New excavations at Hyrcania have already turned up an inscription in Greek adapted from Psalm 86.

“A cave containing the remains of a young woman who was likely a courtesan during the Hellenistic period has been discovered near Hebron Road in Jerusalem, along with a well-preserved, rare bronze mirror.”

Gershon Galil claims that he has deciphered a fragmentary inscription from the time of Hezekiah that was discovered in Jerusalem forty years ago (Hebrew version here). (I wouldn’t recommend trusting Galil’s judgment on anything these days. So far the story is only covered by Ynet; if other outlets cover this, they will surely include responses from other scholars.)

Archaeologists have made new and interesting finds at the ancient submerged Egyptian city of Heracleion.

This one-minute video shows how cuneiform tablets were formed from clay and inscribed.

In the newest episode in the Flora & Faith series, Brad Gray explains the symbolism of the almond tree in Scripture.

The latest episode in “Faith Journeys with God in the Land” with John DeLancey was filmed at the Pool of Siloam earlier this year.

Erez Ben-Yosef was on the What Matters Now podcast to discuss his theory about the beginnings of the United Monarchy. The Times of Israel article includes a transcript.

Zoom lecture on Oct 5: “Maritime Viewscapes and the Material Religion of Levantine Seafarers,” by Aaron Brody ($13). Brody has written an article on the ASOR Blog on the same topic.

Zoom lecture on Oct 19: “Archaeology of Jesus’ Nazareth,” by Ken Dark. Registration required.

Biblical Archaeology Report has a rundown on the top three discoveries of the month.

Ferrell Jenkins shares some experiences and photos from his visits to Mount Nebo.

Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, the seventh and final commemoration in the biblical calendar, begins today. TheTorah.com has an article on the etrog as the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

HT: Agade, Ted Weis, Joseph Lauer, Arne Halbakken

“Temples for the Egyptian god Amun and the Greek goddess Aphrodite were found off of Egypt’s coast by a team of archaeologists.”

“A new Indo-European language was discovered during excavations in the Boğazkale district of Çorum, which is home to Hattusa, the capital of the Hittites.”

“A group of researchers has successfully extracted DNA from an ancient cuneiform brick for the first time, identifying over thirty species of plants present in the brick’s clay.”

“Back to School in Babylonia” is a new exhibition at the University of Chicago.

BAS Scholars Series online lecture on Sept 28: “Free Health Care Is a Miracle: Psalm 8, Jesus, and the Jerusalem Temple,” with Amy-Jill Levine ($10)

Hybrid lecture on Sept 29: “Babylon under the Achaemenids: The Greek Sources Re-considered,” by Johannes Haubold. Hosted by The Center for the Ancient Mediterranean (CAM) at Columbia University. Remote participants must register.

The Institute of Biblical Culture is launching a new Biblical Hebrew course. You can save $300 with the code BIBLEPLACES. 

All of Doug Greenwold’s books from Preserving Bible Times are now available on Amazon Kindle.

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Arne Halbakken

Archaeologists discovered a Second Temple period stonemason’s workshop near Jerusalem.

“A United Nations conference voted Sunday to list ruins of the ancient West Bank city of Jericho as a World Heritage Site in Palestine.”

The Temple Mount Sifting Project blog provides a glimpse into the difficulties of protecting the debris that is the focus on their study.

“The ongoing excavation of Horvat Midras/Khirbet Durusiya (Israel) provides an opportunity to study changes in the ethnic and religious makeup of a rural settlement in the ancient southern Levant.”

David Moster explains how tall the Jerusalem temple was by comparing it with other large monuments including the Dome of the Rock. He even found a classical-style building with very similar dimensions to Solomon’s temple.

Jerusalem Post: “Is the biblical ark of the covenant hidden in an Ethiopian church?”

Zoom lecture on October 24: “The Austrian Expedition to Tel Lachish 2017–2023,” by Katharina Streit and Felix Höflmayer.

Registration is open for next year’s excavation season at Shiloh.

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Arne Halbakken

The Biblical Museum of Natural History in Beit Shemesh has a large collection of animal horns, but not all qualify to be used for the Feast of Trumpets.

A fire broke out at Tel Gezer yesterday, forcing the evacuation of some hikers.

Archaeologists are making significant discoveries in eastern Turkey underneath the Zerzevan Castle.

Turkish Archaeological News has a roundup of major stories in the month of August.

Archaeologists have uncovered new evidence related to the battle of Salamis.

Some people are not happy with a new wooden ceiling installed at the Karnak Temple.

Mohy-Eldin E. Abo-Eleaz writes about the harsh life of diplomatic messengers in Egypt in the Late Bronze Age.

The US returned to Lebanon a dozen looted artifacts valued at $9 million, including three from the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The “Origins of Olive Oil” is the subject of the latest podcast on The Ancients.

The price for the 2023 Friends of ASOR Seminar, with many well-known speakers, has been greatly reduced.

Writing for Bible and Spade, David Spoede reviews the overwhelming archaeological evidence for the domestication of camels in the time of Abraham.

Michael Holmes explains why a newly published Greek fragment related to the Gospels is a big deal.

In the latest episode of Walking The Text, Brad Nelson explains how “understanding how a fig tree produces fruit clarifies exactly what’s happening when Jesus curses the fig tree.” The website includes discussion questions as well as resources for further study.

HT: Agade, Ted Weis, Arne Halbakken, Keith Keyser, Gordon Franz

Bible Scenes has released a beautiful 3-minute video showing a 3D model of Herod’s Temple. The video was nearly two years in the making, with the assistance of Leen Ritmeyer (who gives some background here). The website has a number of free scenes, and generous permission usage is granted. You can help them create more scenes by becoming a subscriber.

Chandler Collins writes about “some unexpected architectural fragments” discovered in the Jewish Quarter in the 1970s.

The Jerusalem Post has stories about the archaeological site of Magdala and its tourist facilities.

Nate Loper surveys “the historical and archaeological connections between Israel and the Egyptian empire” in the latest episode of Digging for Truth.

Online lecture on Sept 21: “Fact & Fiction in the Empress Helena’s Travels to the Holy Land,” by Julia Hillner. Sponsored by the Anglo-Israel Archaeological Society. Free.

A full recording of the “Conrad Schick and His World” conference is now online. You can find the conference booklet with abstracts here.

Abigail Leavitt reports on the lectures and field trip for a recent conference at Ariel University entitled “Boundaries and Influences in the Archaeology of Israel and the Eastern Mediterranean.”

Today is the Feast of Trumpets, the first day of the significant seventh month in the Jewish calendar. Your calendar probably identifies it as the Jewish New Year (Rosh HaShanah).

HT: Agade, Ted Weis, Arne Halbakken, Keith Keyser, David Padfield, Will Varner

The Times of Israel gives an update on Israel’s decade-long systematic attempt to survey and excavate the caves of the Judean wilderness ahead of looters.

Ruth Schuster writes about a new theory that the Buqeia Valley east of Jerusalem was occupied around the time of King Josiah by quasi-military herders. The article includes some beautiful photos of the area.

Haaretz summarizes a new article that “examines the archaeological and historical evidence for the existence of Jewish gladiators in the first to fourth centuries.”

The latest issue of Biblical Archaeology Review includes articles on Jerusalem’s Millo, Baal, and Constantinople.

Leen Ritmeyer writes about archaeological evidence for Jews in exile in Babylon.

“An ancient Roman statue believed to depict the daughter of the emperor Marcus Aurelius, and valued at $5 million, has been seized by New York officials.”

“A British auctioneer has pleaded guilty to numerous charges relating to the sale of rare ancient coins, including a hoard discovered by Palestinian fishermen.”

The synagogue that housed the Cairo Geniza has been completely renovated.

Chandler Collins has posted part 2 of his historical study of the excavations of the Stepped Stone Structure in Jerusalem.

The Anglo-Israel Archaeological Society has posted some lectures on their new YouTube channel, including:

• Herodian Jerusalem in the Light of New Finds from the Western Wall Tunnels, by Shlomit Weksler-Bdolah
• One Site, Two Peoples: Phoenicians and Jews at Kedesh of the Upper Galilee, by Andrea M. Berlin
• New Light on Iron Age and Persian Period Jerusalem, by Yuval Gadot
• Forty Years of Archaeological Work on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, by Shimon Gibson

New release: Excavating the Land of Jesus, by James Riley Strange (Eerdmans, $30). Phillip J. Long has a review here.

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Arne Halbakken, Keith Keyser, Alexander Schick, Alexander Schick

Four Roman swords were discovered in a cave near En Gedi. Three are spatha swords, and all were likely stolen from Roman soldiers by Jewish rebels during the Bar Kochba revolt.

The swords were discovered incidentally while doing multispectral imaging on a 7th-century BC inscription in the cave. The new reading of the inscription may include the word “salt.”

An Israeli teenager discovered an bronze Roman ring at Sussita/Hippos.

i24News visits the “dig for a day” program in the caves of Bet Guvrin.

The German Protestant Institute for Archaeology will celebrate its 125th anniversary with a conference in Jerusalem on October 16-17.

Jordan Ryan is a guest on The Book and the Spade discussing the 2023 excavation season at Tel Shimron.

Abigail Leavitt shares a number of photos from her walk around the Old City of Jerusalem.

The IBEX program in Israel where I taught for some years is featured in the new issue of The Master’s University Magazine.

Was a major discovery related to the Pool of Siloam made this week? Some unreliable websites suggest something new was revealed. The regular sources seem to be ignoring it, though The Jerusalem Post has recycled this reporting, with a completely irrelevant photo. When you read beyond the headline, the claim is that eight steps were discovered. A comparison of the published photo with earlier photos suggests that a portion of the lowest flight of steps, previously partially revealed, has now been fully exposed along with a portion of the reservoir and walls within.

Pool of Siloam steps. The wooden boards are located on the second (of three) flight of steps, filling in gaps in preserved stones. Photo published with the news reports this week, courtesy of the City of David Foundation. Comparison with the photos below indicates that this was taken earlier this summer.

Pool of Siloam in 2006, with three flights of stairs. The lowest flight is not fully exposed.

Pool of Siloam last month, showing third flight of steps and on-going excavations in pool below the steps. Some walls appear to be visible within the pool. Photo by John Black.

Pool of Siloam on Wednesday, September 6, showing wall inside the area of the pool. Photo by John Black.

HT: Agade, Joseph Lauer, Arne Halbakken, Alexander Schick, Ted Weis, Gordon Dickson

One of the earliest water channels in history was discovered in the Izmir province in Turkey.

Ben Witherington is impressed with the new Izmir Museum (parts 2, 3, 4, 5). He also recently traveled to Patmos (part 2) and the tombs of Philip of Macedon and family (parts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).

Mark Hoffman explains how you can walk in Paul’s steps from Corinth to Cenchrea. His guide includes maps, photos, and detailed instructions for two routes, each about 7 miles one-way.

A 30-minute documentary follows archaeologist Stephan Lehmann in his work in detecting forged antiquities.

A forensic archaeologist says that the British Museum theft is the “worst in modern history.” The BBC story says that only 1% of the museum’s artifacts are on display, and not all of the rest is “properly catalogued and registered.”

More than 20,000 Achaemenid tablets from Persepolis will be returned to Iran from the Oriental Institute by the end of the year, according to an Iranian official.

NY Times: “The Egyptian government has demolished historic tombs, cultural centers, artisan workshops and gardens in pursuit of large-scale urban renewal.”

“Scientists have decoded an ancient aroma by identifying the ingredients used in Egyptian mummification balms — and resurrected the scent.”

Silvia Zago reviews Egyptian views of the otherworld.

Megan Sauter explains how to see some of the earliest Christian art in the entire world—located in the Catacomb of Priscilla in Rome.

Barbara Sofer visited Ostia to learn about the ancient synagogue and Jewish population of Rome’s port city.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Ted Weis, Explorator

Two sets of large channels uncovered in the City of David (Givati Parking Lot) and dating to the time of King Joash (ca. 800 BC) have stymied investigators as to their purpose. Barnea Levi Selavan interviewed archaeologist Yiftach Shalev on location (15 min).

About 1,000 feet of the Upper Aqueduct bringing water to Jerusalem was discovered in a neighborhood south of the Old City. This is the longest section of this aqueduct ever discovered.

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

“The Western Wall Heritage Foundation conducted its biannual examination of the Western Wall stones on Tuesday in preparation for the influx of visitors expected around the Jewish High Holy Days.”

The Albright Institute has just opened applications for fellowships, awards, and internships for the next academic year.

The toilets of Iron Age Jerusalem are the subject of the latest episode of This Week in the Ancient Near East podcast.

Seetheholyland.net has added an article on the Church of St. John the Baptist in the Muristan, the oldest intact church in Jerusalem, built around the year 1070. The article includes photos of this rarely open church.

Mitchell First has written a short biographical article on Josephus.

John Delancey shares a video shot from the top of the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Jerusalem.

Brad Gray looks at the viticulture context behind Jesus’s words in John 15.

Leen Ritmeyer shares several reconstruction drawings and a photo of the Middle Gate of Jerusalem mentioned in Jeremiah 39.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Alexander Schick, Will Varner, Ted Weis, Explorator

Excavations at Metropolis in western Turkey have uncovered a Greek inscription honoring Gaius Fabius, the governor in 57/56 BC.

Officials have recovered 550 high-quality ancient artifacts from the earthquake rubble in ancient Antioch on the Orontes (modern Antakya).

“Archaeologists have excavated subterranean rooms and a tunnel under an early church in Istanbul, formerly Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire.”

Archaeologists working in Pompeii have found a servant’s quarters in the house of a rich person.

“A 30-day exhibition on agriculture – with fruits grown and tools used in cultivation – in ancient Egypt is on at the Luxor Museum to celebrate Inundation Day.” The article includes several photos.

“For the first time, a group of researchers have successfully extracted ancient DNA from a 2,900-year-old clay brick.”

“A team of Swiss and Greek archaeologists recently successfully completed the third season of a research program (2021-2025) on the famous wreck of Antikythera, which dates back to the first half of the 1st century BC.”

“Rare photographs of the excavations at the Greek Island of Delos from the 19th Century have come to light in a book by French archaeologists.”

Seth Sanders explores the question of who invented the alphabet.

“The electronic Babylonian Library (eBL) Project brings together ancient Near Eastern specialists and data scientists to revolutionize the way in which the literature of Iraq in the first millennium BCE is reconstructed and analyzed.”

An employee was fired and police are investigating after British Museum officials discovered that some of their artifacts were being sold on eBay. And now the director of the museum has resigned.

Zahi Hawass is imploring Arabs with British nationality to sign his petition to give the Rosetta Stone to Egypt.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Jason Borges, Ted Weis, Explorator

Archaeologists working on Mount Zion have discovered, for the first time ever, destruction levels from the Romans and the Babylonians in the same space. Shimon Gibson believes that the evidence from the Persian period suggests that Nehemiah’s wall included not only the City of David but also the Western Hill.

“Ground-penetrating radar is revealing the secrets of a Roman legion camp near Tel Megiddo, including the ancient camp’s amphitheater for combat training.”

Chris McKinny and Joe Uziel write about “The Millo: Jerusalem’s Lost Monument” in the forthcoming issue of Biblical Archaeology Review. They discuss the subject in a video interview with Nathan Steinmeyer.

Bible Archaeology Report has created a list of the top ten discoveries related to the book of Isaiah.

Jerusalem Seminary has been given a grant to provide discounts on tuition for their fall courses. The grant also enables increased scholarships.

Jordan has a severe water crisis.

A rockslide at the waterfall in Nahal David at En Gedi led to the death of an 8-year-old boy and injuries to eight others. The Yonatan Bar David mentioned in the article is from Yad HaShmonah.

Amnon Ben-Tor, the director of excavations at Hazor since 1990, died on Tuesday at the age of 88.

An expanded edition has just been released of Amnon Ben-Tor’s Hazor: Canaanite Metropolis, Israelite City (Israel Exploration Society, 180₪)

Conference on Sept 11-12 at Ariel University: “Boundaries and Influences in the Archeology of Israel and the Eastern Mediterranean”

Ferrell Jenkins shares photos of carob pods like those that were eaten by the prodigal son.

The Bible Mapper Blog is now the Bible Mapper Atlas, with more than 150 maps freely available. You can find lists organized by historical event and by region here.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, John Black, Alexander Schick, Explorator

The recently collapsed section of the Roman aqueduct at Caesarea. Photo by Michael Schneider

Archaeologists discovered an Akkadian tablet from 1800 BC during excavations of a palace in ancient Alalakh in southern Turkey.

Excavations of the tophet in Carthage uncovered “five gold coins from 2,300 years ago, tombstones and several urns with the remains of animals, infants and premature babies.”

“Two new fragments of the Fasti Ostienses have been discovered in the Ostia Antica Archaeological Park.”

A 1st-century BC synagogue has been discovered in southwestern Russia. It stood for more than 500 years before it was likely destroyed.

“Coal miners in Serbia have discovered the remains of a large wooden boat likely used by the Romans to supply a nearby city and military headquarters on the empire’s frontier.”

“Once quiet backwater departments of Assyriology (sometimes called Sumerology or Mesopotamian studies) are suddenly hotbeds of innovation” with the help of AI.

“The ‘miracle’ plant Silphium consumed by Ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians, which was thought to have become extinct two thousand years ago, has recently been rediscovered in Turkey by a professor, who thinks he’s found a botanical survivor.”

“The distinctive transdisciplinary approach of the recently established Yale Ancient Pharmacology Program (YAPP) may provide keys to [the] rediscovery” of the use of ancient plants.

Zoom tour on Aug 23: “The First Half of History: A Virtual Tour of the Yale Babylonian Collection,” by Ekhart Frahm and Agnete Lassen ($7)

Zoom lecture on Aug 31: “Who Really Invented the Alphabet?,” by Seth Sanders ($6/12). Season passes for the Friends of ASOR Webinar Series are now available. You can also purchase recordings from previous seasons’ webinars.

“The Corning Museum of Glass is pleased to announce its 61st Annual Seminar on Glass, a two-day program of online sessions that complements the special exhibition Dig Deeper: Discovering an Ancient Glass Workshop.” All are welcome, and there is no charge for the Oct 19-20 event.

New release: Scientific Traditions in the Ancient Mediterranean and Near East, edited by Sofie Schiødt, Amber Jacob and Kim Ryholt (NYU Press, $85)

New release: The Routledge Handbook of Museums, Heritage, and Death, edited by Trish Biers, Katie Stringer Clary (Routledge, $216/$46)

ACOR has signed agreements with the Jordanian Department of Antiquities to restore the Kerak Castle, the Byzantine church in Aqaba, and the Beit Ras Amphitheater.

Geoffrey Lenox-Smith describes what he saw on a tour in a “soft opening” of the Grand Egyptian Museum.

HT: Agade, Gordon Dickson, Al Sandalow, Will Varner, Arne Halbakken, Roger Schmidgall, Keith Keyser, Wayne Stiles, Explorator

The visit of a rabbi to Jerusalem was met with great excitement by his followers.

Excavations conducted during the laying of a water pipe not too far from Lachish revealed the “most ancient gate ever discovered in Israel.” They are dating it to about 300 years earlier than the Early Bronze gate at Tel Arad. The gate has already been backfilled.

Archaeologists excavating Tel Shimron announced the discovery of a massive Middle Bronze monument that was 15 feet tall and covered the entire acropolis. The monument was very well-preserved because soon after its construction it was filled in with gravel.

A beautiful Herodian ceiling panel was discovered in secondary use in the Ophel excavations (YouTube).

One of the arches in Caesarea’s Roman aqueduct collapsed on Friday.

A suspension bridge crossing the Hinnom Valley is now open to pedestrians (YouTube).

Zedekiah’s Cave (aka Solomon’s Quarries) reopened earlier this month, and Zahi Shaked gives a 30-minute tour.

Some Jews and Christians are arguing over the right to pray in the area of a possible tomb of Elisha at Stella Maris on Mount Carmel.

Israeli officials are considering loaning the Megiddo Mosaic, which comes from an early Christian building, to the Museum of the Bible. (Ilan Ben Zion’s AP article is a disappointment.)

WUNC interviews Jodi Magness upon the completion of her 11-year excavation of the Huqoq synagogue.

Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am write about some of the many ritual baths that have been discovered throughout Israel. The article includes many photos.

Abigail Leavitt recounts various sites she visited this summer in Jerusalem. She has another post about a tour of the Shephelah.

“The Jewish National Fund, KKL-JNF, recently welcomed guests to visit the ancient Jewish synagogue in Ma’on, located in Israel’s southern Negev desert.”

Tour Caesarea virtually with DIVE (Digital Interactive Virtual Experiences) on August 30 ($20).

Joel Kramer goes to Mamre in the latest episode from Expedition Bible.

There are a number of late-summer festivals being held around Israel.

New release: The Changing Landscape of Israeli Archaeology: Between Hegemony and Marginalization, by Hayah Katz (Routledge, $42/$136).

The latest Jerusalem Tracker has been posted, with a roundup of news, publications, and media.

It may be hard to believe, but apparently there are unscrupulous shopkeepers in the Old City of Jerusalem.

HT: Agade, Gordon Dickson, Al Sandalow, Will Varner, Arne Halbakken, Roger Schmidgall, Keith Keyser, Wayne Stiles, Explorator

With the Israeli military gone, there are no obstacles to visiting Hyrcania in the Judean wilderness.

Abigail Leavitt reports on her recent visits to Khirbet el-Maqatir and Mount Ebal (by the back road). On another day, she visited Gibeah, et-Tell, the “tomb of Rachel,” and Samaria/Sebaste.

Melanie Lidman writes a well-illustrated article about the Badè Museum of Biblical Archaeology’s online exhibition, “Unsilencing the Archives: The Laborers of the Tell en-Nasbeh Excavations (1926-1935).”

On the Biblical World podcast, Erica Ferg discusses the impact of geography on the religious history of the eastern Mediterranean world.

In the final episode of “Jesus in Galilee,” Brad Gray explains why Jesus chose to train his disciples in this area.

New release: What Can You Do with Your Bible Training?: Traditional and Nontraditional Vocational Paths, edited by Brandon C. Benziger and Adam W. Day. There are chapters on “Archaeology,” by Steven Ortiz, “Study-Tour Leading,” by Mark Wilson, and “Design and Illustration,” by Leen Ritmeyer.

New release: Ancient Egyptian Gold: Archaeology and Science in Jewellery (3500–1000 BC), edited by Maria F. Guerra, Marcos Martinón-Torres & Stephen Quirke (open access)

New release: The Amorites: A Political History of Mesopotamia in the Early Second Millennium BCE, by Nathan Wasserman and Yigal Bloch (Brill, $313)

Fritz Holznagel explains what Indiana Jones gets right and wrong about the Antikythera Mechanism.

Why have honeybees been depicted on coins for millennia? (Or, what exactly is the link between honey and money?)

Bryan Windle surveys the top three reports in biblical archaeology in the month of July.

Ferrell Jenkins shares a photo he took in 1969 of some cedars of Lebanon.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Explorator

The Samaritan Museum on Mount Gerizim recently opened the archaeological exhibit on their lower floor.

Ruins of Nero’s theater have been discovered in Rome.

“An iconic bronze statue of the Roman emperor Hadrian, which is one of three found worldwide and dates back some 2,000 years, was turned into an active honeycomb as 50,000 bees produced their wax onto 3D-printed grid replicas of the original.”

“Archaeologists have recovered thousands of pieces of glassware—many of them ‘perfectly preserved’—from a 2,000-year-old shipwreck in the waters between Italy and France.”

Impressed by costly Persian metal vessels, Athenian craftsmen created imitations in clay.

Local women are helping to renovate the mosaic floor of the ancient synagogue of Sardis.

Kim Lawton recently visited important, but less-visited, sites in Turkey related to Paul’s ministry, including Pisidian Antioch, Lystra, and Tarsus. The well-illustrated article includes a couple of quotes from an interview with me.

Leon McCarron spent ten weeks traveling the length of the Tigris, from its source in Turkey to its mouth at the Persian Gulf.

“Gems have unique elemental compositions that can be used to identify their location of origin.”

Mark Hoffman writes of his discovery of the Gardens of the Roman Empire website.

Steven Anderson’s book on Darius the Mede has been translated into Persian Farsi and published by Qoqnoos Press in Iran (ISBN: 9786220404651). It can be purchased from Agah Bookshop.

Howard Golden is donating his collection of hundreds of European maps dating to the 15th to 18th centuries to the National Library of Israel.

Don’t delay: “The permanent galleries in the Pergamon Museum will close on October 22, 2023 and will remain closed for renovations until 2037 (estimated).” Photos of many of their artifacts are available online.

The James Ossuary will go on display in Dallas beginning on August 25. This is the first time it has been displayed in the US. The price should keep the crowds down.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Explorator

The experience at Nazareth Village, with the increased number of exhibits and actors, has never been better. One caveat: it doesn’t work so well with large groups.

“Experts from Rome have wrapped up weeks of careful archaeological work in one of the most sensitive parts of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,” the area in front of the Edicule.

“A 1,500-year-old “magic mirror” from the Byzantine period was discovered by a 17-year-old Israeli taking part in a Young Leaders’ Survival Course at the Usha archaeological site in northern Israel.”

“A rare 2,500-year-old marble disc designed to protect ancient ships and ward off the evil eye was discovered by a lifeguard” near Palmachim Beach.

“Archaeologists excavating the site of Legio—the legionary camp of Rome’s Sixth Legion located at the foot of Tel Megiddo in northern Israel—have unearthed the remains of a small amphitheater used not for performances but rather for brutal combat training exercises.”

Aren Maeir mentions four sites in the Jezreel Valley that are being excavated this summer. Of Tel Shimron, he writes that they have discovered “some of the nicest and most important finds ever found in Israel!”

A rare half-shekel coin dug up in the Ein Gedi nature reserve was inscribed with the words ‘The Holy Jerusalem’ in Hebrew.”

Scott Stripling discusses the latest results from the excavations at Shiloh on CBN News. Or listen to the two recent episodes of The Bible and the Spade.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee will be voting soon on whether to include Jericho on its list.

Aviv and Shmuel Bar-Am have written an informative article about the best viewpoints in Jerusalem (though I think they left one of the best out).

A fox was spotted along the wall of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.

Jonathan Klawans recommends a visit to the Benedictine Monastery of the Resurrection in the village of Abu Ghosh.

“The director of the Israel Museum, Denis Weil, has resigned just a year and a half after taking up the position.”

New release: The Two Houses of Israel: State Formation and the Origins of Pan-Israelite Identity, by Omer Sergi (SBL Press, $55)

Walking The Text’s recommended resource of the month is Experiencing the Land of the Book, by Charles H. Dyer.

Israeli authorities have taken actions to protect Tel Aroma in Area B from destruction by vandals.

Guiding tours of the Dead Sea on his boat, Noam Bedein is making new discoveries, including a bubbling brook and new rock formations.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Explorator

The newest national park in Israel is Hippos. Now this Roman-Byzantine site in the Decapolis boasts paved paths, clean restrooms, and of course, a shop.

If you want the non-Indiana-Jones explanation of the Antikythera Mechanism, check out NASA’s recent Astronomy Picture of the Day.

“For the first time, scientists have recently obtained genetic material and analyzed genome sequences from the ancient Minoans and Mycenaeans.”

Bleda Düring explains why the Assyrian empire was more resilient than those of the Hittites and Egyptians.

The size of the illegal antiquities market is much smaller than usually claimed.

Ruth Schuster considers how archaeological technology has changed how we see ourselves.

“The East Garage Necropolis Area, which was once a public market in the southern province of Antalya [in Turkey] and where archaeological excavations started after the discovery of rock tombs, has been opened as a museum.”

Leon Mauldin has just returned from a trip to Malta and shares a few photos of St. Paul’s Bay.

Andy Cook has just released “Discovering the Bible inside your Bible.” This is a 10-week Bible study of the Gospel of John that is filled with full-color photos. The study includes videos to go with each week’s study. This resource could be used individually or with a small-group Bible study. Only $20.

There will be no roundup next weekend.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Alexander Schick, Explorator

A visit to el-Araj, possible site of Bethsaida, is most impressive with regard to seeing just how close this ancient fishing village was to the Sea of Galilee. The water almost touches the site itself (immediately behind the tree in the center of the photo).

Bryan Windle’s report on “three things in Shiloh Samuel likely saw” includes discussion and photos of recent discoveries, including a building they think may be the tabernacle.

“Archaeologists working on a 2,000-year-old Roman cemetery discovered in Gaza last year have found at least 125 tombs, most with skeletons still largely intact, and two rare lead sarcophaguses.”

“A sword that was discovered by a diver off the coast of northern Israel in 2021 was likely lost overboard during a fierce naval battle between Crusaders and Muslim residents of coastal cities some 800 years ago.”

David Moster gives a video walkthrough of a beautiful 3D model of Herod’s Temple and Temple Mount.

The latest video from Expedition Bible looks at Jesus’s tomb, showing how strong the evidence is for the authenticity of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

Scott Stripling talks about the New Testament excavations at Khirbet el-Maqatir on a recent episode of Digging for Truth.

A volunteer at the Abel Beth Maacah excavations describes what a typical day on the dig is like.

Hybrid lecture on August 10: “Excavations at Khirbet Summeily, 2011-2023: A Preliminary Report,” by Jeff Blakely

Carl Rasmussen shares some older photos of an Intermediate Bronze cemetery discovered at Dhahr Mirzbaneh (Ain Samiya).

Abigail Leavitt shares photos of tombs in Jerusalem she recently visited.

Ferrell Jenkins shares photos of vineyards at Lachish then and now.

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Alexander Schick, Explorator

This is the “Holy Sepulcher ladder” of the Jewish Quarter. This temporary pedestrian bridge floating over the Western Wall plaza is nearly 20 years old now.

The Times of Israel has the best summation of the Huqoq synagogue excavations that I’ve read.

Melanie Lidman writes a story about the University of Haifa’s School of Archaeology and Maritime Cultures, the only underwater archaeology certification program in Israel.

The Israeli government has a plan to protect Jewish archaeological sites in Area C of the West Bank. Of 3,000 antiquity sites in the West Bank, about 80% are in Area C.

The Times of Israel writes about the opportunity for the public to join conservation work at Gezer on Thursdays in the month of July.

Archaeologists are using chemical imaging technology in ancient Egyptian tombs to analyze the process in which the walls were painted.

So many tourists are visiting the Acropolis of Athens this summer that they will be implementing crowd control measures for the first time ever, including time-slot system for groups and electronic ticketing. There is also talk of enlarging the Propylaia.

The BBC shares the latest discoveries at Pompeii, including serpents, frescoes, and yes, more skeletons.

Charging for admission to Rome’s Pantheon may make the site like the Colosseum—impossible to visit without joining a tour at many times the ticket price.

The NY Times has a lengthy story of Shelby White’s antiquities collection, pieces she has returned, and artifacts recently seized.

BiblePics is a new AI tool that allows users to chat with biblical characters.

New release: Hesi after 50 Years and 130 Years: Beginning a New Generation of Research, edited by John R. Spencer, James W. Hardin, and Jeffrey Blakely (Eisenbrauns, $70 with code NR23)

New release: West Semitic Inscriptions & the Hebrew Bible (AOAT 410), by Bob Becking (Ugarit-Verlag, €123; Amazon)

I have not seen the new “Borderland: Israel in the Time of Jesus” exhibit at The Creation Museum in Kentucky, but the exhibit book contains hundreds of the best reconstruction artwork I’ve ever seen—everything from Herod’s temple at Caesarea to a Jewish funeral and much more. This link gives a video preview of the book, and the book may be purchased here ($30-45).

HT: Agade, Arne Halbakken, Explorator, Ted Weis

It’s always better when artifacts stay at the site and are not transported to some distant museum. The new visitors’ center at Caesarea provides archaeological displays and visual presentations that enhance the site experience.

Jerusalem Seminary is going strong, with more classes than ever being offered this fall. This is the first time they’re offering all three levels of Biblical Hebrew as a living language, all taught by believing Israeli teachers. And they have a number of other interesting courses. Here’s a brief rundown, with links for more information.

Biblical Hebrew as a Living Language (Level 1), US time slot taught by two JS Hebrew for the Nations certified Israeli teachers.

Biblical Hebrew as a Living Language (Level 1), Asia/Pacific time slot taught by two JS Hebrew for the Nations certified Israeli teachers.

Biblical Hebrew as a Living Language (Level 2), taught by two JS Hebrew for the Nations certified Israeli teachers.

Biblical Hebrew as a Living Language (Level 3), taught by two JS Hebrew for the Nations certified Israeli teachers.

Life and Land of Yeshua, taught by Gary Alley, MA.

Early Christian Worship in its Jewish Context, taught by Brittany Loewenstein, MM.

Faith, Ministry and Politics in the Middle East, facilitated by Dr. Philip Lanning.

Biblical Hebrew Reading Groups and Tutoring– read Biblical texts together guided by JS Hebrew for the Nations certified Israeli teachers, or sign up for one on one tutoring.

You can find all the details at the Jerusalem Seminary course catalog.