Queen Hatshepsut, coming from Thebes/Shewa/Theba, visited Punt/Upper Rettenu/Phoenicia/Palestine/northern and southern Punt. Following the suggestion by Emmet Sweeney on the `Queen of Sheba' visit this satellite photo helps us to understand what probably took place long ago. According to this reconstruction, Hatshepsut left Thebes using several ships traveling downstream the length of the Nile into the Mediterranean. From there she probably followed the coast to an unknown harbor. At least some of her entourage, if she did not herself to spare her a lengthy overland journey, entered a Phoenician harbor and traveled from their across the Lebanese mountains in the direction of the Hula Valley. From their they traveled through the Jordan Valley and met the road to Jerusalem. It is not impossible that additional Egyptian ships at some point in time made anchor at Eilat on a merchant visit.

«

Chuera Taya Leilan Hamoukar Khoshi Hadhail Mardikh Qal'at Sherqat Brak Meskene/Balis Bi'a Touqan Rimah Hammam et-Turkman Barri Billa Germayir Chagar Bazar Arbit Ailun Yorgan Tepe Gawra Mishrife Fara, ED III Hariri Inghara, ED III Mizyad, ED III

Shubat Enlil(?) Ebla Ashur Nilabshinu? Emar Tuttul? Urshu? Karana? Zalpah? Kahat Shibaniba Shubat Enlil?(Benno Landsberger) Nuzi Qatna Shuruppak Mari Kish Agade?

100 100 90 90 90 90 56 50 43 37 36 28 28 25 23 15 15 13 13 12 4 1 100 100 54 50 48

Dating the 22nd Dynasty

In our dating of the 22nd Dynasty we feel constrained to follow David Rohl on the basis of the Phoenician inscriptions found at Byblos. The presumed reading of the 1st inscriptions is as follows: "Wall built by Abibaal, king of Byblos, for Baalat-Gebel, his lady. May Baalat-Gebel prolong the days of Abibaal and his years over Byblos." The 2nd inscription reads: "Statue which Elibaal, king of Byblos, son of Yehimilk, [king of Byblos], made [for] Baalat-Gebel, his lady. May Baalat-[Gebel] prolong [the days of] Elibaal and his years over [Byblos]."[The red line indicates the presumed location for `Elibaal'.] The 3rd inscription reads: "Wall built by Shipitbaal, king of Byblos, son of Elibaal, king of Byblos, for Baalat-Gebel, his lady. [May] Baalat-Gebel prolong the days of Shipitbaal and his years over Byblos." [The red line indicates the presumed location for `Shipitbaal'.] The Assyrian inscription reads: "[I (Tiglath-pileser) received] the tribute of Kushtashpi of Kummuh, Urik of Que, Sibittibael of Byblos, ... Enil of Hammath, Panammu of Samaal, ... Matanbael of Arvad, Sanipu of Bit-Ammon, Salamanu of Moab, ... Mitinti of Ashkelon, Jehoahaz of Judah, Kaushmalaku of Edom, ..." [D.D. Luckenbill (transl.) in J.B. Pritchard, 1969, p. 282.] This last, Assyrian reference then puts Shipitbaal together with Jehoahaz/Ahaz (ca. 741-725 BC). Figuring backwards in the accession of the Byblos texts seems to assure that Pharaoh Sheshonk I, on whose side panel of a throne base inscription #1 was found, is to be dated in the late 9th to early 8th centuries BC. We believe there was only one king of Byblos named `Shipitbaal'. The sequence of the kings of Byblos then is: `Abibaal - Yehimilk - Elibaal - Shipitbaal' covering the years between approximately 800 - 738 BC. D. Rohl, Pharaohs and Kings', p. 370ff.

An Old News Release `Medinet Habu Documents' May 4, 1994 From `http://www-oi.uchicago.edu/OI/ANE/ANE-DIGEST/V01/v01.n078' Embargoed for Release May 3 A second set of valuable excavation records related to the excavation of the sacred site of Medinet Habu in Egypt have been returned to the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. The records, which fill eleven volumes, were recovered after news accounts were published in September, 1993, in America and Germany of the return of the first set of records, said Emily Teeter, Assistant Curator of the Oriental Institute. The newly recovered records complete the excavation's set of field notes, and they provide additional commentary about the archaeological work at Medinet Habu, which was excavated by the Oriental Institute from 1926 to 1933. Records of the dig had been taken to Germany for publication, but the project was interrupted by World War II. The division of Berlin after the war created confusion about the materials' whereabouts and it was assumed that all the documents had been destroyed in the war. A portion of the records were found in Berlin after reunification and returned to Chicago last fall. Those records, as well as the latest set, provide important information about thousands of artifacts on display in Chicago at the Oriental Institute Museum and at the Cairo Museum. Since the artifacts were recovered from a site that was a major religious center as well as a town from the 12th century B.C. to the 8th century A.D., scholars had assumed that the finds would tell much about daily life and ritual in ancient Egypt. However, until the recovery of the records, there was little information about where individual artifacts were discovered, and therefore, in many cases, it was impossible to assign dates to, or determine the significance of individual objects. The latest set of records were sent by the grandson of Uvo Holscher, the head archaeologist for the Oriental Institute dig at Medinet Habu. The institute learned of the records in a letter that was a bit startling as well as pleasing, Teeter said. "We were stunned to receive a letter signed `Holscher.' We had no information about our former field director Uvo Holscher's family," she said. In his letter, the grandson, Dr. Uvo Holscher Jr., explained that he had read news accounts about the return of the first set of Medinet Habu records and was eager for the full set to be reunited. The second group of manuscripts was found at the Technical University of Hannover during restoration work on the facility in 1972, nine years after Dr. Holscher Sr.'s death in 1963, the grandson said. The elder Holscher was a professor at that Institute and apparently had worked on the records during his tenure there. In 1972, the records were returned to Holscher's widow, who then contacted the Oriental Institute. The letter was never received, and so scholars in Chicago continued to assume that all of the documentation had been lost in World War II. Fortunately, however, the Holscher family saved the documents. "Now we will be able to complete our documentation of the site and its thousands of artifacts. We are very grateful to the Holschers for their generosity," Teeter said. Seven of the volumes are registers that list and describe the objects recovered during the excavation. These volumes are duplicates of the material received from Berlin, but unlike the other material, the new volumes are complete. The other four volumes, bound in tan paper and boldly imprinted "Medinet Habu," turned out to the hand-written daily log of the excavation in which Holscher wrote general comments about the excavation. Teeter said, "These volumes are particularly welcome, for the object registers have frequent references to the detailed plans and drawings in these logs. They are also fascinating reading, because they supply the human and anecdotal side of the massive excavation. The information ranges from notes about meeting with other Egyptologists, many of whom today are famous figures in the history of Egyptology, to comments about ancient Egyptian architecture, to detailed plans of the areas they were excavating. There are also references to the transport of the colossal statue of king Tutankhamun, which is one of our museum's most famous objects." Of particular interest are detailed plans and comments on the excavation of the tomb chapels of several women who held the title "God's Wife." The daily logs document every step in the clearance of the tombs and the archaeologists' musings on the tombs, and their contents. Both sets of documents will be used by scholars at the University of Chicago to study the thousands of artifacts that today are in the Oriental Institute Museum of the University of Chicago and the Egyptian Museum, Cairo.

The Edomites Recent archaeological discoveries in Jordan at the ancient Edomite site of Khirbat en-Nahas revealed the gate of a monumental fortress dated to the 10th century BC which is believed to be that constructed by David and his general Joab, 2.Samuel 8:13-14. [For the image see Odyssey, May/June 2005, p. 14.] An Edomite Shrine: Horvat Qitmit in the Malhata Valley just to the west of the southern Dead Sea is the site where on top of a flat hill numerous fragments of mostly hand molded human heads as part of an Edomite Shrine were found. [BAR, Mar/Apr 1988, p. 32] Archaeologists reported that they have found a massive copper smelting facility at Khirbat en-Nahas, located just east of the Wadi Arabah. [See BAR, Jan 2007, p. 66-67.]

The Pickstone Brothers of California introduced grafted fruit growing in South Africa. Previously fruit were grown from seedlings.

The Old Names of some African Kings and Tribes 1) King Umsilikazi, founder of the Matabele nation. He was a prominent chief under Tjaka, king of the Zulus. About 1828, Tjaka sent him on a raid north were he captured thousands of head of cattle which he and his men decided not to share with Tjaka who provided no help. When Tjaka raised an army to send against the cruel Umsilikazi. The latter decided to leave no human being alive in the region of `Transvaal' to create a vast desert between him and the Zulu king. Escaping to the north he crossed the Limpopo River, subjugated the Mashonas, the Makalangas, and other tribes, and established the Matabele kingdom. 2) Lobengula, son of Umsilikazi, king of the Matabele with his capital in Bulawayo. His kingdom came to an end in November of 1893 when he fled his town following hostile actions against the land of the Mashona people. The Matabele raided and plundered some region every year. By 1890 the British arrived and sided with the Mashona people. 3) Gambo succeeded his half-brother of Lobengula.

Archaeology In the late 18th century archaeology was practiced as a task requiring merely the application of sufficient force. In a drawing made by Giovanni Permoli around 1760, a classical statue of Livia, wife of emperor Augustus and mother of Tiberius, is being crudely raised with levers. This marble statue was found near the Italian city of Parma. [C.W. Ceram, `The March of Archaeology', N.Y., 1970, p. 6.] Archaeobotany According to conventional historians the Syrian site of Abu Hureyra is supposed to reach back some 11,000 years. While one group of archaeologists led by the British archaeobotanist Gordon Hillman "interpreted the mixes of species of seed concentrations as evidence that humans harvested a variety of wild plants - a kind of prelude to agriculture. Naomi Miller, archaeobotanist from the University of Pennsylvania, suggested those seed concentrations might be burnt gazelle dung. Gazelle were fairly common at the time, and a known source of meat. Detailed counterpoints from both sides ensued." Her research led her to state, " ... overgrazing by domestic animals caused a decline in high-quality forage."[S. Nash, `Seeds of Time' in Archaeology, Jan/Feb 2004, p. 24-29] See also Cheryl W. Haldane, Shipwrecked Plant Remains in BA, Vol 53, No. 1, Mar 1990, p. 55-60. Article tells that ancient seeds were found on the Ulu Burun Shipwreck which included: Safflower, caper and wildflower seeds. Copper ingots yielded thorny burnet (Sarcopoterium spinosum), which had formed a protective cushion called `dunnage'. This brush grows in abundance in the Mediterranean region and may have been used to make the thorny wreath of Jesus. Chemistry and Archaeology For information on how to distinguish `fat' traces if they were left by animal fat or milk using `GCIMS' (Gaschromatography Combustion Isotope Ratio Mass-Spectography) see BAR, May/Jun 1999, p. 20-21. They determined that milk fat residues have fewer carbon 13 atoms than regular animal fat. This way they determined that animal fat on pottery from Northamptonshire, dated to 300 BC, was milk rather than animal fat. This method may allow tracing `milking' back in time.

Catal Höyük, Anatolia An ancient site in Anatolia. For images see J.J. Thorndike, `Discovery of Lost Worlds', American Heritage 1979, p. 19-21.

The Book of Psalms The interesting story of the discovery of `Christian antiquities' or `antikat Nasrani', the Coptic version of `The Book of Psalms', including the Apogryphal Psalm 151, in Sahidic, or the Coptic dialect of Upper Egypt near a `White Monastery of the famous monk Shenuti (ca. 8th cent. AD)' at Suhag, Egypt is here referenced. [This is listed ca. 1920 at the BM, MS Oriental No. 5000. Budge edited under the title, `The Earliest Known Coptic Psalter', London, 1898. For a technical description see W.E. Crum, `Catalogue of the Coptic MSS, in the British Museum', London. 1905, p. 393] Budge that day also found a set of Ten Homilis by great Christian Fathers (viz.John, Archbishop of Constantinopel, Athanasius, Theophilus, Archbishop [of Alexandria?], Proclus, Bishop of Cyzicus, Basil of Caesarea, and Eusebius of Caesarea. (BM, #5001, Edited by Budge `Coptic Homilis in the Dialect of Upper Egypt', Ldn. 1910) Budge obtained between 1895-1907 from this same site also: The Coptic Version of the books of 1. Proverbs, 2. Ecclesiastes, 3. Canticles, 4. Wisdom, 3. Ecclesiasticus (in Upper Egyptian), 4. 50 folios of the Pauline Epistles in the dialect of Upper Egypt, from a volume which was written ca. the 5th or 6th cent. AD. (BM, MS Oriental No. 5989). From the Coptic monastery at Deir el Bahari Budge obtained a kerosine tin full of leather and papyrus and many large fragments of inscribed papyrus: 1. 20 complete and 20 incomplete legal documents from the 8th or 9th cent. AD, 2. 43 complete rolls in 1903, 12 more rolls in 1906, 19 more rolls in 1907, and 12 more in 1909, and a very large number of fragments. [E.A.W. Budge, `By Nile and Tigris', Vol. II, 1920]

Nicocles, last king of Paphos, Cyprus (ca. 4th century BC) Reading `To the Paphian King Nikokles, priest of the lady, son of king Timarchos ...'

Games of Antiquity Even in antiquity people spent time playing various board or figure games. One such ivory game board '58 hole game board' decorated with two lions was discovered among other ivory items in 1937 in one of the cellar rooms of the so-called Canaanite palace at Megiddo. Also shown is the Egyptian board game `Hounds and Jackals' with animal headed ivory pins, the `Game of 20 Squares', and dices and cone like game pieces. [For images see Eben Scheffler, `Fascinating Discoveries from the Biblical World', Pretoria 2000, p. 29, 30]

The Sassanians A people group said to have occupied former Assyrian localities after the demise of the Assyrian Empire. In later years (ca. 225 BC), the Persian Ardashir overthrew the Parthians and set up the Sassanid kingdoms.

The Palace of Assurbanipal or Sardanapalus The Palace of Assurbanipal was found on Mount Koyunjik by Hormuzd Rassam, former assistant to Henry Layard, under the auspices of then Major Rawlinson ca. 1854 for the British Museum. Here was found the record chamber of the king containing the `Deluge Tablet', and `the large Assyrian cylinder'. As a result of these discoveries later excavations were carried on in Balawat. At Balawat Rassum discovered a stone coffer with a lid containing two tablets of inscribed stone (b). During this time he also excavated Nimrod making many finds of the famous Assyrian artifacts (c). [H. Rassam, F.R.G.S., `Excavations and Discoveries in Assyria', Vol. VII, 1882, Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archaeology (TSBA)', p. 37-58; b) Ernest A. Budge, `On a Recently Discovered Text of Assur-Natsir-Pal', Ibid., p. 59-82; c) Theo. G. Pinches, `The Bronze Gates Discovered by Rassam at Balawat', Ibid., p. 83-118.; Also `The Adventure of Archaeology', Nat. Geogr, p. 66-71.]

A Growing List of Multi or Bilingual Inscriptions Latin and Aramaic I) The Gravestone from South Shields, England. "DM. REGINA , LIBERTA , ET , CONJUGE . BARATES , PALMYRENUS . NATIONE . CATUALLAUNA . AN . XXX . The Aramaic writing in Palmyrene/Tadmor characters reads: `Regina, the freed woman of Barate. Alas!' The inscription seems to date from the 2nd/3rd century AD. The `Catuallauna' were a British tribe also known as the Catuvellauni. [W. Wright, `Note on a Bilingual Inscription...' in TSBA, Vol. VI, 1878, p. 436-440.] Phoenician and Greek A bilingual inscription on a stone block was found on Malta and known since 1697 and first published in 1736 it is now listed as KAI#47. It reads: "To our lord, Melqart, Master of Tyre, (this stele is that) which your servants, Servant-of-Osiris, and his brother, Osiris-has-protected, the two sons of Osiris-has-protected son of Servant-of-Osiris, vowed, because he heard their voice. My he bless them." [Donald R. Vance, Literary Sources for the History of Palestine: The Phoenician Inscriptions, Part Two in BA, Jun 1994, p. 110-120.] Aramaic and Greek: The Khirbet el-Qôm bilingual ostracon. In each language, the first line records the date ("Year 6"), and the last the amount (32 drachmas). The middle of the Aramaic section records that "Qos-Yada the money-lender loaned to Nikeratos"; the middle of the Greek says, "Nikeratos received from Koside". The `Year 6' refers to the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus, giving a date of 277 BC. Also the bilingual (Greek, Aramaic) Zoilus Inscription from Dan. [See Andrea M. Berlin, `Between Large Forces - Palestine in the Helenistic Period' in BA, Mar 1997, p. 2-51. The article also features a silver tetradrachm from Dor of Ptolemy I and a coin of Alexander Jannaeus (103-76 BC). A drawn image of Dor's reconstructed fortification wall and adjacent houses, also the house of Marisa, the unfinished Qasr al-Abs at `Iraq el-Emir'; the plan of Qalanduyeh; a `YHD' stamped handle; the Greek a) `Hefzibah' and the Greek b) `Yavne-Yam' Inscription'; a view of the `Jezreel Valley'. [a) A record of Beth-Shean's military governor's request to the Seleucid King from ca. 200 BC and b) records a petition of the Sidonian community living in the `Port of Jamnia' and Antiochus V Eupator's (164-162 BC) response] Also feature a side article on `Civil War of 166-160 BC; Jonathan's Rise (160-145 BC) and Antiochus VII Sidetes (139-129 BC). A view of the Strato Tower; Comparative pottery: Phoenician, Rhodian, Palestinian; Most of all the article features a map of the Jannaeus (Yannai) Line whose foundations were found partially along the Yarkon River between Antipatris and the sea (ca. 5.5 km north of Joppa) according to Josephus. The Bilingual Hittite and Cuneiform Inscription of Tarkondêmos Where the cuneiform legend reads: "D.P. Tar-ik - Tim-me 'sar mat Er-me-e.", translated as, "Tarrik Timme, King of the Country of Ermê." [PSBA, Nov 1880, p. 4-13.] II) Erich Dinkler (Heidelberg), `König Ezana von Aksum und das Christentum / King Ezana of Aksum and Christendom)', `Ein Randproblem der Geschichte Nubiens / A Problem of Nubian History on the Side Lines' published in Aegypten und Kush, Akademie Verlag, 108 Berlin, Leipziger Str. 3-4, in the former GDR (DDR) in 1977. Discusses inscriptions found in 1969 in Aksum, the 4th/5th century AD Greek Ezana inscription found 1969, historical connections involving Eusebius as translated by Rufinus, i.e. Passage X, 9, 10; Athanasius `Apologia ad Constantimium' written in 357 BC and featuring a letter by Emperor Constantine II. to the brothers Aichanas and Sachanas of Aksum; the inscriptions on the gold, silver and copper coins of Ezana bearing the legend, `BACILEYO EZANA or HZANAC or AZANA' and showing various symbols. The article then discusses the 3 fold historical difficulty as revealed in the Ezana text and the coin inscriptions. They are said to present clearly three religious orientations between the king (or his numismatic engraver?) compared to the 1969 Greek inscription. 1. The inscription deals with Pagan/Heathen religiosity, in which Ezana calls himself `king of kings' and `son of the undefeatable god Ares'. 2. Monotheistic faith of the Old Testament Divine variety which seems to come out in inscription #11, `Lord of Heaven', `Lord of the Land', `Lord of the Universe' referring back to OT terminology. 3. Christian, and clearly trinitarian faith is now testified to in the Greek text. All honors of war of having subjugated animals or people cannot be found. Even the supposed point, that of victory, is missing. The New Ezana Inscription Translated from the German by CIAS staff "In the faith of God and the power of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, to him, who has preserved to me the kingdom through faith on his Son Jesus Christ, who has helped me and always helps me, I, Anza, king of the Aksumeonites and Himyarites and of those of Reeidan and Sabaean and S(il)eel and Kaso and Bedja and Tiamo, Bisi Alene (of the tribe of Halen), Son of Ellemida, Servant of Christ, thanks to the Lord my God; and I cannot express the fullness of my thankfulness sufficiently because my mouth and my thoughts cannot express all the thankfulness due to him for doing so much for me; for he has given me strength and power and a great name, through his Son, in whom I have had faith and he made him for me to be the leader in my entire realm on the basis of my faith on Christ according to his purpose and through the power of Christ; who himself led me and him I have faith in and he became leader to me. I went out to war against Noba, because they complained against the Mangartho and Kaso and Atiaditai, and against the Barya, in that they said: `We were suppressed by the Noba, help us, for they make it hard through murder.' And I rose up by the power of the God Christus, whom I place my faith in, and who led me. And I rose up leaving Aksum on the 8th day of the Aksumitic month of Magabit on a Sabbath because of my faith in God, and I reached Mambaria, and there I made provisions." III) Persian tri-lingual inscription A gold plaque of the time of Darius the Great contains an identical message in three languages written in still cuneiform in horizontal rows: Babylonian, Elamite, and Old Persian. The readable plaque can be seen in Gilbert Highet's `The Survival of Records' in `Discovery of Lost Worlds', p. 306. Iranian Archaeology: Many cuneiform inscribed weapons can be seen in R.Girshman & L. Vanden Berghe, `Iranica Antiqua', Leiden, 1962. Included are Elamite cuneiform texts from De Tchogha Zanbil, Median Art, Deciphering of the `Elamite Strichschrift', Excavations at Ali-Kosh, Iran, 1961 (Catalogue of Plates, pottery); Bronze inscriptions from Luristan, showing cuneiform inscriptions on swords, spear heads, ax heads and many other implements. Languages The language of the letters found at Tell Brak is Middle Babylonian. If the Assyrian chronological markers are accepted then the Middle Babylonian Amarna letters must be 9th and display the characteristics of Late Assyrian epigraphy. Soden, an Assyriologist, admits that Amarna letters from northern Syria display "astonishing" Assyriansms [Soden, Wolfram, 1986. `Sumer', Vol. 42, p. 106]. Nor are these Assyrianisms restricted to Northern Syria. Moran notes the same thing about the Jerusalem letters [Moran, William L., `Amarna Studies', 1975]. Furthermore, some Kassite texts in Babylonia are assigned to the Amarna period because of their Middle Babylonian epigraphy. Gadd, referring to these tablets of the 'Middle Kassite' period, says, "But the salutations which follow this (the introduction) show a characteristic increase of formality over those of the Hammurabi period (17th century). One official, writing to another, adds after his name 'your brother' and the phrase 'be it well with you', which is ubiquitous in the "Amarna and Late Assyrian letters [Gadd, `Assyrian and Babylonia', 1975, p.39]." (Italics added) These 'Middle Kassite' tablets have similar elements to the Late Assyrian letters because they, like the Amarna letters, belong to the 10th and 9th century. The Amarna letters themselves display style, idioms and Assyrianisms characteristic of the Late Assyrian period. Furthermore, these texts resemble Neo-Babylonian texts at Nippur, circa 755 - 612, Cole states "The terminology used to denote alliances in the letters from Nippur is remarkably similar to the language employed in the Aramaic texts ...in the letters of the el Amarna age." [Cole, p. 27-8.] A. Montgomery

Lebus, a German town on the banks of the Oder River just north of the former `Frankfort o. the Oder' where part of the Schliemann ceramics from Troy were hidden during WWII and many of them broken by locals not knowing their value.

Mycenaean Artwork from Peleponnese When archaeologists discovered the wall paintings in the wealthy/royal palaces at Pylos, Tiryns and Mycenae they were described and interpreted. Shown are scenes of peaceful occupations, religious processions, hunting, and a few scenes of combat and violence. "They came from confident years when the threat to their way of life was still in the unforeseeable future. They look like the art work of people who planned to go on living where they were in reasonable comfort for years to come. It is hardly likely that these paintings were commissioned by men immediately threatened by an enemy."[See also N.K.Sanders, `The Sea Peoples', 1978, p. 68f]

Tell Leilani Cylinder Seal Texts 1 cylinder seal, L82-105, reads: "Suri-Adad, son of Zidriya, servant of Shamshi-Adad." 13 cylinder seals bore the same text: "Adad ... canal inspector of the god ... and the god ..., Suri-Adad, the ... ." 227 cylinder seals of various stages of preservation read: "Beli-emuqi, servant of Khaya-abum, servant of the god Adad." 2 cylinder seal impressions, L82-74 & 75, read: "Apil-ilishu, son of Ali-banishu, servant of Turum-natki." [See BA, Vol. 48, Mar 1985, p. 14, 15]

For The Record European Finds Discoveries of artifacts in Europe are no less exciting than they are in other parts of the world. Examples follow below: Germany December 15, 2008: German archaeologists discovered Roman army items from a battlefield near Kalefeld (Long. 10 degr., 10 sec. & Lat. 51 degr., 45 sec.) in central Germany from probably 200 years after they retreated over the Rhein River. Finds included spears, arrowheads, chain or armor items and an ax head.[Yahoo News] Roman Chariot Service Station Discovered This service station was discovered in the city area of Neuss am Rhein on the east bank opposite of Düsseldorf (6.7E & 51.25N). Head archaeologist Sabine Sauer unearthed the rest stop's raised foundation, which included an underground heating system, and the remains of a slate roof. It was part of the `Roman Long Road' which connected the North Sea with Brindisi, Italy. Numerous bones of chicken and pork, as well as rice, lentils, bread, fruit and fragments of amphora and plates were found. [Odyssey, Mar 2005, p. 12] England 1. A brightly colored enamel copper alloy bowl with celtic-style motifs was reportedly discovered by a metal detectorist in west-central England. Attributed to the 2nd century AD the bowl is only the third example with an inscription recording the military forts located along Hadrian's Wall in England. The previous two were found in Wiltshire in 1725 and in Amiens in 1949. Four western forts are named on the bowl, including for the first time, confirming its ancient spelling of COGGABATA. The whole text reads, `MAIS COGGABAT VXELOOVNVMGAMMOGIANNARIGOREVALIAELI DRACONIS'. A damaged statue of Hadrian wearing a cuirass and paludamentum (a metal shirt type wear which has artful figures, designs and faces embossed. See Nina Jidejian, Tyre through the Ages, Beirut, 1969, Plate 55. A lenghty looking inscription in Greek on the left leg of the northern Colossi of Memnon tells of emperor Hadrian's visit to the site. [Ancient Egypt, Mar/Feb 2009.] The Gundestrup Caldron A B&W image of the `Gundestrup Caldron' as found in a Danish bog can be seen in J. Thorndike's, `Discovery of Lost Worlds', N.Y., 1979, p. 179. Roman Battle Monument Unearthed in Greece In September 2004 a farmer came upon a buried marble column in his field ca. 75 north of Athens. Archaeologists determined that it was part of the originally 23 foot high monument to the battle between the victorious Roman general Lucius Cornelius Sulla and his 15,000 strong fighting men to stop the westward advance of the 100,000 men under Mithridates VI (120-63 BC), ruler of Pontus, a kingdom along the southeast coast of the Black Sea. Erected ca. 86 BC by Sulla and written about by the Greek historian Plutarch (ca. 46-120 AD) the monument was erected by Orchomenos and since lost sight of until September 2004. Archaeologist are confident to be able to reassemble the monument from the remaining stones found in the area. The pillar was crafted in the shape of a tree trunk with the armor of the Romans' vanquished foe carved around. [Odyssey, Mar 2005, p. 12] United States Evidence for the storage of corn/Mais was found in the Anasazi town in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. It appears the corn was grown ca. 50 miles away and wood for construction was also obtained from the corn growing region. [See Archaeologoy, Jan/Feb 2004, p. 10]

The Reading of the Jehoash Inscription - Fake or Genuine? The so-called 15 line Jehoash Inscription describes repairs to the Solomonic Temple by King Jehoash/(Joash) in the 9th century BC (ca. 835-796 BC). It reads: "I am Yeho'ash the son of Ahaziah (ca. 841 BC) [I ruled over Ju-]dah and I renovated [th]is H[ouse] just as the will[ing]-ness of the heart of each man in the land and in the desert and in all the cities of Judah was complete to give the silver of the holy things amply, to acquire hewn stone and cypress and copper of Edom, to do the work in faithfulness. And I renovated the breach of the House and the walls round about and the ledge and the lattices and the staircases and the recesses and the doors. And may this day become a testimony that the work will be successful. May Yaweh ordain his people with a blessing." According to the author the following scholars reportedly seem to be convinced that the inscription is genuine: Andre Lemaire, Sorbonne University, Paris, Chaim Cohen, Ben Gurion University, Beersheva, Ada Yardeni, a leading Israeli paleographer, Gabrial Barkay, Bar-Ilan University, Tel Aviv and David N. Freedman. These scholars argued that we do not really know enough of the linguistic conventions of the 9th century BC to call it a fake or genuine on the basis of the Hebrew word "edut (testimony)" for example. They argue that there is nothing in the language of the text that requires us to label it a fake. Detractors seem to imagine that we really know enough how people spoke and wrote during that age. Not so, defenders say. They ask, how many anomalies are required to proof an inscription a fake? [See D. N. Freedman, `Don't Rush to Judgment', BAR, Vol. 30, Mar/Apr 2004, p. 47-50.]

The Garamantians In the records first mentioned by Herodotus the Garamantes emerge today once again as a resourceful, skilled people whose regional state was centered in the deep Sahara desert of Libya. They were successful, using many slaves, in obtaining `fossil water' from deep tunnels they dug underneath the calcium carbonate salt covered desert formed long ago by hundreds of regional lakes and long ages of rain fall. For images and the story see D. Keys, `Kingdom of the Sands' in Archaeology, Mar/Apr 2004, p. 24-29.; Featured are a map showing the location of their capital city of Garama, aerial images of their digging remains, colored sherds and artifact reports. They existed for probably at least a millenia into Roman times.

Justice for Women in Old Israel Zelophehad had no sons and therefore no male heirs, but five daughters were born to him before he died. His daughters felt they would be unfairly disfranchised from possessing land in Israel, and they presented their case before the congregation and the leaders. [Numbers 27:2] Moses responded to their plea, "Moses brought their case before the Lord. And the Lord said to Moses, "The daughters of Zelophehad are right; you shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father's brethren and cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them." [Num. 27:5,6] According to Benjamin Constant, a great French political philosopher, it is wrong to believe that people enjoyed individual rights prior to Christianity. [B. Constant, De L Liberté Des Anciens Comparée à celle des Modernes; from `Écrits Politiques', Folio, Paris, pp. 591-610, 1997 as quoted in TJ 19(2), 2005, p. 67. Ancient Hebrew Laws for the Poor "Among the many and varied laws handed down to us in the Mosaic legislation, the laws relating to the poor exhibit some very distinctive features, when compared with the scanty provisions for the same class found among other nations of antiquity. We may confidently assert that these Mosaic enactments form the basis from which has sprung the gigantic structure of charity organization which adorns our own age." [Dr. Sigmund Louis, `The Poor Laws of the Ancient Hebrewes' in TSBA, Vol. VIII, 1885, p. 30-41.]

Kom Rabia - Processing Finds from Excavations The stupendious task of classifying and recording all sorts of finds during excavations is discussed by the author and exemplified during his work at the site of Kom Rabia. "We are working in a settlement site and I had expected to be working through contexts of the late 18th to early 19th Dynasty such as we found last year. I have a considerable corpus of pottery of this date from the excavations in the New Kingdom Necropolis of Saqqara and had a recording system worked out which was based on keeping all the diagnostic sherds, i.e. rims, bases, handles, spouts, and decorated sherds. However, as well as late 18th-19th Dynasty deposits, I found myself facing mid 18th, to early 18th Dynasty deposits because the site turns out to be terraced." [AIAKM: `Akten des 4. Internationalen Ägyptologen Kongresses München 1985', Publ. by Sylvia Schoske, Band I, p. 14.] Chemical Analysis of Artifacts Analysis of Iron Implements from Tell Beit Mirsim/ Kirjath-sepher: Analysis of the center portion of a lime encrusted iron ploughshare: Silica...0.58%, MnO....023%, P2O5....).077%, S (as sulfite or sulfide)...0.032%, C (possibly as carbonate)....0.45%, Fe2O3....90.76%, Al2O3...0.36%, NiO....0.12%; The remainder is mostly CaO. [M.W. Lightner in BASOR, Oct 1950, p. 22-23.; From Tell Beit Mirsim come also what is described as rattles (Hebr. `mena'ne'a'; plural: `mena'ne'im', 2.Sam. 6:5) See Bathja Bayer, The finds that could not be' in BAR, Jan/Feb 1982, p. 20ff. Also shows the image of the `Triumphal Arch of Titus in Rome', p. 28.] Elemental Analysis of Pottery from the Temple of Queen Khentkaus at Abusir 3 samples of clay were examined. One was found in the same object as the pottery, in the Temple of Queen Khenthaus, and carried a seal-impression dated New Kingdom by Peter Kaplony. Another clay sample came from a mud brick of the Palace of King Apries at Memphis and the third one from a mud brick of the Roman town at Douch, Kharga Oasis. The whole set of the samples are characterized by high content of calcium, natrium, magnesium, titanium and kalium and by low content of silver, cadmium, nickel, bismuth and zirconium. "Because of the 5-6th dynasty pottery in the Temple of Queen Khentkaus being similar to that from the Mastaba of Princess Khekeretnebti, both objects are within a small distance (about 100 m) and there was a time gap of about 40-90 years between the death of the Queen and the Princess, we decided to submit to another cluster analysis our recent results from the Temple of Khentkaus together with the older data from the Mastaba of Khekeretnebty. We tried 4 different programs out of which Jaccard's NWTO (weighted pair-group method) will be presented here. The results show that in spite of the occurrences of identical or similar types of pottery in the 5-6th dynasties components of the two assemblages they did not merge but remained isolated. For the distinction between both assemblages is mainly responsible the presence of silver, bismuth and cadmium in the pottery from the Temple of Khentkaus, while the presence of arsenic, barium, beryllium and manganese in the pottery from the Mastaba (distinguishes it). Moreover, the two assemblages show significantly different concentrations of cobalt, lithium, molybdenum, nickel, lead, vanadium and wolfram. We may assume that during the elapsed period either clay sources used for the production of pottery for these nearby located funeral establishments sharply changed, or that both establishments were supplied with pottery from different workshops. The demand for pottery was surely great and more than a single kiln in the (area?) would have better fulfilled it." [AIAKM, E. Strouhal, `Elemental Analysis of Pottery...', p. 253f; See also AIAKM, Band II, D.&R. Klemm, `Der Fortschreitende Zerfall einer Statue Thutmose III aus Quarzdiorit (The Continuing Decomposition of a Statue of Thutmose III made of Quarts-Diorite)', p. 65ff; Hoher Prozentanteil von Pyritenteilen » oxidation » teilweise Eisenhydroxydformation » Schwefelteile » Schwefelsäure oxidation » reagiert mit Kalziumanteilen » bildet `derben Gips' mit Hilfe von Bakterien wie Thiobacter ferrooxidans die aber nicht, auf Grund technischer Probleme, nachgewiesen werden konnten.] CIAS Conclusion: It appears that attributing pottery types without chemical analysis considerations may be misleading.

Microscopic Analysis of pottery With microscopic techniques it is not possible to identify clay minerals because of their small size, but the materials used as temper can be precisely determined and characterized by their properties. The materials used as temper are extremely heterogeneous. Single grains of minerals are predominant. Frequently they are adhering to other mineral forming small particles of stone fragments.

Old Kingdom pottery from Thebes particle matrix contents Inorganic particles: fossils from weathered marls; fragments of limestone; broken pieces of pottery; slags; Mineral particles: feldspar (plagioclase, ortoclase, microline); types of mica (biotite, muscovite, alteration products like bauerite and sericite, amphiboles (especially the brown and green varieties of hornblende), pyroxines, epidote, calcite, and accessory minerals like zircon, apatite, garnet, tourmaline, titanite and the more or less opaque minerals like magnetite, hematite and pyrite). Feldspars; various types of twinning (albite, pericle-law, grid of microlines, carlsbad-, manebach-, and baveno- law of potassium feldspars) which permit a conclusion on which type of rock the feldspar originated from. It is important if quartzite is rounded or angular, homogeneous or cleavaged. Organic particles: straw; other plant parts;

Old Kingdom pottery from El Tarif Nile clay pottery from this location was not a homogeneous group but represented at least three types: 1. A fine matrix with only a few large rounded quartzes and minor quantities of other minerals occured: up to 1mm and also smaller homogeneous, free from cleavage large quartzes without stress lines. Frequent bits and pieces of ground pottery particles are found. 2. A high quantity of small angular quartzes which never show rounded grain boundaries and a relatively high amount of plant inclusions like straw, grass or cereals which are so completely preserved that their characteristic features can be observed. Plagioclase forms large tables with a narrow twinning according to the albite law and is never intergrown with other minerals. They are unaltered and do not show any traces of sericite. Potassium feldspar occurs as microline and can form large grains with only rare inclusions of other minerals. The micas and amphiboles are very small in number compared to quartzite and feldpars. Flakes of muscovite are small or partially altered. Small flakes of biotite are strongly pleochorotic from light brown to blackish brown. Hornblende is also brown, pleochoritic and large enough to show clearly its cleavage. Opaque ore minerals are frequent, other accessory minerals are rare. 3. Still more fine grained than 2. type.

Old Kingdom pottery from Elephantine Found was relatively homogeneous pottery. The main tempering ingredient was rounded and all shapes of quartz not intermixed with other minerals. Less and smaller amounts of plagioclase and microline was found. Micas were more altered. A higher content of green, pleochroitic hornblende together with light brown hornblende was observed. Few and less preserved inclusions of plant remains occurred. Coarser types contained granitic rock particles as well as fragments of marls and of nodules of hematite mixed with clay minerals. This pottery was clearly distinguishable from El Tarif.

4th Dynasty pottery from Snofru at Dashur This pottery was extremely heterogeneous. Apart from calcareous types there are at least 5 types made of Nile clay. They are distinguisable from pottery at El Tarif and Elephantine by their fabric and to some extent their mineralogical composition. 1. Similar to El Tarif but almost free from amphiboles and only scarce plant remains are found. 2. Highly porous because of plant remains containing large flakes of hematite. 3. The temper consists of many rounded quartz grains and few larger quartz inclusions as well as larger hematite inclusions and nodules of marly clay. 4. Contains grains of calcite and fossils as temper together with usual minerals of quartz, feldspar and micas. 5. Contains a very dense matrix of very large inclusions of isolated quartz grains up to 1mm making it completely different from the other 4 types. Words as to grain/contents of ceramics used include: quartzes, silicates, plagioclase, sericite, (potassium) feldspars, microline, micas, amphiboles, muscovite, pleochroitic biotite and hornblende, opaque ore minerals, flakes of pottery, tiny pieces of granitic rocks, fragments of marl and of hematite mixed with clay minerals, calcite, carbonized remains of plants and broken pieces of fossils.

5th dynasty pottery from the temple of Userkaf at Saqqara There are a considerable number of varieties. Apart from the fact that one of the main types contains calcite there are little differences in mineralogical composition except the clearly distinguishable differences in grain size and fabric. Another type contains about half calcite and half silicates and can be sub-grouped as to grain sizes.

Various analytical methods have been tried: i.e. microscopic, chemical, x-ray diffraction, Mossbauer Spectroscopy. El Tarif Old Kingdom pottery was not a homogeneous group but was found to present at least in three types. Words as to grain/contents of ceramics used include: quartzes, silicates, plagioclase, sericite, (potassium) feldspars, microline, micas, amphiboles, muscovite, pleochroitic biotite and hornblende, opaque ore minerals, flakes of pottery, tiny pieces of granitic rocks, fragments of marl and of hematite mixed with clay minerals, calcite, carbonized remains of plants and broken pieces of fossils. [Josef Reiderer, `The Microscopic Analysis of Egyptian Pottery from the Old Kingdom' in `Akten des 4. Internationalen Ägyptologen Kongresses München 1985', Publ. by Sylvia Schoske, Band I, p. 221ff.] A beautiful example of an ancient, artfully carved 6 inch long sheath of usually inconspicious appearing mica into the form of a head of an American Indian, which was found in an Ohio serpent mound, can be seen in `The Adventure of Archaeology' in Nat. Geogr. Book, p. 137.

Pharaonic Gold Mining In the same mountainous region where also Wadi Hammamat is located, Wadi el Sid was explored for possible gold veins. Wadi Hammamat, along its northern branch, connects Coptos on the Nile with Quseir on the Red Sea coast while, on its southern branch, it connects Coptos, by way of Khsame el-Menih (Didyme), with Berenice. For details see R. & D. Klemm, `Pharaonischer Goldbergbau im Wadi Sid und der Turiner Minenpapyrus' in AIAKM 1985, Vol. 2, p. 73-87. Featured are B&W maps based on aerial photos showing the detailed wadis and contours of mountains and labeled locations. For map information see Carol Meyer, Bryan Earl, Mohammed Omar & R.K. Smither, Ancient Gold Extraction at Bir Umm Fawakhir in JARCE, Vol. XL, p. 14. `Bir Umm' is located almost half-way between Coptos and Quseir close to Bir Hammamat in a mountainous region riddled with wadis. The JARCE article shows maps, an interesting B&W image of jointed granit photographed by Henry Cowherd, an image of Quartz veinlets, tther remains of an an `opencast' mine, an open shaft (think hole in the ground) with the remains of a retaining wall, crushing chunks of ore with a heavy hammer, flat, oval plate type crushing stones, dimple stones and the drawn APS (Advanced Photon Source) beam and detector setup of Argonne National Laboratory. Scythian Gold The Scythians had among them very skilled gold jewelers as can be seen by the products they made. For images consult: A) Lionel Casson, `The Horse in History' in Discovery of Lost Worlds, p. 57-76. This article features a beautiful rendition of the Three Golden Warriors' meeting in combat as part of a handle of a comb found in a Scythian tomb of the 4th century BC. Their dress combines Scythian leather trousers with Greek helmets and cuirass. Also featured is an image of a Scythian rider who seems to be represented turned back as one on a flying steed. Arabic Gold One of the richest gold mines in Saudi Arabia or even Africa may have been Mahd-el-Dahab. Rediscovered in 1932 by a miner named Karl Twitchell, the mine produces ca. 5 tons of gold a year. A picture of the mine and a vein of gold is shown in color in BAR, Vol. 22, Jul/Aug 1996, p. 57.

Some Later Chronolgies Rule of the Shiite Fatimides in Cairo, Egypt: 969-1171 AD. Time of the Island city of Tinnis, east of Port Said, known as an industrious city in producing linen, wool, satin and brokate fabrics to make colorful clothing for women and turbans for caliphs. Inhalt (Contents): Dritter Teil (Al-Mu`izz 973-975): Der neue Pharao, Spannung und Konflikte, Die Stützen der Macht, Geld und Steuern, Die Qarmaten, Byzanz und Syrien, Der Nubische Pakt, Mekka, Die Thronfolge; Vierter Teil (Al-Aziz (975-996): Der Wesir, Die Diwane, Die Juden, Die Kopten, Feste, Die Aussenpolitik unter der Leitung Gauhars (976-979), Die Syrienpolitik des Wesirs Ibn Killis (980-991), Die Genealogie der Fatimiden, Al-Aziz' letztere Regierungsjahre (991-996), Der Tod des `Aziz; Fünfter Teil (Al-Hakim 996-1021): Der Gecko, Die Minderjährigkeit al-Hakims (996-1000), Bargawans Ermordung, Erste Jahre der Selbstherrschaft (1000-1004), Der Volkserzieher, Die Moscheen von Kairo, Das Haus der Weisheit, Abu Rakwa, der Mann der Feldflasche, Anäherung an die Sunniten, Die Zerstörung der Grabeskirche, Das Gegenkalifat des Scherifen von Mekka (1011-1013), Der Kalif und seine Minister, Das Recht und seine Hüter, Die Verbreitung der Islamitischen Geheimlehre, Al-Hakims Aussenpolitik (1010-1021), Der Asket auf dem Esel, Die doppelte Thronfolge, Die grosse Ketzerei: Die Religion der Drusen, Al-hakims Verschwinden; Sechster Teil (Az-Zahir 1021-1036): Die Regentschaft der Prinzessin Sitt al Mulk (1021-1023), Der Harem, Die grosse Hungersnot und der Wesir ohne Hände, Drusenverfolgung und Islamitische Restauration, Syrien und Palästina unter dem Druck der Beduinen, Der neue Alexander: Kaiser Romanos III. in Syrien. Siebter Teil (Der Kalif Al-Mustansir (1036-1074): Die Regierung des Wesirs al-Gargara (1036-1074), Missionare, Seelsorger und Agenten: Die Da`is im Einsatz, Günstlinge (1045-1050), Syrische Wirren, Der Palast, Die Invasion des Magrib: Die Westwanderung der Hilal und Sulaim, Das Ende der islamischen Herrschaft in Sizilien, Der Krise der fatimidisch-byzantinischen Beziehungen, Der Da`i al-Mu`ayyad und die Eroberung von Bagdad, Der König des Jemen, Die große Kalamität: Krise und Zusammenbruch, Die Plünderung der Schatzkammern, Das Grab der Geier. [Heinz Halm, `Die Kalifen von Kairo', München, 2003 ] LinkingRoman Day Numbers to Egyptian Month Names ... where the overlap is not perfect. Thoth ........... I ... 3ht = September .................... Phamenoth ......... III ... prt = March Phaophi ....... II .. 3ht = October ........................ Pharmouthi ......... IV .. prt = April Hathyr ........ III . 3ht = November ..................... Pachons ................ I ... smw = May Choiak .........IV . 3ht = December ..................... Payni .................... II .. smw = June Tybi ............... I . prt = January .......................... Epeiph ................ III .. smw = July Mecheir ......... II. prt = February ........................ Mesore ................ IV . smw = August [Leo Depuydt, Esna's Triple New Year in JARCE, Vol. XL 2003, p. 55-67.]

Physical Properties of the Great Pyramid of Giza Pyramid base length = 9067.7 and 9097.62 angle as determined by Petrie from remaining pieces of intact side wall: 51 degrees 46 minutes 45 seconds, +/- 2'7"; Petrie determined the unit measure of construction as: 20.632" +/- .004" (cubit) determined on the basis of his `precise' measurements of the chamber that he took. Other articles have slightly different measurements, i.e. Ancient Egypt, Jun 1930, p. 38.

CIAS Helping to Locate Ancient Documentations 1. Images of the sport of Minoan bull leapers can be found in `The Horizon Book of Lost Worlds', p. 266ff;

A Growing List of Source Material for Amphitheaters Pergamum, Turkey, Greek, `The Adventure of Archaeology', Nat. Geogr. Book, p. 162, 163.;

The Use of Microscopy Arlene Miller Rosen, `Microartifacts and the Study of Ancient Societies' in BA, June 1991, p. 97-103. Presents the distribution of microartifacts from Tel Miqne. For a colorful image of the microscopic appearance of anciently deposited pollen of sweet allyssum see `The Adventure of Archaeology', Nat. Geogr. Book, p. 249. Mary Ann Murray, Rich Refuse from Memphis in Egyptian Archaeology, No. 4, 1994, p. 34-35. Among the items shown and identified in refuse were: charred spiklet forks of emmer wheat, a daisy flower head, two seeds of the borage flower family, seeds of the pea, barley and catchfly (carnation) family. Illustrated is the difference between emmer wheat and barley. A.John Gwinnett, `Bead Manufacture at Hajar ar-Rayhani, Yemen' in BA, Dec. 1991, p. 187-196. Shows camels in the desert location, the dig site, microscopic and electron micrographs of bead surfaces, drill impressions and evidence of percussion techique. Mary Ann Murray, Rich Refuse from Memphis in Egyptian Archaeology, No. 4, 1994, p. 34-35. Among the items identified in refuse were: charred spiklet forks of emmer wheat, a daisy flower head, two seeds of the borage flower family, seeds of the pea, barley and catchfly (carnation) family. Illustrated is the difference between emmer wheat and barley.

Ancient Earthquakes of Interest to Archaeologists 1. An earthquake dated to May 19, 363 AD ( a Monday) is supposed to have occurred in the Jordanian port city of Aqaba. It is not stated how the quake was dated. BAR, Nov. 1998, p. 22. 2. The June 7, 1692 (a Sabbath) quake which sank about 2/3 of the harbor of Port Royal, Jamaica, was photographed by Nat. Geogr. and can be seen in `The Adventure of Archaeology', Nat. Geogr. Book, p. 278-279. 3. The 1783 AD eruption at Laki left a 25 km long fissure across southern Iceland. For the dramatic color photo showing the shear mountain splitting destructive power see NewScientist, May 2005, p. 57. 4. The largest recorded earthquake in the world was a magnitude 9.5 on Sunday, May 22, 1960. From the epicenter in Chile, seismographs recorded shockwaves that traveled all around the globe. These seismic waves continued to vibrate through the entire earth for several days! [From Pastor Doug] 5. The Negev Desert is the site of the very elongated Ramon Crater located a few km west of Har Karkom. See Steven A. Rosen, Demographic Trends in the Negev Highlands in BASOR, May 1987, p. 46,47.

The Aramaic Inscription of Zakar, King of Hamath, and The Inscribed Arrow Tip of Zarkabaal Column I 1. The stele which Zakar king of Hamath and Laash erected to El-Ur, and inscribed 2. it Zakar king of Hamath and Laash. A lowly man was I and [helped 3. m]e the Lord of Heaven, and he stood by me, and the Lord of Heaven made me king [over 4. Ha]zrak. And Bar-hada son of Hazael, king of Aram1), united against me se- 5. [ven]teen kings: Bar-hadad and his army, and Bar-raggash and his army, and 6. [the king of] Cilicia and his army, and the king of Amk and his army, and the king of Gurg[um 7. and his] army, and the king of Samal and his army, and the king of Miliz [and his a]r[my and the king of 8. X and his army, and the king of Y and his army, and the king of Z and his army and] seven [kings, -- 9. t]hem and their armies. And all these kings laid siege to Hazrak, 10. and they raised a wall higher then the wall of Hazrak, and dug a trench deeper than its tre[nch]. 11. And I lifted up my hands to the Lord of [Heaven], and the Lord of Heaven answered ,e, [and spo- 12. ke] the Lord of Heaven to me through seers and astrologers, [and said to 13. me] the Lord of Heaven: Fear not, for I have made [thee king, and I will st- 14. an]d by thee, and I will deliver thee from all [these kings who] 15. have set siege against thee. And he said ...... 16. all these kings who have set [siege against thee] .... 17. ..... and this wall which ... 1) The land of Aram/Arameans was centered around the city of Damascus, the Syria of today, while the land of Hamath stretched between Hamath (often shown located on the banks of the Orontes River south of Qarqar) and Aleppo further north on the way to Carchemish. Distance wise Aleppo is ca. 320 km north of Damascus. In the 9th century the following kings ruled in the region: Ben Hadad I, variously dated from either 880-841 or 860-841, where the first dates are mostly accepted. Ben Hadad I was followed by his patricide Hazael (841- ca. 795) and Ben Hadad II from -795 onward. See for a) 1.K. 15:18,20; b) 2.K. 13:3, 24-25; Amos 1:4; c) 1.K. 20; 2.K. 6:24; 8, 7,9. We are told that in the time of Jehoahaz (814-798), father and predecessor of Jehoash (798-782), "Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoash", but that Jehoash "recaptured from Ben Hadad (II), the son of Hazael, the towns he (Hadad I) had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Three times Jehoash defeated him, so he recovered the Israelite towns." 2.Kings 13:22,25.

Column II 01. ...... Hazrak .... 02. ...... for chariotry and cavalry ... 03. ...... its king within it I .... 04. ...... Hazrak, and I added .... 05. ...... all the circuit .... 06. ...... and I set him as king .... 07. ...... ...... ...... ...... 08. ...... these enemies in all its midst 09. I built gods' houses in all 10. ...... and I built 11. ....................... 12. ...... house .... 13. ...... I set before [El- 14. Ur] this stele and in[sribed 15. i]t with the writing of my hands. 16. [And] whosoever will remove the wri[ting 17. of the hands of] Zakar king of Hamath and La- 18. ash from this stele, and whosoever 19. will remove this stele from [be- 20. fore] El-Ur, and disturb it [from 21. its] place, or whosoever will lay upon [it 22. his hand] .... [shall curse him?] 23. [the Lor]d of Heaven and El- 24. [Ur] ..... and Sun and Moon 25. ...... and the gods of heaven 26. [and the gods of] earth, and Baal of Laa- 27. sh ....... 28. ..... One side of the inscribed arrow tip of Zarkabaal: Made up of the letters `lambda', `ayin' as found similarly on seal inscription, the letter `bet' from the Tell Dan inscription, the letter `resh' as found on seal impressions, next comes the well known letter `shin' which would substitute for an expected repeat `aleph' if the rendition in BAR is correct since this letter is not clearly seen in the image because of apparent damage, lastly the also hard to readily recognize letters `qof' and the paleo `aleph' follow. The `zayin' is easier to read. Thus reading: "zaqarbal". Conclusion: The name `Zakarbaal' of the arrow essentially appears to be the same name as the `Zakar' of the stele on which the name for the deity `Baal' also appears. If this correlation is valid we may have increased our knowledge of these Syrian kings just a little more.

Comments: Earlier scholars wrote, `Concerning Zakar and his kingdom we know nothing but what his inscription offers. He gives himself no pedigree in his inscription, and tells us he was of humble origins...', however, since `Zakar's' name appears on the metal arrow tips we do know the name of his father. After studying the Hebrew letters on the arrow tip this writer reads the name as `Zakarbaal' and not as `Zarkabaal' as presented in the original article which appeared in BAR in 1996. So we wonder if that was a typing error. The date of the inscription and the events it records cannot be exactly determined from the source itself. According to the information the stele was found in northern Syria in 1903 by M.H. Pognon. Compare with 1. Kings 20:16 (the 32 kings coalition of Benhadad); 2.Kings 13:25 and 14:23, 28. If Bar-hadad was Ben-hadad is possible but not for certain. But this name and Hazael occurs. See also 2.Kings 8: 7ff; 13:25; Zechariah 9: 1. The approximate date of the inscription may be ca. the 9th century BC. One interesting personal name comparison may be provided by one named `Zakarbaal/(in Hebrew right to left: labrsqaz - Where the `s' may substitute for an aleph sound?) '. We concluded that the `Zarka Baal' of the particular article in BAR should be read `Zakar Baal'? See CIAS Encyclopedia . Unfortunately we could not make out the aramaic Hebrew letters on the stele itself to determine how `Zakar' was spelled. Notice the slight differences in the qop/kaf and zayin letters, etc.. Certainly do we find here numerous personal name similarities. If `Hamath' of the stele can correspond to `Amurru' of the arrow is another question. The name `Amurru' and its variations occurs frequently in the EA letters. While Benhadad claimed 32 kings in his coalition at the time of the battle of Qarqar, Zakar speaks of 17 allies from which supported his cause during his reign. Sources: a) M. Henri Pognon, `Inscriptions semitiques de la Syrie, de la Mesopotamie at de la region de Mossoul', Paris, 1907 (and 1908). The volume contains 116 inscriptions most of them in Syriac. b) Professor James J. Montgomery, Philadelphia Divinity School, `A New Aramaic Inscription of Biblical Interest' in The Biblical World, Vol. XXXIII, Febr. 1909, p. 79-84.; Pritchard, The Ancient Near East, ANET 501-502. Inscribed Items (01) The 3 inscribed El-Khadr Javelin heads bearing the same inscription `bdlb't, a name which also occurs in an Ugaritic census list of a bowman, ostensibly Bn-Ady or Lebiyya, `the lion'. [F. Cross, Inscribed Javelin Heads from the Period of the Judges in BASOR, Apr 1954, images p. 7.] (02) J.T. Milik, An Unpublished Arrow-Head with Phoenician Inscription in BASOR, Oct. 1956, p. 3.; Reads, "the arrow of Zakkur, son of Bin'ana", where `Zakkur' is considered to be a hypocoristicon of Zkrb'l of the Wenamon story.

Where can I find the Images of Kings? A growing list of royal features Ashurnasirpal - Five images in a) `The Horizon Book of Lost Worlds', p. 187, 194-200. b) In Search of Lost Worlds', p. 60. c) The Adventure of Archaeology, p. 62. Tiglathpileser III (Pul) in BAR, Nov. 2002, p. 33. Sargon - Click here for the image Naram Sin) son/grandson of Sargon - `The Horizon Book of Lost Worlds', p. 134. This page features the image of Naram Sin on the famous pink sandstone stela. Darius - a) In Search of Lost Worlds, p. 85. Or see: J.M.Cook, The Persian Empire, 1983, Pl. 8. Plates 42 & 43 show coin portraits of Tissaphernes and Pharnabazos respectively. Hadrian, Roman Emperor (117-138 AD) in BAR, July 2004, p. 18. Caracalla, Emperor (211-217 AD), Ibid., p. 19. Where can I find other interesting Images? 01) The Lion of Hazor and the goddess of Rehov in BAR, Jan. 1998, p. 44, 48. See also a winged sphinx furniture ivory carving from Hazor in BAR, Mar 1999, p. 37. For a full page color aerial view of Tell Hazor and its setting in the surrounding land see Shlomo Bunimovitz & Avraham Faust, Ideology in Stone in BAR, Jul/Aug 2002, p. 33-(38)-41. 02) From the Cairo Museum: The kneeling servant sculpture found in the Bent Pyramid, a 5 foot tall statue of Bes from Bahariya found in 1988, a jar lid with a young goose or duck(?) like bird made of calcite, wood and ivory from the tomb of Tutankhamen, a woman with a sistrum from Saqqara, a pendant with the name of Tutankhamen, the Bes decorated headrest of Tutankhamen, a statue of Hetepdief, showing the hieroglyphics on the right shoulder in Odyssey, May 2004, p. 40-47. 03) A 3-pronged, bronze battering ram from a warship was discovered in the Mediterranean Sea near Atlit, south of Haifa. See BAR, Sept. 1984, p. 8. « † »

Everything relevant I can find on Jericho The continual search for source material Jericho was located on a tell and had, according to maps, the shape of a somewhat elongated potato. It was surrounded on the bottom by a ca. 15 foot tall revetment wall, then a plastered rampart which is a sloped, slippery incline to prevent enemies from easily climbing the inner city wall. This rampart was eventually used by people to built their houses on. Ernst Sellin & Carl Watzinger dug there from 1907-1909. Watzinger traced the MB revetment wall around 3/4 of the base of the Tell. Garstang dug there a large 115x165 ft area, `the palace store room area', from 1930-1936. He concluded that the LB double wall at the top of the Tell was of about -1400 based on pottery, on scarabs from nearby tombs and the absence of Mycenaean wares. According to B. Wood, K.Kenyon dug two City IV squares HII and HIII, each 26x26 ft square, from 1952-1958. She agreed with Watzinger, Jericho was destroyed at the end of MB and largely unoccupied during the LB Age. She dated Garstangs double city wall to the EB Age. Such a date, at the time, meant the 23rd/21st centurt BC depending on who's chart is being used. The destruction of Garstang's city IV she dated to the end of the MB Age. Kenyon based her dating more on the absence of imported Cypriot wares rather then the presence of local wares. For more see Bryant G. Wood, `Did the Israelites Conquer Jericho?' in BAR, Vol. XVI, Mar/Apr 1990, p. 44-57. Since archaeologists concluded that the Mesolithic through Neolithic periods are illustrated at Jericho, any evidence that truly demands a recognition of several milleniums duration of this period should appear in the archaeology of this site. Having dug down to bedrock it was found that a substantial wall of stones enclosed an area of about 10x20 feet. In this wall 2 large stones had holes bored through them to a depth of some 2.5 feet, an accomplishment somewhat surprising for the level of culture presumed to characterize this early period. As to the question if there were windows in the wall of Jericho, we read: "And Rehab let them down from the window by a rope, for her house was against the city wall and she lived inside the wall itself." Joshua 2:15 Archaeologists do not mention finding evidence for a window in the wall of Jericho. How would one find such a window in a destroyed wall? The biblical account sounds like there was only one window in the entire wall and perhaps not a window made by the original builders of the wall but by Rehab herself. Having noted the excavation results of Garstang, conventionally minded archaeologists turned to Pi-Ramesses in Egypt where they could find no evidence that any of the 18th dynasty pharaohs did any building. All the buildings found were dated tp periods long before Ramses II and the following ones to Ramses II himself. The Problems with Et Tell, Ai The destruction of the fortress was dated to the same era, EB, as Jericho. The Location of Ai, if Ai is considered to have been located at Et Tell, would be north of Jerusalem and just a short distance west of Ephraim. [See BAR, Vol. IX, Sep/Oct, 1983, p. 50.] Sources for Typical Ancient Homes and Houses 1. Ahilud's House - BAR, Vol. IX, Sep/Oct 1983, p. 46ff. 2. Shopping list for a `4 Room House' (the Umayri house): Paving stones = 8 tons; Walls: 4 men and 4 donkeys hard work for 1 month to obtain and build walls; Mortar / Plaster: In a kiln it takes 3-6 days of continuous burning at 900 degrees centigrade to turn (lime)stone into lime; Ceiling and Roof: smaller branches and wood to support 8 to 10 inches of Clay and mud mixed with sand, charcoal, ash and temper: weight = ca. 14 tons.; Mudbrick walls: mud bricks measure ca. 20 x 16 x 6 inches, it took 130 pounds of straw to make 100 bricks; such a house may require 2000 bricks = 124 tons. [BAR, Mar/Apr 2001, p. 43.] 3. Ancient Cabul, gift of Solomon to Hiram, king of Tyre; includes floorplan of a typical Syro-Phoenician fortress. BAR, Vol. 19, Mar/Apr, 1993, p. 39ff. 4. For a Tripartite building at Tell Hadar, Sea of Galilee (Biblical Geshur), see BAR, Jul/Aug 1992, `The Land of Geshur', p. 30-44; featuring great images and maps of Rogem Hiri, Tel Hadar, Mitham Leviah, Tel Soreg and En Gev; See also Ibid., Moshe Kochavi on `Stone Circles' and `Dolmen', Jan/Feb 1993, p. 72-74 and also May/Jun 1999, p. 44-50. Others locate Geshur east of Mt. Hermon in the fertileBashan region, 2.Sam. 13:37. 5. Examples of Ubaid 0 (hypostyle house) and Ubaid 4 period architecture (stepped wall building with a grid of low walls) to perhaps support a granary can be seen in Jean-Louis Huot, `The First Farmers at Oueili', BA, Dec. 1992, p. 188-195. Also shown are two examples of an Ubaid 1 criss-cross painted bowl and a goblet. For descriptions of finds, see also Ann Louise Perkins, The Comparative Archaeology of Early Mesopotamia, UChicago, 1963. Sources for Typical and Specific Ancient Cities 1. How to understand the Golden Gate of Jerusalem, BAR, Vol. IX, Jan/Feb, 1983, p. 28ff. 2. Understanding the four chambered gate, BAR, Vol. 19, Mar/Apr. 1993, p. 26f. Sources for Distribution Maps 1. BAR, Vol. XVII, Sep/Oct, 1991, p. 32ff. Includes tribal allotments in Israel, population density south between Megiddo and Beth Shean, percentage of pottery in Manasseh, map of tribal lands. 2. The Archaeological Problems with Hazor - Joshua 11; Judges 4; Garstang dated the destruction to the era of the 14th century BC, again, probably largely on the basis of the absence of Mycenaean pottery at the site. This date was too early for the 19th dynasty Exodus defenders. Mycenaean pottery was thought to first have arrived in Palestine not until sometime after -1400 and ceased to arrive ca. 150 years later. The excavations carried out by Yigael Yadin in 1958 were in mainly two areas, a) on top of the mound, and b) on the adjacent plateau enclosure to the north. A) Archaeologists thought they had found 21 cities none of which where in neat layers stretching over the mound but was based by correlation of the levels of the various areas dug into on the basis of pottery dating sequences. In the cities designated as XX and XIV (Amarna Age town) Khirbet Kerak type pottery[8] was found. This same type pottery was found far to the north of Hazor at Tabara and there appeared as a `new type' in level IV and was in use up into level I of the seven levels distinguished there. Finding this pottery in 4 layers was understood to indicate that it was in use for a long time. The upper levels of Tabara were coordinated with the lower levels of the nearby site of Alalakh/Atchana. The third level of Alalakh has pottery of the Jemdet Nasr type known from Mesopotamia. In all Khirbet Kerak pottery was found in more than 50 sites and was dated to the immediate pre-dynastic period. At Hazor Khirbet Kerak ware appears first in City XX and continous up into XIX. Some thought the Conquest should have occured at the time between City XIX and XVIII. Cities XVII and XVI were dated to MBII and correlated to cities IV and III in the plateau enclosure which was taken to represent the period of the judges. Accordingly City XVII would represent the first Israelite city after the Conquest and City XVI the town re-occupied by the Canaanites. City XV would then represent the next city of a later Israelite conquest and was correlate with city II in the plateau enclosure. City III in the plateau enclosure was `efficiently' destroyed by fire and corresponds to City XVI on the mound. City I in the plateau enclosure was understood to be if the time of Solomon. The one meter destruction debris above city I was that of -732 by the Assyrians. More recent excavations present the following scenario. The city containing the up to 3 meter thick evidence for fire was caused by burning timber and the large quantity of oil stored in huge pithoi storage jars throughout the palace. Temperatures are thought to have exceeded 2350 degrees Fahrenheit causing mud bricks to vitrify, basalt slabs to crack and clay vessels to melt. The burn layer also contained destroyed statuary. When it is all said and done the question of who destroyed Hazor can only be solved by realizing that the Israelites did as the latest reports concluded. [See Amnon Ben-Tor & Maria Teresa Rubiato, `Did the Israelites Destroy the Canaanite City?' in BAR, Vol. 25, May/Jun 1999, p. 22-39. Some Events in More Recent Times 1868 - On Thursday, May 21, 1868 - of the two steam boats Tigris and Euphrates traveling on the Tigris River when around 13:35 signs of a ferocious storm began which led to the sinking of the Tigris. « † » Notes and References Jericho [01] BA, Vol. XVI, No. 3. [02] J.Garstang, The Story of Jericho. [03] G.E. Wright, Biblical Archaeology, 1957, p. 60. [04] K.E, Kenyon, Archaeology in the Holy Land. [05] Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, No. 196. Hazor [06] BA, Vol. XIX. [07] See also [4] above. [08] For a color image of a large collection of Khirbet Kerak Middle Bronze II ware found at Hazor see Y. Yadin, `Hazor', 1975, p. 270f. For B&W drawings of this ware from Beth Shan see Ygael Sukenik, On the technique of Kh. Kerak Ware in BASOR, Apr. 1947, p. 9-17. Shows image of how a simple smoky fire turned a sherd quite black.; For an example of a fine Kh. Kerak bowl from Beth-yerah conv. dated to EBIII see BA, Mar 1987, p. 32; on p. 39 see example of solar wheel from a silver cup found at Ain es-Samiya.

« † » Crawl out of this tomb Submenu