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News

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Nov 18

Where Is Biblical Bethsaida?

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

Who Were the Minoans?

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.

Ancient tekhelet: the Jewish prayer shawl

Oct 3

What Color Was Tekhelet?

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?

hezekiah-bulla

Sep 28

King Hezekiah in the Bible: Royal Seal of Hezekiah Comes to Light

By: Robin Ngo

For the first time, the royal seal of King Hezekiah in the Bible has been found in an archaeological excavation.

Einot Amitai

Sep 7

Jewish Purification: Stone Vessel Workshop Discovered in Galilee

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.

qumran-calendar-4q324d-sm

Aug 27

Newly Deciphered Dead Sea Scroll Reveals 364-Day Calendar

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

Çatalhöyük Mural: The Earliest Representation of a Volcanic Eruption?

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

The Expulsion of the Hyksos

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.

canaanite-sidon-burial

Jun 15

What Happened to the Canaanites?

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.

mesha-stele

Dec 29

Scholars Identify Biblical King Balak on the Mesha Stele

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.