Serious (and not-so-serious) musings about the project
Alex Sorin, who runs the great Levantini podcast, has notified me that the podcast where he interviews me and Sue Frumin about our study on the plants from two Philistine temples at Gath (previously mentioned here), is now on air.
See here (and here and here) for links to our discussion.
In the podcast, we discuss the study and its results, as well as broader issues deriving from it.
Check it out!
This morning, I popped over to Tell es-Safi/Gath for a quick visit.
First, I took a look at some recent work of ours, to make sure there wasn’t any damage after the season – and I’m happy to report that there wasn’t any damage!
Then, I was interviewed on site by Nathan Steinmeyer, from Biblical Archaeology Review, for an online companion interview for an article on the excavations at Gath and how they contributed to the study of the Philistines, which will appear in the Fall 2024 issue of BAR.
So keep an eye open for the article, which should appear in the next few months (and I’ll post about it for sure!)
Ruth Schuster has written a very moving article about the forensic archaeology conducted by archaeologists of the IAA, in the aftermath of the October 7th, 2023 massacres wrought by HAMAS.
Do read this moving piece, in which I was interviewed as well, and there a link to a video I made when I visited one of the sites at which they were working in Kibbutz Beeri.
Thanks to their heroic but gut-wrenching work, the remains of many of the victims were identified.
See here for other videos of my visit to the massacre sites.
Today, I received my copy of the beautiful Oxford Handbook of the Book of Kings, edited by Steve McKenzie and Matthieu Richelle.
I have a chapter on the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Israel (see here) in the volume, but as you can see in the TOC below, there are many other excellent chapters.
Check it out!
Glad to report the publication of a new book by my friend and colleague Prof. Filip Čapek, Archaeology, History, and Identity Formation in Ancient Israel.
The book, published by Karonilum Press of the Charles University in Prague, deals with issues of Bible, archaeology, history, identity and their interface in the study of ancient Israel.
Here is a short summary of the book:
When did Israel begin? The origins of ancient Israel are shrouded in mystery and those hoping to explore the issue must utilize resources from three different fields – archaeology, epigraphy, and biblical texts – and then examine their interrelations, while keeping in mind that the name Israel was not used to describe just one state but referred to numerous entities at different times.
This book attempts to provide a critical reading of Israel’s history. It is neither a harmonizing reading, which takes the picture painted by texts as a given fact, nor a reading supporting biblical texts with archaeological and epigraphic data; instead, it offers the reader multiple options to understand biblical narratives on a historical and theological level. In addition to presenting the main currents in the field, the book draws upon the latest discoveries from excavations in Israel to offer new hypotheses and reconstructions based on the interdisciplinary dialogue between biblical studies, archaeology, and history.
Check it out!
A paper on mine with an overview on the archaeology of the United Monarchy and the Israelite Kingdom has just been published.
Here are the details:
Maeir, A. M. “The Archaeology of the United Monarchy and the Kingdom of Israel”, in The Oxford Handbook of the Book of Kings, edited by S. McKenzie and M. Richelle (OUP: Oxford, 2024).
If you wish to get a PDF of this chapter, drop me an email.
Aren
Today, I will be presenting a lecture “Comparing the Judahite and Philistine Exiles in Mesopotamia,” at the very interesting conference “Indomitable Optimism: Isaiah 40-66 and the Return to Zion in their Ancient Near Eastern Context” being held at Bar-Ilan University (organized by my colleague Shawn Selig Aster).
In the paper, I compare the evidence for these exiles and their “results”, and the differences between these two groups. While exiled in somewhat similar circumstances, very different things occurred to the two groups.
The paper will be presented in the session:
Exiles and Temples in Mesopotamia and Jerusalem
Aren Maeir, Comparing the Judahite and Philistine Exiles in Mesopotamia
Gad Barnea, Second Isaiah and Achaemenid-Zoroastrianism: context, content and confluence
Jan Safford, Judeans in Babylonian Sources: Cultural Preservation and Integration
Oded Lipschits, Jerusalem in Second Isaiah
Barnea Selevan was kind enough to remind me of the beautiful Psalm 56, where David prays after being taken to Gath. Not only a beautiful chapter, but very appropriate for our troubled times…
1 Be merciful to me, my God,
for my enemies are in hot pursuit;
all day long they press their attack.
2 My adversaries pursue me all day long;
in their pride many are attacking me.
3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
5 All day long they twist my words;
all their schemes are for my ruin.
6 They conspire, they lurk,
they watch my steps,
hoping to take my life.
7 Because of their wickedness do not let them escape;
in your anger, God, bring the nations down.
8 Record my misery;
list my tears on your scroll—
are they not in your record?
9 Then my enemies will turn back
when I call for help.
By this I will know that God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise—
11 in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can man do to me?
12 I am under vows to you, my God;
I will present my thank offerings to you.
13 For you have delivered me from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.
Dr. Amit Dagan, a long-time member of the Safi staff, and a colleague, a lecturer in the Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Bar-Ilan University and a member of the Institute of Archaeology at Bar-Ilan University, has created an extraordinary pedagogical resource for hands on teaching of archaeological field methods in the university.
He has created “The Square”! See pictures after the text!
Here is Amit’s description:
“The Square”: An active learning complex for advanced archaeological training at the Institute of Archaeology, Bar-Ilan University
Dr. Amit Dagan
Institute of Archaeology
Bar-Ilan University
“The Square” is a blend of science, education, and technology, and its name derives from the square being the basic unit in an archaeological dig. Dr. Amit Dagan built the complex in collaboration with the Institute of Archaeology, the University Youth Center, and the Faculty of Jewish Studies. Its purpose is to train archaeologists at a high professional level and to incorporate digital tools in archaeological research.
“The Square” learning center was established to provide students and researchers with a facility for learning outside the traditional classroom, but yet in an easy accessible location. It supports comprehensive training for archaeology students, helping them prepare for excavations and gain firsthand exposure to different types of finds. This hands-on training is crucial to achieving professional competence and minimizing errors during scientific excavations.
The transition to active learning allows students to gain a deeper understanding of ancient structures and spaces, as well as providing practical experience with production processes.
The use of digital tools in archaeological excavations poses challenges in scientific excavations and student training. The Square complex addresses these challenges by offering practical training in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), 3D scanning techniques, augmented reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies, orthophoto documentation, and spatial distribution analysis.
“The Square” complex provides an environment for extensive hands-on practice without time constraints, effectively preparing teams for fieldwork at the highest professional level. This unique facility enables students to gain practical experience and expertise in archaeological methodologies while alleviating the traditional pressures associated with fieldwork training. The area around “The Square” is equipped with agricultural and industrial installations such as a Warp Loom, a Furnace, and a Tabun (mud oven) for experimental archaeology. It serves as a center of excellence in archaeological education and scientific research, providing students with exposure to different finds and excavation strategies.
Finally, I’d like to stress that “The Square” is still under construction and that students will start using it in the coming academic year (2025-2026).
An article, in Hebrew, on the topic of burials in Iron Age Philistia, has just been published.
For those who don’t read Hebrew (shame on you!), do note that an additional (and substantially expanded and updated) English article on this topic, co-authored with Philipp Stockhammer, will appear in the coming months in Atiqot.
The title of the new article is:
Maeir, A. M. 2024. Burial Customs in Iron Age Philistia (In Hebrew with English Abstract). Pp. 59–67 in In Centro, Volume 2, ed. G. D. Stiebel et al. Tel Aviv: Tel Aviv University.
Here’s a PDF:
The Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project Official (and Unofficial) Weblog 