Biblical archaeology

Regular visitors will know that I avoid Biblical archaeology because I lurk for preference in prehistory, and am not even remotely qualified to distinguish between the genuinely academic and the borderline lunatic fringe when Moses, Joseph, Ramesses II and Akhenaten are all mentioned together on the same page. However, this piece looks as though it might be useful to those who have an interest in both Egyptology and Biblical archaeology. It is an article on the subject of the mixed quality of work carried out in this field is discussed by Eric H. Cline on the Archaeology Magazine website, in an piece called Raiders of the Faux Ark.

Noah's Ark. The Ark of the Covenant. The Garden of Eden. Sodom and Gomorrah. The Exodus. The Lost Tomb of Jesus. All have been "found" in the last 10 years, including one within the past six months. The discoverers: a former SWAT team member; an investigator of ghosts, telepathy, and parapsychology; a filmmaker who calls himself "The Naked Archeologist"; and others, none of whom has any professional training in archeology.

We are living in a time of exciting discoveries in biblical archeology. We are also living in a time of widespread biblical fraud, dubious science, and crackpot theorizing. Some of the highest-profile discoveries of the past several years are shadowed by accusations of forgery, such as the James Ossuary, which may or may not be the burial box of Jesus' brother, as well as other supposed Bible-era findings such as the Jehoash Tablet and a small ivory pomegranate said to be from the time of Solomon. Every year "scientific" expeditions embark to look for Noah's Ark, raising untold amounts of money from gullible believers who eagerly listen to tales spun by sincere amateurs or rapacious con men; it is not always easy to tell the two apart.

See the above page for the full story.