Biblical Archaeology Review is the flagship publication of the Biblical Archaeology Society. For more than 40 years it has been making the world of archaeology in the lands of the Bible come alive for the interested layperson. Full of vivid images and articles written by leading scholars, this is a must read for anyone interested in the archaeology of the ancient Near East.
Few sites in ancient Israel have generated as much debate as Ramat Raḥel. As explained in the accompanying article by Gabriel Barkay, the site led to a controversy (one of many) between the site’s first excavator, Yohanan Aharoni, and his nemesis, Yigael Yadin. Barkay believes that each man’s theory about Ramat Raḥel had important flaws, and in the article he offers his own thoughts about the site.
For half a century the ancient remains at Ramat Raḥel slumbered, without paths or signs to point out the significance of the site. People coming for a swim at the Ramat Raḥel kibbutz pool parked their cars in a lot adjacent to the ancient city and never suspected what lay so close.
Answer: 15
The Dead Sea lies fewer than fifteen miles east of Jerusalem. While the Temple Mount soars into the sky at an elevation of over 2,430 feet, there is a location in the Dead Sea valley that is at least 1,290 feet below sea level—the lowest recorded spot on Earth.
