Ancient Israel

Ancient Vases from Jericho

Vases from the tomb of the ancient Bronze age IV of the Necropolis of Jericho...

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Widow's Petition Ostracon

This pottery was discovered with 8 lines of Hebrew text. Legal Petition written around the 9th""7th centuries BCE....

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Unraveling Genesis: Discovering Messianic Threads in the Torah

The book of Genesis, the very foundation of the Torah, might not be the first place you'd look for messianic prophecy. Yet, hidden within its creation narratives and ancestral tales lie subtle hints about a future redeemer. This post delves into these "messianic threads," exploring how seemingly ordinary passages can be interpreted as foreshadowing...

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The Pilate Inscription

The Pilate Inscription [text & interpretation] Language: Latin; Medium: limestone; Size: 82 centimeters high 65 centimeters wide; Length: 4 lines of writing; Genre: Building Dedication Dedicator: Pontius Pilate (praefect of Judea) Approximate Date: 26-37 CE; Place of Discovery: Caesarea, Israel; Date of Discovery: 1961; Current Location: Israel...

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James Ossuary

The James Ossuary is an ossuary, a limestone box for containing bones, which came to light in Israel in 2002. It is claimed to have been the ossuary of James, the brother of Jesus. Its provenance is unknown. Although the Israel Antiquities Authority assess it as a modern forgery, some scholars maintain its historical authenticity. Its discovery was...

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Tell es-Safi/Gath

Tell es-Safi (Hebrew Tel Tsafit) is a commanding mound located on the border between the Judean foothills (the Shephelah) and the coastal plain, approximately halfway between Jerusalem and Ashkelon. About 100 acres in size, it is one of the largest and most important archaeological sites in Israel. Most scholars identify Tell es-Safi with Philistin...

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Ancient Syria Site Map

Oriental Institute, University of Chicago. This first installment of the Oriental Institute Map Series presents seven Site Maps covering the ancient Near East (Egypt, Sudan, The Levant, Syria, Turkey, Iraq, and Iran), locating primary archaeological sites, modern cities, and river courses set against a plain background. They enlarge to 300 dpi....

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Sepphoris 2000 season excavation

Founded in remote antiquity, Sepphoris is a major Roman and Byzantine city four air miles from Nazareth. It was the leading city and capital of Galilee and a center of Jewish life and learning into the Byzantine period. Two sessions are planned for 1999. Director: Dr. James F. Strange, Department of Religious Studies, University of South Florida [...

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