First Person: Shuka

Our lead article in this issue is a brilliant, important and authoritative review of the archaeological evidence for Jerusalem in the time of David and Solomon by Jane Cahill, who is responsible for the official publication of much of this material, recovered in the excavation of the City of David led by the late Yigal Shiloh between 1978 and 1985.

A small portion of the evidence for Jerusalem in the time of the United Monarchy, however, comes from an area of Shiloh’s excavation for which Jane is not responsible. That evidence comes from an area for which archaeologist Alon De Groot is responsible. As a courtesy, Jane suggested that that material be written for us by Alon. So we called Alon and asked him to write a short sidebar on this material, known as the “cultic corner.” He said he would be happy to write it. But later he advised us that he would not be able to. His employer, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), had forbade him because it was to be published in BAR.