First Person: Is “Bible” a Dirty Word?
As published in the September/October 2015 Biblical Archaeology Review
Hershel Shanks
September 28, 2015
32 Comments
6231 views
Does Near Eastern politics affect archaeology? Unfortunately, yes.
I was reminded of this during a recent interview I had with two leading American archaeologists, Eric and Carol Meyers.a From them, I learned that one of America’s premier archaeological organizations, ASOR (the American Schools of Oriental Research), changed the name of its popular magazine Biblical Archaeologist to Near Eastern Archaeology over the objection of its members because this was the only way they could get articles about archaeology being conducted in Arab countries; these sources apparently objected to anything “Biblical,” as in the name Biblical Archaeologist.
Similarly Oxford University Press, I learned from the Meyerses, changed the name of its new archaeological encyclopedia from The Oxford Encyclopedia of Biblical Archaeology to The Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East to enable the editors to obtain entries about archaeology in Arab countries.
A pattern begins to emerge. Another prominent American archaeologist, Øystein (“Sten”) LaBianca, digs in Jordan at Tall Hisban, probably the site the Biblical writer had in mind when referring to Heshbon, a city in Moab that refused to allow Moses to pass through on the Israelites’ trek to the Holy Land (see Numbers 21:21–31; Deuteronomy 2:24; Joshua 12:1–2; Judges 11:19–26). Sten told me that he once persuaded the Jordanian authorities to post a sign near the site directing visitors to “Tall Hisban—famous biblical, classical and Islamic archaeological site.” Soon after the sign was posted, the word “biblical” was obliterated.b “Biblical” was apparently not kosher.
While this might not be surprising in Jordan, it would be in England. A conference was recently held at University College London titled “Digging Up Jericho.” Scholars from England, the United States, Holland, Italy, Denmark and the Palestinian Department of Antiquities presented papers. No scholars from you-know-where were on the program.
Although the two-day conference was called “Digging Up Jericho,” none of the papers dealt with whether the excavation revealed any information—positive or negative—about the Biblical account of the destruction of Jericho. The Bible was apparently verboten. No one would ever know the Bible dealt with the site.
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The keynote address was given by Professor Lorenzo Nigro of the Sapienza University of Rome, who has led a major new excavation at Jericho. This reminded me of my own brief connection with this excavation. In the spring of 2012, I met an archaeologist in Jerusalem who was associated with this excavation. When she told me about it, I naturally thought of the possibility of an article in BAR. I mentioned this to her, and she seemed to be receptive. We decided to go to the site and talk further about it. We had a great visit, and on the way back we agreed on the general outline of an article that she would write for BAR. I then confirmed this in an email. Her article would generally be about the new excavation. The great Neolithic tower was still the most impressive surviving part of the site, however. A great Middle Bronze (16th century B.C.E.) wall had been destroyed and was subsequently reused. Had the tradition of this wall’s destruction been incorporated into the Biblical account of the destruction of Jericho?
In my email to her confirming the assignment, I concluded with my usual paragraph: “You may have other or additional matters that you want to include. I would guess that your manuscript will be about 12 double-spaced pages, but it can be a little more or a little less. Just say what you have to say, and when you’ve said it, stop. If in doubt, include it.”
She replied, “Many thanks for your email. Everything is clear … It was a great pleasure to accompany you to Jericho.”
But then, after a delay, came another email from her: “I am trying to find a solution to the proposed article. As I told you, there are many people involved and supervisors for the Jericho excavations, and we need to cooperate. So at the present moment, it is not the time for me to submit an article by myself. I hope you can understand my position and the balance I have to keep. Maybe in the future.”
I replied:
I have been thinking a lot about why this didn’t work. We were both so excited by the idea of this article when we went to Jericho together. It seems to me there are two possible reasons why you didn’t write this article we agreed upon: (1) You are not the director of the excavation, and you were fearful that the director would not approve of your doing this. (2) Because the site is in the West Bank, you were concerned that a discussion of Jericho in the context of the Bible would not be approved by the authorities and perhaps not by the dig director.
She replied: “You are partly right. And there are other reasons—for sure the political situation is not easy … I hope there will be other occasions to cooperate in the future.”
So the article is in abeyance—most likely permanently. When we will learn how the new excavations might enlighten our understanding of the Biblical references to Jericho remains a question.
Notes:
a. Hershel Shanks, “Biblical Archaeology: Whither and Whence,” BAR, March/April 2015.
b. First Person: “LaBianca’s Four Different Kinds of ‘Past,’” BAR, July/August 2012.
More on Jericho in the BAS Library:
Ronald S. Hendel, “Biblical Views: Giants at Jericho,” Biblical Archaeology Review, March/April 2009.
Bryant G. Wood, “Did the Israelites Conquer Jericho? A New Look at the Archaeological Evidence,” Biblical Archaeology Review, March/April 1990.
Piotr Bienkowski, “Battle Over Jericho Heats Up: Jericho Was Destroyed in the Middle Bronze Age, Not the Late Bronze Age,” Biblical Archaeology Review, September/October 1990.
Bryant G. Wood, “Battle Over Jericho Heats Up: Dating Jericho’s Destruction: Bienkowski Is Wrong on All Counts,” Biblical Archaeology Review, September/October 1990.
Ehud Netzer, “BAR Readers Restore and Preserve Herodian Jericho,” Biblical Archaeology Review, November/December 1978.
Suzanne F. Singer, “The Winter Palaces of Jericho,” Biblical Archaeology Review, June 1977.
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This is a very interesting subject. I wonder if someone can contact me on my email address though I am researching biblical archaeology and I am looking for some expertise. I have been writing to BA before but have not had an answer. It is quite urgent.
Hershel,
I loved your article on the words “Bible,” “Biblical,” and the archaeology of Jericho.
It seems strange to me that in a politically-correct and tolerant society, we consider scientific evidence and every literary source available to help us understand our archaeology, but, when it comes to the Bible, “educated” people start running from it. Maybe there is something mysterious about the Bible that draws both critic and proponent alike to the Bible. It really has something constructive to offer on the subject of Jericho’s history. The Bible does make sense; just give it a chance.
Jerry Knoblet
Doesn’t archaelogy in the Near East cover rather more than the bible? There’s loads of different religions ans nations included and it seems sensible to have a name that reflects the the variety of stuff dug up. Where’s the problem?
It seems to me to be part of the falling away from the faith, as described in the Bible. Satan and his fallen angels are doing all they can to defeat the Lord’s efforts. Though, when we pray according to God’s own words, He hears us and responds. The delay in receiving that response can be due to spiritual warfare in the heavenly realm.
The problem with the Bible outside the library is that it becomes a chain on our efforts. The Book was created late in mans History with the Father. The ancient past, what’s going on now and add also future vision is not something we ever want to put a chain on. I did not read the Bible as a single Book. I crossed referenced it with many areas of humanity. It can never be a dictator in the humanities. It is more like a guide or compass. It would be like demanding that the book of Josephis dictate the search.
Strange as it may seem, this issue isn’t simply to do with the Bible. Apart from being a priest, my main interest is in British and Anglo-Saxon Christianity and there is a strong feeling amongst archaeologists that you should examine sites in their own right without necessarily trying to tie them into the written sources. There is certainly a deep suspicion of using archaeology to “prove” the sources or indeed using the sources to “explain” the archaeology. It’s not just the Bible, though, as you suggest, there may be other probles relating to that too.
The only “chain” the Bible represents is a chain to pull mankind from our insatiable desire for self-control, secular reasoning, and the false doctrines that try to promote these values in our lives. It is unfortunate that the organizations listed in the above article have given in to these forces and compromised their own integrity in the process.
I recall that it was quite recent when “Biblical archaeology” was considered to have an “a priori” bias to it because it appeared as though the object of the archaeology was to verify and substantiate the Biblical text, so I’m not surprized at the resistance, particularly when Islam feels it is being given short shrift (overlooking the the potential problems of archaeological digs around Mecca and Medina). However, if it makes the work and findings of the archaeologist any more “politically correct,” let’s call it Abrahamic archaeology. “What’s in a name….?”
Wow, things are certainly hotting up, here on earth.
It might be that the time is coming for Jesus to return and sought us all out.
Hold your ground BAS the fight is just beginning.
I don’t think many people here understand the significant effect that the Bible has had on archaeology over the past few hundred years. Many of the the most incredible archaeological finds have come about as a result of people following the clues in the Bible. And most of the time when a site is found it is often assigned as a city or site mentioned in a certain Biblical passage. The trend these days seems to be that less and less archaeologists actually believe and read the Bible as such you have more and more archaeologists denying and dismissing the ultimate authority and this has also had an effect on what is fed to media outlets, in particular documentaries about Biblical sites. The majority deny the Bible’s accuracy and will do anything to prove that the Bible is wrong, a good example is Israel Finkelstein, who is an Israeli but he will scoff at any information which may prove the Bible’s dates accurate. Why? I do not know. But a lot of this has to do with education. Most of the archaeologists in the past where Bible believers or at least readers, but now the majority are schooled in evolution and therefore immediately they have doubts about the Bible’s accuracy and they act accordingly. Another problem lies not in archaeology but in Biblical historians the majority of whom are atheists. If you have biblical historians who don’t believe in the Bible directing our minds what will be the result? You guessed it. People will stop believing in the Bible because so-called experts tell you it didn’t happen, or it was 500 years later, or it wasn’t written then, it was written after the events. What we need is for people who believe to stand up and get out of their offices and start looking for evidence to prove the Bible accurate beyond doubt once and for all. And if you are a biblical historian who believes then start standing up for the truth and pointing out where your atheist colleagues are wrong.