CT memorializes Barkay

OBITUARY: The Jewish Archaeologist Who Inspired a Generation of American Christians. Pastors, students, and researchers have Gabriel Barkay to thank for insights into biblical history (Gordon Govier, Christianity Today).

In biblical archaeology, there are the Dead Sea Scrolls of Qumran, and then there are the silver scrolls of Ketef Hinnom. The former are quite important; they include biblical texts over 2,000 years old. The latter are also important, containing the earliest biblical text archaeologists have ever discovered.

The two silver amulet scrolls date to 600 BC and are inscribed with the priestly blessing of Numbers 6:24–26. They were discovered in a Jerusalem excavation in 1979 by Israeli archaeologist Gabriel Barkay, who passed away January 11, 2026. He was 81.

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A long memorial that interviews a number Professor Barkay's students and archaeological colleagues. Background here and links.

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