Due to so many overlapping sessions, it was impossible to attend every presentation I wanted to hear at ASOR. Some not-yet-published information is presented for the first time at the ASOR meeting, so there are no manuscript books or official audio/video recordings of the sessions.
Here are my own summations of a few of the non-Qeiyafa presentations I attended at the ASOR Annual Meeting:
“Exploring the Theory and Evidence for ‘Tribalism’ and ‘Segmentary Society’ in Iron Age Transjordan” (Piotr Bienkowski, University of Manchester) – Suggests that available evidence indicates Transjordan peoples such as the Ammonites, Moabites and Edomites in the Iron Age (biblically, the Israelite kingdom years) were not politically centralized under true monarchies. Instead, they may have existed as a confederation of independent tribal groups that only coalesced under a single leader during times of need. The Moabite Stone was cited as one piece of evidence of this arrangement. In its text, Mesha describes himself and his people by possible regional/tribal identifiers in place of ‘Moabites’.
“The 2009 Season of Excavation at Tell Es-Safi/Gath” (Aren Maeir, Bar-Ilan University) – Prof. Maeir has been the chief archaeologist at ‘Gath’ since the mid-1990’s. He reported on discoveries from this past summer, including evidence of a massive Iron Age destruction by Hazael that Prof. Maeir dates to 835 B.C. (This destruction has previously been conjectured to have occurred in 800 or 820 B.C.) The destruction was so severe, the city appears to have been abandoned for a number of years afterward. Skeletons were discovered in non-burial positions, with evidence of prolonged exposure to the elements. A layer of wind-blown debris/dirt was found on top of the destruction layer. (consider 2 Kings 12:18) He also reported on a possible Iron II temple that reveals two column bases about a meter apart. (Perfect width for a human to stand between and push against?) This last conjecture was made with slight understatement.
“Reconsidering Goliath: An Iron I Philistine Maryannu” (Jeffrey R. Zorn, Cornell University) – This paper offered an explanation for possible discrepancies between the known Philistine infantry kit and the description of Goliath’s armor in 1 Samuel 17. Previous scholars have suggested Bible writers gave Goliath a composite of different armors and weaponry from various civilizations. In fact, several depictions and descriptions from the 11th – 9th centuries B.C. suggest Goliath was equipped with standard charioteer armor and weaponry. Early Iron Age charioteers could have shield bearers for protection during battle, in addition to a chariot driver. Hebrew terminology in 1 Sam. 17:4, 23 could translate as “a man between two”, suggesting his position between these two members of the chariot crew. [After the lecture, Prof. Yusef Garfinkel of Khirbet Qeiyafa remarked to me, "The only problem with this is the chariot. Where is the chariot in the Bible account?" Fair question, though it doesn't at this point decisively affect the possibility that Goliath was a "special forces" charioteer.]
“The Earthquake of Amos and the Establishment of Judean Gath in the Eighth Century B.C.E.” (Jeff Chadwick, Brigham Young University, Jerusalem Center) – Prof. Chadwick presented stratigraphic evidence of what may have been the great earthquake referenced in Amos 1:1. The archaeological remains suggest that Gath was later rebuilt as a Judean (‘Judahite’) city, possibly included in the latter part of 2 Chronicles 26:6.
“Looking for Ziklag” (Anson F. Rainey, Tel Aviv University) – A survey of possible sites for the biblical Ziklag. The city was given to Judah in Joshua 15, but was in Philistine possession in the late-11th century B.C. The Philistines allowed David to live in the city before its destruction by the Amalekites. At this point in time no one is certain of its exact location, though there are a few possible candidates.
“The Role of Tel Burna in the Settlement Pattern and Hierarchy of the Southwestern Shepehelah” (Joe Uziel and Itzhaq Shai, Bar-Ilan University) – A presentation of 2009 survey results from Tel Burna. This site is a possible candidate for the biblical city of Libnah. Joe and Itzhaq will be directing excavations there beginning in 2010.
“Teaching Archaeology to Undergraduates: Success Stories and Cautionary Tales” – This was the theme of an enjoyable two-hour session on Saturday morning. I list it as one subject, though there were four separate presentations. My two favorite speakers were Jodi Magness (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) and Eric Cline (George Washington University). Eric Cline’s presentation title came from an under-informed undergrad essayer – “The Israelites Wondered in the Dessert for 40 years.” The presentations offered tips for archaeologist without formal training as classroom educators that find themselves teaching students with little or no background in Archaeology or Ancient History. Most of the presentations were interesting and, at times, hilarious. I wish I had Eric Cline’s extensive list of undergraduate writing flubs (‘Wondered in the Dessert…’, “Before the printing press, it took 300 sheep to write the Bible,” et al.).
There is more to tell, but these were (to me) the more interesting presentations I attended. I know of other excellent presentations I was not able to attend. All in all, an excellent experience for a first-time ASOR attendee.
With Prof. Yossi Garfinkel, director of the Khirbet Qeiyafa excavations.
With Dr. David Adams, official photographer for the Khirbet Qeiyafa excavations.
With Prof. Aren Maeir, director of the Tel es-Safi (Gath) excavations.
Today was a day to fill the brain. The first reports on Middle Eastern archaeology kicked off at 8:30 a.m. and the last sessions ended at 6:15 p.m. Add two 15-minute coffee breaks and lunch in New Orleans’ French Quarter, and you have a day at the ASOR annual meeting for 2009.
There are typically five presentations to choose from at any one time, and each session features several presentations on various sites and subjects. The Khirbet Qeiyafa dig had two complete sessions dedicated solely to it, with a total of 9 speakers presenting on the excavation results.
So what did they say? In short,
Khirbet Qeiyafa, near the ancient boundary between Judah and the Philistines, is the only known Israelite/Judahite fortified field city that dates to the time of King David (ca. 1000 B.C., during the Iron Age).
It only has two known levels of urban occupation: the late 11th/early 10th century B.C. (Iron Age IIa) and the 4th century B.C. (Hellenistic period). There was also a fortified building on the site around the 4th to 6th centuries A.D. (early Byzantine period).
The Iron Age city shows evidence of urban planning and of a central government in Judah during that period.
It was inhabited for only a few decades in the Iron Age before being abandoned or destroyed. Current evidence suggests abandonment, possibly because the nearby city of Azekah (only 1 mile to the west) was turned into the dominant border fortress for the region.
It is most likely to be identified as either the city of Shaaraim (1 Samuel 17), or as a city whose name was not recorded. Because of its strategic importance, and its likely part in the battle that featured David and Goliath, it is believed that the name would probably not have been omitted or forgotten.
The site was presented as a fortified city that included a civilian population, but some in the audience believe it may have served solely as a military garrison.
Many scholars have insisted that ancient Israel did not develop as a significant organized State until perhaps the 9th or 8th centuries B.C. This contrasts with the biblical account.
Khirbet Qeiyafa provides evidence that agrees with the biblical account of Jerusalem existing as the capital of a centralized, powerful state in the early 10th century B.C.
I’ll post a few photos later. The Internet connection in the hotel is slow, but perhaps I’ll catch a faster linkup soon.
Update: In my hurry to get out the door this morning, coupled with a lack of adequate caffeine, I made a couple of basic mistakes in the original post above. (A.D. instead of B.C., et al.) They have now been corrected. What a place to make a 900-year mistake, at the ASOR meeting!
I will soon arrive in New Orleans, LA to attend the annual ASOR meeting.
For those wondering what this is, I post the following:
ASOR = the American Schools of Oriental Research, headquartered at Boston University
ASOR’s Mission Statement:
Founded in 1900, ASOR is a non-profit organization dedicated to the archaeology of the Near East. ASOR’s mission is to initiate, encourage and support research into, and public understanding of, the peoples and cultures of the Near East from the earliest times
• By fostering original research, archaeological excavations, and explorations
• By encouraging scholarship in the basic languages, cultural histories and traditions of the Near Eastern world.
• By promoting the educational goals of Near Eastern studies disciplines and advocating high academic standards in teaching and interdisciplinary research.
• By maintaining an active program of timely dissemination of research results and conclusions.
• And by offering educational opportunities in Near Eastern history and archaeology to undergraduates and graduates in North American colleges and universities, and through outreach activities to the general public.
Every year in the Fall, ASOR has a meeting which features presentations on the year’s work. Other meetings such as the Biblical Archaeological Society “Bible Fest”, the Near East Archaeological Society and the Society of Biblical Literature take place around the same time and in the same place as ASOR. Some people are able to stay long enough to attend and/or present at all of these meetings.
I will only be attending the ASOR sessions. but especially look forward to the presentations on the Khirbet Qeiyafa/Elah Fortress excavations from this summer. Formal reports will be given on the glass bottle, the olive pits and pottery we discovered. We will get to see how these things things fit together, and begin to understand what they mean.
Khirbet Qeiyafa is the only excavation to receive two complete, dedicated ASOR sessions – an indication of how prominent this site has become.
I’ll report more on ASOR over the next three days from NOLA.
Featuring a star-studded cast of over 600 actors, original music score, and incredible feature film quality sound effects. Experience the Scriptures like you’ve never experienced them before – brought to life and dramatized in a way that will fully immerse you in the experience and leave you wanting more. Feel like you’re really there with Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. Listen in your car, on your MP3 player, or with your family to gain a new perspective of the Bible.
It is available in both CD and MP3 formats. There’s even an app for that. The star-studded cast includes:
Jon Voight as Abraham
Richard Dreyfuss as Moses
Gary Sinese as David
Jim Caviezel as Jesus
Marcia Gay Harden as Esther
Malcolm McDowell as Solomon
John Rhys-Davies as Saul (Old Testament)
Marisa Tomei as Mary Magdalene
Luke Perry as Judas & Stephen
Sean Astin as Elihu
…and many, many more.
The entire Bible is on 79 CD’s that contain 98 hours of audio, from Genesis to Revelation – complete with professional sound effects such as animal sacrifices, earthquakes and a plague of frogs. It is in the New King James Version which, though a bit old, reads beautifully. Here is a 4-minute promotional video:
The New Testament module apparently came out last year, but I missed the news. The web site has audio samples and cast information.
Special Offer: Check here for a promotion that offers the complete audio Bible set plus some extras for a total of $79. This is a large discount off the normal $125 price. It includes a two-payment option, and free shipping is available if more than one audio Bible is purchased. Perhaps this will be useful for gift-giving. I don’t know how soon this may expire.
Update: Note that this audio Bible is not the Old King James version, but the New King James. A phone representative stated to me that it was the original King James, but the video above affirms otherwise. Plus, the audio samples are clearly not from the original KJV!
This week’s podcast on “The Book and the Spade” is titled “Shasu of Yahweh” and discusses some specific Egyptian hieroglyphs that mention a god named Yahweh, which happens to be the biblical name of the God of Israel.
One quote from the program:
It means that Bedouin who were worshipers of Yahweh were present in Syrio-Palestine long, long before Ramses II.
Ramses II is though by many to be the Pharaoh of the Exodus, but the dates don’t easily correspond with information given in the Bible. Some believe in a “late” exodus that occurred in the 13th century B.C. with Ramses II (most likely) as Pharaoh, yet the Bible seems to indicate an “early” exodus in the 15th century B.C. The Bible does not specify the Pharaoh of the Exodus. The Egyptians would not likely archive their humiliation by the god of a slave people, so there is little extra-biblical evidence of this event to be found in Egypt. An early mention of “Yahweh” is one piece of evidence that could support an early Exodus.
Listen to the 13-minute program discussion here. (This program should be freely available until next Tuesday or so, after which it will join “The Book and the Spade’s” subscription-only archives.)
(Honestly, this is not a plot for another Brendan Fraser “Mummy” movie.)
The remains of a mighty Persian army said to have drowned in the sands of the western Egyptian desert 2,500 years ago might have been finally located, solving one of archaeology’s biggest outstanding mysteries, according to Italian researchers.
Bronze weapons, a silver bracelet, an earring and hundreds of human bones found in the vast desolate wilderness of the Sahara desert have raised hopes of finally finding the lost army of Persian King Cambyses II. The 50,000 warriors were said to be buried by a cataclysmic sandstorm in 525 B.C.
Discovery has the full story herewith a good photo slideshow and a nice short video.
Here is an excerpt from Aubry de Sélincourt’s translation of Herodotus:
The force which was sent against the Ammonians started from Thebes with guides, and can be traced as far as the town of Oasis… and is seven days’ journey across the sand from Thebes. …General report has it that the army got as far as this, but of its subsequent fate there is no news whatever. It never reached the Ammonians and it never returned to Egypt. There is, however, a story told by the Ammonians themselves and by others who heard it from them, that when the men had left Oasis, and in their march across the desert had reached a point about mid-way between the town and the Ammonian border, a southerly wind of extreme violence drove the sand over them in heaps as they were taking their mid-day meal, so that they disappeared forever.
Update: Not everyone is accepting this as a legitimate find. Consider David Meadows’ take on this story.
Foundation Stone has released a new 3-1/2 minute promotional video on Khirbet Qeiyafa (The Elah Fortress) and its significance.
I thought I recognized my arms, gloved hands and shoes in a shot of dirt being swept into a pan, but the other footage appears to have been shot in 2008, so it is probably someone else. Wishful thinking on my part?
I have mentioned an urban legendthat the most important archaeological discoveries are a result of sheer chance. How about this latest example?
Michael Le Quesne, 16, was swimming off a popular beach in Montenegro with his parents and his ten-year-old sister Teodora when he spotted an odd looking ’stone’ at a depth of around two metres. It turned out to be a large, submerged building which may have been the centrepiece of an important Greek or Roman trading post, swallowed up by the sea during a massive earthquake.
…it appears that the remains, which include ancient pottery, have stayed untouched for thousands of years.
Michael said: “When I first swam out, I thought they were just rocks, as most people would, but then I noticed that they were cylindrical and knew that they couldn’t be natural, so I called my dad over.
Great quote from an archaeologist’s kid: “I’ve been dragged around a lot of ancient ruins, so if it hadn’t been for that I wouldn’t have looked twice.”
Foundation Stone has released a short video on the 3,000 year-old inscription discovered at Khirbet Qeiyafa in 2008. (Background here) In the video, Prof. Yossi Garfinkel (archaeologist at Khirbet Qeiyafa) discusses photographic scans of the ostracon with epigrapher Hagi Misgav, who has worked to translate it over the past year. The first publication of the text was released a couple of weeks ago. Watching the video, one can see why translation has proven difficult.
Prof. Garfinkel is on the left, Dr. Misgav is in the center, and David Willner of Foundation Stone is mobile with camera in hand. This 2-minute video is in Hebrew with English subtitles.
Hagai Misgav is scheduled to present on the inscription at next month’s ASOR meeting in New Orleans. It is scheduled for Thursday morning, November 19th, in a 10:45 a.m. session. It will be interesting to learn more about this unique 3,000 year-old text from the early Iron Age.
