The brevity of life is compared to the delicate bloom of the caper in one of the Bible’s many references to fragrant and edible plants. Enjoy a glimpse of some Read more…
Ancient Cultures
What does archaeology tell us about the world of the Bible? Explore what life was like in the ancient world, from broad cultural trends to daily habits.
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A Biblical Spice Rack
• 11/21/2018
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Saqqara Tombs Reveal More Animal Mummies
• 11/13/2018
Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities recently announced that rare mummified scarab beetles as well as dozens of mummified cats were uncovered in Saqqara. Read more…
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Did Camels Exist in Biblical Times?
• 11/12/2018
Mark W. Chavalas explores the history of camel domestication in BAR. Read more…
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How to Make a Mudbrick
• 11/08/2018
Anyone can make a mudbrick! The recipe is simple—and the ingredients are common. Read more…
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The Origins of Democracy
• 11/06/2018
When we think of democracy, we usually think of the ancient Greeks, but identifying the exact origins of political practices can be tricky. Read more…
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Canaan and Egypt: Ancient Fish Trade
• 11/01/2018
Scientists determined through an analysis of fish teeth that there was an extensive fish trade between Canaan and Egypt 3,500 years ago. Read more…
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Lay That Ghost: Necromancy in Ancient Greece and Rome
• 10/30/2018
When seeking “hidden” knowledge, ancient Greeks and Romans visited sacred oracles and consulted necromancers, who communed with the dead. The necromancer’s art often involved strange journeys, sleep-and-dreaming rituals and even Read more…
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Delikkemer: Hydrating Democracy at Patara
• 10/28/2018
Explore the water system that supplied the world’s oldest federalist democracy. Read more…
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What Does the Bible Say About Children—and What Does Archaeology Say?
• 10/22/2018
What was it like to be a child in the ancient Near East? What role did they play in the household? Read more…
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Saving Aramaic, the Language Jesus Spoke
• 10/15/2018
Once spoken across most of the ancient Near East, Aramaic was most likely the language Jesus spoke. Yona Sabar, a scholar and one of the last living native speakers of Read more…
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Who Is the Queen of Sheba in the Bible?
• 10/13/2018
The meeting of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba is described in the Bible. Bringing exquisite gifts, the Queen of Sheba came from an exotic land—but where exactly? Ethiopians Read more…
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“Aramaic Comics” Decorate Roman Tomb in Beit Ras, Jordan
• 10/03/2018
In a Roman tomb in northern Jordan, archaeologists have discovered what they are calling the “first Aramaic comics.” Read more…
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Where Did the Philistines Come From?
• 09/22/2018
Excavators at Tell es-Safi/Gath, the site of Gath of the Philistines mentioned in the Bible, found an exceptionally well preserved horned altar reminiscent of the Israelite horned altars described in Read more…
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BAR Test Kitchen
• 09/04/2018
If you have ever wanted to eat like an ancient person, now you can. Read more…
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Fruit in the Bible
• 09/03/2018
Seeds and fruit remains are exciting discoveries for archaeologists, and they provide radiocarbon data to help date buried strata. Fruit also plays an important role in the Biblical narrative. Read more…
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Carchemish in the Bible and History
• 09/02/2018
Carchemish was an important Hittite fortress and provincial capital located on the west bank of the Euphrates River. Read more…
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6,500-Year-Old DNA Points to Ancient Migration
• 08/31/2018
A new DNA study demonstrates that humans migrated from modern-day Turkey and Iran to Israel’s Upper Galilee region 6,500 years ago. Read more…
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What Happened to the Canaanites?
• 08/28/2018
For the first time, researchers have conducted DNA sequencing on ancient Canaanite skeletons and have determined where the Canaanites’ descendants can be found today. Read more…
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Ancient Combat Sports
• 08/26/2018
Three ancient Olympic combat events—wrestling, boxing and pancratium—reveal much about the aspirations and values of ancient Greece, about what was deemed honorable, fair and beautiful, both in the eyes of Read more…
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August 2017: An Eclipse of Biblical Proportions
• 08/21/2018
An eclipse of Biblical proportions was visible across the United States on August 21, 2017. Read more…
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Classical Corner: The Antonine Plague and the Spread of Christianity
• 08/17/2018
In 166 C.E., the Roman Empire was at the zenith of its power. The triumphant Roman legions, under the command of Emperor Lucius Verrus, returned to Rome victorious after having Read more…
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BAR Test Kitchen: Mersu
• 08/15/2018
For this BAR Test Kitchen dish, we made mersu, an ancient Syrian delicacy made of flour, dates, and pistachios. Read more…
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The Prehistoric Diet and the Rise of Complex Societies
• 08/13/2018
Learn about prehistoric dining at Tel Tsaf, an ancient village about 20 miles south of the Sea of Galilee in Israel. Read more…
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The Göbekli Tepe Ruins and the Origins of Neolithic Religion
• 08/09/2018
The massive stone enclosures of the Göbekli Tepe ruins may be the earliest examples of Neolithic religion. Read more…
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Çatalhöyük Mural: The Earliest Representation of a Volcanic Eruption?
• 08/08/2018
In the early 1960s, archaeologist James Mellaart uncovered a mural at Çatalhöyük, the world’s largest and best-preserved Neolithic site, which he interpreted to represent a volcanic eruption. A recent Read more…
