artifacts and the bible

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Feb 12 Blog

Mark and John: A Wedding at Cana—Whose and Where?

James Tabor discusses the wedding at Cana from the Gospels of Mark and John. Whose wedding was this and why were Jesus and his family present?

Illustration of left handed Benjamite slinger. Drawing by Josh Seevers, courtesy of Boyd Seevers

Feb 12 Blog

Left-Handed People in the Bible

By: BAS Staff

Were the warriors from the tribe of Benjamin left-handed by nature or nurture?

Jan 31 Blog

Ivory Pomegranate Revisited: A Relic from Solomon’s Temple?

By: BAS Staff

The famous inscribed ivory pomegranate, which, if authentic, may have been the head of a scepter from Solomon’s Temple, has endured decades of debate. Is the inscription real, or is it a forgery? A meeting between world-class paleographers in the summer of 2015 may have settled the debate.

Baroque artist Guido Reni depicts the apostle James, son of Zebedee, in his painting 'Saint James the Greater' (c. 1636–1638).

Jan 29 Blog

James or Jacob in the Bible?

By: Mark Wilson

How did the Jewish name Ya’akov, properly translated as Jacob, become James in English versions of the Bible?

Woodcut from Die Bibel in Bildern (1860) by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld.

Jan 25 Blog

Jesus Was a Refugee

By: Joan E. Taylor

Scholar Joan E. Taylor says that it’s worth remembering that Jesus’ earliest years were, according to the Gospel of Matthew, spent as a refugee in a foreign land.

Photo: Photography by G. Laron/Courtesy of the Khirbet Qeiyafa Expedition

Jan 17 Blog

The Doorways of Solomon’s Temple

By: Megan Sauter

In the Bible, the inner shrine of Solomon’s Temple is described as having five mezuzot. What are they? The question has puzzled Biblical scholars for centuries. Does a recently discovered shrine model from Khirbet Qeiyafa hold the answer?

Jan 1 Blog

Who Were the Ammonites, Moabites and Edomites in the Bible?

By: Megan Sauter

During the Iron Age, when Israel and Judah ruled Canaan, the kingdoms of Ammon, Moab and Edom ruled east of the Jordan River. Recent archaeological discoveries vastly increase our understanding of these kingdoms and their religion.

Dec 20 Blog

King David’s Palace and the Millo

By: Robin Ngo

In the study of Biblical archaeology, Biblical texts and archaeological finds must be examined critically and independently, but ultimately, they must be interpreted together. Such an approach can be applied to King David’s Palace and the Millo.

Dec 2 Blog

First Person: Did the Kingdoms of Saul, David and Solomon Actually Exist?

By: Hershel Shanks

In BAR, Hershel Shanks examines a recent article published by archaeologist Amihai Mazar. Mazar contends that while the Biblical narratives were written hundreds of years after the reigns of Saul, David and Solomon, they “retain memories of reality.”

Nov 25 Blog

Ancient Jerusalem: The Village, the Town, the City

By: Hershel Shanks

Archaeologist Hillel Geva says that population estimates for ancient Jerusalem are too high. His new estimates begin with people living on no more than a dozen acres.

Must-Read Free eBooks

The Dead Sea Scrolls: Past, Present, and Future

Biblical Peoples—The World of Ancient Israel

Who Was Jesus? Exploring the History of Jesus’ Life

Ancient Israel in Egypt and the Exodus

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