Major Sites in Israel for Biblical Archaeology

Major Sites in Israel for Biblical Archaeology By David B. Schreiner

Israel is bursting with archaeological sites, and flocks of graduate students, professional researchers, and laypeople visit the country every summer to join the demanding but rewarding work of excavation. Some sites, like Tel Shimron, are relatively new, while others, such as Megiddo, boast decades of continual excavation. This map shows a selection of key sites within the modern borders of Israel. These locations (listed below from south to north, roughly) have proven to be extremely important for understanding the culture of ancient Israel.

Beersheba

A site linked with Israel’s patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Beersheba’s urban development is a case study in the growth of Judean culture during Iron Age II (roughly 1000–586 BC).

Pillard house in Beersheba

Lachish

Judah’s second-most important city (after Jerusalem). Lachish was destroyed violently twice, first by the Assyrians (701 BC) and later by the Babylonians (587/86 BC). In 1935, excavators working amid the debris of a guardhouse found shards of pottery with Hebrew writing. The so-called “Lachish Letters” (below) give accounts of Judah’s final days before the Babylonian invasion.

Ashkelon

A critical site for understanding the culture of the Philistines, a frequent enemy of the Israelites in the Old Testament. Ashkelon (below) was excavated for decades and only recently closed. In 2016, excavation of a Philistine cemetery allowed a diverse set of sophisticated analyses (such as DNA profiling).Copyright 2004 The Virtual Bible; used with permission.

Tel-Miqne

The biblical city of Ekron. Due to its olive industry, the city became prominent during Iron Age II (roughly 1000–586 BC). Findings from Tel-Miqne have shed light on the policies of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, which dominated the region during the Bible’s divided monarchy period (beginning in 1 Kings 12).

Storage jar with carbonized figs, Late Bronze Age IIB, Stratum VIIIA destruction, first quarter of the 12th century BCE

Jerusalem

Due to the city’s political situation, ancient Jerusalem is extremely difficult to excavate. However, an area called the City of David—thought to be Jerusalem’s oldest settlement—is currently being excavated.

1,000 yo ancient amulet from the ancient City of David

Qumran

A Jewish sect lived here around the time of Jesus. In 1946–47, shepherds found more than 900 manuscripts in caves near Qumran. These manuscripts, known as the Dead Sea Scrolls, have been dated to 250 BC–50 AD, and roughly 200 have material from the Hebrew Bible.

Jar

The Great Isaiah Scroll

Jericho

One of Israel’s most famous sites, Jericho dates to about 10,000 BC. It was occupied, destroyed, and re-occupied many times, producing multiple layers of archaeological evidence. The layer called “City IV” is important for dating the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt and their settlement in Canaan. Sadly, the site is heavily eroded (below), hindering any future excavation.

Shiloh

Was an early cultic and sociopolotical center. But also was Israel’s first capital

In biblical and archaeological studies, the terms “cult” and “cultic” are often used in a technical sense referring to a system of worship. These terms come from the Latin word cultus, which simply means “worship.”

Schreiner, D. B. (2019). Backdrops: Major Sites in Israel for Biblical Archaeology. Bible Study Magazine, 11(3), 22.

Bible Study Magazine, Volume 11 Centuries of Occupation

The city of Shiloh served as the Israelites’ early center of worship, and the original tabernacle rested there for over three centuries (roughly 1399–1075 BC). This Iron Age I handle dates to that period.

Mount Ebal

The place of Joshua’s Altar

Caesarea Maritima

Bible Study Magazine, Volume 11 Caesarea Maritima

Built by Herod the Great in honor of Caesar Augustus, Caesarea Maritima provides a case study in Herodian policy and royal exploits

Restored Herodian Theater

Megiddo

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Megiddo

Megiddo is a 30-acre fortress that dates back to about 5,000 BC, located on the southwest side of the Jezreel Valley at the foot of Mount Carmel. The city commands entrance by a major pass—Nahal ‘Iron—through the Mount Carmel range. The strategic nature of the city is evidenced by the words of Thutmose III, “… for the capturing of Megiddo is the capturing of a thousand cities.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Megiddo

Megiddo is mentioned among the cities conquered by Joshua (Josh 12:21). During the reign of Solomon, Megiddo was fortified along with Gezer and Hazor (1 Kgs 9:15).

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Megiddo

Archaeologists believe that most of what we see at Megiddo today dates from the time of King Ahab. Scholars debate whether the tripartite buildings discovered on the site were Solomon’s stables or storage rooms. When they were discovered at Megiddo, the presence of stone mangers led archaeologists to conclude that the buildings were stables for Solomon’s chariot force (1 Kgs 10:26). The discovery of nearly identical buildings at Beer-sheba with storage jars inside raised questions about the earlier conclusion. It seems best to conclude that buildings with the same architectural style could have been used for either stables or storage depending on the needs of the community.

Sepphoris

A major city in Galilee during Jesus’s ministry, located about four miles from Nazareth. During the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus, Sepphoris was the capital of Herod Antipas, who ruled the region. Although Sepphoris (below) isn’t mentioned in the Bible, excavations there offer insights about Galilee during the time of Jesus.Sepphoris photo by Oren Rozen; reprinted under license from commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sepphoris_(Tzippori)_290314_02.jpg.

Tel Dan

Bible Study Magazine, Volume 11 Tel Shimron

What’s a tel?

The term “tel” (or “tell”) comes from Arabic and means “hill” or “mound.” It appears in many place-names, like Tel-Miqne and Tel Dan. In archaeology, a tel is a mound that has formed from the debris accumulating at a site where people lived for hundreds or thousands of years.

One of two cultic sites constructed by Israel’s King Jeroboam I. Tel Dan is known for its gate system, which dates to the Middle Bronze Age (2000–1550 BC). In 1993–94, excavators found fragments of an Aramaic inscription mentioning the “House of David.” This artifact, called the Tel Dan Stele (below), supports the Bible’s account of the Davidic dynasty ruling over Judah.

David B. Schreiner teaches Old Testament at Wesley Biblical Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi.[1] [1] Schreiner, D. B. (2019). Backdrops: Major Sites in Israel for Biblical Archaeology. Bible Study Magazine, 11(3), 22–23.