Rome’s ongoing subway system project has uncovered several glimpses of the past, this time the ruins of a Roman military commander’s 14-room luxury villa. ASOR Cultural Heritage Initiatives has a report on the current status of the Ain Dara Temple. Authorities caught tomb raiders in Galilee as they used a bulldozer to loot graves from the Roman period. 3D computational geometry is being used in a long-distance virtual reconstruction to piece together ancient cuneiform texts. Christopher Rollston is on the OnScript Podcast speaking about the Isaiah seal impression. The Digital Archive for the Study of pre-Islamic Arabian Inscriptions “seeks to gather all known pre-Islamic Arabian epigraphic material into a comprehensive online database, with the aim to make available to specialists and to the broader public a wide array of documents often underestimated because of their difficulty of access.” A proposed restructuring at University College London may have adverse effects on the Petrie Museum. You can learn how to help here. Bible Gateway has published an interview with Lois Tverberg about her new book, Reading the Bible with Rabbi Jesus. On sale for Kindle: Provan, Long, and Longman, A Biblical History of Israel ($3.99). Accordance has a big sale going on now on atlases and related resources. The Satellite Bible Atlas is now available on Accordance, and it too is on sale (40% off) until March 12. BAS is offering subscriptions to its video lecture service for 75% off for a limited time. David Z. Moster’s latest video explains how to use the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Wayne Stiles shares some new video footage shot over biblical Joppa. The LMLK Blogspot links to a new video of aerial footage of Hebron. HT: Ted Weis, Agade, Charles Savelle, Mark Hoffman
Excavations of Ein Hanya in the Judean hills have concluded with an announcement of the discovery of an Israelite royal capital (proto-Aeolic?), a 4th century Greek drachma, and a Byzantine pool system. The site is associated in tradition with Philip’s baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch. The site will soon open as an archaeological park.
Eilat Mazar has returned to the Ophel to excavate, and this video shows a large cave she believes was in use during the First Temple period. An interview with Mazar includes an aerial photo with the excavation sites labeled.
A Roman tomb complex has been discovered in the northern Gaza Strip.
The ancient temple at Ain Dara, Syria, which is the closest parallel to Solomon’s temple, was heavily damaged in recent Turkish air strikes.
A radar scan is underway in King Tut’s tomb to determine if there are any hidden chambers.
Egypt announced the discovery of a 4,400-year-old tomb in good condition at Giza.
A man carrying a metal detector around the Nabatean ruins of Halutza was arrested for looting more than 150 Byzantine coins.
Five ancient statues stolen during Lebanon’s civil war are back on display in its National Museum.
The Museum of Ancient Greek Technology recently opened in Athens.
“A new exhibition showing at the Carthage National Museum highlights the links between the Carthaginian and Etruscan civilisations before the Mediterranean came under Roman dominion.”
Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities is launching a project to document rare petroglyphs throughout the country.
HT: Ted Weis, Agade, Joseph Lauer
- Tagged Egypt, Excavations, Israel's Coast, Jerusalem, Judah, Lebanon, Museums, Negev, Syria, Turkey, Weekend Roundup
Haaretz reports on Steven Fine’s study that the reliefs of the Arch of Titus were originally painted in full color.
“The Arch of Titus – From Jerusalem to Rome and Back” is a new exhibition opening this week at the Center for Jewish History in Manhattan.
Have scientists discovered the body of Pliny the Elder?
Scientists at a university in Rome have determined what causes ancient parchments to develop purple spots and deteriorate. The journal article is here.
Mark Hoffman has created a list of free online Bible resource sites and downloadable Bible apps and programs.
Carl Rasmussen explains that the apostle Paul visited the area of modern Albania, probably on the Via Egnatia.
The Biblical Archaeology Society has a new streaming video site, with a 75%-off introductory offer.
The deadlines are approaching for many funded fellowships at the Albright Institute in Jerusalem.
Letters from Baghdad will be screened at the Oriental Institute Museum in Chicago on October 11.
The event is free, but registration is required.
Now free (pdf): The Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago
Now free (pdf): The City of Ebla: A Complete Bibliography of Its Archaeological and Textual Remains. (Click the small pdf icon to download).
Early reviews of Lois Tverberg’s forthcoming book are very positive, including my own.
HT: Joseph Lauer, Agade
- Tagged Italy, Mesopotamia, Movies, Resources, Syria, Technology, Weekend Roundup
Haaretz (premium): “Archaeologists in Rome have uncovered the [very fragmentary] remains of a second triumphal arch dedicated to the emperor Titus and his success in putting down the Great Revolt of the Jews in the first century C.E.”
“The remains of a huge Roman temple, the size of St Paul’s Cathedral in London has been found by a Cambridge University archaeological team in central Italy.”
Philippe Bohstrom has written an interesting and well-illustrated article on the Greek site of Poseidonia (Paestum) in southern Italy.
“The location where the Greek naval forces had gathered before the historic sea battle of Salamis against Persians in 480 BC has been discovered.”
“A unique statue, possibly of Queen Tiye, the wife of King Amenhotep III and grandmother of King Tutankhamun, has been unearthed at her husband’s funerary temple in Kom El-Hittan on Luxor’s west bank.”
“The intact tomb of the brother of a 12th Dynasty Elephantine governor has been uncovered, containing a range of funerary goods.”
Antiquities dealers in the US imported $100 million in artifacts from Egypt and Turkey last year.
In order to thwart the plundering of antiquities, Syrian archaeologists have begun painting their treasures with a clear, traceable liquid.
The New York Times previews the new “Mummies” exhibit at the American Museum of Natural
History in Manhattan.
The ABWG has a roundup of links for Awards for Books in Classics, Ancient Near East, and Antiquity.
HT: Ted Weis, Charles Savelle, Steven Anderson, Agade, Joseph Lauer
- Tagged Antiquities Trade, Discoveries, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Museums, New Exhibits, Syria, Weekend Roundup
A new study concludes that the Roman siege ramp of Masada was never completed and thus was not used to conquer the site.
The Times of Israel has more on the latest discoveries at Omrit.
Syrian troops have recaptured Palmyra from ISIS and the latest damage is being assessed.
The site of the ancient temple of Artemis in Ephesus is suffering from neglect.
The Museum of Archaeological Excavations on Elephantine Island in Aswan has been re-opened after a six-year closure.
The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo was opened to the public last week.
2,000 libraries around the world will receive true color photographs of the Sistine Chapel.
“A 19th-century view of the Egyptian temple complex of Karnak is to go on display at the British Museum for the first time this week.”
Wayne Stiles provides a brief history of the Temple Mount, with lots of photos.
John DeLancey of Biblical Israel Tours now has posts up for every day of his recent tour of Israel and Italy.
Gordon Govier interviews Randall Price about “Qumran Cave 12” on The Book and the Spade.
Gary Byers has written a well-illustrated post on the use of mudbricks in the Bible.
Steve Mason’s A History of the Jewish War, A.D. 66-74 is positively reviewed on the BMCR blog.
LandMinds interviews Guy Stiebel on his return to excavating Masada (40 min).
Eisenbrauns is offering 70-80% off dozens of feschriften, including The Fire Signals of Lachish (now
$21) and Exploring the Longue Duree (now $23).
The new issue of Biblical Archaeology Review includes articles on Laodicea and a banquet hall near
the Temple Mount.
BAS has launched a new video streaming site, with a special introductory offer of 75% off.
David Rubinger, photographer of the iconic scene of Israeli paratroopers at the Western Wall, has
died at the age of 92.
HT: Agade, Ted Weis, Paleojudaica
- Tagged Dead Sea, Egypt, Galilee, Italy, Resources, Syria, Temple Mount, Tourism, Weekend Roundup
The New York Times recounts the recent destruction of Palmyra and reviews a new online exhibit by The Getty Research Institute, “The Legacy of Ancient Palmyra.”
The search for hidden chambers in King Tut’s tomb continues this year.
A Japanese team has discovered the tomb of a royal scribe of Amenhotep III.
Ferrell Jenkins has posted on an attractive display of ossuaries at the Hecht Museum in Haifa.
Seth Rodriquez explains what happened to Judah after they were exiled.
Thomas Kiely of the British Museum reviews The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of the Levant c. 8000-332 BCE in the Oxford Handbooks in Archaeology series.
On the ASOR Blog, Anna-Latifa Mourad argues that the Hyksos were foreigners but not invaders.
Since 1833 there has been no mosque in Athens. Until this year.
Daniel Falk will be lecturing on “The Myth of the Dead Sea Scrolls” at Baylor University on Tuesday, February 21.
Alexander Schick will be lecturing at The Jordan Museum in Amman on Thursday, February 23, 5:00 pm, on “Uncovering the Scrolls: The Early and Late History of the Dead Sea Scrolls.” All are welcome.
HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Mark Hoffman, Ted Weis, Charles Savelle
