First Temple

First Temple Latest

3D model of one of the cylinders found at Tell al-Uhaimir in southern Iraq. Courtesy Ahmed Ali Jiwad and Hussein Fleih Al-Ammari, “Two Inscribed Cylinders of Nebuchadnezzar II from the Ziggurat of Kish,” IRAQ (2025), CC-BY 4.0

Jan 26 Blog

Babylonian Texts Complicate Bible’s Image of Nebuchadnezzar

In biblical memory, Nebuchadnezzar II (604–562 BCE) looms large as an agent of catastrophe. He appears across multiple biblical books—2 Kings and 2 Chronicles, Jeremiah, […]

Jan 21 Blog

A Second Temple in First Temple Jerusalem?

By: Nathan Steinmeyer

Solomon’s Jerusalem Temple is easily one of the most central and important buildings in the Hebrew Bible. However, an archaeological discovery suggests that for much […]

Oct 24 Blog

An Assyrian Letter to the King of Judah

By: Nathan Steinmeyer

For the first time, a fragment of a cuneiform inscription from the First Temple period (c. 1000–586 BCE) has been excavated in Jerusalem. The inscription, […]

Aug 27 Blog

An Assyrian Genie in First Temple Jerusalem

By: Nathan Steinmeyer

How did an Assyrian genie end up in Jerusalem during the First Temple period? During continued excavations of the City of David in Jerusalem, the […]

Sep 1 Blog

Mysterious Jerusalem Channels Confound Archaeologists

By: Nathan Steinmeyer

During excavations at the Givati Parking Lot in Jerusalem, in the area between the Ophel and the City of David, archaeologists discovered fascinating channels […]

Jul 26 Blog

The Jerusalem Temple Treasures—Where Are They?

By: BAS Staff

The mystery of the lost treasures of the Jerusalem Temple keeps the debate alive about their possible whereabouts. Were they destroyed long ago, or might […]

Sep 16 Blog

Israel Claims Rare Paleo-Hebrew Papyrus Recovered

By: Nathan Steinmeyer

According to the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), an incredibly rare papyrus with Paleo-Hebrew text dating to the time of the First Temple has been recovered […]

Sep 9 Blog

Ivory Riches from First Temple Jerusalem

By: Nathan Steinmeyer

For the first time, a collection of ivory plaques has been discovered in Jerusalem dating to the First Temple period. The beautifully crafted ivory pieces […]

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