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Biblical Archaeology Review’s Ten Top Discoveries

September 4, 2009

CONTACT: Dorothy Resig
The Biblical Archaeology Society
Phone: 1.800-221-4644 ext. 242
Fax: 202-364-2636
E-mail: dresig@bib-arch.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 4, 2009) — Announcing “Ten Top Discoveries” in the field of Biblical archaeology. In celebration of its 200th issue, Biblical Archaeology Review (BAR) presents “Ten Top Discoveries: Favorite Finds Throughout the Years,” which features ten of the most significant discoveries in the fields of Biblical archaeology and scholarship. Artifacts and structures discovered in Israel, Syria and Egypt comprise this list of finds that have shaped our modern understanding of the Biblical world.

BAR’s Ten Top Discoveries:
1. Ashkelon’s Arched Gate — Southern Israel
The world’s oldest known monumental arch

2. Stepped Stone Structure — Jerusalem
A momentous reminder of just how grand David and Solomon’s Jerusalem may have been

3. ’Ain Dara Temple — Northern Syria
The closest known likeness of Solomon’s legendary temple

4. Tel Dan (“David”) Stela — Northern Israel
The first historical evidence for King David outside the Bible

5. “Yahweh and His Asherah” — Eastern Sinai Desert
Evidence that suggests that at least some Israelites believed that Yahweh (God) had a female consort

6. Babylonian Siege Tower and Arrowheads — Jerusalem
A vivid picture of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem

7. St. Peter’s House — Capernaum
The site of Jesus’ earliest teachings

8. The Siloam Pool in Jesus’ Time — Jerusalem
Where tradition holds that Jesus performed the miracle of restoring sight to the blind man

9. Mona Lisa of the Galilee — Sepphoris
One of the most spectacular examples of Hellenistic art to be discovered in Israel

10. The Nag Hammadi Library — Upper (Southern) Egypt
A treasure trove of Gnostic texts

For full details of these remarkable discoveries and their impact on Biblical history, please see the article “Ten Top Discoveries: Favorite Finds Throughout the Years” in the current issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, available now on newsstands or through the Biblical Archaeology Society’s Web site at www.biblicalarchaeology.org/200. For additional information, please visit www.biblicalarchaeology.org or contact Dorothy D. Resig at 1.800.221.4644. ext. 242.