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Aerial photo of a cross-shaped marble baptistry at the fourth-century church in Laodicea, Turkey. Photo: Dr. Celal Şimşek/Laodikeia excavation.

Nov 13 Blog

When Did Christianity Begin to Spread?

By: BAS Staff

How old is Christianity? Churches are among Biblical archaeology findings that hold the answer.

Nov 28 Blog

A Feast for the Senses … and the Soul

By: Dorothy Willette

Go on a journey of the senses through history and discover the significance of ritual feasts and meals in antiquity.

Aug 27 Blog

Treasures in Clay Jars

By: Mark Wilson

The ubiquity of hoards in antiquity, both in time and region, suggests that the phenomenon was so well known that Paul could reasonably use it as an analogy. These treasures—the coin hoards mentioned in of 2 Corinthians 4:7—were never placed in clay lamps but rather in clay jars.

Jun 5 Blog

Ancient Phoenix: The Harbor That Might Have Been

By: Mark Wilson

Explore a Pauline site on Crete with Mark Wilson.

Oct 23 Blog

The Serendipities of Archaeological Travel with BAS

By: Mark Wilson

Mark Wilson took BAS audiences through to Neolithic, Hebrew Bible and New Testament sites in Turkey after political circumstances prevented a trip to southeastern Turkey.

Jul 24 Blog

Destroying a Temple

By: Mark Wilson

Dr. Mark Wilson is the director of the Asia Minor Research Center in Antalya, Turkey, and is the host for BAS’s tours of Turkey. Read […]

Apr 5 Blog

Money Talks through Ancient Coins

By: Mark Wilson

Numismatics is a unique scholarly discipline that spans archaeology, ancient history and epigraphy. It seems the axiom “money talks” is true. A guest blog contribution by Dr. Mark Wilson.

Aug 28 Blog

Of Pirates and Virgins: Greek and Turkish Scholars Colloquiating

By: Mark Wilson

The invitation to attend the Second Greek-Turkish Symposium on Epigraphy in May was one I couldn’t turn down. It had been extended by Mustafa Adak, the chairperson of the epigraphy and ancient history department of Antalya’s Akdeniz (“Mediterranean”) University. Not only was I interested to hear the presentation of some of the thirty papers, I was also curious to see how these scholars from similar, yet politically rivaling, cultures would get along. Recent news stories highlighted the controversy over who had invented baklava—the Turks or the Greeks. And what should that thick, hot drink with grounds in the bottom of the cup be called—Greek or Turkish coffee? However, the three-day colloquium turned out to be a model of peaceful relations as the scholars set aside their nationalistic differences for the sake of epigraphy.

May 30 Blog

Antipatris: Another Pauline Site Off My Bucket List

By: Mark Wilson

Ancient visitors would have approached the magnificent walls of Antipatris on this Herodian street. Biblical scholar Mark Wilson describes the road into Antipatris. “My imagination was stirred to picture Paul mounted on a horse and riding into Antipatris under the protection of 200 soldiers, 70 horsemen, and 200 spearmen.”

Apr 2 Blog

SBL Meeting Gives New Insights on Paul

By: Robin Gallaher Branch

While attending the Society of Biblical Literature’s November 2011 conference in San Francisco, California, BHD contributing blogger Robin Gallaher Branch heard two intriguing lectures that presented new ways of thinking about the apostle Paul and his letters.

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