Biblical Archaeology: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions #217

by Eric H. Cline

Public interest in biblical archaeology is at an all-time high, as television documentaries pull in millions of viewers to watch shows on the Exodus, the Ark of the Covenant, and the so-called Lost Tomb of Jesus. Important discoveries with relevance to the Bible are made virtually every year--during 2007 and 2008 alone researchers announced at least seven major discoveries in Israel, five of them in or near Jerusalem. Biblical Archaeology offers a passport into this fascinating realm, where ancient religion and modern science meet, and where tomorrow's discovery may answer a riddle that has lasted a thousand years.
Archaeologist Eric H. Cline here offers a complete overview of this exciting field. He discusses the early pioneers, such as Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie and William Foxwell Albright, the origins of biblical archaeology as a discipline, and the major controversies that first prompted explorers to go in search of objects and sites that would "prove" the Bible. He then surveys some of the most well-known biblical archaeologists, including Kathleen Kenyon and Yigael Yadin, the sites that are essential sources of knowledge for biblical archaeology, such as Hazor, Megiddo, Gezer, Lachish, Masada, and Jerusalem, and some of the most important discoveries that have been made, including the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Mesha Inscription, and the Tel Dan Stele. Subsequent chapters examine additional archaeological finds that shed further light on the Hebrew Bible and New Testament, the issue of potential frauds and forgeries, including the James Ossuary and the Jehoash Tablet, and future
prospects of the field.
Biblical A Very Short Introduction captures the sense of excitement and importance that surrounds not only the past history of the field but also the present and the future, with fascinating new discoveries made each and every season.

About the Series : Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of life's most interesting topics. Written by experts for the newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about the central problems and issues in hundreds of key topics, from philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam.

Genres: History, Religion, Archaeology, Nonfiction, Christianity, Ancient History, Science

168 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2009

About the author

DR. ERIC H. CLINE is the former Chair of the Department of Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations and current Director of the Capitol Archaeological Institute at The George Washington University. A National Geographic Explorer, NEH Public Scholar, and Fulbright scholar with degrees from Dartmouth, Yale, and the University of Pennsylvania, he is an active field archaeologist with 30 seasons of excavation and survey experience in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Cyprus, Greece, Crete, and the United States, including ten seasons at the site of Megiddo (biblical Armageddon) in Israel from 1994-2014, and seven seasons at Tel Kabri, where he currently serves as Co-Director. A three-time winner of the Biblical Archaeology Society's "Best Popular Book on Archaeology" Award (2001, 2009, and 2011) and two-time winner of the American School of Archaeology's "Nancy Lapp Award for Best Popular Archaeology Book" (2014 and 2018), he is a popular lecturer who has appeared frequently on television documentaries and has also won national and local awards for both his research and his teaching. He is the author or editor of 20 books, almost 100 articles, and three recorded 14-lecture courses. His previous books written specifically for the general public include "The Battles of Armageddon: Megiddo and the Jezreel Valley from the Bronze Age to the Nuclear Age" (2000), "Jerusalem Besieged: From Ancient Canaan to Modern Israel" (2004), "From Eden to Exile: Unraveling Mysteries of the Bible" (2007), "Biblical Archaeology: A Very Short Introduction" (2009), "The Trojan War: A Very Short Introduction" (2013), "1177 BC: The Year Civilization Collapsed" (2014), “Three Stones Make a Wall: The Story of Archaeology" (2017), and “Digging Up Armageddon” (2020). He has also co-authored a children's book on Troy, entitled "Digging for Troy" (2011). For a video of his "Last Lecture" talk, go to http://vimeo.com/7091059.

Reviews

[فؤاد · Rating 4 out of 5]

کتاب خوبی بود، مخصوصاً بعد از باستان‌شناسی کتاب مقدس و به عنوان مکمل اون. خیلی از کشفیاتی که اینجا مفصل تعریف می‌کرد، اونجا بهشون اشاره شده بود و برعکس.

کتاب دو بخشه. بخش اول تاریخچه‌ای از این رشته ارائه میده که چطور از اولین کاشفان آماتور (و گاهی حتی خاخام‌ها و کشیش‌ها) شروع شد که دنبال اثبات صحت محتویات کتاب مقدس بودن، و هرچند کشفیات بزرگی کردن، ولی در عین حال به خاطر نابلدی عملاً خیلی از محوطه‌های باستانی رو با حفاری غیر اصولی تخریب کردن، تا جاسوس‌هایی که تحت لوای باستان‌شناسی به منطقه می‌اومدن تا جاده‌های نظامی رو شناسایی کنن و از منطقه نقشه‌برداری کنن (معروف‌ترینشون لارنس عربستان معروف) تا پیشرفت رفته رفتهٔ رشته و تبدیل شدنش به یه تخصص علمی.

بخش دوم، به مهم‌ترین کشفیات باستان‌شناسی در مورد دوره‌های تاریخی مختلف کتاب مقدس می‌پردازه. از قدیمی‌ترین دوره شروع می‌کنه و از کشتی‌های تقلبی نوح که باستان‌شناس‌های آماتور هر روز یه گوشهٔ جهان پیدا می‌کنن، تا دوره‌های بعدی، پادشاهی متحد داوود و سلیمان، حملهٔ آشور و بابل و تخریب اورشلیم، تا برسه به دوران انجیل و مسیح، و استخوان‌دان یوسف قیافا، کاهن اعظم معبد اورشلیم در زمان مسیح که مهم‌ترین اثر کشف شدهٔ مربوط به این دوره است.

فصل آخر کتاب که به خصوص جذابه، سه مورد از جعل‌های پر سروصدا در حوزهٔ باستان‌شناسی کتاب مقدس رو تعریف می‌کنه که دو تاشون کار یه نفر بوده: استخوان‌دان یعقوب البارّ برادر عیسی، و کتیبهٔ یهوآش پادشاه یهودا. جاعل این آثار تقلبی، اُدِد گُلان، بعد از کشق‌وقوس‌های زیاد که میشه یه فیلم سینمایی خوب ازش درآورد بالاخره دستگیر شده، هرچند توی سایت‌ها دیدم که سال ۲۰۱۲ تبرئه‌ش کردن.

کتاب لذتبخش بود، هرچند به نظرم بهتره با این شروع نکنید. اگه به این حوزه علاقه دارید، اول باستان‌شناسی کتاب مقدس رو بخونید و بعد اینو به عنوان مکمل مطالعه کنید. این طوری جایگاه و اهمیت کشفیاتی که معرفی می‌کنه بیشتر معلوم میشه.

[Viktoria]

By far the best book in the Short Introduction series I have read.

[Bojan Tunguz · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most appealing things about the Bible is its detailed, sometimes even over scrupulous, concern with the details of locations, buildings, and genealogies. Judaism and Christianity are religions that are squarely grounded in history and geography of ancient Near East. However, for the better part of the past two millennia there was a rather scarce physical evidence for most of the places and events that had been described in the Bible. That all started to change in the nineteenth century with the advent of what would now be considered the field of "Biblical Archeology." This is a rather fascinating topic in its own right, and this very short introduction does a great feat of introducing this discipline to the general readership.

The first part of the book deals primarily with the history of Biblical Archeology. Its origins can be found in the middle of the nineteenth century when Westerners started accessing Palestine in ever-greater numbers. Unsurprisingly, most of the early archeologists were in one way or another religiously motivated, and a substantial number of them were either ministers or had other religious background. Even thought these early Biblical archeologists were by and large amateurs, their work and contributions to the field were quite remarkable. Over time the field has substantially matured, and this book does a great job of describing its evolution and most significant developments and findings. This book is in fact a great introduction to all of archeology, as many of the methods and techniques that are described herein are applicable in other archeological excavations as well.

The second part of the book deals primarily with the evidence that has been obtained thus far for confirming or rejecting events and persons described in the Bible based solely on the archeological findings. Surprisingly or unsurprisingly, the general historical outlines that have been described in the Bible have received at least some support form archeology. However, there are also many biblical accounts for which the archeological evidence is still inconclusive.

The book also does a fine job with discussing several recent probable forgeries that had received a lot of media attention. The evidence and counterevidence for the authenticity of artifacts such as the James' Ossuary and several others is presented clearly and fairly, and the reader can come up with his or her own conclusions.

In the end, this book is a valuable first exposure to anyone who is interested in learning more about the archeology of the ancient Near East, whether they are religiously motivated or not. This is a very readable and accessible book and I highly recommend it.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction to this subject. Gives a balanced overview of both old and recent archaeological discoveries that relate to the Bible. A good place to start for those interested in this area.

[Mark Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing revelatory but delivers what it promises: an approachable guide to biblical archeology for beginners.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy interesante y serio. Una breve introducción a la materia con una buena bibliografía que anima a profundizar en la materia.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was a kid I was super interested in this field but I was also rather gullible, so I wanted a quick overview of what's turned up since. This was a good solution (book was published in 2009, so missing about a decade, but otherwise this was fairly up-to-date). A bit dry, but well-structured.

The first half was an introduction to the history of the field. I didn't actually know so many biblical archaeologists were actually spies like Lawrence of Arabia. The rest was a bit on the boring side.

The second half talked about various periods of Biblical history and what archaeological evidence there was for each. I appreciated that for everything up to David and Solomon, Cline basically just came straight out and said, we got nothing. That's what I wanted to know! (There's an inscription about the House of David but that's it.) There's more evidence for battles etc afterwards. I also appreciated the chapter on three well-known artifacts that turned out to be forgeries (or rather the objects were real but the inscriptions were modern). And I'm glad to know now that the Biblical Archaeology Review magazine is SERIOUSLY NOT TO BE TRUSTED!!!

[Brian Watson · Rating 3 out of 5]

True to its title, this is a very short introduction to biblical archaeology, archaeological discoveries that shed some light on the content of the Bible. The first part of the book moves quickly through the history of biblical archaeology, which is only about two hundred years old. Among the names and dates of key figures, there is a discussion of archaeologists' methodology. The second part of the book discusses, very briefly, archaeological discoveries that relate to events in the Bible. So, the first part is presented in chronological order with respect to biblical archaeology. The second part is arranged in canonical order, from Old Testament-related discoveries (or lack of discoveries) to New Testament-related discoveries.

The book is simply an introduction. It lacks the depth of some other entries in Oxford's "Very Short Introduction" series. Yet there are recommendations for further reading at the back of the book.

[Bryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is exactly what it says -- a very short introduction to 'Biblical Archaeology'! The first half is an introduction to the field itself, explaining where it came from & how it changed over the almost two centuries it has been around. I found this part fairly boring and remarkably uncritical of some of the really nasty practises that the early archaeologists were engaging in, but it did get the job done. The second half was a summary of the field itself from the perspective that a popular reader is likely to be most interested in -- what extra-textual evidence for Torah & Christian Bible events has archaeology found? That is why I picked it up, to see what had happened in the last 20+ years since I read a book like this, and I was informed as well as inspired to read some more general work on ancient middle eastern history.

[Dkettmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

(audiobook)
The most accessible VSI yet and perhaps the best.

The 5 or 6 other books in this series that I've listened to have been great but oftentimes go deeper than id prefer (biochem) or go so fast and feel like you are missing bits of prerequisite knowledge (ovid). This is the Goldilocks book for me.

Super interesting and just a person telling you what their field looks like and the highlight reel of events that have shaped it. Ends with a great chapter on forgeries. Until this book, the others in this series felt upon finishing like i had endured them and i while i did gain good info it felt like a bit of work to hold on to the narrative. This is the first one I've been inspired to research more from the author, and wish this book was twice as long.

Highly reccomended if you might like the topic. Made me miss the glory days of Time Team :)

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun introduction. Cline struck me as more pro-bible than many of the archeologists. I am also surprised at how many Assyrian tablets which has been found. They reveal many names which are mentioned in the bible. Some events in the bible are indeed hard to verify, but at least many in the Chronicles and 2 Kings are verified to be consistent with the archeological evidence. It is amazing how such an old book as the bible contain names which are also mentioned in Assyrian and Egyptian tablets, still suprises me. That is not to say that the Bible does not contain error (such as the reason why Sennacherib's 186,000 troops failed to conquer Lachish, is it because of angel of God, or is it because of a bribe?), but it is an incredibly valuable historical source.

[Chandler Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introduction to the field of biblical archaeology, even if it has a bit of a slow start. The book is divided into two parts: the history and development of the discipline (part 1), and archeological finds that corroborate or bring attention to biblical history (part 2). Cline does not seem like a skeptic and points out the archeological evidence and historicity of biblical events, but he is certainly open to varied historical accounts in the biblical narratives and the possibility that certain sections of the Old Testament and New Testament are not historical. I am taking a biblical archaeology class in the Fall, and I found that this book was a good preamble to the course.

[Alex S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Коротенькая книжка известного археолога и историка из оксфордской серии A Very Short Introduction. В первой половине книги автор рассказывает историю развития библейской/сиро-палестинской археологии от первых стихийных раскопок до современных hi-tech методов. Примерно всю вторую половину автор объясняет, чем этот раздел науки НЕ занимается, попутно разбирая популярные заблуждения и недавние сенсации.

[Isaac Riley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great introduction to the topic of Biblical Archaeology covering the history of the field as well as some of the major finds which have contributed to our understanding of Ancient Israel as well as the events of the Bible. Quick to read with relevant introductory information that provides a stellar overview of the main issues involved.

[Andrew Imrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read a lot of these ‘Very Short Introduction’ books over the years and this is probably the best. The writer (an archaeologist) makes the material effortlessly readable yet cover the ground adequately in a slim volume.

[Franzi Mllr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eine wirklich sehr kurze Einführung in die biblische Archäologie, die einfach lesbar ist und weitgehend ohne Vorwissen auskommt. Der Fokus wird einerseits auf die Geschichte des Faches, andererseits auf einzelne, ausgewählte Funde gelegt.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very balanced, and while respectful of religious beliefs, doesn't promote any.
Focusses on how archaeological evidence feeds into debates about the subject. Also mentions some figures in the history of the subject, and not afraid to criticise.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a very solid overview of the history of the discipline and what the discipline has found, along with related issues. My problem with the book is the subject itself: despite how interesting the topic is, there is little to write about.

[Antonio Matta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely book to discover how archaeological discoveries can either support or not support what was wrote on the Bible.

[cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, sweet, and to the point; covers all major archaeological discoveries from the 19th century to the present.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is what it says, an introduction; interesting, not particularly difficult to read.

[Andrew Kakaley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very dry first half talking about the history of biblical archaeology. The second half was more of what I was looking for in translating what biblical archaeology finds means for biblical accuracy.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine synopsis by the knowledgeable Prof. Cline

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly interesting and learned lot of things I thought I knew but didn't.

[Abdelhak]

هذا الكتاب ندخل لعلم كبير هو والفصل الاول هام خصوصا من جانب اهم الرواد الاوائل لهذا العلم

[Tom Henson · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I could give this 0 stars, I would. Awful book. Dry. Published and produced so that the book is smaller than a hand.

[Lorena Rojas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really my introduction to biblical archeology and I learnt so much. It’s a excellent resource to start digging into this.

[Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written and balanced introduction to this field of archaeology

[Brendan Steinhauser · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short introduction to the field of biblical archaeology, written by Dr. Eric Cline, who leads the Great Courses seminar on archaeology and is a professor at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The book is a good summary of the field, and provides a good starting point for reading more about the nexus between the Bible and archaeology.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The American archeologist Eric H. Cline published Biblical Archeology: A Very Short Introduction in 2009. The book was a well-done introduction to Biblical Archeology and archeology. The book is older. There have been many discoveries in the field of Biblical Archeology since 2009. The book has illustrations, a table, and a map. The book has a section called “further readings” (Cline 169-171), a section of references, and an index. Cline writes, “Biblical archeology is not about proving or disproving the Bible. Its practitioners are concerned with investigating the material culture of the lands and eras in question. The field is also interested in reconstructing the culture and history of the Holy Land for a period lasting more than two thousand years” (Cline 153). Cline feels that “that is in itself is fascinating, for professionals and the general public” (Cline 153). I read the book on the Kindle. I learn a significant amount from this book. The first section is on the history of Biblical Archeology, and the second section is on different themes in the field of Biblical Archeology. Cline’s book was a readable introduction to biblical archeology, even though there have been many discoveries in the field of Biblical Archeology since 2009.