Ancient Wonders—The Huqoq Mosaics Huqoq named one of NatGeo’s « 100 Archaeological Treasures of the Past » Nathan Steinmeyer March 21, 2022 0 Comments 131 views Share The head of a royal figure depicted in the elephant mosaic at Huqoq. Courtesy Jim Haberman. The Huqoq mosaics have long been a favorite of Biblical Archaeology Review’s readers and … Lire la suite

Examining ancient Jewish interpretations Megan Sauter March 20, 2022 7 Comments 18685 views Share Abraham’s Camels. Did camels exist in Biblical times? Camels appear with Abraham in some Biblical texts—and depictions thereof, such as The Caravan of Abram by James Tissot, based on Genesis 12. When were camels first domesticated? Although camel domestication had not … Lire la suite

Examining the figure of Balaam in the Bible Nathan Steinmeyer March 18, 2022 0 Comments 17 views Share Balaam son of Beor on his donkey, from Numbers 22. Credit: Eric Carlson Balaam son of Beor is one of the most enigmatic figures in the Hebrew Bible, and one of the earliest to be referenced outside … Lire la suite

Connections between Lilith, Adam’s first wife, and Jadis, the White Witch of Narnia Megan Sauter March 17, 2022 57 Comments 227462 views Share C.S. Lewis’s character Jadis, the White Witch of Narnia, in his The Chronicles of Narnia novels is said to have descended from Lilith, Adam’s first wife. Pictured here is Tilda Swinton as … Lire la suite

The Gospel of Thomas’s 114 Sayings of Jesus Biblical Archaeology Society Staff March 17, 2022 143 Comments 360685 views Share In “The Gospel of Thomas: Jesus Said What?” in the July/August 2015 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, New Testament scholar Simon Gathercole examines what the 114 sayings of Jesus from the Gospel of Thomas reveal … Lire la suite

How has the pandemic changed field archaeology? Nathan Steinmeyer March 16, 2022 0 Comments 121 views Share Dusty dawn. Students from Hebrew University haul soil excavated from Khirbet al-Ra‘i at sunrise. Courtesy Ornit Luckatch. How has the pandemic changed field archaeology? We recently asked leading dig directors what long-term impacts the pandemic will have on … Lire la suite

What did the Phoenicians record with their innovative script? Josephine Quinn March 15, 2022 7 Comments 19652 views Share These Phoenicians who came with Cadmus…brought with them to Greece, among many other kinds of learning, the alphabet, which had been unknown before this, I think, to the Greeks.—Herodotus 5.58 Found near the ancient Phoenician settlement … Lire la suite

Origins: 3.14159265… Why did the ancients invent increasingly subtle and ingenious methods to arrive at an exact value of pi? Human curiosity. Kim Jonas March 14, 2022 23 Comments 17791 views Share π, or pi, has a value of 3.14159265… How do you find the holy grail of mathematics? You start with a circle, which … Lire la suite

Archaeology on the rise in Iraq after years of war Nathan Steinmeyer March 14, 2022 0 Comments 40 views Share Looking past two lamassu at the National Museum in Baghdad. MohammadHuzam, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons. After a nearly 20-year hiatus, archaeology in Iraq is experiencing a rebirth. Following the political instability that resulted … Lire la suite

Israel Antiquities Authority seizes hoard of stolen artifacts Nathan Steinmeyer March 11, 2022 0 Comments 973 views Share Stolen artifacts recovered by the Israel Antiquities Authority, including bowls, ivories, and coins. Photo by Yoli Schwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority. In early 2022, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) seized a hoard of stolen artifacts including carved ivories … Lire la suite