Dec 5
By: Robin Ngo
Scholars have proposed a new reading of the Mesha Stele: one line refers not to the “House of David,” but to the Moab king Balak from the story of Balaam in the Bible.
Dec 5
By: Mark Wilson
The legend of jolly old St. Nicholas evolved into Santa Claus in Christmas tradition, but who was St. Nicholas?
Dec 4
By: BAS Staff
“So Israel was exiled from their own land to Assyria until this day.” This is how the Book of 2 Kings summarizes the Assyrian conquest […]
Dec 3
By: Mary Joan Winn Leith
“The Cherry Tree Carol” is a Christmas carol that first appeared in 13th-century England; an American version was discovered in Appalachia in the 20th century. Stonehill College Biblical scholar Mary Joan Winn Leith explains the carol’s roots in early Christian Syrian churches.
Dec 3
By: Megan Sauter
Were there synagogues before the Romans destroyed the Temple, or did they develop only afterward? Communal structures from the Second Temple period have been discovered, but should they be considered synagogues even though they don’t share the major architectural feature common to post-destruction synagogues?
Dec 2
While walking with her family at Tel Qana near Tel Aviv, a young girl made a fantastic find: a small stone in the shape of […]
Dec 1
By: Hershel Shanks
In BAR, Hershel Shanks examines a recent article published by archaeologist Amihai Mazar. Mazar contends that while the Biblical narratives were written hundreds of years after the reigns of Saul, David and Solomon, they “retain memories of reality.”
Nov 30
By: Biblical Archaeology Society Staff
Were the gifts of the magi meant to save Jesus from the pain of arthritis? It’s possible, according to researchers at Cardiff University in Wales who have been studying the medical uses of frankincense.
Nov 29
By: Lila Wolk
In 79 CE, the Roman town of Pompeii was covered in volcanic ash, courtesy of Mt. Vesuvius. While the bodies of the dead decomposed long […]
Nov 28
By: Dorothy Willette
Go on a journey of the senses through history and discover the significance of ritual feasts and meals in antiquity.
