Bible Places: 2025 top ten

ANNUAL ARCHAEOLOGY LIST WATCH: Top 10 Discoveries of 2025 (Todd Bolen, Bible Places Blog).

The end of the year marks a time to look back and reflect, and since our interest here is the biblical world, I am continuing our tradition of highlighting the most important discoveries and stories related to biblical archaeology this year.

Our survey begins with a ranked list of the top 10 discoveries of the year. Ranking discoveries is difficult and highly subjective and thus to be discouraged, but the attempt may be justified in the interest of provoking more consideration of what is most important and why.

In addition to the top 10, I have identified the most controversial stories of the year and other noteworthy stories from Jerusalem, Israel, Mesopotamia, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, and Italy. Then we consider the top stories related to tourism and technology. Many significant books and digital resources were released in 2025, and some of those are noted. This annual roundup concludes by remembering scholars we lost this year and other top 10 lists of interest.

Todd's annual list is always the most comprehensive. PaleoJudaica has posted on many, but by no means all of these 2025 stories.

Ovelapping PaleoJudaica posts, limited to his main top-ten list: on Jerusalem's Siloam dam, see here; on the late-notice from the Assyrian taxman excavated in Jerusalem, see here; on the pottery evidence for Egyptians at Megiddo in Josiah's time, see here; on the three recently excavated shipwrecks at Tel Dor, see here; on the possible tomb of an Assyrian official excavated in Northern Israel, see here; on the Sifting Project's recovery of a Hebrew bulla bearing a possibly biblical name, see here; on the ancient garden excavated at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, see here; and on Jerusalem's Hasmonean-era city wall, see here and here.

PaleoJudaica's top-ten list is coming tomorrow. Watch this space!

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

On Constantine’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre

THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST TODAY: Commemorating Jesus: Constantine’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Jordan J. Ryan).

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site where the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus are commemorated, looms the largest of the early commemorative churches in Christian memory, imagination, and history. Its original construction was begun circa 325-326 CE in the wake of the Council of Nicaea and in tandem with the celebration of the twentieth year of the Emperor Constantine’s reign. It was finally dedicated ten years later as part of the celebration of Constantine’s thirty-year jubilee in 336 CE.

For some PaleoJudaica posts on the recent renovations and excavations in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Holy Sepulchre), and much more on the Church, see the links collected here, plus here and here.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

On the Rockefeller Museum in East Jerusalem

CURATORIAL ARCHAEOLOGY: Jerusalem’s ‘cursed’ antiquity museum reopens its doors amid rumors it may become a hotel. The Rockefeller Archaeological Museum stores some 60,000 artifacts spanning millennia, including unique decorations from the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Rossella Tercatin, Times of Israel).

Meanwhile, although the interministerial committee still has to formulate its recommendation regarding the future of the Rockefeller, the IAA told The Times of Israel that it has requested to be reassigned the responsibility for the facility.

“For the Israel Antiquities Authority, the Rockefeller Museum is the historic and symbolic home of the archaeology of the Land of Israel,” read a statement shared by an IAA spokesperson.

“The Authority has formally requested that the museum’s operation be returned to its hands, in order to promote its reopening,” the statement added, pledging that the IAA “will do everything possible to ensure that the Rockefeller Museum once again becomes a living museum, full of content, as it deserves to be.”

The title of the article is unfortunate, if attention grabbing. But it gives a good overview of the history of the museum, some of its key holdings, and the issues around its coming fate.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

An ancient garden at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher?

ANCIENT ARCHITECTURE: Echoing Gospel account, traces of ancient garden found under Church of Holy Sepulchre. A landmark excavation, set to conclude soon at Old City of Jerusalem church, has offered unprecedented historical insights. ToI gets a sneak peek (Rossella Tercatin, Times of Israel).

“Low stone walls were erected, and the space between them was filled with dirt,” said Stasolla. “The archaeobotanical findings have been especially interesting for us, in light of what is mentioned in the Gospel of John, whose information is considered written or collected by someone familiar with Jerusalem at the time. The Gospel mentions a green area between the Calvary and the tomb, and we identified these cultivated fields.”

A long, detailed article with coverage of the excavation results through the late antiquity. For some PaleoJudaica posts on the recent renovations and excavations in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Holy Sepulchre), and much more on the Church, see here and links.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

Magness, Jerusalem through the Ages (OUP)

NEW BOOK FROM OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS;

Jerusalem through the Ages

From Its Beginnings to the Crusades

Jodi Magness

£30.99

Hardback

Published: 26 June 2024

624 Pages | 160 b/w images, 16 color images

235x156mm

ISBN: 9780190937805

Description

A major new history of one of the world's holiest of cities, based on the most recent archaeological discoveries

First settled five thousand years ago by a mountain spring between the Mediterranean and Dead Sea, Jerusalem was named for the god (Shalem) that was worshipped there. When David reportedly conquered the city, ca. 1000 BCE, he transferred the Ark of the Covenant—and with it, the presence of the God of Israel—to this rocky outcrop. Here, David's son Solomon built a permanent house for the God of Israel called the first temple, and since then this spot has been known as the Temple Mount. After Babylonians destroyed Solomon's temple in 586 BCE, it was replaced by the second temple, which is the setting for many of the events described in the Gospel accounts. In 70 CE, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, leaving the Temple Mount in ruins. Two hundred and fifty years later, the emperor Constantine constructed the Church of the Holy Sepulcher around the spots where Jesus is believed to have been crucified and buried, and the church is now considered Jerusalem's holiest site by many Christians worldwide. In the late seventh century CE the focus shifted back to the Temple Mount, when an early Islamic ruler named `Abd al-Malek enshrined the rocky outcrop in a monument that is still iconic of the city today: the Dome of the Rock. In 1099 Crusaders conquered Jerusalem, and although their rule was brief rule they left a deep impact on the city. Today, much of the old city retains its medieval appearance.

For followers of the three Abrahamic faiths, Jerusalem is the place where the presence of the God of Israel dwells—the meeting point of heaven and earth and the locus of divine and human interaction. Jerusalem through the Ages by Jodi Magness explores how these beliefs came to be associated with the city by introducing readers to its complex and layered history, providing a broad yet detailed account, including the most recent archaeological discoveries. Each chapter focuses on a key moment of transition from Jerusalem's beginnings to the Crusades of the medieval period, enabling readers to experience the city's many transformations as it changed hands and populations-Jebusites, Israelites, Judahites, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Jews, Christians, and Muslims. The book also includes a walking guide for visitors who wish to experience the city's many archaeological sites firsthand..

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More excavations at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

ANCIENT ARCHITECTURE: Round-the-clock excavations at Church of Holy Sepulchre yield historical treasures. Continued work on a two-year, $11 million cooperative restoration project reveals fascinating details from centuries of patchwork building at one of Christianity’s holiest sites (MELANIE LIDMAN, Times of Israel).

The most recent excavation revealed more information about the early Christian layout of the Edicule, parts of which date to the 4th century. Under one of the floor slabs, archaeologists discovered a coin hoard that included coins minted up until the time of Roman Emperor Valens (364-378).

Other interesting discoveries include a fragment of wall cladding, or the exterior of the wall, from the main Edicule, covered with graffiti from the 18th century in various languages, including Greek, Latin and Armenian.

For some PaleoJudaica posts on the recent renovations and excavations in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Holy Sepulcher), see here, here, here, here, here, and here. And follow the many links for much more on the Church.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

On the Church of the Holy Sepulcher

INTRODUCTORY: The Church of the Holy Sepulchre: Is this where Jesus was buried? - explainer. Church of the Holy Sepulchre? Is it really where Jesus Christ was crucified, buried and resurrected? Is Jesus's tomb really there? And what does a single ladder have to do with it? (Aaron Reich, Jerusalem Post).

Here is everything you need to know about the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

I am not an expert on the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Holy Sepulchre), but this article looks to me to be a good summary of its history, its possible historical significance, its organization, and recent developments around it.

Amusingly, someone (I assume not the author) has introduced a subheader that says "Is Jesus actually buried in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre?" That rather misses the point.

For many PaleoJudaica posts on the Church, start here and follow the links.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

Quarry layers excavated at Church of the Holy Sepulcher

ANCIENT ARCHITECTURE: Church of the Holy Sepulchre excavation unveils remains from Constantine's time. The researchers said the rock layers of the stone quarry used during the construction of the church during Constantine’s period had been uncovered (Judith Sudilovsky, Jerusalem Post).

Remains of construction dating back to the period of Roman Emperor Constantine at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher are among the discoveries uncovered during on-going excavations at the Christian holy site since March 2022 as part of a complex two-year project to repair and restore pavement stones of the ancient church.

[...]

For more on the strata with the quarry and the remains of the Hadrianic pagan temple, see here.

For many PaleoJudaica posts on the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Holy Sepulchre), start here and follow the links.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

Is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where Jesus was buried?

PODCAST ARTICLE: What does archaeology say about the location of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre? Ahead of Easter, we walk in the Jerusalem Old City church compound with top archaeologist Prof. Jodi Magness in this audio tour of the history and controversy of a unique holy spot (Amanda Borschel-Dan, Times of Israel).

As we tour the church and its surroundings, we see parts of the ruins of earlier stages of the church, including an arguably Christian find that predates the Constantine construction in around 330 CE, as well as remains of earlier structures. By the end of the tour, we see what Magness feels is the best evidence that supports the Christian tradition, although nothing is unambiguous.

For many PaleoJudaica posts on the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Holy Sepulchre), start here (cf. here) and follow the links. Posts relevant to the article above are here and here.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

Easter 2022

HAPPY EASTER to all those celebrating. My 2021 Easter post with links is here. See also here.

My 2016 Easter post contains links leading to biblical and related passages concerning Easter and to correct information on the origin of the word. And this post gives biblical references for the Passion narrative.

And yes, I do know about the "ancient" altar recently discovered in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Holy Sepulchre). It's an important discovery, but it is medieval, not ancient, so outside of PaleoJudaica's main range. But if you're interested, follow the link.

UPDATE (18 April): More on the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Holy Sepulchre) here.

UPDATE (26 April): More on Easter here.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

Gibson & Taylor, Beneath the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Jerusalem (1994, PEF, open access)

THE AWOL BLOG: Beneath the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Jerusalem. The Archaeology and Early History of Traditional Golgotha. (Chuck Jones). This is a 1994 volume by Shimon Gibson and Joan E. Taylor published by the Palestine Exploration Fund and now open access.

For more recent archaeological and social developments at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Holy Sepulcher), see here and here and many links. Notable in particular is the 2016 restoration of the first-century tomb (of Jesus?).

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

A Holy Fire crowd this year

IN THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHER (HOLY SEPULCHRE): Vaccinated faithful throng Jerusalem church for Holy Fire (AP/SF Gate). The Holy Fire ceremony happens on the night before Orthodox Easter. This year that was last Saturday. (Happy Easter to all who celebrated!)

For more on the ceremony, see here and links. As this article notes, last year the church was nearly empty due to pandemic restrictions.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

Professional pilgrim graffiti in Church of the Holy Sepulcher?

TECHNOLOGY WATCH: 3D imaging sheds light on Holy Sepulchre 'graffiti' (Reuters). Video essay with transcription.

Imaging technology indicates that the "graffiti" (inscribed crosses) was executed by professional masons, presumably hired by medieval pilgrims.

For many PaleoJudaica posts on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Holy Sepulcher), start here and just follow those links.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

The Holy Sepulcher: quarry, temple, churches

BIBLE HISTORY DAILY: Investigating the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. 5 transformations of the site of the Holy Sepulchre (Megan Souter).

In his article “The Holy Sepulchre in History, Archaeology, and Tradition,” published in the Spring 2021 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, Justin L. Kelley examines recent archaeological investigations at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. He also walks readers through the relevant texts to reconstruct the site’s rich history. From execution spot to magnificent church, it has gone through quite the transformation! For Bible History Daily readers, we have highlighted five major phases of its history.

For many PaleoJudaica posts on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Holy Sepulcher), see here and links.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

Architectural ideology in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher

THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST TODAY: Commemorating Jesus: Constantine’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Jordan J. Ryan).

For many PaleoJudaica posts on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Holy Sepulcher), see here and links and here.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

New films on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

IT HAS REOPENED: Sacred and profane collide in two new films on Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Even as church reopens from coronavirus closure, two documentaries portray complex modern struggles at site where Jesus is believed to have been crucified, buried and resurrected (Renee Ghert-Zand, Times of Israel).

It was news to me that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Holy Sepulcher) reopened on Sunday. For past posts on the Church, with some attention to internal territorial disputes, see here and links.

For the Holy Fire Ceremony on Orthodox Easter, see here and links

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

More on the Holy Fire ceremony

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: How a sacred flame spreads across the world despite the pandemic ( Kristin Romey). The first surviving mention of the Holy Fire ceremony was in 876 CE.

Also, the article reports that the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Holy Sepulchre) was closed in 1349 when there was an epidemic of the Black Death. That was last time public access was denied for an extended period.

Background here and here.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

Holy fire and VR in Jerusalem

YESTERDAY: Orthodox ceremony of Holy Fire takes place in deserted Jerusalem (Rami Ayyub, Stephen Farrell, Reuters). In 2019 the event was crowded. (See at 2:25 for the appearance of the fire.) In 2020, just a few clerics were there, some wearing face masks. But the annual ceremony did go forward in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Holy Sepulchre).

Background here.

By the way, today is Orthodox Easter, so best wishes to all celebrating.

And if you fancy a visit to Jerusalem from your home: With Jerusalem locked down, holy site pilgrims turn to virtual reality. Convergence of Passover, Easter and Ramadan should have been a boon for the city; now those who wish they could visit can instead turn to an immersive VR tour of the Old City (JUDAH KAUFFMAN, JTS).

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

Easter in Jerusalem in the pandemic

NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE: Holy Land custodian urges Israel to let clerics celebrate Easter in Holy Sepulchre (Stephen Farrell, Reuters).

Who knows what the situation will be in ten days' time?

Background here. Cross file under the Church of the Holy Sepulcher

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.

Holy Fire ceremony in Jerusalem is still on

IN THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHER (HOLY SEPULCHRE): Holy Week ceremonies in Jerusalem to proceed in limited format. Eastern Orthodox churches will still receive Holy Fire from Jerusalem (Lahav Harkov, Jerusalem Post).

One of the most complex ceremonies in Holy Week is the Holy Fire, to take place on the night of April 18 this year.

Orthodox Christians describe Holy Fire as a miracle, which happens the day before Easter each year. Before heading into Jesus’ tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Greet Orthodox Patriarch is checked that he does not have any way to produce fire. Then, he goes into the tomb by himself and comes out with fire. Normally, the fire is distributed among the thousands of people people gathered at the church.

This ceremony has taken place since the year 867, with evidence that it has happened annually, uninterrupted for six to seven centuries.

Then, some of the fire is put into special containers and brought to Ben-Gurion Airport to planes waiting to distributed it to Eastern Christendom via churches in Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania and other countries.

The flights are arranged, although the other details are not yet set. We'll see what happens.

The article is not clear whether the Palm Sunday parade in Jerusalem will happen this year, but it won't include the normal large crowd of people.

Ramadan begins this year on 23 April. Whether the Temple Mount will be open that soon remains to be seen.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.