Digging In: Your Guided Journey into the Biblical Past

Welcome to “Digging In,” a new feature in BAR where we highlight the exciting new discoveries, insights, and scholarship you’ll uncover as you sift through the pages of the latest issue to learn more about the history and archaeology of the Bible. Much like an archaeological site, where excavated strata reveal the depth and complexity of the past, each issue of BAR exposes new horizons that expand our understanding of the biblical world, revealed by leading archaeologists and authorities in the field.

Our Fall 2021 issue is no exception. In our cover story, “A Glorious Church for a Mysterious Martyr,” Benyamin Storchan, an archaeologist with the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), details the magnificent finds from a newly discovered Byzantine church that commemorates the burial place of a famous martyr whose exact identity remains unknown. Thanks to a partnership with the IAA, this article also allows BAR readers access to an incredible online 3D reconstruction of the church and to experience an immersive tour of this magnificent complex as it appeared more than 1,500 years ago. Just go to www.martyr.app to begin your journey.