Strata: In Their Own Words

In 1998 the American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR) changed the name of its semi-popular magazine from the Biblical Archaeologist to Near Eastern Archaeology, despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of ASOR’s members (82 percent) voted against the name change. The organization’s leaders nevertheless decided the change was required and that is the name the magazine bears to this day.

Professor Thomas E. Levy of the University of California at San Diego takes up the story¹: