#1212-1213 The Upcoming 2010 Dig Season

On these two programs, as we do at the beginning of every year, we roll out the long list of the year 2010 planned institutional excavations in Israel. We also discuss some of the past findings and some of the Biblical links to these sites. We encourage our listeners to actually participate in archaeology and volunteer at one of the sites we discuss. Information on excavating at these sites is online and readily accessible. From Ashkelon (shown) to Zayet, there are all kinds of opportunities available. Who knows what exciting finds the 2010 season will bring?

1210-1211 - The Khirbet Qeiyafa Ostracon (Seth Sanders & Chris Rollston)

Interest in the Khirbet Qeiyafa ostracon jumped this month with the release of a new reading by professor Gershon Galil of Haifa University. Galil says his translation confirms that the Kingdom of Israel existed in the 10th century B.C. (the time of King David), and that the Biblical scriptures were written centuries earlier than many modern scholars believe.

Christianity Today asked me to investigate the claims and do a short article (link posted as soon as it's online). With the help of a friend who knows a little bit about the Hebrew language I was able to get hold of Seth Sanders, author of the new book The Invention of Hebrew. Seth referred me to another expert on Semitic languages of this period, Chris Rollston, of Emmanuel School of Religion in Johnson City TN.

Chris has posted some of his thoughts online. Both interviews of this series are now on my website. And here's my article.

1209 - House Discovery in Nazareth

One of the least archaeological spots in Israel seems to be Nazareth. As a tiny village in Jesus' time, there aren't many remains to be found. Archaeologists recently announced the discovery of a house that dated back to the first century, an apparent neighbor of Jesus' family. They called it the first house from Jesus' time to be excavated in Nazareth. We had some questions about that assertion, and reviewed what we know about archaeology in Nazareth, done at a few other excavation sites at and near the Church of the Annunciation.

This house that has been excavated is just across the street from the Church of the Annunciation. While walking through this area during our last tour, my attention was attracted to the vacant windows in the third floor of one building. Just guessing, but I think this building is the one that was razed for this construction project to build the new International Marian Center of Nazareth. Or else it's the one right next to it.

LOCUSTS: I've read about locusts in the Bible but don't really know much about them. Now my friend Todd Bolen has a photograph and some background information on locusts in the Holyland on his Bibleplaces blog.
Fascinating.

1208 - Sepphoris, the Forgotten City

For 15 years now, we've been visiting Sepphoris on our Book & The Spade Holyland Tours. Just over the hill from Nazareth, this capital city no doubt had a huge influence on life in that little village where Jesus grew up. Richard Batey was one of the Bible scholars who initiated archaeology on this important site. We talked with him back in 1993, just after a book he wrote about the Sepphoris archaeology was published. A number of excavations have taken place at Sepphoris over the years, and work continues there still. Richard Batey retired from his position at Rhodes College last summer, at the end of a 40-year teaching career.