Redating an Iron Age fortress at Ein Hatzeva

ARCHAEOLOGY: How ancient seeds are rewriting the history of biblical-era trade with Arabia. New radiocarbon dating of Ein Hatzeva fortress on ancient trade route in the Arava suggests it was built 2,800 years ago by the Kingdom of Israel, shoring up Bible’s account (Rossella Tercatin, Times of Israel).

New research from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) uses C14 dating of preserved organic samples taken from one of two ancient fortresses in the Arava in southern Israel. The findings suggest they were built by the biblical kingdom of Israel almost 2,800 years ago, and not by the Assyrian empire decades later.

The underlying article in Levant is behind the subscription wall, but the ToI article has a link to the abstract.

PaleoJudaica posts dealing with (other periods at) Ein Hatzeva are here and here.

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Rogue Classicism reloaded

THE ROGUE CLASSICISM BLOG, run by David Meadows, is undergoing refurbishment. Regular reader know that I consult this blog and refer to it frequently. It's still under construction, but go and have a look.

I like the new formatting. More compact and easier to follow. Sad to see the Latin headings go, but probably better for overall clarity. Well done, David!

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More on Washington's Hannibal movie

CINEMA AND PUNIC WATCH: Denzel Washington Beat Vin Diesel to the Role He's Wanted for 24 Years (Philip Etemesi, MovieWeb).

Once upon a time, there lived a Carthaginian general and statesman. Born in 247 BC, he would wage war against the Roman Empire for decades, notably during the Second Punic War. Hannibal Barca was his name. Today, his tactics still wow historians, especially his choice to invade Italy by crossing the Alps with North African war elephants. His methods have also wowed Denzel Washington and Vin Diesel, both of whom have tried to bring him to the big screen. Only the former appears to have succeeded.

[...]

This article covers much of what we already knew, but it has some new information, including on how Diesel's "idea of a three-part saga got stuck in development hell for too long."

Background here and many links. I have been following Diesel's and then Washington's plans for a Hannibal movie for more than twenty years. I look forward to the film's release, reportedly in 2027.

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Fictional lost gospels (etc.) in popular culture

NEW TESTAMENT APOCRYPHA FICTION: Scriptures: Lost, Found, And Forged (Philip Jenkins).

... But by the same token, it is tempting for anyone wishing to make their own point to exploit this rediscovery idea, either by interpreting new finds in devious or subversive ways, or else by inventing fake ancient texts. These themes, of false interpretation and forgery, account for a large part of the popular writing about rediscovered texts, and have long played a potent role in mainstream popular culture. Sad to say, for the average non-expert “intelligent reader,” this is often the means by which rediscovered texts are understood.

In this post, I will discuss the “forged and fake” theme in that popular culture, and the tradition goes back a long way. Nineteenth century discoveries deeply concerned conservative believers, who dreaded the possible discovery of yet other new texts that could still further undermine orthodox faith. What else was still out there, waiting to be found? ...

Incidentally, Prof. Jenkins argues that the very idea of the Secret Gospel of Mark fragment being genuine is risible.

Earlier posts in this series are noted here, here, and here.

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Notes on the latest Enoch Seminar

RELIGION PROF: Paul, Mark, And Revelation Within Judaism (Enoch Seminar) (James McGrath).

The Enoch Seminar puts on wonderful conferences and this one on “The New Testament Within Judaism” was no exception. I took extensive notes on the days that I attended, and will share some of them here and in a follow-up post, even though the conference sessions are now on YouTube (and I will of course share the videos as well, see below). ...

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More on Jerusalem's mystery tunnel

SPELUNKIC ARCHAEOLOGY UPDATE: Two more articles cover the news about the apparently ancient, but of uncertain date and purpose, tunnel recently discovered in southern Jerusalem. Both include interviews with excavation co-director Zinovi Matskevich.

'We Know What It Wasn't': Strange Tunnel Exposed in Jerusalem Near Ramat Rahel. Tunnel up to five meters in height discovered in bedrock near ancient Jerusalem's center, but archaeologists can't figure out its purpose (Ruth Schuster, Haaretz).

"The quarrying was executed meticulously. It is clear that whoever carved this tunnel invested tremendous effort," they say.

For what? "We can say a few things about what it wasn't," Matskevich says. "At first we suspected the whole thing was modern, 20th century. Now we are sure it isn't. First of all, dirt entered into this cavern in stages, so it can't have just been dug recently. But how ancient it is, we can't say."

Mysterious ancient tunnel, possibly thousands of years old, discovered in Jerusalem. Dating and purpose of structure near Kibbutz Ramat Rachel still not clear; archaeologists say its construction required significant resources and manpower (Rossella Tercatin, Times of Israel).

According to Matskevich, the tunnel was probably built at least 2,000 years ago, in Roman times, and likely even earlier, but they cannot be sure.

Background here.

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The languages of Achaemenid-Hellenistic Central Asia

PHILOLOGY: Lost Multilingual World Shows Greek Culture Flourished Across Ancient Asia (Abdul Moeed, Greek Reporter).

A new study of ancient written records shows that multilingual societies thrived across Hellenistic Central Asia for nearly a thousand years, with scribes regularly switching between languages and scripts to serve whichever empire happened to be in power.

Rachel Mairs, a researcher at the University of Reading, published the findings in “Writing in the Ancient World.” The study examines surviving texts from regions now known as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, covering the period from roughly the fifth century BC to the second century CE.

Mairs identifies four main written languages in the region: Aramaic and Elamite under the Achaemenid Persian Empire, Greek under Macedonian rule, and Prakrit under the Mauryan Empire from India.

[...]

This substantial Cambridge Element is free for download until 20 May (so don't dawdle). The GR article is a good summary of it.

Language and Script in Achaemenid and Hellenistic Central Asia

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 May 2026

Rachel Mairs

Summary

This Element examines – for the first time in a single volume – the written evidence from the 'Far East' of the Hellenistic world (Bactria, Sogdiana, Arachosia, Gandhara). It examines how successive invaders of this region, from Persia, Greece and India, left their linguistic and textual mark. It reviews the surviving Hellenistic-period written material from archaeological sites in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan in Aramaic, Greek and Prakrit.

For more on the Emperor Ashoka and his edicts in Pali, Aramaic, and Greek, see here and links. For lots more on the texts from Persepolis in Aramaic, Old Persian, Elamite, etc., start here and follow the links. And for a bit more on the Bactrian Aramaic texts, see here. Cross-file under Aramaic Watch.

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Nelson, Jesus' Physical Appearance (T&T Clark)

NEW BOOK FROM BLOOMSBURY/T&T CLARK:

Jesus' Physical Appearance

Biography, Christology, Philosophy

John D. Nelson (Author)

Hardback
$120.00 $108.00

Ebook (PDF)
$108.00 $86.40

Ebook (Epub & Mobi)
$108.00 $86.40

Product details

Published Dec 11 2025
Format Hardback
Edition 1st
Pages 264
ISBN 9780567723208
Imprint T&T Clark
Dimensions 9 x 6 inches
Series The Library of New Testament Studies
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

Description

John Nelson presents the first full length study of the Gospels' treatment of Jesus' appearance, exploring precisely why, though Christ's image is recognised throughout the modern world, he is not physically described in the texts. Nelson argues that while the Gospels resemble Graeco-Roman biographies in their focus on a single individual, they also frequently depart from the genre's conventions; one of their most glaring omissions, picked up in recent scholarship, is their total silence on what Jesus looked like.

Nelson thus explores how the evangelists as Jewish authors might have uniquely engaged both the genre of the Gospels and the topic of Jesus' physical appearance. He makes clear the distinction between two broad attitudes Jewish authors took to Greek genres: to assimilate that genre's conventions, and to 'indigenise,' or adopt the conventions of Jewish narrative prototypes in their adaption of Greek forms. Utilising genre theory, masculinity studies and post-colonial theory, Nelson consequently argues against the common view that Jewish writers simply adopted the same obsession with appearances that their gentile neighbours expressed, suggesting instead that the Gospels' reticence to describe Jesus' body may have been influenced by the reticence of biblical texts to describe the Lord's body.

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Holmstedt et al., Phoenician Inscriptions (SBL)

NEW BOOK FROM SBL PRESS:

Phoenician Inscriptions
Robert D. Holmstedt, Aaron Schade, Philip C. Schmitz

ISBN 9781628377675
Volume WAW 45
Status Available
Publication Date March 2026

Paperback $70.00
Hardback $90.00
eBook $70.00

Phoenician Inscriptions introduces readers to the writing of the ancient people groups who originated in the ancient Levantine cities of Byblos, Tyre, and Sidon by the late second millennium BCE. Thanks to their establishment of colonies throughout the Mediterranean world, written evidence of their influence has been discovered from the Levant, Anatolia, and Cyprus to Egypt, Greece, Italy, and Spain. Each inscription in this volume is transliterated and includes an English translation and select critical commentary. Helpful maps, discussions of historical context, and drawings of inscribed artifacts supplement the translations. This resource opens a window onto the religious ideas and economic practices of people instrumental in shaping the history and culture of the ancient Mediterranean for a variety of readers, including curious nonspecialists and scholars and students of ancient history, linguistics, and archaeology.

Cross-file under Phoenician Watch.

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Report: the Great Isaiah Scroll exhibit is reopening today

EXHIBITION: Great Isaiah Scroll, oldest near-complete biblical book ever found, to be displayed again after Iran war (Rossella Tercatin, Times of Israel).

The Great Isaiah Scroll, the oldest nearly complete book from the Hebrew Bible ever found, will be back on display at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem starting from Friday, a spokesperson for the museum says.

[...]

This is very good news, even if the headline is a tad optimistic.

Background on the exhibition, interrupted by the Iran war after only five days, is here and links.

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Jerusalem in Psalm 122

FOR JERUSALEM DAY: Psalm 122: A Visit to the Jerusalem of Old (Prof. Adele Berlin, TheTorah.com).

What did it feel like to stand inside the gates of ancient Jerusalem at the height of its glory? A postexilic psalm imagines just that—revisiting a bustling city filled with pilgrims, justice, and divine presence. Blending memory, longing, and hope, Psalm 122 transforms Jerusalem into both a vivid past reality and a future ideal, culminating in its enduring call: שַׁאֲלוּ שְׁלוֹם יְרוּשָׁלִָם, “Seek the peace of Jerusalem.”

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More on Lost Books from Jenkins

THE ANXIOUS BENCH: Books, Epics, And Scriptures, Lost And Found.

Lots of good links here. Background here and links. Cross-file under Lost Books.

For more on those lost "Biblical-adjacent texts" cited in the Hebrew Bible, see here and links, plus here and here.

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US returns smuggled rare coins to Israel

REPATRIATED NUMISMATICS: Early Persian silver coin smuggled from Israel to Big Apple also regained after being offered for sale (Ruth Schuster, Haaretz).

Antiquities detectives in New York have recovered two rare ancient coins smuggled out of Israel, which will be returned home, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Wednesday. They aren't on a plane yet but will be at some point thanks to a massive joint effort by the Israel Antiquities Authority with the Antiquities Trafficking Unit at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office and Homeland Security. ...

One of the recovered coins is a bronze prutah, the lowest known denomination of Judean currency. Its purchasing power was weak: a loaf of bread cost about 10 of these. However, this one had been minted during the reign of the last Hasmonean king, Mattathias Antigonus, who ruled in Jerusalem from 40 to 37 B.C.E. It shows nothing less than the seven-branched menorah that stood in the Second Temple in Jerusalem on one side and the Temple's showbread table on the flip side. ...

The second coin wouldn't have been allowed out of the country either. It was a lovely early silver tetradrachm from the Persian period, minted in Ascalon over 2,500 years ago, only a couple of centuries after the invention of coinage itself. Only one other of its type is known, and that one sits in the Israel Museum. Its design emulates the famous Athenian tetradrachm, which was the standard coin throughout the Eastern Mediterranean at the time.

For more on the prutah, see here and links. And for posts on the tetradrachm, see here and links.

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Controversial nomination for IAA director

POLITICS AND ARCHAEOLOGY: Esther Shreiber for next IAA director, first woman in role. Her appointment will soon be submitted for approval by the IAA’s council and the government (Miriam Sela-Eitam, Jerusalem Post).

Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu tapped Esther Shreiber, CEO of the INEXTG Group, to be the next director of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), which would make her the first woman to ever serve in the position.

Her appointment will soon be submitted for approval by the IAA’s council and the government. ...

She holds a bachelor’s degree in the History of the Jewish People from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a master’s degree with honors in Public Administration and Policy from the University of Haifa, and is a Stern Prize recipient for studies of the Second Temple period.

The Jerusalem Post notes and discusses the controversy over the nomination, but doesn't seem to take a position on it. Othe media are less neutral:

Head of NGO Promoting 'Jewish Values' Tapped to Lead Israel's Antiquities Authority. Esther Schreiber was nominated under pressure from far-right minister Amichai Eliyahu, sources said. A senior archaeologist warned the authority could face 'a process of decline' (Nir Hasson, Haaretz)

Archaeologists within and outside the authority reacted with shock to the appointment, calling it unprofessional. According to them, Schreiber lacks the qualifications to lead the authority, and her work has no connection to archaeology or managing large organizations such as the authority, whose annual budget exceeds 400 million shekels (about $138 million).

Heritage Minister taps new Antiquities Authority head with no archaeological experience (Rossella Tercatin, Times of Israel)

Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, taps Esther Shreiber, a Jewish professional with no archaeological experience, as the new head of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

[...]

The Times of Israel does concede the following (also mentioned by the Jerusalem Post).

The current IAA head Eli Escozido also does not have a background in archaeology, nor did his predecessor, former Shin Bet deputy director Israel Hasson, who served in the position between 2014 and 2021.

Haaretz hints at the point, but doesn't state it directly.

There are conflicting claims about Ms. Schreiber's current position and its responsibilities. There are also reports of insider claims from various anonymous sources, which I discount on principle. It is not always easy to distiguish the latter from official statements.

That's the information I can find. I take no position on the nomination. I blog, you decide.

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Mystery tunnel found in Jerusalem

SPELUNKIC ARCHAEOLOGY: Ancient tunnel with unknown age, purpose found near Kibbutz Ramat Rachel ahead of Jerusalem Day. After descending a set of ancient stairs from the surface, archaeologists found themselves standing at the hewn opening of the tunnel, found to be filled with hundreds of years of ancient sewage (Miriam Sela-Eitam, Jerusalem Post).

A mysterious and ancient stone tunnel was recently discovered near Kibbutz Ramat Rachel in southern Jerusalem during preventative excavations ahead of the construction of the new neighborhood promoted by the Israel Land Authority (ILA).

The find, announced by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) on Thursday morning, is expected to measure approximately 50 meters long, 5 meters high, and 3 meters wide.

[...]

As the headline indicates, the tunnel's date and purpose are unclear. The archaeologists have guesses, though.

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