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in Archaeology

Ophel Excavations Uncover Jewish Revolt Coins in Rebel Hideout

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem recently announced that dozens of bronze Jewish revolt coins from the First Jewish Revolt against Rome (66–70 C.E.) have been discovered in a cave just south of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The coins were found during the renewed Ophel excavations led by Hebrew University archaeologist Dr. Eilat Mazar following a four-year hiatus.   Mazar believes that the coins, which measure 0.6 inches in diameter, were left by Jewish residents who had fled...

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Tags: amaulet, ancient writitngs, archaeologists, archaeology, bible, biblical, excavators, israel, jerusalem, jezreel, media, middle east, papyra, scientists
in Archaeology

The “Original” Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls

Can the scrolls help expose the original Bible language within the Masoretic Text and Septuagint?     Noah Wiener   •  03/08/2018   For centuries, Bible scholars examined two ancient texts to elucidate the original language of the Bible: the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint. The Masoretic Text is a traditional Hebrew text finalized by Jewish scholars around 1000 C.E. The Septuagint is a Greek translation of the Torah created by the Jews of Alexandria in the...

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Tags: amaulet, ancient writitngs, archaeologists, archaeology, bible, biblical, excavators, israel, jerusalem, jezreel, media, middle east, papyra, scientists
in Archaeology

Searching for the Temple of King Solomon

How the ’Ain Dara temple in Syria sheds light on King Solomon in the Bible and his famous temple For centuries, scholars have searched in vain for any remnant of Solomon's Temple.  The fabled Jerusalem sanctuary, described in such exacting detail in 1 Kings 6, was no doubt one the most stunning achievements of King Solomon in the Bible, yet nothing of the building itself has been found because excavation on Jerusalem's Temple Mount site of the Temple of King Solomon, is...

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Tags: archaeologists, archaeology, bible, biblical, excavators, israel, jerusalem, jezreel, media, middle east, scientists
in Archaeology

Isaiah’s Signature Uncovered in Jerusalem

Evidence of the Prophet Isaiah? Megan Sauter   •  02/22/2018 he Assyrian king Sennacherib responded to Hezekiah’s rebellion with force. He campaigned against Judah—destroying many Judahite cities, such as Lachish (depicted on the Lachish reliefs, panels from Sennacherib’s palace in Nineveh, now on display at the British Museum in London), and ultimately besieging the capital city of Jerusalem in 701 B.C.E The prophet Isaiah said that Jerusalem would not fall...

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Tags: amaulet, ancient writitngs, archaeologists, archaeology, bible, biblical, excavators, israel, jerusalem, jezreel, media, middle east, papyra, scientists
in Archaeology

Miniature Writing on Ancient Amulets

Ketef Hinnom inscriptions reveal the power of hidden writing by Robin Ngo • 01/29/2018 The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.—Numbers 6:24–26When unrolled, the two ancient amulets from Ketef Hinnom revealed miniature writing that had been painstakingly inscribed on them. Researchers discovered that the inscriptions included blessings similar to Numbers...

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Tags: archaeologists, archaeology, bible, biblical, excavators, israel, jerusalem, jezreel, media, middle east, scientists, amaulet, ancient writitngs, papyra
in Archaeology

Taking Out the Trash in Ancient Jerusalem

Using the archaeology of garbage to reconstruct ancient life     From time immemorial, people have produced rubbish. Yet to an archaeologist, not even this discarded material is a waste! Just as archaeologists can glean information about the past by excavating ancient houses, streets, and temples, so too can they learn by studying ancient trash. What people discarded tells a lot about how they lived.  One of the world’s oldest landfills was recently uncovered in...

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Tags: archaeologists, archaeology, bible, biblical, excavators, israel, jerusalem, jezreel, media, middle east, scientists
in Archaeology

Aerial Technology Directs Archaeologists to Idumean Structure

Bible and archaeology news Samuel Pfister   •  12/06/2017 The archaeologist’s toolbox of gadgets is always expanding. While excavations could previously rely on pickaxes, trowels, and buckets, now archaeologists are adopting the latest technologies, like ground-penetrating radar to detect buried architecture, CAT-scans to examine mummified remains, and aerial and satellite photography to survey patterns and data across broad landscapes. Use of digital technologies in the...

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Tags: archaeologists, archaeology, bible, biblical, excavators, israel, jerusalem, jezreel, media, middle east, scientists
in Archaeology

Jews in Roman Turkey

Jewish presence uncovered at Limyra, Turkey     Megan Sauter   •  10/02/2017   Located on the coast of southwestern Turkey, Limyra has a long, rich history—although the site now lies in ruins. Occupied for more than a millennium, it served as the home for many different religious groups. A recent archaeological discovery at Limyra suggests that a Jewish community also lived there.   Martin Seyer of the Austrian Archaeological Institute explains the...

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Tags: archaeologists, archaeology, bible, biblical, excavators, israel, jerusalem, jezreel, media, middle east, scientists
in Archaeology

Naboth’s Vineyard Unearthed at Tel Jezreel?

“Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. And Ahab said to Naboth, ‘Give me your vineyard, so that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house; I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money.’ But Naboth said to Ahab, ‘The Lord forbid that I should give you my ancestral inheritance.’ Ahab went home resentful and sullen because of...

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Tags: archaeologists, archaeology, bible, biblical, israel, jerusalem, jezreel, media, middle east, scientists, excavators
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 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 Current Events

Pope Francis with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas - Reuters

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Pope Francis to visit Israel May 19, 2014 Pope Francis with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abba Reuters Palestinian Authority (PA) and Arab Christian sources are already celebrating Pope Francis's visit to Israel starting next Sunday, saying his choice to begin the trip directly in PA-held Bethlehem is meant to "recognize Palestine" and "oppose the occupation." "He is taking a helicopter directly from Jordan to Palestine - to Bethlehem. It's a kind of sign of recognizing...

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Tags: israel, jerusalem, pope francis
in Current Events

Archeaological Find - The Ruins of Ai

Exploring the Ruins of Ai:  Archeological Find in Israel Confirms Historicity of Biblical Account by Garrett Haley JERUSALEM – Archaeologists working in Israel have announced the discovery of an ancient artifact in Israel that confirms a biblical account in the book of Joshua. The Associates for Biblical Research (ABR) is a ministry committed to exploring the ancient biblical world through archaeology. According to ABR’s website, archeological findings frequently...

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Tags: ai, archeology, bible, israel, jerusalem
in Current Events

Archaeologists: Ancient Writings Confirm Noah's Ark January 28, 2014 Archaeologists say writings on an ancient tablet confirm there was a global flood and an ark that carried animals. A recently deciphered 4,000-year-old clay tablet, discovered in mo

Archaeologists say writings on an ancient tablet confirm there was a global flood and an ark that carried animals.  A recently deciphered 4,000-year-old clay tablet, discovered in modern-day Iraq -- which is ancient Mesopotamia -- reveals striking similarities to the biblical account of Noah. The tablet describes a massive flood that destroys the earth and instructions that animals should be loaded onto the craft "two by two." The tablet differs from scripture in its description of...

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Tags: archeology, bible, israel, jerusalem
in Current Events

Israel, Lebanon rush to ease tensions following border clashes

    Israel, Lebanon rush to ease tensions following border clashes JERUSALEM –  Israel and Lebanon on Monday rushed to ease tensions following a deadly border skirmish that left one Israeli soldier dead, with the enemy countries holding a face-to-face meeting with U.N. peacekeepers and pledging their commitment to a seven-year-old cease-fire.The U.N. peacekeeping force along the volatile border, UNIFIL, said it called the meeting to "establish the facts and...

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Tags: israel, jerusalem, lebanon
in Current Events

Redrawing Israel Borders

European Union Issues Order To Redraw Israel To 1949 Borders The coming of Daniel’s 70th week? “In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.” Daniel 9:2 From Haaretz: The European Union has issued orders forbidding its member states from cooperating, transferring funds...

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Tags: israel, jerusalem, haaretz
in Current Events, Going Deeper

Mount Zion Excavations

Extensive excavations on Mount Zion have uncovered the extraordinary remains of the wall of Jerusalem from the Second Temple period (second century BCE – 70 CE) and the remains of a city wall from the Byzantine period (324-640 CE), which was built on top of it.   “This is one of the most beautiful and complete sections of construction in the Hasmonean building style to be found in Jerusalem,” said Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologist Yehiel Zelinger, who has...

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Tags: jerusalem, mount zion, temple, old city