MAGAZINE HIGHLIGHTS

Biblical Archaeology Review, Winter 2020

Step inside King Herod’s palace-fortress at Machaerus, east of the Dead Sea, in the Winter 2020 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review. BAR readers get a first look at Herod’s reconstructed throne niche, the very platform from which Tetrarch Herod Antipas sentenced John the Baptist to death. Move westward to Maresha, where archaeologists have discovered hundreds of decorated sealings, testifying to an ancient archive. Then reexamine a figurine presented in the Fall 2020 issue of BAR. Although the figurine’s excavator thinks it might depict the Israelite deity, other scholars disagree. From there, explore gluttony and drunkenness in ancient Israel, the portrayal of ancient Cush in the Hebrew Bible, and Jewish epitaphs from ancient Rome. Finish your tour of the Winter 2020 issue with a Christmas package: an in-depth investigation of Jesus’s infancy stories in the Gospels.

Visit us online, at Bible History Daily, to see the latest news in biblical archaeology or delve into additional articles, eBooks, and videos about key Bible and archaeology topics, including a survey of artistic recreations of Herod’s throne room at Machaerus by Győző Vörös. Enjoy our free eBook Who Was Jesus? Exploring the History of Jesus’ Life to learn more about the life of Jesus—from his birthplace to the Last Supper. Visit our Digs page to learn about excavation opportunities for 2021. Information will be updated as we get it, both about opportunities and restrictions due to ongoing health concerns. Explore the BAS Library, which features every article ever published in BAR, Bible Review, and Archaeology Odyssey, as well as Special Collections of articles curated by BAS editors.

Features

Restoring Herod’s Throne Niche at Machaerus

By Győző Vörös

King Herod the Great built an impressive palace-fortress at Machaerus, east of the Dead Sea. See how the site’s excavators restored the throne niche in his royal palace.

Facing the Facts About the “Face of God”

By Shua Kisilevitz, Ido Koch, Oded Lipschits, and David S. Vanderhooft

In the Fall 2020 issue of BAR, Yosef Garfinkel claimed that a figurine from Khirbet Qeiyafa might represent the Israelite God, Yahweh. Some prominent scholars think otherwise.

Archive Discovered Under Maresha

By Ian Stern and Donald T. Ariel

A large private archive was recently discovered in a subterranean cache at Maresha, a Hellenistic city in the Judean Shephelah. The original documents have not survived but are attested through hundreds of decorated sealings.

Gluttony and Drunkenness in Ancient Israel

By Rebekah Welton

In Deuteronomy 21:18–21, a delinquent son is sentenced to death for being rebellious, as well as a glutton and drunkard. A close look at the foodways of ancient Israel suggests a better interpretation for the son’s crime.

Departments

Strata

The Hagia Sophia Mosque
Storage Wars B.C.E.
Where is It?
High Offerings
Then and Now: Rooks and Pawns
Arch-Tech: New Fruit from Old Seeds
Milestones: Magen Broshi: First Curator of the Dead Sea Scrolls
Milestones: James D.G. Dunn: Influential New Testament Scholar
Milestones: Thomas O. Lambdin: Polyglot Professor of Ancient Languages
Milestones: Rachel Hachlili: Barrier-Breaking Researcher and Mentor
Jewish Epitaphs from Ancient Rome
Worldwide

Epistles

The Whole Christmas Package: Jesus’s Infancy Stories
Define intervention
Clip Art
Biblical Profile: Representing Cush in the Hebrew Bible

Plus

First Person: A Magazine, Not a Journal
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Authors
Caption Contest

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