gallery and National Geographic Lands of the Bible Maps.

Larry Mykytiuk is on this week’s edition of The Book and the Spade discussing 50 Real People of the Bible, Confirmed by Archaeology (direct links to part 1 and part 2).

Seetheholyland.net now covers 100 sacred sites (Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Baha’i) and other places of interest for Christian pilgrims to the biblical world.

Ferrell Jenkins comments on the attempted donkey sacrifice at Nebi Samwil.

BibleX links to an article on the Living Torah Museum in New York.

Popular Archaeology summarizes the recent excavations at Abel Beth Maacah and includes many photos.

The Rose Guide to the Temple is now $3.99 for the Kindle.

Tagged Excavations, Jerusalem, Museums, Negev, Resources, Shephelah, Tourism

Weekend Roundup

A jug containing silver earrings and ingots has been unearthed at Abel Beth Maacah. The find dates to about 1200 BC.

Some missing pieces of the Colossi of Memnon have been discovered.

A new discovery in Crete confirms the practice of human sacrifice in the Mycenean culture circa 1300 BC.

Israeli police have arrested two Muslim workers for illegal excavations on the Temple Mount.

The Vatican is allegedly pressuring Jerusalem officials into turning over control of the Mount Zion complex that houses the traditional Upper Room and the tomb of David.

Titus Kennedy discusses the domestication of camels on this week’s interview on The Book and the Spade (direct link here).

Gordon Franz explains how the Via Egnatia was part of the means that God enabled the spread of the gospel “in the fullness of time.”

The site of Beit Guvrin and Maresha is a candidate for the World Heritage List. The impressive bell caves and ruins of a Roman-period city are among the attractions at this site in the southern Shephelah of Judah.

A couple who spent three days hiking near the Dead Sea share their experiences in a Jerusalem Post travel article.

Aren Maeir links to the full-length version of the Orson Welles movie of David and Goliath.

HT: Charles Savelle, Jack Sasson

The bell caves of Beit Guvrin
Photo from Judah and the Dead Sea

Tagged Dead Sea, Discoveries, Galilee, Greece, Jerusalem, Mediterranean Islands, Shephelah, Temple Mount, Weekend Roundup

Hellenistic Village Discovered Near Burma Road

A Hellenistic village from the 3rd to 1st centuries BC was recently excavated in the Shephelah of Judah a few miles south of Latrun and about 15 miles (24 km) west of Jerusalem. A press release from the Israel Antiquities Authority gives details.

The remnants of a rural settlement that was occupied for approximately two centuries during the Second Temple Period were uncovered in August 2013 – January 2014 near the ‘Burma Road’ (not far from Mitzpe Harel). The find was made during an Israel Antiquities Authority archaeological salvage excavation, before the start of work on a natural gas pipeline to Jerusalem as part of a national project directed by Israel Natural Gas Lines (INGL).
In June 2013, Israel Natural Gas Lines began construction of the 35km-long project, which runs from the coastal plain to the outskirts of Jerusalem. In light of the finds, the Israel Antiquities Authority and the INGL have agreed that engineering plans for the gas line are to be revised, bypassing the site and preserving it as an accessible archaeological site beside the Burma Road.
The excavations, which covered about 750 square meters, revealed a small rural settlement with a few stone houses and a network of narrow alleys. Each building, which probably housed a single nuclear family, consisted of several rooms and an open courtyard. According to Irina Zilberbod, excavation director on behalf of the Antiquities Authority, “The rooms generally served as residential and storage rooms, while domestic tasks were carried out in the courtyards.”

The full press release is here. The story is also reported in the Jerusalem Post.

HT: Joseph Lauer

Excavations along route of natural gas line. Photo by Skyview, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

Excavations from the air. Photo by Skyview, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

Coin from the reign of King Antiochus III (222–187 BC). Photo by Clara Amit, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

Tagged Excavations, Shephelah

Lecture in Dallas on Tel Burna

If you’re in the Dallas area this Friday, you might want to stop in for a free lecture on Tel Burna (possibly biblical Libnah) at Dallas Theological Seminary. The announcement gives location details but is not clear who is giving the lecture. I think it is Chris McKinny, one-time writer of our popular “Secret Places” series. (We’re hoping we see Chris back around these parts before too long!)

Ceramic mask fragment discovered at Tel Burna

Tagged Lectures, Shephelah

Weekend Roundup

Aren Maier reports that he may have been the last archaeologist to see the excavations of Eshtaol.

But you can see a video of the site before it was buried.

Some are unhappy that the Palestinian Authority is excavating a Hasmonean fortress between Bethlehem and the Herodium.

Barry Britnell saw the Jerusalem movie and he declares it to be “fantastic.” You can see if it is in a theater near you here.

The Kathleen Kenyon collection is now on display at the Ian Potter Museum in Melbourne.

This travel piece may inspire you to do more on your next trip to Israel than ride on a bus.

If you expect to be touring Israel in late May, you should plan now to avoid the pope.

You can save an extra 30% on any print book at Amazon through Dec 1, 11:59pm. Enter “BOOKDEAL” at checkout under the “Gift cards & promotional codes.” Up to $10 off. I recommend this book (for an amazing $21.47 after discount. I’ll say more about this book later, but not before this deal expires. Preview here.)

HT: Charles Savelle, Joseph Lauer

Tagged Jerusalem, Museums, Resources, Shephelah, Tourism, Weekend Roundup

Chalcolithic Temple Discovered at Eshtaol

A report from the IAA describes a range of finds at a salvage dig being conducted on Highway 38 (aka “the Diagonal Route”) north of Beth Shemesh. The finds include a house from the Neolithic period with nine flint and limestone axes, some used for cultic purposes. Archaeologists also identified a Chalcolithic temple at the site.

In the archaeological excavation conducted at Eshta’ol an important and rare find from the end of the Chalcolithic period (second half of the fifth millennium BCE) was discovered in the adjacent area. During the course of the excavation six thousand year old buildings were exposed and a stone column (called a standing stone or mazzevā) was discovered alongside one of them. The standing stone is 1.30 meters high and weighs several hundred kilos. According to the excavation directors, “The standing stone was smoothed and worked on all six of its sides, and was erected with one of its sides facing east. This unique find alludes to the presence of a cultic temple at the site”. The archaeologists said, “In the past numerous manifestations have been found of the cultic practice that existed in the Chalcolithic period; however, from the research we know of only a few temples at ‘En Gedi and at Teleilat Ghassul in Transjordan.”

The site will be open to the public on Wednesday, November 27, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. The article does not state whether the site will be preserved, but given its location along the route of the highway expansion, it seems unlikely. The full story is here and high-resolution photos are available here. The story is also reported in Arutz-7 and The Times of Israel, both of which provide details for registering for the site visit.

Eshtaol is mentioned in the Bible in connection with the birth and burial of Samson (Judges 13:25; 16:31). Men from the tribe of Dan were sent from Eshtaol and Zorah to spy out the northern territory for settlement (Judges 18:2, 8, 11). The discoveries made are from earlier periods and are not at the ancient site of Eshtaol. For a brief discussion of the location of ancient Eshtaol, see our post here.

Eshtaol excavation
Photo by Yoli Shwarz, courtesy Israel Antiquities Authority

Tagged Discoveries, Shephelah