BiblicalArchaeology Comunicación y Gerencia September 25, 2010
What is Archaeology?
Archaeology – Study of Human Material Culture Usually associated with Prehistoric or Ancient Cultures. Archaeology is Interested in the Objects Other Disciplines: Linguistics, Physical Anthrpology, Cultural Anthropology
Archaeology Stratigraphy
Archaeology Excavation Techniques
Ohio Archaeology
Timeline Neolithic: 5,000 + B.C Chalcolithic: 5,000 4,000B.C. Early Bronze I: 3,100 – 2,900 B.C. Early Bronze II: 2,900 – 2,650 B.C. Middle Bronze 1: 2,200 – 1,950 B.C. Middle Bronze II: 1,950 – 1,730 B.C. Late Bronze: 1,500 – 1,200 B.C. Iron I: 1,200 – 900 B.C. Iron II: 900 – 800 B.C.
Arad Early Bronze Age 3,000 B.C. Canaanite Stronghold Ref in Numbers 21:1 - 3 Taken by Joshua Jos 12:14
Arad View from fortressHouse
Arad Iron age Holy of holiesIron age temple.
Gezer Middle Bronze gate (above) Middle Bronze tower (right) Important fortress city of Judah Continuously settled from 3500 BC – AD 500 Held by Canaanites, Philistines, and Egyptians before possession by Solomon in 10 th cent. BC
Gezer Solomonic triple chambered gate (above) Standing stones (below)
Hazor Northern capital of Canaanites against Joshua (Jos. 11:10) 21 levels of occupation (2700 BC – Greek period)
Hazor Building with orthostats (top left) Solomonic gates (top right) Stable/storehouse building (bottom left)
Hazor Four room house (above) Water system (below)
Jericho
Neolithic tower (above) Retainer wall (above) Destruction told of in Joshua 2 Oldest town in world with towers and walls (at least 7,000 BC) Visited by Elijah Kings 2:4-5 and Jesus (Lk 19:1-9)
Jericho Collapsed mudbrick wall (above) Grain storage jars (below)
Jerusalem Southern Temple Mount Excavations (above) First century street beneath Robinson’s Arch (right) According to 2 Sam 5:6-10 taken by David and later made his capital 4,000 years of continuous occupation
Jerusalem Gethsemene steps (above) Pool at Bethseda (below)
Lachich 2 nd city in southern Palestine Provided info on invasion of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in nd city in southern Palestine Provided info on invasion of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in 598 Approach ramp to city (right)
Lachish Palace fort (above) Siege ramp cross section (below)
Megiddo Aerial view (top left) Early Bronze alter (top right) Middle Bronze gate (bottom) Most famous city in Palestine Commanded only pass between Egypt and Mesopotamia through Mount Carmel Location of King Josiah’s death in 609 BC Described in Rev 16:16 as site of Armageddon
Megiddo Megiddo Pass (above) Subterranean passage (right)
Samaria Samaria Tell
Samaria Iron age acropolis (top left) Hellenistic tower and Roman theater (top right) Steps to Herodian temple Founded n early 9 th cent. Capital of northern kingdom Captured and destroyed by Assyrians in 722 BC Re-established after return in 539 BC
Shechem Baal Berith temple Associated with Abraham and Jacob in Genesis Site where Joshua renews covenant Remains suggest a site of splendor during Middle Bronze age
Shechem Middle Bronze wall
Sea of Galilee View from Mt. of Beatitudes (left) View from Arbel (below)
Dead Sea Scrolls Cave 3 – copper scroll found in right niche (above) Cave 4 (right) In all 11 caves, some biblical books were found in large numbers: 34 copies of Psalms 27 copies of Deuteronomy 24 copies of Isaiah 20 copies of Genesis
Dead Sea Scrolls Cave 10 (above) Cave 1 (below) The seven scrolls were the Manual of Discipline, War of Sons of Light, Thanksgiving Scroll, Isaiah A and B, Genesis Apocryphon and Habakkuk Commentary.
Rosetta Stone Found in 1799 during a French Military expedition to Egypt in the Town of Rashid (Rosetta) Compiled by 196 B.C. of reign of Ptolomy V Contains writing in: Ancient Greek Heiroglyphics Demotic Egyptian
Implications of Archaeology Archaeological Excavations are not a threat to Biblical events –Archaeological Evidence (or Negative Evidence) does not validate or invalidate Biblical text –Useful to show tangible historical connections –Continuity of occupation –Contingency of history –Intrinsic knowledge of our past