BAR interviews archaeologist Erez Ben-Yosef
Was ancient Israel’s United Monarchy a semi-nomadic kingdom that is now largely invisible to modern archaeology? Some archaeologists think so. To better understand this theory, BAR Assistant Editor Nathan Steinmeyer visited the Timna excavations in southern Israel to talk with director Erez Ben-Yosef about his team’s recent studies on the kingdom of David and Solomon. As argued in “David and Solomon’s Invisible Kingdom” in the Summer 2023 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, Ben-Yosef and co-author Zachary Thomas believe that ancient Israel’s legendary monarchs ruled over a mixed population of nomads and city dwellers. What is the evidence for nomads in the Bible and the archaeological record, and how does this change the way we think about the history of the biblical period?
Dig into more than 9,000 articles in the Biblical Archaeology Society’s vast library plus much more with an All-Access pass.
Does a Jordan Valley Site Reveal the Origin of Ancient Israel?
David and Solomon’s Invisible Kingdom
Were the Early Israelites Pastoral Nomads?
Finding Evidence of Ancient Nomads
The Iron Age Sites in the Negev Highlands: Military Fortresses or Nomads Settling Down?
Not a BAS Library or All-Access Member yet? Join today.Sign up to receive our email newsletter and never miss an update.
Dig into the world of the Bible with a BAS All-Access membership. Combine a one-year tablet and print subscription to BAR with membership in the BAS Library to start your journey into the ancient past today!
Subscribe Today