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Searching for the Temple of King Solomon
The black basalt ruins of the Iron Age temple discovered at ’Ain Dara in northern Syria offer the closest known parallel to the Temple of King Solomon in the Bible. Photo: Ben Churcher For centuries,...
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Understanding the Jewish Menorah
Does this recently excavated ancient menorah graffito show us what the Temple menorah looked like? The Jewish menorah—especially the Temple menorah, a seven-branched candelabra that stood in the...
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Jerusalem Seal Gives Evidence for Temple Ritual
Archaeologists surveying the southwestern corner of the Temple Mount in the area of Robinson’s Arch have found a button-sized, first-century C.E. seal inscribed in Aramaic with the phrase “pure for...
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First Temple Period ‘Matanyahu’ Seal Discovered in Jerusalem
A Jerusalem excavation uncovered a small stone seal dating to the First Temple period earlier this week. The 8th-6th century B.C.E. inscription reads "Belonging to Matanyahu Ben Ho…” An Israel...
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First Temple Period Ritual Structure Discovered Near Jerusalem
Excavations at Tel Motza have uncovered a First Temple period ritual structure. Photograph- Skyview, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority.The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced the...
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Jewish Captives in the Imperial City
Ancient Rome was the superpower of its day. Yet, when the Romans conquered the tiny province of Judea and quashed the First Jewish Revolt in 70 C.E., it was actually a pretty big deal. BAR readers are...
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The Stones of Herod’s Temple Reveal Temple Mount History
Ancient construction techniques at Herod’s Temple were more sophisticated than we might think. A stonecutter, right, uses a pickax to cut a channel in a limestone block. Meanwhile another worker, left,...
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A Virtual Tour of the Temple Mount
In a new virtual tour, avatars of Jerusalem figures, including BAR author Gabriel Barkay (shown here) describe the sites of the Temple Mount. The Israeli association The Heart of the Nation, along with...
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Ancient Chisel Unearthed at the Western Wall
IAA archaeologists have discovered a 2,000-year-old chisel that may have been used to build the Western Wall on the Temple Mount. Photo: Clara Amit, courtesy Israel Antiquities Authority.Archaeologists...
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Study Investigates Western Wall Erosion
Both well-preserved and highly eroded stones can be seen in this portion of the Western Wall. Understanding the weathering patterns of these stones could help inform their preservation. Photo: Dr....
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The Temple Mount in the Herodian Period (37 BC–70 A.D.)
This post was originally published on Leen Ritmeyer’s website Ritmeyer Archaeological Design. It has been republished with permission. Visit the website to learn more about the history of the Temple...
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Western Wall Rubble: Caused by Fourth-Century Earthquake?
Archaeologist Shimon Gibson believes a fourth-century earthquake, not the Romans, caused stones to topple from the Western Wall. Photo: Emil Salman.Along the southern section of the Western Wall, in...
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Ancient Synagogues in Israel and the Diaspora
The Golan synagogue dates to the Second Temple Period—before the Roman destruction of the Temple in 70 C.E. Like other ancient synagogues in Israel, it has benches lining its walls and a mikveh not far...
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The Doorways of Solomon’s Temple
A reconstruction of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. Drawing: Leen Ritmeyer.King Solomon’s Temple was resplendent. Described in 1 Kings 6–7, the temple was divided into three parts: the forecourt (ulam),...
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Tenth-Century B.C. Stone Seal Discovered by the Temple Mount Sifting Project
An ancient stone seal dated to the 10th century B.C. has been found in soil taken from Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, according to a news release issued recently by the Temple Mount Sifting Project, which...
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Contested Temple Mount History?
Aerial view of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Photo: Andrew Shiva’s photo is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.A recent New York Times article by Rick Gladstone, titled “Historical Certainty Proves Elusive...
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Apostasy in Judaism
Relief on the Arch of Titus in Rome depicting Roman soldiers carrying the menorah, showbread table and trumpets looted from the Temple in Jerusalem. Did Jews have a faith crisis following the Second...
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Jewish Captives in the Imperial City
This Bible History Daily feature was originally published in January 2013. It has been updated.—Ed. Ancient Rome was the superpower of its day. Yet, when the Romans conquered the tiny province of...
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Understanding the Jewish Menorah
This Bible History Daily feature was originally published in October 2011. It has been updated.—Ed. Does this recently excavated ancient menorah graffito show us what the Temple menorah looked...
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What Did Herod’s Temple in Jerusalem Look Like?
2016 marks the golden anniversary of Israeli archaeologist Michael Avi-Yonah’s model of Herod’s Temple. The model, originally commissioned for the Holy Land Hotel in Jerusalem and part of a much larger...
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