Current Events

Keep up to date on the latest developments in the world of Biblical Archaeology and related apologetic topics. In this section, you will find links to news reports, articles and staff commentary on the most recent discoveries, reports, and controversies in Biblical Archaeology. Enjoy!

Note: The views and comments made in materials from sources outside of the Associates for Biblical Research are not necessarily those of ABR. Such materials are included only insofar as they relate to the subject of archaeology and related apologetic subjects, and are provided for your information only.

Rehoboam's Wall Discovered at Lachish posted by Bryan Windle

Prof. Yoseph Garfinkel, head of the Institute of Archaeology at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has announced the discovery of a fortification wall at Lachish dating to the 10th century BC. The excavators claim to have found evidence that layer 5 of Lachish was indeed a fortified city, after having lain waste for over two centuries. The wall was carbon-dated using olive pits found beneath a floor that stretched to the wall, which indicated it had been built ca. 920 BC. This is precisely the time that Solomon's son Rehoboam ruled, and affirms the biblical record which states: "Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built cities for defense in Judah. He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, fortified cities that are in Judah and in Benjamin" (2 Chron. 11:5-10). This discovery is further archaeological evidence of the establishment of the Kingdom of Judah as the Bible describes.

Off-site Links:

- https://www.timesofisrael.com/archaeologist-thick-wall-found-at-lachish-indicates-king-solomons-son-built-it/
- https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium-did-the-kingdom-of-david-exist-new-wall-found-in-southern-israel-reignites-debate-1.7157816

Oldest Shipwreck Found in Mediterranean posted by Bryan Windle

A 3600-year-old shipwreck has been discovered off the shores of Turkey's Antalya province by archaeologists from Antalya University's Underwater Research Department. The 14-meter-long ship was found in 50 meters of water and contained 1.5 tons of copper bullion. Researchers dated the shipwreck using the typology of the copper ingots. A preliminary study suggests that the copper was mined in Cyprus and was being transported to Crete or to the Aegean coast when the ship sank. If further tests confirm the 1600 BC date of the shipwreck, this would become the oldest shipwreck ever discovered. The first mention of ships in the Bible comes in Genesis 49:13 when Jacob is blessing his sons at the end of his life (ca. 1859 BC): "Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea; he shall become a haven for ships, and his border shall be at Sidon" (ESV).

Off-site Links:

- http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/worlds-oldest-shipwreck-found-in-mediterranean-say-officials-142544
- https://www.dailysabah.com/history/2019/04/08/turkish-archaeologists-discover-worlds-oldest-bronze-age-shipwreck-off-antalya-coast

Statue of Roman Emperor Trajan Discovered at Laodicea posted by Bryan Windle

Archaeologists excavating in Laodicea have discovered a 3-meter-tall statue of the Roman Emperor Trajan dating to 113 AD. It was unearthed in 356 pieces in the remains of a fountain which had been destroyed by an earthquake. A second, smaller statue standing on the same patio was also found, which likely depicts an enemy soldier, with his hands bound behind his back. The state of Trajan is incredibly detailed and depicts the emperor dressed in armor, wearing a short chiton. The images on the armor feature symbols from Roman mythology, including Jupiter's thunderbolt, the head of Medusa, and two griffins. A water can is visible between the two griffins, which scholars believe represents Trajan's influence on the city by bringing water to Laodicea. According to the early Christian writer, Ignatius, the apostle John lived to an old age in nearby Ephesus, surviving into the reign of Trajan (Against Heresies 2.33; 3.3)

Off-site Links:

- http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/unique-roman-emperor-statue-revealed-in-denizli-142263
- https://www.newsweek.com/ancient-rome-turkey-emperor-trajan-statue-archaeology-1386012

2000-Year-Old Settlement Discovered Near Beersheba posted by Bryan Windle

Excavations conducted before the construction of a new neighborhood at the northern entrance to Beersheba have unearthed a Jewish settlement dating to the first century AD. The remains of the settlement cover an area half an acre in size, and include the foundations of a watchtower, baking facilities, and hidden underground passageways that were likely used by Jewish rebels during the revolt. In addition to limestone vessels and bronze coins, archaeologists also discovered a fragment of a lamp decorated with a nine-branched menorah. Scholars believe this to be one of the earliest artistic depictions of a menorah. While the menorah at the Temple in Jerusalem had seven branches, the Babylonian Talmud decreed that Jewish people could not recreate the seven-branched holy menorah, and so lamps depicting eight to eleven-branched candelabras were used for domestic use. The site displays evidence of destruction by fire, which scholars believe occurred during the First Jewish Revolt around 70 AD. In the Old Testament, Beersheba was seen as the southern border of the area settled by the tribes of Israel, as evidenced by the frequent use of the phrase, "from Dan to Beersheba" (Judges 20:1; 1 Samuel 3:10; 1 Kings 4:25; 2 Chronicles 30:5; etc.).

Off-site Links:

- https://www.friendsofiaa.org/news/2019/4/5/nine-branch-menorah-discovered-at-beer-sheba-one-of-the-earliest-of-its-kind
- https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Archaeologists-discover-earliest-appearances-of-a-menorah-in-art-585729
- https://www.timesofisrael.com/2000-year-old-image-of-9-stem-menorah-found-in-rare-jewish-site-in-beersheba/

Biblical Names Discovered on a Seal and Bulla in Jerusalem posted by Bryan Windle

Archaeologists digging in Jerusalem unearthed a 2600-year old bulla (clay seal impression) and an ancient seal which bear biblical names. The paleo-Hebrew inscription on the bulla reads, "[belonging] to Nathan-Melech, Servant of the King." Both the title "Servant of the King" and the name are found in the Bible, with Nathan-Melech being an official in the court of King Josiah in 2 Kings 23:11. While scholars cannot be certain that this bulla belongs to the Nathan-Melech of the Bible, three things point towards this identification: the rarity of the name, the reign of King Josiah in the mid-seventh century BC is relatively close to the time of the destruction, and the title testifies to the importance of the individual. The object found was a blue agate stone seal with the inscription, "[belonging] to Ikkar son of Matanyahu." The name Matanyahu is also in the Bible (spelled Mattaniah in 2 Kings 24:17; 1 Chronicles 9:15, 25:4, 25:16) and has been previously found on other seals and bullae. Both artifacts were discovered in situ in the remains of a building that was destroyed in the sixth century BC, likely during the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC. Given the size of the building, the finely cut ashlar stones used in its construction and the remnants of a polished plaster floor, archaeologists have identified it as an administrative center. These finds attest to a highly organized administrative system in the Kingdom of Judah during the First Temple era.

Off-site Links:

- https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium.MAGAZINE-seal-with-biblical-name-found-in-jerusalem-house-destroyed-by-babylonians-2-600y-ago-1.7068047
- https://www.timesofisrael.com/two-tiny-first-temple-inscriptions-vastly-enlarge-picture-of-ancient-jerusalem/
- https://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/jerusalem/seal-bearing-name-of-king-josiahs-court-official-uncovered-in-city-of-david/2019/03/31/

Discovery of Ancient Egyptian Ship Proves Herodotus Right posted by Bryan Windle

In 450 BC, the Greek historian Herodotus visited Egypt and wrote about his travels in his Historia. One of the ships he describes in detail, called a baris, has been an enigma to historians, as no known Egyptian ship has matched his description. Herodotus described a long barge with one rudder passing through a hole in the keel that was constructed of cut planks 2 cubits long (about 40 inches), arranged like bricks with beams stretched over them. Such a sunken ship was recently discovered at the underwater ancient port city of Thonis-Heracleion. Ship 17, as it is known, was investigated by underwater archaeologists and found to have a similar architecture of thick planks held together with smaller pieces of wood. The long internal ribs that Herodotus describes were present on Ship 17. The ship likely sank in the fifth century BC, but may have been constructed in the sixth century BC. Archaeologists are confident that they've discovered the first example of a baris, and Herodotus' description has now been confirmed. Egyptian ships are mentioned numerous times in the Bible (Isa 18:2, 30:9; Acts 27), although it does not appear that a baris is being referred to in any of these passages.

Off-site Links:

- https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/mar/17/nile-shipwreck-herodotus-archaeologists-thonis-heraclion
- https://www.livescience.com/65028-herodotus-ship-discovered.html
- https://www.history.com/news/shipwreck-herodotus-egypt-baris-discovery

Looted Babylonian Artifact Seized at Heathrow Airport posted by Bryan Windle

A 3000-year-old inscribed cuneiform tablet was confiscated at Heathrow Airport by an astute Border Force officer who became suspicious when the declaration described a "carved stone for decoration" worth "300" in an unspecified currency. The officer searched the object on Google before contacting the British Museum, which confirmed that it was an authentic Babylonian kudurru, a document recording a gift from a king to one of his subjects, often used as a boundary stone. The tablet includes depictions of the Babylonian gods Enlil and Marduk one side and dates to the reign of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar I (circa 1126-1103 BC). Little is known about this lesser known Nebuchadnezzar's reign; the more famous Nebuchadnezzar II (circa 605-562 BC) is the Babylonian king of the same name who is known in Scripture (ie. Jeremiah, Kings, Chronicles, Daniel, etc.). Officials believe the artifact was illegally looted during the Iraq War. The British Museum will be officially handing the kudurru over to the Iraqi government in an ceremony later this month.

Off-site Links:

- https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2019/mar/10/babylonian-treasure-seized-at-heathrow-to-be-returned-to-iraq
- http://time.com/5554732/iraq-war-tablet-looted-return-uk/
- http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/uk-returns-3-000-year-old-tablet-looted-during-iraq-war-142037

Ancient Nabateans Built Dams and Terrace Systems to Manage Water posted by Bryan Windle

A new study of the Qantara-Hremeyyeh catchment area located near Petra has revealed how the ancient Nabateans built a system of dams and terraces as part of their water management strategy. Soil samples and mortar were analyzed to learn about their surface management and intervention practices. Water from this catchment area flows from the mountains to the Treasury of Petra, which inundated the area with flooding in antiquity. To combat this, from the first century BC to the first century AD the Nabateans widened the wadies to slow the water and reduce erosion, as well as built dams to prevent flooding of the Treasury of Petra. The dams also helped collect water which was used for agricultural activities. Terraces were also built to improve soil quality, making it suitable for cultivation. The Nabatean king Aretas IV is mentioned in 2 Corinthians 11:32-33.

Off-site Link:

- http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/ancient-nabataeans-built-dams-terraces-mitigate-flooding-petra-%E2%80%94-jordanian-researcher

New Study of Phoenician Silver Traces Their Migration posted by Bryan Windle

A study in the scientific journal PNAS by scholars from Haifa University and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem traces the migration of the Phoenicians. Scientists analyzed the lead isotopes in three Phoenician silver caches discovered in archaeological digs at Tel Dor, Acre and Ein Hofez, which allowed them to identify where the silver came from. The silver in the oldest cache unearthed at Tel Dor came from Anatolia, while the silver in the most recent cache discovered at Ein Hofez came from the Iberian Peninsula. The authors of the study suggest that silver was the motivating factor that drove Phoenician expansion in the Mediterranean and that "the quest for silver was a major trigger for a long 'precolonization' phase, during the 10th to 9th centuries B.C." While Phoenicians are never mentioned by that name in the Old Testament, their major cities of Tyre and Sidon are mentioned frequently. In Ezekiel 27:12, we read a lament for Tyre in which it says, "Tarshish did business with you because of your great wealth of every kind; silver, iron, tin, and lead they exchanged for your wares."

Off-site Links:

- https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2019/02/15/1817951116
- https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/the-silver-rush-new-technologies-remap-phoenician-expansion-in-the-mediterranean-1.6975559
- https://popular-archaeology.com/article/silver-and-the-phoenician-expansion/

Ancient Shipyard Discovered in Egypt posted by Bryan Windle

An ancient shipyard was recently unearthed at Tell Abu Saifi, located just east of the Suez Canal in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. A limestone structure containing two dry docks for the construction and maintenance of ancient ships was excavated. The remains of wooden beams, bronze and iron nails, fish bones and clay pots were found inside the shipyard. Most of the structure's limestone blocks had been removed from their original positions for secondary use after the port was abandoned when the branch of the Nile that it was located on dried up. The shipyard was in use through the Ptolemaic and Roman eras. Egyptian ships are mentioned numerous times in the Bible (Is 18:2; 30:9), with perhaps the most famous being the Alexandrian ship that was transporting the apostle Paul to Rome when it sank near the island of Malta in Acts 27.

Off-site Links:
- http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/41/325517/Heritage/GrecoRoman/Ancient-workshop-for-construction-of-boats-uncover.aspx
- http://luxortimes.com/2019/02/roman-shipyard-discovered-in-egypt/
- https://www.apnews.com/a2ed0e843f0f4cf6b06e60139259feaa

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