Ancient Cultures

Ancient Cultures

Hittite Empire

Sep 29

New Indo-European Language Discovered at Hattusa

By: Nathan Steinmeyer

Excavations at the site of Hattusa, the capital of the Hittite empire, have revealed a cuneiform tablet written in a previously unknown Indo-European language. According […]

Sep 27

A Biblical Spice Rack

By: Devorah Emmet Wigoder

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 of these plants.

ancient DNA

Sep 22

Ancient DNA from a Cuneiform Brick

By: Nathan Steinmeyer

A group of researchers has successfully extracted DNA from an ancient cuneiform brick for the first time, identifying over thirty species of plants present in […]

ancient-music-lute-player

Sep 19

How Were Biblical Psalms Originally Performed?

By: Marek Dospěl

Biblical psalms have throughout millennia been an important part of traditional Jewish and Christian worship. How were Biblical psalms originally performed?

Magic figure

Sep 18

Magic on the Road to Mecca

By: Nathan Steinmeyer

A cache of objects found along the route from Cairo to Mecca may have been used for magic rituals by 17th-century pilgrims on the Hajj. […]

Temple on Mount Gerizim

Sep 17

The Temple on Mount Gerizim—In the Bible and Archaeology

By: Megan Sauter

Temples have been found throughout the ancient Near East. What went on at these sites? Along with reconstructing architectural remains, can scholars piece together ancient worship practices? […]

Canopic jar

Sep 15

The Egyptian “Scent of Eternity”

By: Nathan Steinmeyer

Analyzing residue from two canopic jars from the 3,500-year-old tomb of an Egyptian noblewoman, a team of researchers has discovered the ingredients to an Egyptian […]

hattusa-wall

Sep 14

Who Were the Hittites?

By: Ellen White

Archaeology tells us a lot about the Hittites—and the Neo-Hittites too. But it’s hard to reconcile this with the Hittites of the Bible.

Sep 13

Battle of the Gods

By: Marek Dospěl

The Hebrew Bible portrays the ninth-century BCE Omride kings of Israel as worshipers of the Phoenician storm god Baal. We are told that King Ahab […]

Sep 12

Daily Life in Ancient Israel

By: Biblical Archaeology Society Staff

What was life like for the tribes of Israel in the time of the Biblical Judges, the period archaeologists call Iron Age I (1200–1000 B.C.E.)?