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avraham biran

avraham biran Latest

Sep 3 Blog

53 People in the Bible Confirmed Archaeologically

By: Lawrence Mykytiuk

How many people mentioned in the Hebrew Bible have been confirmed archaeologically? Lawrence Mykytiuk reveals the surprising number—from Israelite kings to Mesopotamian monarchs—and some lesser figures as well.

A Tomb in Jerusalem Reveals the History of Crucifixion and Roman Crucifixion Methods

Aug 6 Blog

A Tomb in Jerusalem Reveals the History of Crucifixion and Roman Crucifixion Methods

By: BAS Staff

In the history of crucifixion, the death of Jesus of Nazareth stands out as the best-known example by far. Crucifixion in antiquity was actually a fairly common punishment, but there were no known physical remains from a crucifixion. Then, in 1968, archaeologist Vassilios Tzaferis excavated a Jerusalem tomb that contained the bones of a crucified man named Yehohanan. As Tzaferis reported in BAR, the discovery demonstrated the brutal reality of Roman crucifixion methods in a way that written accounts never had before.

tel-dan-stele

Jun 4 Blog

The Tel Dan Inscription: The First Historical Evidence of King David from the Bible

By: BAS Staff

Few modern Biblical archaeology discoveries have attracted as much attention as the Tel Dan inscription—writing on a ninth-century B.C. stone slab (or stela) that furnished the first historical evidence of King David from the Bible.

Oct 24 Blog

3,000-Year-Old Hebrew Inscription Discovered

By: Jonathan Laden

A Hebrew inscription on a jar unearthed at Tel Abel Beth Macaah may resolve a long-running dispute about the extent of Israelite territory in the […]

Jul 29 Blog

The Renewed Excavations at Tel Dan

By: David Ilan, Yifat Thareani and Jonathan Greer

After a four-year hiatus, the Hebrew Union College is back excavating at Tel Dan, the site where the famous Tel Dan inscription—the first extra-Biblical evidence of King David—was discovered.

meyers-shanks

Feb 9 Blog

Biblical Archaeology: Whither and Whence

By: Hershel Shanks

Giants in Biblical archaeology, Eric and Carol Meyers sit down with BAR’s editor to discuss the past 40 years of the field. Read the full interview as it appears in the 40th anniversary issue of BAR.

Publishing Israel Archaeology Digs

Jan 30 Blog

Publishing Israel Archaeology Digs

By: BAS Staff

It has been called the “dirty secret” of Israel archaeology: Digs go on for season after season of excavation without publishing final reports of the results of their work. Fortunately, some archaeology digs are changing that trend by producing final reports in beautiful volumes, thereby sharing their discoveries with the public and other scholars interested in Israel archaeology.

Oct 21 Blog

Avraham Biran (1909–2008)

By: Biblical Archaeology Society Staff

An extraordinary career in archaeology came to an end in September 2008 with the passing of Avraham Biran. He died in his beloved Jerusalem just a month shy of his 99th birthday. Biran's life and work was a mirror of Israel's history and of Israeli archaeology. He was born in 1909, almost four decades before the establishment of the State of Israel, and he liked to refer to himself as a "Mayflower Israeli." Biran knew Sir William Flinders Petrie, the father of modern Near Eastern archaeology, and studied under William F. Albright, the legendary dean of Near Eastern studies at Johns Hopkins.

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