A popular introduction to archaeology and the methods archaeologists use to reconstruct the history of ancient Israel.

This book is a brief, popular (but informed and up-to-date) introduction to the relationship between the Bible and archaeology. Material culture (i.e., artifacts) and the biblical text illuminate each other in various ways, but many of us find it difficult to reach a nuanced understanding of how this process works and how archaeological discoveries should be interpreted. This book provides an irenic and balanced perspective on these issues, showing how texts and artifacts are in a fascinating “dialogue” with one another that sheds light on the meaning and importance of both. What emerges is a rich and complex picture that enlivens our understanding of the Bible’s message, increases our appreciation for the historical and cultural contexts in which it was written, and helps us be realistic about the limits of our knowledge.

Israeli archaeologist Amihai Mazar introduces the achievements of the dynamic archaeological research in Israel and Jordan and discusses its implications for our knowledge of the world of the Old Testament. The volume covers the period starting with the first permanent settlements around 10,000 B.C.E., and ends with the destruction of the First Temple by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C.E. and the Babylonian domination of the country. Each of the archaeological periods is presented against its historical and biblical background. Various aspects of the material culture of each period are discussed: the distribution of settlements, the discoveries in the main sites, aspects of civil and religious architecture, pottery making, metallurgy, agriculture, crafts and arts, weapons, jewelry, ritual objects, writing, burial customs, and evidence for trade and cultural relations with neighbouring countries. All these subjects are briefly introduced to create the jigsaw puzzle out of which archaeologists reconstruct the cultural history of the country. The relationship between the archaeological evidence and biblical history is discussed in all relevant chapters. Step-by-step, era-by-era, Amihai Mazar shows just what each archaeological age has to teach the modern reader about the past.The book is illustrated with hundreds of line drawings, maps, photographs, and charts. Bibliographic references provide access to the most recent publications on each of the issues under discussion. This introductory synthesis was written for students and scholars, as well as for those readers interested in expanding their knowledge of the Bible and its world.

For the past 200 years archaeological work has provided new information that allows us to peer into the past and open chapters of human history that have not been read for centuries, or even millennia. In The Archaeology of the Bible James K. Hoffmeier provides the reader with an incisive account of archaeology's role in shaping our understanding of the biblical texts. Fundamental issues addressed throughout include how archaeological discoveries relate to biblical accounts, and the compatibility of using scientific disciplines to prove or disprove a religious book such as the Bible. This work is an ideal introduction to the societies and events of the Ancient Near East and their relation to our interpretation of the Bible.

In this groundbreaking work that sets apart fact and legend, authors Finkelstein and Silberman use significant archeological discoveries to provide historical information about biblical Israel and its neighbors. In this iconoclastic and provocative work, leading scholars Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman draw on recent archaeological research to present a dramatically revised portrait of ancient Israel and its neighbors. They argue that crucial evidence (or a telling lack of evidence) at digs in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon suggests that many of the most famous stories in the Bible—the wanderings of the patriarchs, the Exodus from Egypt, Joshua’s conquest of Canaan, and David and Solomon’s vast empire—reflect the world of the later authors rather than actual historical facts. Challenging the fundamentalist readings of the scriptures and marshaling the latest archaeological evidence to support its new vision of ancient Israel, The Bible Unearthed offers a fascinating and controversial perspective on when and why the Bible was written and why it possesses such great spiritual and emotional power today.

A popular introduction to archaeology and the methods archaeologists use to reconstruct the history of ancient Israel.

This full-colour volume offers an overview of the history and findings of biblical archaeology. Drawing together the archaeological research into the principal sites in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Palestine, Persia, Anatolia, Greece and Italy, Hoerth and McRay explore the histories, cultures and social forces of these early civilizations. Using full-colour maps, photographs and diagrams to walk you through the various archaeological digs. This volume enables the reader to place the biblical narratives firmly in their historical context and cultural setting. The authoritative but accessible text brings familiar Bible characters brilliantly to life.