Sorrow and Hope

Archaeology in Review

More On The James Ossuary

July 25, 2006

Just when you thought the James ossuary was a fake, world experts declare it is authentic. When questioned about the James ossuary inscription, which reads, “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus,” paleographer Ada Yardeni said, “If this is a forgery, I quit!”

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Second Temple Road Uncovered

May 8, 2006

Israeli archaeologists uncovered the main road that ran from Jerusalem's City of David to the Temple Mount during the Second Temple period. The road connected the Shiloah Pool in the City of David to the Temple Mount compound. The 2,000-year-old road was discovered adjacent to the Shiloah pool during ongoing excavations at the site, said Israeli Antiquities Authority archeologist Eli Shukrun.

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3,000-Year-Old City Found

May 8, 2006

An ancient Jewish town from the time of King Solomon has been uncovered beneath the Arab village of Kafr Kana, north of Nazareth in the Galilee. Kana, or Cana, is where Jesus performed his first miracle, turning water into wine (John 2).

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Synogogue—In Ramallah?

March 1, 2006

“And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. He went from year to year on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places. But he always returned to Ramah, for his home was there.” 1 Sam. 7:15–17a.

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Light Rail Collides with Antiquity

March 1, 2006

About five kilometers (3 miles) north of the Old City, the Moriah Company––a municipal company contracted to prepare the infrastructure for Jerusalem’s new Light Rail system––unearthed a first-century community that existed sometime between the Second Temple destruction in AD 70 and the Bar-Kochba Rebellion of AD132.

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Ancient Roman Anchors Found in Israel

January 8, 2006

Ancient wooden anchors, preserved by natural salt for more than 2,000 years, have been discovered on the receding shores of the Dead Sea

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Monastery Discovery

January 8, 2006

The skeletal remains of seven horses have been uncovered under the 17th century Armenian Monastery in Jaffa, which archaeologists believe is evidence of the battles that were fought along the walls of the ancient port city in earlier periods, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced in November.

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Oldest Christian Church Discovered in Megiddo Prison

January 8, 2006

Ramillo Razilo was serving a two-year sentence in the Megiddo prison for traffic offenses. His work duty was to remove rubble from the planned site of a new prison cellblock. When his shovel struck a hard surface, he became the man who discovered the oldest church found in Israel to date. “We continued to look; and slowly, we found this whole beautiful thing,” Razilo said. He was referring to a mosaic floor, uncovered by using a sponge and buckets of water.

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Treasure found in Temple Mount Rubble

When Dr. Gabriel Barkay, archaeology professor at Bar-Ilan University, led his team into a Kidron Valley garbage dump, he was inspired by Psalm 102:14, “For Your servants take pleasure in her stones, and show favor to her dust.”

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New Leviticus Scroll Unearthed Near Ein Gedi

September 20, 2005

A recent discovery—the first since 1965 at Masada and currently being authenticated by the Israel Antiquities Authorities (IAA)—is believed to be part of the 15th scroll of Leviticus. This gives hope that there is “still a chance” to find documents in the Judean Desert, said Professor Hanan Eshel of Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan.

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