Near Eastern Institute

Welcome to the Near Eastern Institute

The Near Eastern Institute is responsible for managing the “big three” certifications for Near Eastern studies:

1. Certified Assyriologist
2. Certified Biblical Archaeologist
3. Certified Egyptologist

Each certification is supported by a self-paced course that includes reading, online assignments, interactions with other students and a final paper. The courses are divided into 12 weekly assignments; however, you are encouraged to work at your own pace which allows you the most flexibility in completing your certification whether it be over the course of just 12 weeks or up to a year if desired-the choice is yours.

Learn about Egyptology, Assyriology, and Biblical Archaeology. It’s easy to get certified so go ahead, get certified and prove your knowledge!

Egyptian Museum – An Egyptologist’s Dream

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo is unbelievable. You could easily spend an entire day in the museum and not see it all. I recommend studying Egyptology, gaining your Certified Egyptologist credentials, and studying the museum’s collection before visiting the museum in order to best appreciate it. The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities was built on 1835 near Ezbekeyah Gardens in Cairo, Egypt. It is a home to many significant pieces of Pharaonic antiquities and to the many treasures of King Tutankhamen. In 1858, all the artifacts were moved to Boulaq for larger storage. An Austrian Duke, Maximilian instructed a French architect to design and construct a new Egyptology museum. But after the museum got completed, it suffered an irreparable damage, a flood of the Nile River. The Egyptian artifacts were relocated to the Tahrir Square Museum in Giza and remained there until 1902. This museum became famous and attracted thousands of tourists and Egyptologists from all over the world.

The museum has two main floors, the ground and the first floor. On the ground floor is an extensive and huge collection of papyrus and coins in gold, silver and bronze used in the Ancient world. It also contains artifacts from the period of the New Kingdom between 1550 and 1070 B.C. Several languages like Greek, Latin, Arabic and Ancient Egyptian writing and language and hieroglyphs can also be found. The first floor confines tombs of Pharaohs Tuktomosis III, Tuktomosis IV, Amenophis II, Hatsheput, and Maherpen, and artifacts from the Legendary Valley of the Kings, all from the final two dynasties of Ancient Egypt. There are many artifacts that would interest Biblical Archaeologists in the museum.

The tomb of King Tutankhamun was more well known than any other tomb by the majority of the world because the tomb was found mostly intact. Inside the tomb you can find a vast collection of different artifacts that depicts the King’s life. Ivory and gold necklaces, bracelets and other decorative jewelry, to alabaster vases and flasks. It is also the home to many weapons and instruments he used. The well known artefact in the King’s tomb is the famous Gold Mask that weighs 24.5 pounds of solid gold which rest over the bandages wrapped around his face, and is believed to be likely his face.

The Museum also stored remains of many famous Pharaohs, like Ramses III, who was an ultimate skilled warrior. Pharaohs mummies can be estimatedly determined by the time of their reign in Egypt. As to the case of Amenhotep IV who was married to Nefertiti, a radiant beauty. When he became Pharaoh, he destroyed the religion of Amun, wanting to start his own religion of Aten, the disc which sent out rays ending in hands. He reigns around 1372 B.C., and when he died the name Golden Horis was one of the five names inscribed in his tomb proving that he was crowned on the bank of Nile, his father Amenhotep III’s favourite domain. The Fourth Dynasty was believed to be first reigned by King Sneferu on 2620 B.C. He is believed to be a fair and just king, famously known an the Master of Justice. He built many temples and structures all of which have the same signature of a statue of a woman. it symbolizes foundation and representing the sign of life and votive offerings, as well the city’s stronghold. Read the rest of this entry »

Nabataean Petra

Petra is one of the most amazing places that can be visited in the Near East. Petra is a Greek word that means cleft in the rock. Petra, located in southern Jordan, has been included in the New Seven Wonders of the World. This site was introduced to the Western World in 1812 by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. The location of Petra is such that it controlled the main commercial routes which passed through it to Gaza, Bosra, Damascus, Aqaba ,Leuce come on the Red Sea, and across the desert to the Persian Gulf. It is said that settlements in Petra began near the eighteenth dynasty of Egypt. Read the rest of this entry »

Biblical Archaeologists Hunt for the Ark

If the Ark of the Covenant is ever found, it will be the most extraordinary biblical archaeology headline in history. The hunt for the ark will probably never end unless it is found. But some question whether it still exists and believe it may have been melted down.

Measuring a cubit and a half in height and breadth, two cubits and a half in length, the Ark of the Covenant was said to be crafted at the command of God. It was made out of Setim/Shitta wood (Acacia), which the ancient Egyptians considered to be the Tree of Life, and was subsequently overlaid with pure gold both inside and out.

Also on God’s command, Moses was said to have placed three items in the Ark of the Covenant: (1) Two stone tablets which contained the Ten Commandments, reminding the people of Israel that they were God’s chosen people, and that they must obey the law that He has given them; (2) Aaron’s staff which had budded, symbolic of God’s anointing Aaron and his descendants to continue the priestly line; and (3) a golden jar in which manna saved from the Israelites’ long journey in the wilderness was placed, in order to remind them that God was their provider.

To cover the Ark itself, the Atonement Cover (also referred to as the Mercy Seat) was adorned by two cherubim angels who stood facing each other, their outstretched wings spanning the entire cover. The name given to the Ark’s covering is likewise symbolic, because the items inside the Ark were not just holy relics, but evidence and reminder of how sinful man was—for example, Aaron’s staff had budded because God was showing that it was Aaron that He favored, even after the Israelites rejected his authority (and by extension God’s authority as well); while the Israelites found fault with the manna despite it having sustained them as they wandered in the desert. Reminders as they were of man’s sinful nature, God nevertheless wanted them to know that it was not their sinfulness that he saw when He looked on them from His throne here on Earth, because He looked upon them with mercy and with love.

And because the Ark was regarded as the place where God resided in the Tabernacle, it was for this reason that the Ark was kept safe, far from the sight of ordinary men. It was thus safeguarded in the Holy of Holies, and only once a year was the High Priest allowed to come into the sanctuary and perform certain rituals on what was called The Day of Atonement. The ritual further emphasized God’s mercy and provision despite the sinful nature of man.

Although the fate of the Ark is not entirely known—rumors include its destruction by Egyptians, Babylonians, and Philistines; divine intervention; and intentional concealment; there are several rumored locations as to where the Ark of the Covenant might be held in present day. Some of the aforementioned rumored locations include:

The Temple Mount – Said to be the location that Solomon’s First Temple stood on, where the Ark was said to have been kept, and provisions made for its speedy removal and concealment in a hiding place below-ground should the temple be overrun. When King Nebuchadnezzar did indeed breach the Temple in 586 BC and ransacked its treasures, there was no mention of the Ark, because it had supposedly been spirited away by the Levite priests.
Ethiopia – Prince Menelik I, who was the rumored son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, was said to have taken possession of the Ark, and is now kept by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
Southern Africa – In South Africa and in Zimbabwe live the Lemba people, who believe themselves to be of Jewish origins. It is their claim that it was their ancestors who kept the Ark safe, taking it south to the Dumghe Mountains, which they considered to be their spiritual home.
England, France, and Ireland – The Crusades and tales of the Knights Templar account for speculations that the Ark had reached its final resting place in Europe.

Assyriology Primer

Assyriology has revealed that long ago, the political city state of Assyria was located on the banks of the Upper Tigris River in Mesopotamia. The city took its name from the capital at the time, and the term ‘Assyria’ also loosely refers to the geographical area of the whole Empire. Recent excavation at the Tell Hassuna provides exciting evidence of the early Neolithic settlement that once sprang up there. Inscriptions recorded by  the earliest rulers of Assyria date to about 2000 BC,when the state merely consisted of a few  Semitic kingdoms and a number of small, scattered towns.

Traditionally, the Kingdom of Assyria itself is believed by assyriologists to have been founded in 1900 BC by a kinsman of Shalmaneser I, named Zulilu. In those early days the Assyrian state benefited greatly from its healthy connection to Anatolia ,eventually even forming merchant trading colonies in Capadocia. These merchant colonies arose over a long period of mutual trading that existed between Assyria and Capadocia.

There is evidence to suggest that  tin and textiles were traded for precious metals from Capadocia. However, Assyria experienced great difficulty in keeping her trade routes open during the Middle Assyrian Dynasty, due to the trade in metal from Capadocia  falling under control of the Hittite and Hurrian tribes.

Son Of Shem
Little is known of the early history of Assyria, although there are several Judeo-Christian traditions that are very interesting. According to one belief, the city of Ashur, which eventually became known as Assyria, was founded by a man by the name of Ashur. This founding member was apparently the son of Shem himself, who was one of Noah’s sons, and he not only gave the city his name, but was also later deified as its patron god.

In the days of the Old Assyrian period, which dates to the 19th to 15th  BCE, the city of Assyria dominated almost all of upper Mesopotamia. As time passed, its control waxed and waned, although power was eventually regained through a series of battles. During the period,910 – 611 BCE, the Assyrian Empire grew massively in power as it expanded to eventually control not only Egypt, but the entire Fertile Crescent as well. Over time though, it had no choice but to succumb to the expanding Dynasties of Neo Babylon and Persia.

Oligarchy
Following in the traditional footsteps of many city states, the Middle Assyrian kingdom was intrinsically an oligarchy, as opposed to a monarchy. There were three centres of power in Assyria, one of which was a group of elders who worked together for the best interest of the state. There was also a ruler who inherited his position and he had full authority over any decisions made by the elders.
This ruler was not given the title of ‘king’, instead he was designated the term ‘Steward of Assur’. He was also a high priest of the patron god of the city. As a priest of the god Ashur and a major force in Assyrian society, he fulfilled many obligations, which included providing resources to the temples of the patron god. The kingdom was furthermore presided over by an annually elected ‘eponym’ who had a vital administrative role to play. He not only named each New Year, but could detain and imprison citizens at will, and confiscate their property too.

Language And Relocation
The  citizens of Assyria once spoke a dialect of the Akkadian tongue, which is classified as one of the ancient Semite languages. During the Neo Assyrian period, however, scholars tell us that the Aramaic language gained a foothold there, and eventually , due to mass deportation of the  citizens by certain Assyrian rulers, totally ousted the Akkadian language. These deportations consisted of relocating the conquered Aramaic-speaking citizens to various outlying areas of the Empire. The eventual devastation of Nineveh and Assyria by the invading Babylonians led to a complete eradication of the few bilingual elite who still spoke in both the Akkadian and Aramaic tongues.

Ayyubid Dynasty

The Ayyubid Dynasty was a Near Eastern empire centered in Cairo and Damascus that ruled most of the Middle East region in the time between the 12th and 13thcenturies BCE. Its people were the Ayyubids who were Sunni Muslims of Kurdish roots. It lay its foundation in the Ayyubid family of the Ayyub and Shirkuh brothers, who had served the Zengids as soldiers. Their servitude ended when they gained independence from them under Ayyub’s son, Saladin. And in 1171, the Fatimid Caliphate was dissolved and Saladin proclaimed himself the sultan upon the demise of al-Adid.

The Ayyubid territory saw its Near East expansion as a result of the series of conquests instigated by the Ayyubids throughout the region. By the time it clocked 1183, the Ayyubid Dynasty had absorbed Egypt, Syria, Yemen, northern Mesopotamia, the Hejaz, and the North African coast all the way to the border of today’s Tunisia.

In 1187, there was the Battle of Hattin in which the Ayyubids conquered over most of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, as well as Palestine and the Trans-Jordan, all of which were assimilated into the Ayyubid Dynasty. Later on though, in the 1190s, the Crusaders recovered their authority over the Palestinian coastline which had been previously dominated by the Ayyubids. There was a power struggle between the Saladin sons following their farther’s (Saladin’s) death. Despite their contest, it was Saladin’s brother, al-Adil, who finally asserted himself sultan of the Ayyubid Dynasty in 1200.

The Ayyubid rulers of Syria had in the 1230s remained divided when they made efforts to declare their sovereignty from Egypt; but the discord was settled by as-Salih Ayyub, the Egytpian sultan. By 1247, as-Salih Ayyub restored the accord of the Ayyubid Dynasty by capturing most of Syria, only leaving out Aleppo. During that period, the dispute between the Ayyubid Dynasty and the local Muslim dynasties was eminent. In fact, these Muslim empires had succeeded in expelling the Ayyubids from the Hejaz, Yemen, as well as parts of the Mesopotamian region.

Later on in 1250, Ayyub faced his demise and was succeeded by al-Mu’azzam Turanshah. On the other hand, as-Salih Ayyub’s Mamluk militants had warded off a Crusader invasion of the Nile Delta; after which, they ousted Ayyub’s successor from the throne. This coup ultimately resulted in the end of Ayyubid control over Egypt. An-Nasir Yusuf of Aleppo had led some rulers of Syria in spirited attempts to recover Egypt as a territory of domination were in vain and unfruitful. The little that was left of the Ayyubid domination would soon change hands. The Mongols had in 1260 conquered Aleppo; and in turn obtained supremacy over the remaining territories under Ayyubid influence and authority. The Mongols’ invasion marked the ultimate destruction of the Ayyubid Dynasty. It was the Mamluks who came to the rescue of the Ayyubid empire when they drove out the Mongols and exerted the Ayyubid authority of Hama; and in 1341, they overthrew its last ruler.

The Ayyubid system of governance was pretty unique with political supremacy resting in the Ayyubid family which was not necessarily characterized only by blood relation; slaves and intimates could acquire great and even supreme power within it. It was also a rather usual scenario to have the mothers of young Ayyubid rulers acting as independent powers or sometimes, rulers in their own right. There were also the Eunuchs who carried out significant power under the Ayyubids. They served as assistants and atabegs within the family; or as emirs, governors, and army commanders outside the household.

The Ayyubid Dynasty may have been a brief, fleeting regime, but despite that they actually steered forth a period of economic affluence in their territorial lands. They provided investments, services and support that birthed a renaissance of scholastic activity in the world of Islam. The Ayyubids also managed to strengthen the domination of Sunni Muslims in the region by establishing abundant Islamic schools (madrasas) in their chief cities.

The Ayyubids are also credited with the innovation of various measures to boost agricultural production such as digging up canals for irrigation. They also officially encouraged sugar cultivation so as to suffice the great demand for it both locally and otherwise; they has a wide market for sugarcane in Europe. Other agricultural commodities they traded in with Europe were: rice, millet, sesame, carob, lemons, melons, shallots, and apricots. They also traded in aloes, ginger, alum, scents, fragrant oils, and aromatic plants.

Biblical Gezer

In ages past, Gezer stood roughly 30 kilometers west of Jerusalem. The town itself was positioned on the crossroads where the road linking the international coast road and Jerusalem’s highway meet up. Ancient Gezer was situated towards the northern area of Shephelah and was important from a military standpoint. The fact that everything happening in the underlying coastal area could be observed from within Gezer may have been the reason for it’s military success.

Those who study this area agree that Gezer is actually the ancient Tel Gezer- alternatively called Abu Shushed or Tell el-Jezer, and it lay between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. There is evidence which may link this area with the historical Biblical Gezer . Inscriptions on boulders a short distance from the Gezer excavation site state mark out the town’s boundary line. They may date back to the 1st century BCE.

Gezer, once home to the Levite tribe, was also the ‘prize’ in several land battles. If we read Joshua 10:33 we find evidence of Joshua fighting for control. Joshua 12:12 states that the King of Gezer was one of those conquered by Joshua. When the Philistines ruled Gezer, David dented their armor, and weakened Philistine dominance drastically. His influence was felt ‘ from Geba to Gezer ‘, which is where he chased them after the onslaught at Baal-perazim, read 2 Sam.5:25; 1 Chr.14: 16.

Further Biblical examination reveals that one of Solomon’s wives actually owned Gezer, when the Egyptian Pharaoh presented it to her as a dowry gift. Ancient Egyptian records, such as the Amarna letters, provide some snippets relating to Gezer. These documents, compiled over a 20 year period, show that Gezer was overseen by a group of 4 viziers. Amazingly, the letters also mention a Pharaoh bragging about his conquest of Gezer.

In 1871, the Gezer tell was rediscovered by Charles Simon Clermont-Annear. The first person to actually dig the area was R. A. Stewart Macalister, who acted on instructions from the Palestine Exploration Fund. Macalister was busy on the dig from 1902 until 1907 and unearthed quite a few artifacts in early forays. He also found evidence of underground defense structures and other constructions. Further excavation allowed him to pinpoint the habitation strata of the town, which at the time was quite sensational. However, his data was later proved inaccurate. Still, he opened the gates and his work caused a flood of interest in Gezer.

Included in successive expeditions were Alan Rowe (1934), G.E. Wright (as team leader for the Hebrew Union College expedition, 1964), Yigael Yadin and also the Andrews University.

The most fascinating artifact found has to be the Gezer calendar, which is a tablet containing an intriguing inscription. Scholars can’t agree on its original function. Some believe it to be a child’s study book of exercises. Others opine it to be a tablet that was used by tax collectors when dealing with farmers. Still others venture that it contains the words of a simple folk song. Yet whatever it may be, this tablet reveals much about the ancient Middle East language.

Apart from the Gezer calendar, there are other revelations, several of which relate to the Bible. Megaliths were unearthed which show evidence of a Canaanite ‘high place’. There are inscripted boundary stones -could this be the first identified ‘city’ of the Bible? A gate with several chambers, just like those found at Hazor and Megiddo has been unearthed. Between 1964-1974, the Gezer excavations allowed for grants giving academic and college credit to students, which, although quite common now, was a first at the time.

Gilgal Across the Jordan River

If we open the Book of Joshua we read that Gilgal was the place where the Israelite’s lingered, just after traversing the River Jordan. Once they had made camp there, they were instructed by Joshua to gather stones from Jordan and set them up ‘in memory’. Each tribe was represented, so there were 12 stones in all. Joshua further instructed those born during the years of the Exodus to undergo circumcision. Thus we have a situation comprising circumcision and a mysterious structure raised up to help them to remember something important.

Some experts opine that this tale may simply be a myth. They believe it may have been introduced by the author of the Book of Joshua, to provide an explanation for the presence of a circle of stones. The place where this circumcision took place is mentioned in the Bible as ‘Gibeath Haaraloth’. Other Biblical references to the area call it Gilgal. The name ‘Gibeath Haaraloth’ can be translated as ‘Foreskin Hill’, and is thought by scholars to perhaps be a vague reference to a myth of the time.Several latter-day Bible translations tend to agree.

The Israelite tale continues to intrigue by informing us that the area was called Gilgal in memory of the Israelite’s breaking free of ‘The Reproach’ of Egypt, which had fallen on them. They broke free of this ‘Reproach’ by undergoing circumcision. The words ‘Gilgal’ and ‘Gallothi’ have phonetic similarities. In Hebrew, ‘Gallothi’ means ‘I have removed’.

Despite this evidence, scholars remain convinced that Gilgal means a ‘Circle of Upright Stones’ and simply refers to the existence of a stone circle in the area. Their inability in finding common acceptable ground stems from the following fact. Language scholars believe that the ‘circumcision tale’ and the ‘story of the stones’ differ in their textual sources. They think that the circumcision tale was simply a method of explaining why the area was important from a religious viewpoint. This could therefore be seen as credible without putting pressure on the author of Joshua and his religious beliefs when mentioning the stone circle.

The ‘Gilgal’ mentioned in this story is believed to have been stood on Jericho’s East border. Josh 4:19. We find further mention of Gilgal in Joshua’s account of those he had conquered and overthrown. Josh  12:7.   Scholars are not entirely in agreement that this location is the same as the Gilgal where the Israelites originally made camp. It’s thought that this may have arisen through a simple mistake and that the word Gilgal in the above verses actually should read as ‘Galilee’.

The book of Samuel also mentions an area called Gilgal. This was one of the places that Samuel visited annually to perform sacrifices. Once Saul was chosen as King, Samuel also returned to Gilgal to strengthen Saul’s leadership role with the people. This Gilgal may possible refer to a totally different circle of stones than the one mentioned in the Israelite encampment story. It is perhaps worth pondering the fact that Biblical language presents it more as a place of Holiness as opposed to a place of pagan worship.

Gilgal is furthermore seen as a place of rest for all of Israel, both from a spiritual and physical standpoint. It is a place where Gods faithful people will receive their reward. Joshua 10:43 refers to 144.00 from all the Israelite tribes who will stand with God when he returns to deal with earthly sinners. After a final battle against those who denounce God, those remaining servants will find their eternal rest and utter peace in Gilgal.

Ancient Tarsus

The ancient city of Tarsus is in what is now the Mersin Province of Turkey, near the cities of Mersin and Adana.  Tarsus has been an important trade center for over 9,000 years.  Under the Roman Empire, Tarsus was the capital city for the province of Cilicia.  This city was also the meeting place of Mark Antony and Cleopatra.  The Apostle Paul was born in Tarsus as Saul and later returned there for a time after his conversion to Christianity as Paul (Acts 13:9).  Tarsus is also known as the city where Paul and Barnabas departed on their missionary tour.

Tarsus is located about 10 miles from the Mediterranean coast and is central to land and sea commerce routes connecting Cukurova (formerly Cilicia) andAnatolia.  Tarsus is a market center where produce and goods are sold and distributed.  Local produce includes a variety of fruits and vegetables.  Manufacturing includes agricultural machinery, textiles, bricks and ceramics.

More than half of the land area in the region is agricultural land.  Other land is comprised of forests and orchards.  Modern farming methods and equipment have greatly increased the production ability of the land.  During the reign of the Hittites, Tarsus was known as Tarsa (about 1850-1200 B.C.).

During the first century BC, Tarsus was the home of a philosophical school.  As a university town, the atmosphere was colored by Greek thought.  The wisdom of the Greeks and the world-order of Rome mingled with Oriental mysticism to bring a unique feel to the culture.  Young Saul would have had a unique opportunity to be exposed to a wide variety of cultural and religious thought, and he would have been among a minority as a Jew and a Roman Citizen.  Today, the modern city of Tarsus is built atop the ancient city and archeologists have hardly touched the ancient ruins.

The Hittites were the first to govern over Tarsus and the region of Cilicia.  Later, rule shifted from the Hittites to the Assyrians to the Persian Empireand eventually the Roman Empire.  Historians indicate that the universities at Tarsus rivaled those at Athens and Alexandria.  By 171 B.C. the library of Tarsus contained 200,000 books and a collection of scientific works.  The residents of Tarsus were known to be fervent students, always willing to learn, discuss and debate.

Under Roman rule, Tarsus was a grand city with palaces, markets, roads, bridges, baths, a stadium and a gymnasium.  The nearby town of Adana later grew to overshadow Tarsus in matters of commerce, and the two cities were often considered one city.  Several Roman Emperors are buried at Tarsus, including Marcus Claudius Tacitus, Maximinus, and Julian the Apostate.

During the Middle Ages, Tarsus was praised by Arab writers for its beauty and security, having a well-defended city.  The surrounding farmland was described as rich and well-watered.

Today, Tarsus still has a small-town feel and fine regional cuisine is readily available.  Local sites of interest include the Well and Church of Saint Paul, the reported burial place of the Prophet Daniel, Tarsus American College and much more.

The Biblical Archaeology of the Megiddo Excavations

Tel Megiddo, in modern Israel, is a hill near the Kibbutz of Megiddo.  It is known by Biblical Archaeologists equally for its historical, geographical , and theological value.  While in ancient times, it is an important city state guarding the western section of a narrow pass and an early trade route that connects the lands of Egypt and Assyria. For biblical archaeologists, it is a hill of 26 layers of ancient cities ruins at the head of a pass through the Carmel Ridge overlooking the Jezreel Valley in the west.  Megiddo was populated from approximately 7000 BC to 586 BC.

Megiddo is located in several strategical locations of several major routes, and became the witness to major saga battles. There are three renowned battles that happened in the history of the city, of which King Thutmose III of Egypt pursued a war against a large Canaanite union led by Megiddo rulers in Kadesh in 1478 BC.  The war is pictured in detail in Egyptian hieroglyphics found on the King’s temple wall in Upper Egypt.  It has become an important military weaponry on the Roman Empire named as Via Maris. In 609 BC, Egypt and the Kingdom of Judah fought a hard battle where King Joshia lost the war, and during World War I in 1918, Allied troops and Ottoman army exchanged fighting.  The name Armageddon in the Book of Revelation was derived from Har Megiddo, the Mount of Megiddo which soon a byword for the end of the world.

The excavation of the city was done three consecutive times.  Gottlieb Schumacher of the German Society for Oriental Research first dig the city in 1903 then in 1905.  It was continued by the Oriental Institute, Chicago in 1925 funded by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. until the World War II erupted.  The discoveries uncovered 20 levels of habitation being preserved at the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem and in the Oriental Institute in Chicago.

Small excavations were administered by Yigael Yadin in the 1960s and since then, Megiddo had been the focus of biannual digging campaigns led by the Megiddo Excavation of Tel Aviv University together with a group of other international universities.

Two stables from the north and south were excavated from Megiddo.  The south complex is a house to a five-structured building around a lime floored courtyard. It is divided in three sections, the main corridor, the stone pillars, and the mangers.  The aisles paved in two long stones were built next to the main corridor covered with lime.  The main corridor from outside aisles was separated by a series of stone pillars, bored with holes so horses can be tied to them.  The mangers were built in between the pillars to feed the horses.  With the 21m x 11m building structure, a number of 15 horses can occupy in each side.

The northern complex construction is similar to the southern side, less the central courtyard.  It can hold 300 horses and 450-480 horses with the northern and southern complexes combined. The stables were found during the excavations between 1927 and 1934. The interpretation of the building was challenged by scholars James Pritchard, Ze’ev Herzog, and Yohanan Aharoni, and suggested that the buildings or stables should be interpreted as either storehouses, marketplace or barracks.  But Yadin and J. S. Holladay powerfully argued against their findings.

Yotam Tepper, an Israeli archeologist at Tel-Aviv University, discovered the remains of a 3^rd century church, with a large mosaic of geometrical figures and fish image approximately 54 square meter.   It has a Greek inscription that the church is sacred to THE GOD JESUS CHRIST.  It is believed to be the oldest church remains in the Holy Land making it of immense importance to biblical archaeology.  It is also found inside the Megiddo Prison grounds, a few hundred meters south of the hill. Read the rest of this entry »

The Gold of Napata

The city of Napata could be found in ancient times about 400 km north of Khartoum. This city-state stood on the edge of the Blue Nile River and is known to have originally been erected by the Nubian people, probably about 1345 BC.

Traveling back in time to the earliest Dynastic era, we see that the Egyptians had their eyes firmly set on Nubia, for a important reason. This was an area with much untapped gold resources. The Egyptians started an aggressive gold trading campaign that soon gained them imperialistic power, but left the Nubian’s out in the cold as far as profits were concerned. As Egyptian influence grew and spread, the habits, religious beliefs and cultural values of Nubia changed drastically to accommodate them. Read the rest of this entry »