Staring at Rocks

[Sher]

Anyone hear of any recent, interesting archaeology finds that have any bearing on Biblical history?

[Yog^sothoth]

They are doing some fun stuff with Herods Temple I think right now. The latest issue of BAR has some stuff.

www.bib-arch.org
or
www.biblicalarchaeology.com

they should have part if not all of the article up..

Nick

[Dr.GH]

There was an article in Friday's (April 11) Science, but I haven't read it yet. More later.

[JohnStevenson]

A few months ago I had opportunity to sit in on a seminar featuring Dr. James Strange of the University of South Florida. Beginning in 1994, Dr Strange was approched and asked to dig in Qumran. There were seismic studies done to the south of Qumran that had indicated new areas of study. They were looking for new caves in the area of Qumran.

In preparation, they reviewed all of the satellite photography that they could find. It was forthcoming from the French and the Russians. USA don't like to give up their satellite photos.

In Florida, infrared cameras have been used to detect Spanish forts. At sundown there is a temperature difference in the ground that has been soaking up the sun's heat. Infrared photos will pick up the difference.

Recent excavations at Qumran have located thousands of carbonized date pits. It indicates that there may have been a date-processing plant here at one time.

They used this same technology to locate what they thought would be a hidden cave. Next they brought in heavy drills to dig down to that level, but they found nothing and only managed to make a hill of rubble.

It has been said that all of the great discoveries in archaeology are accidental. After their team had dug down and found absolutely nothing, they were refilling the hole they had made when one of the workers flipped up a shard. He showed it to Dr Strange and it had Hebrew writing on in that was legible. They went back and another worker had already found a second piece of the same ostracon. As they looked further, they found five pieces of pottery.

This was the first piece of written material that had been found at Qumran in the past 50 years.

This appears to be the first draft of a deed as a person is conveying a piece of deed to the community.

In the year two...
In Jericho...
Honie, son of...
Gave to...
The boundaries of the house...