Egypt’s first interactive platform for learning ancient Egyptian language, the “Hieroglyphs Step by Step” website, has recently launched its second development phase, expanding its reach and educational tools.
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Liane Feldman, The Consuming Fire: The Complete Priestly Source, from Creation to the Promised Land (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2023).I noted an essay by the author on the book here. And for posts on her earlier book, The Story of Sacrifice, mentioned in this review, see here and links... This, in the end, is part of what makes Feldman’s treatment so successful. In other words, one of the greatest benefits of separating P out is that it forces you to read it on its own, something that is virtually impossible if you’re looking at the whole canonical text. You can know in theory what P does and does not contain, but it’s different when you read it seamlessly in one go. Then you really see that in P there’s no law given at Sinai, there’s no Miriam, and the Israelites do not begin their conquest while they are in the wilderness. ...
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But when Itay came to film and kept stopping me every time I tried to go into detailed explanations—telling me I’d already lost him—I realized he might actually be the perfect person to deliver our story into something accessible to the broader public and to younger audience.After two days of filming, we ended up with a five-minute video. Here it is—the final result.
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A new article in ‘Atiqot 117 by Nir-Shimshon Paran and Vladik Lifshits follows decades of exploration at the Cave of Salome near Amaẓya and sets out the evidence for its use as a Christian pilgrimage destination from the Byzantine through Abbasid eras . The authors record how a previously Jewish burial estate, hewn in the late first century BCE, was structurally and liturgically re-oriented between the fifth and ninth centuries CE.The underlying ‘Atiqot is once again from the current "Archaeology of Death" volume:[...]
Paran, Nir-Shimshon and Lifshits, Vladik (2025) "The Cave of Salome: A Second Temple Period Royal Burial Estate in the Judean Shephelah," 'Atiqot: Vol. 117, Article 6.Abstract:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.70967/2948-040X.2254
Available at: https://publications.iaa.org.il/atiqot/vol117/iss1/6
This paper presents the results of previous and recent archaeological work conducted at the burial estate known as the Cave of Salome in the Judean Lowlands (Shephelah). Following the new excavation at the site, and findings at nearby sites, it is suggested that the grandeur burial estate—one of the most elaborate burial complexes of the Second Temple period—belonged to a member of the royal family, whose name, “Salome,” was preserved in the later, Christian use of the site in the Byzantine period. This article considers the geographic and historic background of the region, as well as the architectural features of the burial estate compared to other contemporary enclosures, offering a new possible identification of the burial estate’s owner.In short, the argument is that this is the tomb of Salome, the sister of Herod the Great. But later Christian tradition took it to be the tomb of Salome the disciple of Jesus (Mark 15:40–41, 16:1-2).
Neither is to be confused with Salome, daughter of Herodias, who is inferred to have danced before Herod and then asked for the head of John the Baptist. Also not to be confused with Salome the daughter of Herod or the probably legendary Salome the midwife in the Protevangelion of James. Etc. There were lots of Salomes in and around the biblical tradition.
For more on the Cave of Salome, see here and here.
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Radcliffe G. Edmonds III, Carolina López-Ruiz, Sofía Torallas Tovar, Magic and religion in the ancient Mediterranean world: studies in honor of Christopher A. Faraone. Abingdon; New York: Routledge, 2023. Pp. 396. ISBN 9781032341262.I noted the publication of the book here. Follow the links from there for more on Faraone's work.Review by
Marko Vitas, École Pratique des Hautes Études (Paris Sciences et Lettres). vitas.marko@gmail.com... The present volume highlights the importance of Faraone’s interdisciplinary work for the study of ancient magic in two parts through the contributions of his colleagues and former students: Materials and Cross-Cultural Contexts. I evaluate individual chapters first, and then discuss the book as a whole. ...
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The underlying article is published in the current ("Archaeology of Death") volume of the open-access journal 'Atiqot:
Sapir, Tal and Erickson-Gini, Tali (2025) "A Wooden Coffin from the Incense Road and Other Wooden Coffins from Southern Israel," 'Atiqot: Vol. 117, Article 8.Abstract:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.70967/2948-040X.2256
Available at: https://publications.iaa.org.il/atiqot/vol117/iss1/8
In 2022, a hewn tomb was discovered along the course of the Nabataean Incense Road, c. 2 km northwest of the ancient site of ‘Avedat (Oboda) in the Negev Highlands of southern Israel. The excavation of the grave revealed the remains of a wooden coffin from the Roman period, in the second or third centuries CE. Although wooden coffins have been uncovered elsewhere in the region, this coffin is the first of its kind to be discovered along the Incense Road. This article presents the coffin and discusses its historical and archaeological context, as well as the distribution of wooden coffins in southern Israel, their origin and use.For PaleoJudaica posts involving the Nabatean (Nabataean) site of Avdat (‘Avedat, Ovdat, Uvdat), start here and follow the links. Cross-file under Nabatean Watch (?).
Other articles in this volume of 'Atiqot are noted here and links.
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Fredriksen, Paula. Ancient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2024.Cross-file under New Book.Paula Fredriksen begins Ancient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years with a question: considering the variety of gods and local deities present in both the ancient Mediterranean and the Roman Empire, how did one singular god end up dominating the focus of the late Roman Empire? Ultimately, Fredriksen not only answers this question but also introduces her reader to the numerous intricacies of narrating the history of Christianity. ...
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Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of a Roman funerary pig ritual at a military camp near the base of Tel Megiddo in northern Israel, once home to more than 5,000 Roman soldiers.The article notes that the underlying technical article is published in the current volume of the open-access journal ʻAtiqot:Known as Legio, the site served as a permanent base for nearly 180 years, from around 117 to 300 CE. The discovery sheds light on burial customs practiced by Roman legions stationed far from the empire’s center.
[...]
Perry-Gal, Lee; Leyfirer, Greg; Adams, Matthew J.; and Tepper, Yotam (2025) "Pig Sacrifice and Feasting in Roman Funerary Practices: A Case Study of the Roman Legionary Cemetery at Legio," 'Atiqot: Vol. 117, Article 10.Incidentally, this volume of 'Atiqot (Volume 117, 2025) is devoted to the Archaeology of Death.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.70967/2948-040X.2258
Available at: https://publications.iaa.org.il/atiqot/vol117/iss1/10. Abstract:The Greek name for the pig is ὕς, once called θῦς from the verb θῦειν, that is, ‘to sacrifice’ (Varro, Rust. 4.9)
Excavations in the Roman cemetery near the Legio VI Ferrata legionary base, dated to the second–third centuries CE, exposed a pit containing the remains of at least 13 domestic pigs represented by jaws, primarily mandibles. This study presents new evidence of the role of pigs in Roman military ceremonies, specifically in funerary practices, based on comparable archaeological data and historical and iconographic evidence. The discovery provides valuable insights into the role of pigs in Roman burial practices, suggesting that these remains do not represent the economic waste of mundane consumption activities, but rather reflect practices associated with funerary ceremonies conducted at this Roman cemetery. The new evidence sheds light on burial practices within the Eastern Roman provinces in the Levant, particularly of Roman legions in the province of Syria Palastina.
This volume of ‘Atiqot focuses on the archaeology of death, discussing mortuary contexts and practices throughout the ages. The enigmatic nature of burials and their association with different perceptions of the afterlife have drawn scholarly interest, as did the frequently opulent and well-preserved burial artifacts. The diverse funerary contexts provide valuable insights into the individuals buried there, their social standing and associated ritual practices.I have already noted articles from it here and here. There are other interesting ones that may come up.
For more on the Legio VI Ferrata (6th Legion Ironclad) Roman camp near the site of Megiddo, start here and follow the links.
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Unveiled to The Jerusalem Post on a special visit, The Pilgrimage Road is where people made a religious journey to the Temple for Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot. Stretching only a couple of short miles from the complex, the road is presumed to have been followed between the Siloam Pool and the Temple, as people entered the pool in a ritual bathing process ahead of the annual religious festivals.For many PaleoJudaica posts on the Jerusalem Pilgrimage Road excavation and its discoveries, see the links collected here.
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The Apocrypha through HistoryThe Canonical Reception of the Deuterocanonical Literature
Edmon L. Gallagher
£99.00
Hardback
Published: 22 April 2025
320 Pages | 3 black-and-white illustrations
234x156mm
ISBN: 9780192869517Also Available As:
E-bookDescription
The deuterocanonical books, otherwise called the Apocrypha, have been a part of Christian Bibles for as long as there has been a Christian Bible. For just as long, there have been disputes about their authority. Are they canonical Scripture, or merely edifying literature? These opposing positions can be found in the Church Fathers of the fourth and fifth centuries, who in turn influenced the entire subsequent discussion. The deuterocanonical books were almost always considered beneficial, often canonical, though there emerged with the Reformation in the sixteenth century Christian writers who disputed even the value of these books, suggesting that they might pose dangers to the faithful. The Apocrypha through History surveys the entire history of this issue, with a concentration on materials in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin (for the earlier period) or English and German (for the later period). Edmon L. Gallagher explores the origins of the deuterocanonical books and their reception in Judaism and Christianity, with separate chapters on the New Testament, the patristic period, the Latin West, the Greek East, the Reformation, and the English Bible. At each stage, the book investigates who considered the deuterocanonical books to be fully canonical—or not—and why? The Apocrypha through History provides a thorough yet accessible examination of one aspect of the history of the Bible, concluding with a chapter reflecting on whether it makes a difference if one's bible includes the deuterocanonical books.
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Dangerous Tales: Genesis 34 and Its Literary Descendants
Carrie A. CifersISBN 9781628376302
Volume BibRec 9
Status Available
Publication Date April 2025Hardback $77.00
eBook $57.00
Paperback $57.00The biblical narrative of Israel’s only daughter Dinah is steeped in deception and violence, vengeance and destruction, and a silence that has posed interpretive problems for readers for more than two millennia. Carrie A. Cifers takes up the retellings of Genesis 34 in Josephus’s Jewish Antiquities, the book of Jubilees, and Joseph and Aseneth to explore how later authors tried to clarify the assumedly implicit ethical message of Dinah’s story. Through narrative ethics and socionarratology, Cifers demonstrates that biblical stories are a space of encounter where texts make claims on readers and where readers have an ethical responsibility as witnesses to the text. Dangerous Tales is a call for contemporary readers to engage biblical narratives in ways that mitigate interpretive violence and maximize each text’s ethical potential.
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