Nov 18
By: Samuel DeWitt Pfister
The ancient village of Bethsaida frequently mentioned in the Gospels is believed to be located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, but where precisely the abandoned city lies remains a fiercely-debated question among scholars.
Nov 14
By: Noah Wiener
Crete’s Minoan civilization has long been considered Europe’s first great Bronze Age society. But who were the Minoans? A recent DNA study suggests that the Minoan civilization comprised of local Europeans rather than outsiders.
Oct 3
By: Robin Ngo
In the Bible, a shade of blue called tekhelet was God’s chosen color for the ancient Israelites. Tekhelet drapes adorned Solomon’s Temple, and tekhelet robes were worn by Israel’s high priests. What was the actual color of ancient tekhelet and tzitzit?
Sep 28
By: Robin Ngo
For the first time, the royal seal of King Hezekiah in the Bible has been found in an archaeological excavation.
Sep 7
By: Robin Ngo
An excavation at a cave in Galilee has uncovered what may be a 2,000-year-old stone vessel production center. In the first century C.E., Jews commonly used stone vessels in observance of Jewish purity laws.
Aug 27
By: Robin Ngo
Researchers recently deciphered one of the last two remaining Dead Sea Scrolls. Written in code, the scroll describes a 364-day calendar used by the Qumran community that lived in the Judean Desert.
Aug 23
By: Noah Wiener
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.
Jul 20
By: Noah Wiener
In the 16th century B.C.E., Ahmose I overthrew the Hyksos and initiated the 18th Dynasty and the New Kingdom of Egypt. Recent archaeological discoveries at Tel Habuwa shed new light on Ahmose’s campaign.
Jun 15
By: Robin Ngo
For the first time, researchers have conducted DNA sequencing on ancient Canaanite skeletons and have determined where the Canaanites’ descendants can be found today.
Dec 29
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.
