1164 - Timothy Harrison on Madeba

In the floor of St. George's Church in Madeba, Jordan, is one of the oldest maps of the Middle East. The sixth century Madeba map is referenced from time to time, in part because it's one of the most accurate ancient depictions of Jerusalem. Occasionally we also mention some of the other beautiful mosaics in Madeba (it's known as the City of Mosaics).

Seldom do we mention the archaeology of Madeba. But now excavations are underway and Timothy Harrison brings us up to date on what archaeologists are starting to find at this ancient, Biblical city, mentioned in Numbers 21:30 and Joshua 13:9.

This is the last of three programs with Timothy Harrison, a professor at the University of Toronto, and the president of the American Schools of Oriental Research.

1162-1163 - Timothy Harrison, Tel Tayinat

Tel Tayinat is an important Bronze Age site in Turkey, in the same neighborhood as Antioch, which also became a very important site in the following centuries. This interesting excavation is uncovering new information about the Hittites as well as the Philistines.

In addition to being Professor of Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations at the University of Toronto and the Project Director of the Tell Tayinat Project in Turkey, Timothy Harrison is the president of the American Schools of Oriental Research, the main professional organization for archaeologists working in the Middle East.

HISTORICAL NOTE: It has come to our attention that The Book and The Spade was also the name of a movie made in 1967, focusing on a Jordan River Valley excavation by Dr. James Pritchard, of the University of Pennsylvania. The movie has been converted to video and is now online.