The Megiddo Mosaic has arrived in D.C.

EXHIBITION: ‘Greatest discovery since Dead Sea Scrolls,’ Megiddo mosaic goes on view at Bible Museum in DC. “We found the name of Jesus before Christianity was part of the Roman Empire,” said Alegre Savariego of the Israel Antiquities Authority (Menachem Wecker, Israel Today).

The exibition opened on Sunday. I'm glad the mosaic has arrived safely. This article has a good review of its importance. Background here and links. The MOTB website says that it runs from 15 September 2024 to 6 July 2025, so nine months, nearly ten.

I think calling it "the most significant archaeological find since the Dead Sea Scrolls" indulges in a bit of forgiveable hyperbole. I would rank the Balaam inscription from Tel Deir ‘Alla (Deir Alla) as more significant, and the Tel Dan Stele (which mentions "the House of David" in the ninth century BCE) and the Arad Ostraca as comparably significant. But I am a philologist. And any such evaluation compares apples to oranges. Your mileage may vary.

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