Biblically Compatible Archaeology and Geography

…. Archaeologists continue to certify the historical record of the Word of God. The following excerpts are from the International Jerusalem Post under the heading, “Seal of First Temple servants found in Jerusalem.” Note that the temple mentioned in the article was built by King Solomon, the son of King David, nearly 3,000 years ago. A stone seal bearing the name of one of the families who acted as servants in the First Temple and then returned to Jerusalem after being exiled to Babylonia has been uncovered in an archeological excavation in Jerusalem’s City of David, a prominent Israeli archeologist said on January 16. The 2,500-year-old black stone seal, which has the name “Temech” engraved on it, was found last week amid stratified debris in the excavation under way just outside the Old City walls near the Dung Gate, said archeologist Dr. Eilat Mazar, who is leading the dig. According to the Book of Nehemiah, the Temech family were servants of the First Temple and were sent...

  Rare sarcophagus, Egyptian scarab found in Israel By DANIEL ESTRIN April 9, 2014 2:29 PM Content preferences . View gallery . . …. JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli archaeologists have unearthed a rare sarcophagus featuring a slender face and a scarab ring inscribed with the name of an Egyptian pharaoh, Israel’s Antiquities Authority said Wednesday. The mystery man whose skeleton was found inside the sarcophagus was most likely a local Canaanite official in the service of ancient Egypt, Israeli archaeologists believe, shining a light on a period when pharaohs governed the region. “This is a really beautiful face, very serene,” said Edwin van den Brink, an Egyptologist and archaeologist with Israel’s government antiquities authority. “It’s very appealing.” Van den Brink said archaeologists dug at Tel Shadud, an archaeological mound in the Jezreel Valley, from December until last month. The archaeologists first uncovered the foot of the sarcoph...

 by Damien F. Mackey Introduction The ancient Assyrians in their war records often remind me of the relentless Daleks of that sixties cult TV series, 'Doctor Who', that irresistible army of aggressive robots who went around chanting "We will exterminate. We will exterminate" . For, throughout the Assyrian war records, recurs the monotonous mantra. "I destroyed, I devastated. I burned with fire" . No hint of mercy or pity here; but, as with the Daleks, repetitive and total conquest. Assyria, often likened to the Nazis, was a thoroughgoing military nation, highly disciplined. Her characteristics were destructive invasion, deportation and taxation . The prophet Nahum mocked the Assyrian war cry with his: "... Devastation, desolation, and destruction!" (2:10) This is not to say, however, that the Assyrians were mindless Daleks. Apart from being awesome warriors, the Assyrian kings could be great builders and patrons of the...