Back to Lachish

MORE OSTRACA PLEASE: Archaeologists Return to Ancient City of Lachish. Following the spectacular discoveries made at Khirbet Qeiyafa, the archaeological team turns its sights on the 10th - 9th century BC layers of a famous ancient Judahite stronghold. (Popular Archaeology).

[Prof. Yoseph] Garfinkel and colleagues are heading a new team that will begin re-exploring and excavating Lachish in 2014. It is a site that has already been the subject of several historic excavation expeditions but, as is common with many archaeolgical sites, remains unfinished business. And within the context of acquiring a better understanding of the early Judahite State, they are drawing a research connection between their completed excavations at Khirbet Qeiyafa and re-newed excavations at Lachish.

This is an exciting development. Lachish is a critically important site for late Iron Age II Judah. More on Prof. Garfinkel and Khirbet Qeiyafa here with many links. More on the Lachish letters (ostraca), alluded to above, is here.