| Site Map | Contacts | Links | Newsletter | |
News:
Archaeology/Anthropology
Note: Due to the archiving policies of the various news Websites some links on this page may no longer be valid. All links will take you away from the IBSS Site - use your browser's "back" button to return to this page.
2011
More info at http://explorepassages.com/
More infor at http://www.israelnationalnews.com/
World's FIrst Temple at Gobekli Tepe, southern Turkey, about 12,000 years old.
See National Geographic June Cover story, The Birth of Religion.
17 Lost Pyramids Found in Egypt
Seventy metal books found in cave in Jordan could change our view of Biblical history. Could this be the biggest find since the Dead Sea Scrolls?
British archaeologists are seeking to authenticate what could be a landmark discovery in the documentation of early Christianity: a trove of 70 lead codices that appear to date from the 1st century CE, which may include key clues to the last days of Jesus' life. As UK Daily Mail reporter Fiona Macrae writes, some researchers are suggesting this could be the most significant find in Christian archeology since the Dead Sea scrolls in 1947.
The codices turned up five years ago in a remote cave in eastern Jordan—a region where early Christian believers may have fled after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE. The codices are made up of wirebound individual pages, each roughly the size of a credit card. They contain a number of images and textual allusions to the Messiah, as well as some possible references to the crucifixion and resurrection. Some of the codices were sealed, prompting yet more breathless speculation that they could include the sealed book, shown only to the Messiah, mentioned in the Book of Revelation. For more information see:
Could lead codices prove ‘the major discovery of Christian history’?
Jordan battles to regain 'priceless' Christian relics
One Scholar thinks this is just a hoax
Dating the Ezekiel plates
A set of 66 stone tiles known as the “Ezekiel Plates,” believed to have come from the prophet Ezekiel’s traditional tomb along the Euphrates River in Iraq, are in the process of being dated by modern technological methods to finally establish whether they should be considered on a par with the Isaiah Scroll as among the oldest existing biblical texts ever found. Full story see http://www.jpost.com/ChristianInIsrael/Features/Article.aspx?id=218495
Hebrew University photo by Sasson Tiram
Oldest written document ever found in Jerusalem discovered by Hebrew University
"Jerusalem, July 11, 2010 -- A tiny clay fragment – dating from the 14th century B.C.E. – that was found in excavations outside Jerusalem’s Old City walls contains the oldest written document ever found in Jerusalem, say researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The find, believed to be part of a tablet from a royal archives, further testifies to the importance of Jerusalem as a major city in the Late Bronze Age, long before its conquest by King David, they say.
The clay fragment was uncovered recently during sifting of fill excavated from beneath a 10th century B.C.E. tower dating from the period of King Solomon in the Ophel area, located between the southern wall of the Old City of Jerusalem and the City of David to its south. Details of the discovery appear in the current issue of the Israel Exploration Journal."
Archeologist finds 3,000-year old Hebrew text
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- An Israeli archaeologist has discovered what he says is the earliest-known Hebrew text, found on a shard of pottery that dates to the time of King David from the Old Testament, about 3,000 years ago. Carbon dating of the ostracon, along with pottery analysis, dates the inscription to time of King David. The shard contains five lines of text divided by black lines and measures 15 by 15 centimeters, or about 6 inches square. The shard was discovered at the Elah Fortress in Khirbet Qeiyafa, about 20 miles southwest of Jerusalem. See also http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/128174
First-Temple era water tunnel found in Jerusalem.
A water tunnel dating back to the First Temple era - but that might have been used even earlier, during King David's conquest of Jerusalem - has been uncovered in the ancient City of David, a prominent Israeli archeologist said Wednesday. The tunnel was discovered under an immense stone structure built in the 10th century BCE that has previously been identified by Mazar as the palace of King David. The already-existing tunnel was integrated into its construction and was probably used to channel water to a pool located on the palace's nearby southeast side, Mazar said. Near the end of the First Temple period, the tunnel was converted to an escape passage, perhaps used in a manner similar to King Zedekiah's escape during the Babylonian Siege, as related in 2 Kings 25:4, she said.
2010
Noah's Ark Found?? Probably a Hoax & Scam
See Dr. Randall Price comments on this Alleged Discovery. This probably was a hoax and scam by the Kurdish guide to get money from the Chinese expedition team.
Coins From Biblical Joseph Found in Egypt?
"500 of These Coins Were [Recently] Discovered in the Museum of Egypt - Where They Were [Originally] Classified as Charms and Stored Carelessly in Closed Boxes" "Joseph's name appears twice on this coin, written in hieroglyphs: once the original name, Joseph, and once his Egyptian name, Saba Sabani, which was given to him by Pharaoh when he became treasurer. There is also an image of Joseph, who was part of the Egyptian administration at the time." Middle East Media Research Institute. Others are skeptical of these claims. See Joseph Coins.
2009
The Bible's Buried Secrets. A Nova special. Watch the video online.
Ancient Tablet Ignites Debate on Messiah and Resurrection
JERUSALEM — A three-foot-tall tablet with 87 lines of Hebrew that scholars believe dates from the decades just before the birth of Jesus is causing a quiet stir in biblical and archaeological circles, especially because it may speak of a messiah who will rise from the dead after three days. It is called the Dead Sea Scroll in Stone. The text is called "Gabriel's Vision." See New York Times Article and Biblical Archaeology Review Article.
Jordan cave may be oldest church
Archaeologists in Rihab, Jordan, say they have discovered a cave that could be the world's oldest Christian church. Dating to the period AD33-70, the underground chapel would have served as both a place of worship and a home. It is claimed that it was originally used by a group of 70 persecuted Christians who fled from Jerusalem. These early Christians lived and practised their faith in secrecy until the Romans embraced Christianity several hundred years later.
Jesus 'Tomb' Controversy Reopened. (Time Magazine article)
“Jesus Tomb” Controversy Erupts—Again. (Biblical Archaeology Society)
Introduction
Most Recent Statements:
• Jacobovici
• Princeton Theological Seminary
• DeConick
• Tabor
• Vermes
Biblical Archaeology Review The latest issue
2008
Lost City of Khazars Discovered!
A Russian archaeologist says he has found the lost capital of the Khazars, a powerful nation that adopted Judaism as its official religion more than 1,000 years ago, only to disappear leaving little trace of its culture.
Are the Crystal Skulls Real or Fake? 
With the big movie Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull coming out, there has been much talk about these crystal skulls. The Scifi channel even had a special program called the Mystery of the Crystal Skulls. According to Mayan legends there are 13 skulls which must be united together to prevent the end of the world on December 21, 2012. For more information see Are the Crystal Skulls Real or Fake? See special article Legends of the Cystal Skulls in Archaeology May/June 2008 issue.
First-century Roman throne found at Herculaneum, Italy
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2004054376_webitalythrone05.html.
Hazor 2007. The 18th Season of Excavations at Tel-Hazor
Take Two Tablets and Pray to the Deity in the Morning
A medical researcher in England has been studying ancient Egyptian medical texts and has found that a very large number of their prescriptions were effective.
New documentary, Bloodline claims Jesus married, had child
A controversial new documentary, asks the brazen question: "What if the greatest story ever told was a lie?"Coming to theaters this month, "Bloodline" seeks to prove the conspiracy tale that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had a child whose bloodline continues today. Ben Hammott, an English adventurer, claims to have discovered in southwest France a remote tomb and relics from Jerusalem, dated back to the first century. The discovery provides the subject matter for this new film about what producers say is "the Church's best kept secret." See http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=63121
Review of Bloodline: Many historical errors.
2007
Archaeologists find link to 1st temple in controversial J'lem dig. Israeli archaeologists overseeing a contested dig at Jerusalem's holiest site for Muslims and Jews stumbled upon a sealed archaeological level dating back to the era of the first biblical Jewish temple, the Israel Antiquities Authority said Sunday. On Sunday, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced that it had discovered fragments of ceramic table wares and animal bones dating back to the first Jewish temple - from the 6th to the 10th centuries B.C. The finds also included fragments of bowl rims, bases and body sherds, the base and handle of a small jug and the rim of a storage jar, the agency said in a statement.
Ancient Tunnel Found under Jerusalem. In 70 AD Jews hid in this drainage tunnel and then escaped the Roman destruction of Jerusalem.
Old Testament figure named on 2600-year-old tablet
THE British Museum yesterday hailed a discovery within a clay tablet in its collection as a breakthrough for biblical archeology - proof of the accuracy of the Old Testament. The cuneiform inscription in a tablet dating from 595BC has been deciphered for the first time - revealing a reference to an official named Nebo-Sarsekim at the court of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, that proves the historical existence of the figure mentioned in the Book of Jeremiah 39:3. For more details see http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22060312-2,00.html See also Museum's tablet lends new weight to Biblical truth and Tiny tablet provides proof for Old Testament
The Lost Tomb of Jesus
In the feature documentary The Lost Tomb of Jesus a case is made that the 2,000-year-old "Tomb of the Ten Ossuaries" belonged to the family of Jesus of Nazareth.
Scholars Disagree:
Jesus' burial saga: Raiders of the Lost Tomb
Fallout from "Tomb of Jesus" Claim
Scholars are beginning to react to the Discovery Channel program that claimed that the tomb of Jesus and his family had been found in Jerusalem, and the comments of academics have been heavily negative. Concentrating on one aspect of the program, Scientific American has looked into just how strong the statistical claims in the show really are and on the assumptions behind those statistics; click here. Also on the Scientific American web site, one scholar who was cited by the program expressed outrage over the way her work was used in the show; click here.
The "Jesus Tomb" on TV
An unconvincing case, and an ulterior motive?
Has the Tomb of Jesus Been Discovered? A reasoned look at the evidence, instead of a media circus, yields an answer of NO! by Jodi Magness (Archaeological Institute of America).
Digging Biblical History At 'The End Of The World' ScienceDaily (Nov. 21, 2007) — Tel Aviv University archaeologists are studying Tel Megiddo, the New Testament location of "Armageddon," and unearthing truths about King Solomon. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071120142829.htm
Jerusalem Forgery Conference: REAL OR FAKE? A SPECIAL REPORT
A recent conference in Jerusalem brought together leading scholars to discuss vexing issues regarding forgery.
- Download FREE Report by Hershel Shanks on the Jerusalem Forgery Conference
- Learn what leading scholars think
- Learn about the objects under suspicion
- Listen to archaeologist Gabriel Barkay explain 10 key points
- Learn more
At Galilee site, solving a mystery from the time of Solomon. "The excavations Dr. Zvi Gal carried out at the beginning of the 1990s solved a very complex puzzle about King Solomon and Hiram, king of Phoenicia," says Mordechai Aviam, director of the Galilee Archaeological Institute. The Phoenician nature of the site bears out the story of King Solomon giving King Hiram portions of the country in exchange for the cedars of Lebanon, with which he built the Temple," Aviam says.
Remains of Assyrian destruction found at Gezer. An archaeological dig led by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has turned up collapsed mud-brick walls burned centuries ago at a fortification built by King Solomon in Gezer, Israel.
Land of Milk and honey.
Excavators at Tel Rehov, in the Beth-Shean Valley, have uncovered 30 intact beehives and an inscribed jar that may refer to the father or grandfather of the Biblical king Jehu.
Hezekiah Inscription to Return to Israel
The famed inscription, which was carved into the wall of Hezekiah’s Tunnel in Jerusalem and which celebrates the city’s survival of an Assyrian siege, will be on view in Israel for at least several months and possibly longer. It has been in Turkey since the late 19th century, when Palestine was a part of the Ottoman Empire.
X-Ray Vision of Dead Sea Scrolls
A new type of X-ray machine, touted as being far more powerful than its predecessors, will be used to peer into and decipher Dead Sea Scroll fragments that are too fragile to be unrolled.
Iron Age Chef: The Philistines
The team excavating Tell es-Safi (Biblical Gath) is finding that the Philistine way of cooking was copied by neighboring Israelites and Canaanites. The Philistines were especially fond of crock pots.
Tracking the Phoenicians’ DNA
A researcher has been finding the genetic footprint of the ancient seafaring people along the trade routes they used—and has also stumbled into a very modern debate over identity.
An Inconvenient Truth?
Climate change may have led to the flooding of ancient Israel’s coastal plain 5,500 years ago.
Tablets from Hazor: Consult a Liver
Archaeologists at Hazor have discovered a tablet that contains instructions on how to foretell the future by studying animal livers (note: the article states the tablet was written in hieroglyphics, but it meant to say cuneiform).
New Translation of Egyptian Pyramid Texts
The Pyramid Texts, one of the oldest known religious texts from Egypt and which evolved into the Book of the Dead, has been translated into English.
Cuneiform translations
A Web-based program translates English words into cuneiform or hieroglyphics.
Hatshepsut Mummy Identified
A stray tooth and DNA analysis has shown that a mummy found decades ago in a humble tomb is that of the famed Egyptian queen, Hatshepsut. Some conservatives scholars think she was the princess that pulled Moses from the Nile.
High Priest’s Mummy Found
A team from Cambridge University discovered the remains of the high priest of the god Amun in the Valley of the Kings. The 18th Dynasty mummy of Sennefer was unearthed, which is about 3,000 years old. A high priest was considered to be the most important man after the king, performing duties, religious rituals and offerings on his behalf.
Tunnel Through a Tomb
The Giza Archives Project allows viewers to explore the site’s great necropolis, home to mighty pyramids and to thousands of tombs.
Virtual Visit to Qumran
UCLA's Near Eastern studies department’s Web site on Qumran, believed to have been home to the Essenes and to the Dead Sea Scrolls, will soon feature a virtual model of the site.
King Herod's tomb has been discovered. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem announced Monday night that it has uncovered the grave and tomb of Herod, who ruled Judea for the Roman empire from circa 37 BCE. The archeologist who located King Herod's tomb at Herodium said Tuesday that the grave had been desecrated, apparently shortly after his death, but called the discovery a "high point."
The Philistines Were No Philistines
Archaeologists at Ashkelon have discovered inscribed sherd that indicate the Philistines were literate by the time they migrated to the coast of ancient Israel.
Archaeological Remains Point To Exact Location Of Second Temple Of Jerusalem. While scholars have put forth various assessments for the location of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, a Hebrew University of Jerusalem professor says that archaeological remains that have so far been ignored by scholars point to the exact location, which is in a spot that differs from prevailing opinion.
Did the BASE Institute Discover Noah’s Ark in Iran?
Gordon Franz, M.A.
Paul’s tomb unearthed in Rome
Archaeologists working for the Vatican have unearthed a sarcophagus containing what they believe are the remains of St Paul the Apostle.
'Church of the Ark' found on West Bank
Archaeologists claimed yesterday to have uncovered one of the world's first churches, built on a site believed to have once housed the Ark of the Covenant.
Earliest Semitic Text Revealed In Egyptian Pyramid Inscription The first public revelation of the earliest continuous Semitic text ever deciphered has taken place at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Riddle Of The Great Pyramids Of Giza: Professor Finds Some Building Blocks Were Concrete In partially solving a mystery that has baffled archeologists for centuries, a Drexel University professor has determined that the Great Pyramids of Giza were constructed with a combination of not only carved stones but the first blocks of limestone-based concrete cast.
Origins of Rome
The Eternal City's top archaeologist says he has evidence the legend of Romulus and Remus is true, but others are skeptical. Also Interactive 3D view of ancient Rome. See http://www.romereborn.virginia.edu/
Roman Throne Found Amid Volcanic Debris Dec. 5, 2007 -- A dig into the solidified mud of Herculaneum has yielded the first known example of an ancient Roman throne, Italian archaeologists announced on Tuesday. Hailed as the most significant piece of wooden furniture ever discovered, the throne was entombed under 82 feet of volcanic mud by the same eruption of Mount Vesuvius that buried the nearby towns of Pompeii and Stabiae in 79 A.D.
Ancient Etruscans Were Immigrants From Anatolia, Or What Is Now Turkey. The long-running controversy about the origins of the Etruscan people appears to be very close to being settled once and for all, according to a leading geneticist. Professor Alberto Piazza, from the University of Turin, Italy, will say that there is overwhelming evidence that the Etruscans, whose brilliant civilization flourished 3000 years ago in what is now Tuscany, were settlers from old Anatolia (now in southern Turkey). Herodotus' theory, much criticised by subsequent historians, states that the Etruscans emigrated from the ancient region of Lydia, on what is now the southern coast of Turkey, because of a long-running famine. Half the population was sent by the king to look for a better life elsewhere, says his account, and sailed from Smyrna (now Izmir) until they reached Umbria in Italy. "We think that our research provides convincing proof that Herodotus was right", says Professor Piazza, "and that the Etruscans did indeed arrive from ancient Lydia.
Anthropologist Confirms 'Hobbit' Indeed A Separate Species After the skeletal remains of an 18,000-year-old, Hobbit-sized human were discovered on island of Flores in 2003, some scientists thought that the specimen must have been a human with an abnormally small skull.Not so, said Dean Falk, a world-renowned paleoneurologist.
'Out Of Africa' Theory Boost: Skull Dating Suggests Modern Humans Evolved In Africa
How to Reconstruct the Neandertal Genome: A Neandertal, mammoth and cave bear wandered into a lab and, in the process, revealed how it might be possible to reconstruct their entire genetic makeup. By David Biello.
Study Debunks Human-Neanderthal Hybrid Claim. Dec. 4, 2007 -- Did modern humans interbreed with Neanderthals and, if so, did the mating result in a half-human, half-Neanderthal hybrid ? The answer is possibly yes to the interbreeding but no to the hybrid, according to the authors of a new study that is already making waves among leading anthropologists.
2006
Noah's Ark in Iran?
Since mid-June, 2006 there has been a flurry of reports in the media and on the Internet about the possible discovery of Noah's Ark on a mountain in northern Iran. Robert ("Bob") Cornuke, who has previously claimed to have found such notable things as the true Mount Sinai, the place of Paul's shipwreck off the coast of Malta, and the location of the Ark of the Covenant, has now focused on what is perhaps the biggest target of all, both literally and figuratively ? Noah's Ark.
http://biblearchaeology.org/articles/article49.html
Does "The Lost Shipwreck of Paul" Hold Water?
King Solomon-era fortifications Found! The Baptist Press has a report from this year's excavation of Tel Gezer, where the joint New Orleans Theological Seminary—Israel Antiquities Authority dig team found King Solomon-era fortifications.
Cornell study of ancient volcano, seeds and tree rings, suggests rewriting Late Bronze Age Mediterranean history. Cultural links between the Aegean and Near Eastern civilizations will have to be reconsidered: A new Cornell University radiocarbon study of tree rings and seeds shows that the Santorini (or Thera) volcanic eruption, a central event in Aegean prehistory, occurred about 100 years earlier than previously thought.
David’s
palace in Jerusalem may have been found
A prominent Israeli archeologist claims to have uncovered the ancient palace
of King David near the Old City of Jerusalem. See also King David's
fabled palace: Is this it? and King David
palace may have been found and A debate
of biblical proportions and View
image of archaeologist and ruins and King
David's Palace Is Found, Archaeologist Says.
Ron Wyatts Discoveries Exposed. New web article debunking Wyatt's wild Exodus claims.
Oracle Inspired by Low-Oxygen Delirium Oct. 9, 2006 ?A lack of oxygen might have inspired the prophecies at the Temple of Apollo in the Greek town of Delphi, according to a new study. See http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2006/10/09/delphi_arc.html
Did I Find
King David’s Palace?
Eilat Mazar - Digging just south of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, our author
has uncovered a monumental building from the tenth century B.C.—the
right time and the right place for David’s royal residence.
Egyptologists
find statue of Tutankhamun's grandmother CAIRO (Reuters)
Egyptologists have discovered a statue of Queen Ti, wife of one of Egypt's
greatest pharaohs and grandmother to the boy-king Tutankhamun, at an ancient
temple in Luxor, an Egyptian antiquities official said on Tuesday.
What Did Jesus’
Tomb Look Like?
Jodi Magness - The Gospels provide many details about Jesus’ burial,
and archaeology has revealed much about ancient burial practices. How well
do they match?
3
Million Men Traced to Medieval Irish King Jan. 18, 2006
Up to three million men around the world could be descended from a prolific
medieval Irish king, according to researchers at Trinity College Dublin.