Follow

• 

  Is Hebrew the Language of the World's Oldest Alphabet?

  Douglas Petrovich and Southern Adventist University

  Dr. Petrovich identifies the man on the donkey as Manasseh, because the name of this individual according to Petrovich, is Hebeded, who identifies himself as an Asiatic, not an Egyptian, even though the writing is in Middle Egyptian. The name Hebeded means "he who was disfavored." He further explains that Manasseh's younger brother Ephraim was given the favor over Manasseh by his grandfather Jacob. Gen. 48: 14-20 Petrovich says this shows that Manasseh was disfavored. Now the young man leading the donkey is Shechem, the son of Manasseh. Petrovich translates the caption on this stela as reading “Six Levantines: Hebrews of Bethel, the Beloved.” Petrovich explains the word Levantines refers to people of the Levant, and Bethel was the place of home Jacob and his descendants.

  Presenter: Douglas Petrovich serves The Bible Seminary as Professor of Biblical History and Exegesis in Katy, Texas. He is married with 3 adult children. He has a Ph.D. (major: Syro-Palestinian archaeology; 1st minor: ancient Egyptian language; 2nd minor: ancient Near Eastern religions) and an M.A. (Syro-Palestinian archaeology) from the University of Toronto, a Th.M. (New Testament) and M.Div. from The Master's Seminary, a B.A. in (Evangelism) from Moody Bible Institute. Professor Petrovich has taught at Shepherd's Theological Seminary, Novosibirsk Biblical Theological Seminary, the University of Toronto's Scarborough campus, and has served in administrative roles at Shepherd's and NBTS since the late 90s.

• 

  St. Paul in Cyprus: Out of the Comfort Zone; Thomas W. Davis, PhD; February 18, 2019

  Thomas W. Davis and Southern Adventist University

  While many of us are familiar with the life and work of the apostle Paul, how much do we actually know about the work conditions and society that he faced? In this presentation, Thomas Davis presents the archaeological evidence that gives us context and support for the Biblical text of Acts. In addition, he presents some information that may explain the actions of Paul and his companions during their missionary journeys.

  Thomas Davis (PhD 1987, University of Arizona) is a professor of Archaeology and Biblical Backgrounds at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a specialist in the New Testament world of Paul. Davis currently directs the SWBTS-funded excavations at the early Christian site of Kourion (Cyprus), which includes SWBTS archaeology students as part of the research team.

• 

  The Austrian-Israeli Expedition to Tel Laachish: First Results after Three Seasons of Excavation

  Felix Hoflmayer, Katharina Streit, and Southern Adventist University

  In their lecture, Drs. Höflmayer and Streit spoke about the importance of radiocarbon dating to date the various strata at Tel Lachish. They note the common practice of dating by pottery typology and the valuable data you can get from this method. In particular, the Cypriot pottery and its unique white slip. They argue that this method alone does not always give accurate results, and more evidence is needed to clarify the correct period of time. The period in question was the Late Bronze Age, which traditionally has been connected to the removal of the Hyksos at the beginning of the Egyptian New Kingdom. They submit this event happened earlier than what most scholars would suggest based on radiocarbon dating taken for different locations at Tel Lachish.

  Presenters: Felix Höflmayer studied Egyptology and Archaeology at the University of Vienna and joined the Austrian Academy of Sciences in 2006. Dr. Höflmayer teaches at the Institute of Old Testament Studies and Biblical Archaeology, the Institute of Oriental Studies, and the Institute of Egyptology at the University of Vienna. Dr. Höflmayer serves as an editorial board member of the Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research.

  Katharina Streit is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Martin Buber Society of Fellows in the Humanities at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, researching development and changes in material culture from the Middle to the Late Bronze Ages. Dr. Streit co-directs the Tel Lachish excavations with Felix Höflmayer and Ilan Sharon.

• 

  Go Now to Shiloh: Have We Found the House of God?

  Scott Stripling and Southern Adventist University

  Samuel, Eli, the Tabernacle... All these things come to mind when one hears the name Shiloh. However, what historical evidence is there that the site of Shiloh ever existed? Furthermore, is there anything connecting this site to the Biblical stories? In this presentation, Scott Stripling presents the research that he has been doing recently at the site of biblical Shiloh, shedding light on some of the most famous stories and times from the Bible.

  Presenter: Scott Stripling, DMin, who is the Director of Excavations at Shiloh. Previously Stripling directed the excavations at Khirbet el-Maqatir from 2013-2016 and served as Field Supervisor of the Tall el-Hammam Excavation Project in from 2005 to 2010 and as a supervisor of the Jerusalem Temple Mount Salvage Project in Jerusalem. His academic affiliation is with The Bible Seminary in Katy (Houston), Texas where he serves as the provost.

• 

  Go Now to Shiloh: Have We Found the House of God?; Scott Stripling, DMin; April 1, 2019

  Scott Stripling and Southern Adventist University

  Samuel, Eli, the Tabernacle... All these things come to mind when one hears the name Shiloh. However, what historical evidence is there that the site of Shiloh ever existed? Furthermore, is there anything connecting this site to the Biblical stories? In this presentation, Scott Stripling presents the research that he has been doing recently at the site of biblical Shiloh, shedding light on some of the most famous stories and times from the Bible.

  Scott Stripling, DMin, who is the Director of Excavations at Shiloh. Previously Stripling directed the excavations at Khirbet el-Maqatir from 2013-2016 and served as Field Supervisor of the Tall el-Hammam Excavation Project in from 2005 to 2010 and as a supervisor of the Jerusalem Temple Mount Salvage Project in Jerusalem. His academic affiliation is with The Bible Seminary in Katy (Houston), Texas where he serves as the provost.

• 

  Ancient Egyptian Tomb Painting and Identity; Melinda Hartwig, PhD; March 26, 2018

  Melinda Hartwig and Southern Adventist University

  For centuries, Egyptian history, religion, and architecture have captured people’s imagination. Excavations and interpretations have now brought to light a wealth of stunning information about the people who lived in this society and how they saw their world. In this presentation, Melinda Hartwig presents Egyptian cosmology, beliefs, and use of imagery through a study of Egyptian tombs.

  Melinda Hartwig (PhD 2000, New York University) is the curator of Egyptian, Nubian, and Ancient Near Eastern Art at the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University.

• 

  The Rise of the Kingdom of Judah in the Tenth Century BC: The Emerging Picture from the Ancient Past; Michael G. Hasel, PhD;

  Michael G. Hasel and Southern Adventist University

  How much can we trust the Bible historically? Is there evidence that the kingdom of David and Solomon ever existed? In this lecture, Michael Hasel answers these questions and more. He presents the recent findings of a number of excavation sites throughout Israel, demonstrating the amazing advances in information that have been accomplished in our knowledge of ancient Israelite writing, politics, and daily life.

  Michael Hasel (PhD 1996, University of Arizona) is director of the Institute of Archaeology and curator of the Lynn H. Wood Archaeological Museum at Southern Adventist University. At present, he publishing the results of The Fourth Expedition to Lachish, of which he was co-director.

• 

  Seals Hidden and Seals Revealed - Seals in Ancient and Modern Display; Agnete Lassen, PhD; February 12, 2018

  Agnete Lassen and Southern Adventist University

  Near Eastern seals were the identity and pride of their owners. Many of them offer rich insight into the religious and material life of the people they belonged to. Here, Agnete Lassen presents a quick tour through the information provided of these fascinating artifacts, the location of major seal collections, and the processes these collections use to preserve and proliferate seal information.

  Agnete Lassen (PhD 2012, University of Copenhagen) is associate curator of the Yale Babylonian Collection at Yale University.

• 

  David and Solomon's Legacy: Results of the Fourth Expedition to Lachish; Michael G. Hasel, PhD; October 2, 2017

  Michael G. Hasel and Southern Adventist University

  Lachish, during the Iron Age, stood as the most important city in Judah after Jerusalem. The main goal for these past four expedition was to reach Level IV and Level V. These are the levels dating to the 9th and 10th centuries. It had been hardly excavated by previous expeditions but were very important to establish whether the kingdom of Judah actually was expanding to Lachish. Also whether Rehoboam, Solomon's son, rebuilt the city the way the Bible describes in Chronicles. Michael Hasel presents an overview of the some of the past four expeditions to Lachish and the final season of Southern Adventist University's participation in the Lachish Archaeological Project. He also discusses the highlights of each Level I, II, III, IV, and V that contributed to the research of Lachish in relation to the Bible.

  Michael Hasel (PhD 1996, University of Arizona) is director of the Institute of Archaeology and curator of the Lynn H. Wood Archaeological Museum at Southern Adventist University. At present, he is co-director for The Fourth Expedition to Lachish.

• 

  The Search for YHWH's Image in Light Seals from Biblical Times; Brent A. Strawn, PhD & Joel M. LeMon, PhD; February 7, 2017

  Brent A. Strawn, Joel M. LeMon, and Southern Adventist University

  In this lecture, Professors Strawn and LeMon analyze traditional representations of YHWH in ancient motifs. In particular, Strawn and LeMon look at what images existed in antiquity despite the Old Testament's ban on images. Strawn and LeMon's study focuses on specific representations that scholars suggest are emblematic of YHWH. Of these representations, LeMon and Strawn examine arguments regarding the possibility of the winged form on the Hezekiah seal as YHWH. They tie this depiction to descriptions of YHWH in the Psalms, and they position it in conjunction with other archaeological finds bearing similar scenes. They also argue for the possibility that the "Lord of the Animals" motif found on many seals correlates to identifications of YHWH in the biblical book of Job. Ultimately, Strawn and LeMon suggest that these seal images shed light on YHWH and assist modern readers in understanding biblical material.

  Pictured left, Brent A. Strawn (PhD 2001, Princeton Theological Seminary) is a professor of Old Testament and director of the Doctor of Ministry degree at Emory University. Strawn conducts research in ancient Near Eastern iconography, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Israelite religion, legal traditions of the Old Testament, and Old Testament theology. Pictured right, Joel M. LeMon (PhD 2007, Emory University) is an associate professor of Old Testament at Emory University. LeMon's research focuses on the Psalms, Hebrew and Ugaritic poetry, and ancient Near Eastern history, literature and art.

• 

  Vision Makes the World Go 'Round: The World in Light of Ancient Visual Sources; Izaak J. de Hulster, PhD; November 15, 2016

  Izaak J. de Hulster and Southern Adventist University

  In this lecture, Izaak de Hulster focuses on concepts of vision and light. De Hulster uses iconographic exegesis to analyze various interpretations of these visual sources in iconographic motifs. De Hulster addresses cosmic geography and its relation to the notion of order in antiquity. This lecture concentrates on a specific group of symbols that have significance to ancient constitutions of ecology. In addition to being present in the ancient world, de Hulster contends that these ecological understandings still have relevance today.

  Izaak J. de Hulster (PhD 2008, University of Göttingen) From 2009-2014, he worked as post-doctoral researcher at the Georg-August-University Göt­tingen (Germany) as part of the Alexander-von-Humboldt foundation sponsored Sofja Kovalev­skaja Project "Unity and Diversity in Early Jewish Monotheisms." He holds an MA in theology from Utrecht University and an MDiv from the Seminary of the Baptist congregations in The Netherlands.

• 

  Khirbet Summeily: Excavations on the Philistine Border; James W. Hardin, PhD; March 28, 2016

  James W. Hardin and Southern Adventist University

  Is the historical information of the Bible accurate? Recently, the accounts of the United Monarchy with its greatest king, David and Solomon, has come under strong criticism. In this presentation, James Hardin brings recent information from surveys and excavations on the border between Judah and Philistia that shed light on this important question.

  James W. Hardin (PhD 2001, Cobb Institute of Archaeology) has participated widely in archaeological fieldwork, both in the southeastern and southwestern United States and at numerous sites in Cyprus, Israel, and Jordan. Hardin specializes in the Bronze and Iron Age cultures of ancient Syria-Palestine. He is an expert in ceramic analysis with wider interests including early and secondary state formation, household archaeology, multi-disciplinary approaches to understanding the archaeological record, and the use of archaeology, anthropology, biblical texts and other historical documents for understanding Old Testament history and the broader cultures of the ancient Near East.

• 

  The 2016 Season at Lachish: Excavating a Border City on the Road to Jerusalem, 2016; Michael G. Hasel, PhD; October 10, 2016

  Michael G. Hasel and Southern Adventist University

  The Biblical city of Lachish was the second most important city in Judah. The Bible records various instances where Lachish were conquered, such as the Israelite conquest, the Assyrian siege and its destruction by the Babylonians. Lachish has played an important role very early in the period of the patriarchs from Joseph to the Iron Age period. In this presentation, Hasel discusses the 2016 season at Tel Lachish.
  
  

  Michael Hasel (PhD 1996, University of Arizona) is director of the Institute of Archaeology and curator of the Lynn H. Wood Archaeological Museum at Southern Adventist University. At present, he is co-director for The Fourth Expedition to Lachish.

• 

  Ninevah's Halzi Gate and the Fall of an Empire; Constance E. C. Gane, PhD; March 30, 2015

  Constance E. C. Gane and Southern Adventist University

  The Kingdom of Assyrian, once standing as the most formidable power in the ancient Near East, struck both fear and terror in the hearts of all surrounding nations. Through the use of execution, deportation, exile, and terror, the ancient Assyrians left a mark which can be found at archaeological sites throughout the Near East. In her presentation, Gane presents the extent of the Assyrian empire while more specifically speaking on the rise and ultimate collapse of this once magnificent empire through the lens of its capital city, Nineveh.

  Constance E. C. Gane (PhD 2012, University of California, Berkeley) has been involved in numerous excavation projects in the Near East. Over the course of 20 plus years of archaeological experience, Gane has had the privilege of working at some of the most well-known archaeological sites from the ancient Near Eastern world. Trained as a Mesopotamian archaeologist, and having worked extensively in northern Iraq, specializing on the archaeology of ancient Assyria, Gane has more recently been involved with the long-running excavations at Tall Jalul in Jordan (as part of the Madaba Plains Project), while also serving as both associate professor of archaeology and the Old Testament and curator of the Horn Archaeological Museum at Andrews University.

• 

  "Let There be Light": Images of Light from the Biblical World; Thomas Staubli, Dr. theol; November 17, 2015

  Thomas Staubli and Southern Adventist University

  "Let there be light!" One of the most famous and well known phrases from the Bible. The study of light in the context of ancient Near Eastern iconographic studies, at the present, is a relatively new undertaking in biblical scholarship. Staubli, in this lecture, presents his research on this topic through a survey of the depiction of light over time in Near Eastern civilizations.

  
  Thomas Staubli (Dr. theol., University of Fribourg) is a widely-published author and expert on ancient Near Eastern seals and iconography. Co-founder and development manager of the Bible + Orient Museum at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland, Staubli lectures internationally on topics relating to the Old Testament and ancient Near Eastern iconography. Currently, Staubli is professor of Old Testament at the University of Fribourg.

• 

  Should All of the LMLK Jars Still be Dated to Hezekiah? Yes!; Andrew G. Vaughn. PhD; February 9, 2015

  Andrew G. Vaughn and Southern Adventist University

  Chronology of the ancient Near East is a constantly recurring problem scholars have been successfully able to resolve concerning various historical periods. The period of the Divided Monarchy, specifically as it relates to the reign of King Hezekiah, has traditionally been attributed with the inception and exclusive-use of lmlk jar handles. The term "lmlk," as translated from ancient Hebrew, means "to the king," "for the king," or "belonging to the king." In his lecture, Vaughn presents the arguments against attribution of lmlk storage jars to the period of King Hezekiah's reign, and explores the implications, assumptions, and evidences for claims contrary to this chronological placement.

  Andrew G. Vaughn (PhD 1996, Princeton Theological Seminary) has been, and currently is, part of various archaeological projects taking place in Syro-Palestine. Vaughn is the author, editor, and contributor to various books, articles, and volumes related ancient Near Eastern archaeology and biblical studies. In addition to his archaeological experience and publishing record, Vaughn also previously served as a Fulbright Fellow in the Institute of Archaeology at Tel Aviv University. Presently, Vaughn serves as Executive Director for the American Schools of Oriental Research, based out of Boston University.

• 

  The Lives of Ordinary People in Ancient Israel; William G. Dever, PhD; November 2, 2014

  William G. Dever and Southern Adventist University

  With the great focus on important figures and events in ancient history, it is very easy to forget the ordinary people of those times. How did they live? What did they experience day by day? In commemoration of the Lynn H. Wood Archaeological Museum 10-year anniversary, William Dever, PhD, presents on life in ancient Israel from perspective of ordinary people.

  William Dever (PhD 1966, Harvard University) has been the director of the Albright Institute of Archaeological Research in Jerusalem and the Nelson Glueck School of Biblical Archaeology at the Hebrew Union College. He is best known at Southern Adventist University for placing on campus the artifact collection housed in the Lynn H. Wood Archaeological Museum.

• 

  Lachish 2014: Excavating War and Destruction in Ancient Judah; Martin G. Klingbeil, DLitt; October 6, 2014

  Martin G. Klingbeil and Southern Adventist University

  After Jerusalem, Lachish was the most important city in Judah during the Divided Monarchy period in ancient Israel. Mentioned two dozen times in the Old Testament, Lachish was destroyed during the Divided Monarchy period by Sennacherib, king of Assyria in 701 B.C., and again by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon in 586 B.C. In his lecture, Martin Klingbeil presents the rich excavation data from the 2014 season at Tel Lachish.

  Martin Klingbeil (DLitt. 1995, Stellenbosch University) is a professor of Biblical Studies and Archaeology at Southern, as well as the associate director of its Institute of Archaeology. He is currently co-director for The Fourth Expedition to Lachish.

• 

  Villages and Monasteries in Jerusalem's Hinterland During the Byzantine Period; Jon Seligman, PhD; November 17, 2014

  Jon Seligman and Southern Adventist University

  Jerusalem has been the center of tumultuous changes of power for millennia. Throughout the historical and archaeological record of the ancient Near East, evidence of various people groups have emerged through the many excavation project conducted over the last century. Seligman focuses on the latter end of these successive historical periods and presents life in Jerusalem and the surrounding hinterland including aspects of social, economic, and religious life during that time.

  Jon Seligman (PhD 2010, Haifa University) has been involved in numerous excavations within Jerusalem and the surrounding area and throughout Israel. Over the course of his archaeological work, Seligman has worked for the Israel Antiquities Authority for nearly 30 years, serving in numerous capacities, including: research archaeologist, Jerusalem district archaeologist, and Jerusalem regional archaeologist. Currently, he is head of Excavation, Surveys, and Research Department, Israel Antiquities Authority.

• 

  Tell Jalul: A Levitival City of Refuge in Jordan?; Randall W. Younker, PhD; February 11, 2014

  Randall W. Younker and Southern Adventist University

  Tell Jalul, part of the long-running Madaba Plains Project in Jordan, has long been considered by many archaeologists and biblical scholars as being the site of biblical Heshbon. Randall Younker, PhD, director of the excavations at Tell Jalul, presents new data which reconfigures the biblical-period history at this site.

  Randall Younker (PhD, University of Arizona) is Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Archaeology at Andrews University. Currently, he is director of the Tell Jalul excavations in central Jordan, as part of the Madaba Plains Project.

• 

  Sanctuaries and Cults at Khirbet Qeiyafa; Yosef Garfinkel, PhD; February 1, 2013

  Yosef Garfinkel and Southern Adventist University

  New findings at Khirbet Qeiyafa provide evidence that a cult existed at the site. Standing stones, altars, shrines, and libation vessels all point to the inhabitants’ religious practices. However, there is something unique about these cultic items. What does the lack of images tell archaeologists about the nature of this cult? Do these imageless cultic items tie in with the peculiar local diet? How do these findings relate with the biblical mandates on food and worship? Yosef Garfinkel, PhD, flies in from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to provide his highly respected view on both the definitive existence of sanctuaries and the role of the cult in this ancient city.

  Yosef Garfinkel (PhD 1992, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem) is co-director of the Khirbet Qeiyafa Archaeological Project and the Yigael Yadin Chair in Archaeology of Eretz Israel at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. Currently, he is co-director for The Fourth Expedition to Lachish.

• 

  Excavating Nebuchadnezzar's Destruction at Lachish; Michael G. Hasel, PhD; October 22, 2013

  Michael G. Hasel and Southern Adventist University

  The biblical city of Lachish is mentioned 24 times in the Old Testament. Some of the most notable references are: the Israelite conquest of Lachish (Joshua 10:3-35; 12:11; 15:39), the Assyrian siege and destruction of the city by the Assyrian king Sennacherib in 701 B.C. (2 Kings 19:8; 2 Chronicles 32:9), and the destruction of both Lachish and Jerusalem by the Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon, in 586 B.C. (Jeremiah 34:7). Lachish, during the Iron Age, stood as the most important city in Judah after Jerusalem. The biblical site of Lachish, known locally as Tell ed-Duweir, has been excavated in three prior expeditions. A fourth expedition to this site, along with reasons for this new project, serve as the focus of Hasel’s presentation.

  Michael Hasel (PhD 1996, University of Arizona) is director of the Institute of Archaeology and curator of the Lynn H. Wood Archaeological Museum at Southern Adventist University. At present, he is co-director for The Fourth Expedition to Lachish.

• 

  Newly Discovered Inscriptions from the Earliest Days of the Kingdom of Israel; P. Kyle McCarter, PhD; September 24, 2013

  P. Kyle McCarter and Southern Adventist University

  Archaeological excavations in the Near East have yielded many inscriptions over the last century. Inscriptions as they relate to the time period of the 10th century B.C. in Israel, however, are not common in the archaeological record. In his presentation, P. Kyle McCarter, PhD, discusses the most recent epigraphic findings relating to the highly elusive United Monarchy period in ancient Israel.

  P. Kyle McCarter (PhD 1974, Harvard University) is William Foxwell Albright Professor in Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at Johns Hopkins University. McCarter, one of the leading experts on the origin of the alphabet and the Dead Sea Scrolls, has most recently published on the Tel Zayit abecedary.

• 

  The Discovery of the Lost Fortress of Ai; Bryant G. Wood, PhD; March 20, 2013

  Bryant G. Wood and Southern Adventist University

  The location of Joshua's Ai has been a matter of mystery and controversy since the beginnings of archaeological research in Israel. Scholars have concluded that the location of Joshua's Ai is at et-Tell. They have also used this conclusion to discredit the biblical account of Joshua 7-8 because there is no evidence of occupation at et-Tell during the time of Joshua. Since 1995, under the direction of Associates for Biblical Research (ABR) Director of Research Bryant G. Wood (PhD, University of Toronto), ABR studies and excavations have uncovered important archaeological finds at Khirbet el-Maqatir, just 0.6 miles (1 km) west of et-Tell. The discoveries include a city gate and wall system, large amounts of pottery from the time of Joshua, evidence of destruction by fire, ancient coins, a house dating to the first century A.D., and a Byzantine monastery. This area is located nine miles north of Jerusalem. These discoveries provide evidence for a tentative identification of Khirbet el-Maqatir as the biblical city of Ai.

  Bryant Wood (PhD 1985, University of Toronto) is the director of research at Associates for Biblical Research. Currently, he is directing excavations at Khirbet el-Maqatir.

• 

  Controlling Canaan: Egyptians in Jaffa During the New Kingdom; Aaron Burke, PhD; September 20, 2012

  Aaron Burke and Southern Adventist University

  The ancient city of Jaffa has a long and prestigious history, being one of the oldest cities in Israel. It is mentioned in the Bible several times, most importantly as a port for Solomon. This lecture by Aaron Burke presents some of the rich history of this fascinating city.

  Aaron Burke (PhD 2004, University of Chicago) is an associate professor of the Archaeology of the Levant and Ancient Israel at the University of California, Los Angeles. Since 2007, Aaron has served as co-director of the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project.