Biblical Archaeology Review, May/June 1985
Features
Patriarchal Burial Site Explored for First Time in 700 Years
Twelve-year-old girl lowered into Cave of Machpelah
Ma‘arat Ha-Machpelah, the cave of Machpelah, where the Bible says Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca and Leah are buried, is one of the best-known but least-explored sites in the entire Holy Land. For centuries Jewish, Moslem and Christian pilgrims have wended their way to Hebron, but few...Read more ›
Was the Site of the Jerusalem Temple Originally a Cemetery?
Stylistic and architectural similarities between the cave of Machpelah enclosure at Hebron and the Temple Mount enclosure in Jerusalem have been clearly demonstrated by Nancy Miller in “Patriarchal Burial Site Explored for First Time in 700 Years.” I would like to suggest another similarity between the two...Read more ›
The Fortresses King Solomon Built to Protect His Southern Border
String of desert fortresses uncovered in Central Negev
An enormous number of Iron Age fortresses have been uncovered in the Central Negev, especially in recent years. The question is, what are they doing here? The answer depends in large part on who built them. And to determine who built them, we need to know as...Read more ›
Daniel and Belshazzar in History
The party was in full swing, the wine flowed freely, and everyone felt on top of the world. There was no power on earth to rival Babylon, and no gods in heaven to equal hers. This is the setting of the famous fifth chapter of the Book...Read more ›