119 Blog

Divers find unexpected Roman inscription from the eve of Bar-Kochba Revolt

A statue base from 1,900 years ago found at Dor survived shellfish and seawater, and to the archaeologists' shock, revealed a previously unknown governor of Judea. An underwater survey conducted by divers off Tel Dor, on the Mediterranean Sea, yielded an astonishing find: a rare Roman inscription mentioning the province of Judea – and the name of a previously unknown Roman governor, who ruled the province shortly before the Bar-Kochba Revolt. Historians had thought that based on Roman...

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Tags: antiquities, archaeology, first-century, flavius josephus, jewish historian, josephus, judea, palestine, patron, roman army, rome, pontius pilate stone, tel dor, gargilius antiquus
in Archaeology

Alexander the Great in an Ancient Synagogue?

Stunning Huqoq mosaic unveiled Robin Ngo 09/14/2016 A 1,500-year-old mosaic that might depict a meeting between Alexander the Great and the Jewish high priest has been unveiled in full by National Geographic. The mosaic was unearthed during excavations of a fifth-century C.E. synagogue at Huqoq, a site in Israel’s Lower Galilee. Led by Jodi Magness, the Kenan Distinguished Professor for Teaching Excellence in Early Judaism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Huqoq...

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Tags: antiquities, archaeology, first-century, flavius josephus, jewish historian, josephus, palestine, roman army, rome
in Archaeology

Sifting Antiquity on the Temple Mount Sifting Project

Temple Mount Sifting Project investigates Temple Mount soil Robin Ngo   •  10/20/2016 Sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is today a contested site. Archaeological excavations are not allowed here, though one project—the Temple Mount Sifting Project—has been analyzing soil that came from the Temple Mount since 2004. In “Relics in Rubble: The Temple Mount Sifting Project” in the November/December 2016 issue of...

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Tags: antiquities, archaeology, first-century, flavius josephus, jewish historian, josephus, palestine, roman army, rome
in Archaeology

Gold Nero Coin Comes to Light in Jerusalem

Coin of Roman Emperor Nero discovered by the Mount Zion Project Robin Ngo   •  10/17/2016 A rare gold coin depicting Roman emperor Nero was unearthed in archaeological excavations just outside the Old City of Jerusalem in Israel. The coin was found in the excavations of the Mount Zion Project, codirected by Shimon Gibson, Visiting Professor of Archaeology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and James Tabor, Professor of Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity at...

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Tags: antiquities, archaeology, first-century, flavius josephus, jewish historian, josephus, palestine, roman army, rome

Rare Roman gold coin found in Jerusalem

Wed, September 14, 2016 The discovery of a rare gold coin bearing the image of the Roman Emperor Nero at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte's archaeological excavations on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, has just been announced by the archaeologists in charge of the project, Drs. Shimon Gibson, James Tabor, and Rafael Lewis. "The coin is exceptional," said Gibson, "because this is the first time that a coin of this kind has turned up in Jerusalem in a scientific dig. Coins of this...

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Tags: antiquities, archaeology, first-century, flavius josephus, jewish historian, josephus, palestine, roman army, rome
in Archaeology

What Is the Oldest Hebrew Bible?

The formation of the Hebrew Bible from the Dead Sea Scrolls to the Aleppo Codex Jennifer Drummond   •  11/01/2015   What is the oldest Hebrew Bible? That is a complicated question. The Dead Sea Scrolls are fragments of the oldest Hebrew Bible text, while the Aleppo Codex and the Leningrad Codex are the oldest complete versions, written by the Masoretes in the 10th and 11th centuries, respectively. The Ashkar-Gilson Manuscript falls in between the early scrolls and the...

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Tags: archaeology, hillel richman, jerusalem temple, stone seals, temple institute
in Archaeology

Jewish Purification: Stone Vessel Workshop Discovered in Galilee

A 2,000-year-old stone production center points to ritual purity Robin Ngo   •  08/25/2016 Where do the “Stone Age” and the time of Jesus meet without the aid of a space-time wormhole? At the Galilean site of ‘Einot Amitai near Nazareth in northern Israel, where archaeologists have discovered a 2,000-year-old quarry and workshop that produced chalkstone vessels. An excavation at a cave in Galilee has uncovered what may be a 2,000-year-old stone vessel...

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Tags: archaeology, hillel richman, jerusalem temple, stone seals, temple institute
in Archaeology

The Fishy Secret to Ancient Magdala’s Economic Growth

Cornering the salted fish market Excavations and research conducted around the Sea of Galilee have revealed a great deal about the history of the Galilean towns and their populations during the first century C.E. At Magdala, hometown of Mary Magdalene in the Bible, excavations have uncovered a large marketplace with 28 shops, about 300 fishing weights, 40 pools and more than 4,000 ancient coins, the majority of which were minted in Jerusalem. Putting all of this together, the finds...

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Tags: antiquities, archaeology, capernaum, first-century, flavius josephus, jewish, jewish historian, josephus, magdala, magdalene, palestine, roman army, rome, bethsaida
in Archaeology

Rare Roman mosaic 'depicting Hercules' unearthed in Cyprus

Posted 14 Jul 2016, 6:33pm Photo: The rare mosaic is dated to the Roman Period (AFP: Iakovos Hatzistavrou) A rare Roman mosaic has been uncovered in Cyprus during sewerage work on the eastern Mediterranean island. Only part of the mosaic, measuring 19 metres long and seven metres wide, has been excavated in the southern coastal city of Larnaca and officials believe more is still buried. "A preliminary estimation would suggest that scenes of the Labours of Hercules are depicted and that...

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Tags: antiquities, archaeology, first-century, flavius josephus, jewish historian, josephus, palestine, roman army, rome
in Archaeology

Archaeologists Uncover Second Temple-era Priestly Quarter in Jerusalem

Archaeologists Uncover Second Temple-era Priestly Quarter of Jerusalem Luxuries, like a bathtub, signal that the 2000-year old house being dug up in Mt. Zion, near Caiaphas' home, belonged to a member of the ruling class. Philippe BohstromJul 12, 2016 4:55 PM   Archaeologists find the last hideout of the Jewish Revolt in Jerusalem Ancient Romans, Jews invented trash collection, archaeology of Jerusalem hints Jerusalem even older than thought: Archaeologists find 7,000-year-old...

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Tags: antiquities, archaeology, first-century, flavius josephus, jewish historian, josephus, palestine, roman army, rome
in Archaeology

First-Ever Philistine Cemetery Unearthed at Ashkelon

Discovery brings us face to face with the Israelites’ archenemy The first and only Philistine cemetery ever discovered has been found outside the walls of ancient Ashkelon. As one of the major Philistine city-states during the Iron Age, Ashkelon was a significant Mediterranean port and boasted a thriving marketplace. Excavations at Ashkelon have revealed many details about how the Philistines lived: the kind of houses they built; the food they ate; the plates, bowls, cups, pots and...

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Tags: antiquities, archaeology, first-century, flavius josephus, jewish historian, josephus, palestine, roman army, rome
in Law of God, New to Hebrew Roots, Frequently Asked Questions

The 613 Mitzvot: 21-25

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We are often asked to do teachings on the 613 commandments found in the Jewish faith.  Understandably, such a teaching or teaching series would be an immense undertaking.  However, we thought we may be able to go through it, at least in part, in our blogs.  This is an ongoing blog series that we will do at different times without any real schedule planned.  We will not be going into great depth in this series. The format for these blog posts will be simple.  We will...

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Tags: the law of god, 613 traditional rabbinic mitvot or commandments of the torah, respecting the sanctuary, guarding the sanctuary, levitical service in the temple and tabernacle, washing the priests hands and feet before entering, kindling the menorah by the priests
in Archaeology

Attalid Rulers 2200 year old grave in Turkey?

The long-lost burial site of the Attalid Dynasty, which ruled the city of Pergamon after Alexander the Great, may have been identified. A vast mound first excavated almost 200 years ago in western Turkey is the spot, Prof. Felix Pirson thinks – and hopes to prove it soon using advanced technologies. Certainly, the monumental burial site at Yiğma Tepe, atop a hill by Pergamon (today Bergama) had to have been created to commemorate somebody vastly important. "What points to the...

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in Torah Truths, Misconceptions, Walking in Torah, Testing Everything, A Woman's Walk, Frequently Asked Questions

A Woman's Walk - Working at Home (Titus 2)

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Some say Titus 2 requires a woman to work a job from her home meaning an outside vocation. Is that what Scripture says?

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Tags: stay-at-home mom, a woman's walk - working from home (titus 2), titus 2:1-5, older women teaching younger women, doing good works, women in the workforce, does a stay at home wife need to have another job?
in Archaeology

Josephus on the Essenes

Flavius Josephus was a first-century Jewish historian, politician and soldier whose literary works provide crucial documentation of Roman Palestine in the first century A.D. At age 29, he was appointed general of the Jewish forces in Galilee. He was eventually captured by Vespasian, who was at that time the supreme commander of the Roman army. Josephus capitulated and sought to ingratiate himself with the Roman general, eventually becoming part of the imperial court in Rome. He was an...

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Tags: antiquities, archaeology, first-century, josephus, palestine, rome, roman army, flavius josephus, jewish historian
in Archaeology

Birdwatcher Spies Egyptian Scarab Seal at Dor

Birdwatcher Spies Egyptian Scarab Seal at Dor Bible and archaeology newsRobin Ngo   • 05/04/2016  The name of the scarab’s owner, his position, and ankh and djed symbols (representing eternal life and stability, respectively) are engraved on the Egyptian scarab seal. While the owner’s name hasn’t been deciphered yet, he is described on the scarab as an “overseer of the treasury.” Birdwatcher Alexander Ternopolsky made a remarkable discovery...

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Tags: antiquities, archaeology, magdala, second temple, egyptian scarab seal, dor, israel's carmel coast, tel dor excavations
in Torah Truths, Misconceptions, Walking in Torah, Testing Everything, The 613 Commandments

The 613 Mitzvot: 16-20

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This week we look at the 16th - 20th traditional rabbinical commandments out of the 613 commonly taught to be the Torah.

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Tags: commandments, the 613 mitzvot, deuteronomy 31:10-13, 7th year assembly at sukkot to read the torah, deuteronomy 17:18, the king must write a copy of the torah for himself, deuteronomy 31:19, everyone has to own a torah scroll, deuteronomy 8:10, do we need to pray and praise god before or after we eat a meal?, exodus 25:8, do we have to build a sanctuary/tabernacle/temple for god
in Archaeology

2,400 Year-old Mosaic Found in Southern Turkey

2,400 Year-old Mosaic Found in Southern Turkey says'Be Cheerful, Enjoy Your Life'. A 2,400 year-old mosaic discovered during excavations in Turkey's southern Hatay province, showing a skeleton lying down with a jorum in his hand and a wine pitcher and bread on the side could be one of its kind, Turkish researchers have said. The mosaic, which is reportedly from the 3rd century BCE, was first discovered in 2012, when municipality was carrying out work to build a cable car in Antakya and found...

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Tags: archaeology, mosaic, turkey
in Going Deeper, Just Thinking, Walking in Torah, Testing Everything, New to Hebrew Roots

Talking Torah Part 4: How Not to Bully Others With Your Words

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Remember the feeling when you walk into a store and you get bombarded with salespeople?  Remember how it feels to have someone working hard to show you all of the benefits of a product, and how it is so much better than what you have, yet they’re trying too hard and you really aren’t interested?  Most likely, you don’t like that feeling and you get put off by those people.  You don’t want to be that person, especially when it comes to discussing...

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Tags: talking torah part 4: how not to bully others with your words
in Archaeology

2,200-year-old Bronze Artifacts Found At Biblical Site

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2,200-year-old bronze artifacts found at biblical site Incense shovel, jug from Second Temple era unearthed at Magdala, on Sea of Galilee, during recent excavations An ornate Second Temple era bronze incense shovel and bronze jug were recently unearthed at the biblical site of Magdala, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Tuesday. By Ilan Ben Zion April 5, 2016, 5:04 pm   The 2,200-year-old artifacts were found during excavations being carried...

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Tags: antiquities, archaeology, second temple, magdala, bronze jug
in Faith, Going Deeper, Just Thinking, Walking in Torah, Testing Everything, Love, New to Hebrew Roots

Talking Torah Part 3: How Not To Bully Others By Your Actions

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You know how your friends and family sometimes seem to get when you have tried to talk to them about the Torah?  Some may be receptive while others may refuse to talk about the subject or even become hostile, showing a side you would never have thought existed.  It doesn’t always have to be that way, if you’ve taken them into consideration and checked your attitude, then it may have something to do with actions. We do not recommend having deep discussions relating...

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Tags: love of god, word of god, talking torah part 3: how not to bully others by your actions, conversations gone bad, taking offense, offending others, sharing too much with others, how body language affects your conversation, non-verbal communication
in Archaeology

Stone Seals found from First Temple Era in shadow of Temple Mount!

TWO STONE SEALS FROM FIRST TEMPLE ERA DISCOVERED IN CITY OF DAVID, IN SHADOW OF TEMPLE MOUNT Two 2,500 year old stone seals, one belonging to a woman by the name of Elihana bat Gael, and the other belonging to a man by the name of Sa‘aryahu ben Shabenyahu, were unearthed recently as part of an archaeological dig being conducted in the City of David, located just to the south of the Temple Mount. Archaeologists describe the stones as semi-precious and they are in excellent condition...

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Tags: archaeology, stone seals, jerusalem temple, hillel richman, temple institute
in Archaeology

Tel Aviv University discovers fabric collection dating back to Kings David and Solomon

AMERICAN FRIENDS OF TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY—The ancient copper mines in Timna are located deep in Israel's Arava Valley and are believed by some to be the site of King Solomon's mines. The arid conditions of the mines have seen the remarkable preservation of 3,000-year-old organic materials, including seeds, leather and fabric, and other extremely rare artifacts that provide a unique window into the culture and practices of this period. A Timna excavation team from Tel Aviv University led...

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Tags: tel aviv, textile, roman era, antiquities, dr. shamir
in Archaeology

To Jerusalem: Pilgrimage Road Identified?

Ancient road sheds light on Jewish pilgrimage to Jerusalem Robin Ngo - 1/18/2016 Before the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70 C.E., Jewish pilgrims would make their way to Jerusalem for numerous festivals and occasions. The command to “appear before the Lord” is referenced in relation to the three festivals of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), Pesach (Passover) and Shavuot (Festival of Weeks) in the Bible (Exodus 34:22–23; Deuteronomy 16:16). Ancient literary sources...

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Tags: archaeology, israel, jerusalem, pilgrimage
in Archaeology

Tenth-Century B.C. Stone Seal Discovered

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Tenth Century BC Stone Seal Discovered byTemple Mount Sifting Project Unique find is attributed to the time of David and Solomon Henry Curtis Pelgrift   •  10/08/2015 An ancient stone seal dated to the 10th century B.C. has been found in soil taken from Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, according to a news release issued recently by the Temple Mount Sifting Project, which is currently investigating the site. Temple Mount Sifting Project codirectors Dr. Gabriel Barkay and Zachi...

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Tags: jerusalem, mount zion, old city, temple
in Faith, Walking in Torah, Testing Everything, Righteousness, Law of God, The 613 Commandments

The 613 Mitzvot: 1-5

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This week we will briefly look at the first five of the traditional rabbinical 613 Commandments.

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Tags: loving god, obedience, rabbinic, talmud, torah, 613 commandments, 613 mitzvot, fear god, love god, loving others, serve god, believe in god, exodus 20:2, acknowledge the unity of god, deuteronomy 6:4, deuteronomy 6:5, deuteronomy 6:13, exodus 23:25, deuteronomy 11:13
in Archaeology

What was behind the legendary story of King Midas and his golden touch?

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That is the question to be answered—not with chests full of gold, but with a spectacular array of 150 objects, including more than 120 specially-loaned ancient artifacts from four museums in the Republic of Turkey, keys to telling the true story of a very real and powerful ruler of the Phrygian kingdom. The Golden Age of King Midas is an exclusive, world premiere exhibition developed by the Penn Museum, 3260 South Street in Philadelphia, in partnership with the Republic of Turkey. A...

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Tags: king midas, gordion, penn museum, gold touch
in Current Events, Archaeology

Archaeological Dig Uncovers Byzantine Church

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Archaeological Dig in Central Israel Uncovers Byzantine Church and 2700-Year-Old Farm Archaeological digging near the central Israeli city of Rosh Ha'Ayin has uncovered a 2700-year-old farm house and a 1500-year-old Byzantine church in recent days, the Israel Antiquities Authority reported on Wednesday. The approximately 30X50 meter farmhouse and the church, which features colorful mosaics, were discovered as part of excavations being carried out by the IAA with the help of students ahead...

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Tags: archeology, bible, israel, jerusalem
in Appointed Times, Testing Everything

Reclaiming the Real Hanukkah!

Special Report: Graves of the Maccabees Uncovered!    Special Report: Barry Segal travels to the spot where Israeli archaeologists have just announced a new discovery that sheds light on how the early Christian community honored the heroes of Hanukkah. Watch the entire video here: BIBLICAL FOUNDATIONS ACADEMY

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Tags: chanukkah, graves of the maccabees, reclaiming the real hanukkah, special report

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