roland de vaux

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A rock-hewn altar carved out of limestone located about a mile from Shiloh. The four corners point to the four directions on a compass (Exodus 27:1-2). Photo: Yoel Elitzur

Feb 22 Blog

High Places, Altars and the Bamah

The open-air altar shrine, called a bamah (plural bamot), is known through several books of the Biblical canon. Often referred to as “high places” in translations of the Bible, bamot were worship sites that usually contained an altar.

Sep 1 Blog

Qumran in Context

By: Reviewed by Rami Arav

Rami Arav reviews "Qumran in Context: Reassessing the Archaeological Evidence" by Yizhar Hirschfeld.

Jul 2 Blog

Giant of Iron Age Research

By: Daniel M. Master

Daniel M. Master writes a tribute to Lawrence E. Stager, one of the most significant Biblical archaeologist of the past 40 years.

Feb 21 Blog

Did Archaeologists Really Discover a New Dead Sea Scroll Cave?

By: Robert Cargill

Did archaeologists excavating a cave west of the Dead Sea settlement of Qumran find a new Dead Sea Scroll cave? Scholar Robert R. Cargill examines the evidence.

Feb 15 Blog

Hazor: Canaanite Metropolis, Israelite City

By: Biblical Archaeology Society Staff

William G. Dever reviews Hazor: Canaanite Metropolis, Israelite City by Amnon Ben-Tor.

Jan 4 Blog

Where Were the Dead Sea Scrolls Found and Who Put Them There?

By: Biblical Archaeology Society Staff

For nearly 2,000 years, the Qumran caves protected the secrets of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Might the same caves also shed light on the mystery of who deposited the scrolls there in the first place?

May 20 Blog

Geza Vermes (1924–2013)

By: Hershel Shanks

My friend Geza Vermes is dead. He was, most famously, the intellectual leader in the fight to free the Dead Sea Scrolls from the small coterie of scholars who was assigned to publish them but who endlessly procrastinated and wouldn’t let anyone else see them in the meantime.

Sep 20 Blog

What Happened When

By: Biblical Archaeology Society Staff

The Dead Sea Scrolls have a long, complicated and mysterious history and many “facts” have been lost in the intervening years. The following list describes the events surrounding the discovery and acquisition of the scrolls and the players involved.

Apr 16 Blog

Introduction to the Dead Sea Scrolls

By: Biblical Archaeology Society Staff

Apr 16 Blog

Cast of Characters

By: Biblical Archaeology Society Staff

A list of prominent biblical scholars, professors, priests and many others who have been involved in the study, publication and protection of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Must-Read Free eBooks

The Dead Sea Scrolls: Past, Present, and Future

Biblical Peoples—The World of Ancient Israel

Who Was Jesus? Exploring the History of Jesus’ Life

Ancient Israel in Egypt and the Exodus

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