Professor Aaron Burke spoke on “Reconstructing Bronze Age Kingdoms: Archaeological Evidence for the Middle Bronze Age Kingdom of Ashkelon (ca. 1925––1550 BC)” on Wednesday March 16, 2005. Dr. Burke is a 1996 graduate of Wheaton College, and has just been hired as Professor of Archaeology of Ancient Israel and early Judaism at UCLA. This analysis of the Middle Bronze Age in Ashkelon was the topic of his recently completed doctoral dissertation at the University of Chicago and focused on defensive fortifications at smaller nearby cities that were under the influence of Ashkelon. Professor Burke was a part of excavations at Ashkelon from 1997-2000.
MBAS President Jeff Blakely spoke on "The Joint Archaeological Expedition to Tell el-Hesi: Phase III Regional Survey, 2004 Season Field Report."In the summer of 2004 the Hesi Expedition reactivated its regional survey project after a hiatus of over 20 years. It was an interesting experience trying to use old data and join it with newly collected material. The survey project will be back in the field in 2006. This presentation was similar to a report given at the Albright Institute last summer. This meeting was held at Edgewood College, Wednesday April 20, 2005.
Professor Ronald Hendel, the Norma & Sam Dabby Professor of Hebrew Bible at the University of California-Berkeley, spoke on "Dreams of the Golden Age: Prophecy, Poetry, Eschatology" on Wednesday, May 4, 2005. This lecture discussed the birth of eschatology in the relationship between poetic effects, mythic imagery, and intertextuality in the writings of Isaiah.
Our first fall lecture was "The Royal Purple and Biblical Blue: An Interdisciplinary Study" by Professor Ehud Spanier, of the Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies at the University of Haifa, on September 14th. Professor Spanier described the ancient dye industries of the Royal Purple and the Biblical Blue, two of the main dyes of the Biblical world. They were produced from marine snails. Through inter- and multi-disciplinary studies, including marine history, archaeology, and biological aspects as well as chemical, biochemical, religious and cultural facets, the sources of these ancient dyes and the dying process has been studied.
Professor Cynthia Miller of the UW-Madison Department of Hebrew and Semitic Studies, presented an illustrated lecture entitled, "Languages without Speakers: Reconstructing the Languages of the ANE from Epigraphic Fragments" on October 17, 2005 at Edgewood College.
Professor Anson Rainey of Tel Aviv University returned to MBAS on November 15th. Professor Rainey's lecture was "Whence Came the Israelites and Their Language?" Professor Rainey offered new perspectives on the background of the early Israelites, in contrast to the theories that have been presented by other archaeologists and Biblical scholars
Jennifer Westpfahl, a UW-LaCrosse student who has participated in excavations at Megiddo, spoke on Wednesday December 7th on "The Megiddo Excavation: Archaeology and the Bible." "
...The site of Megiddo is widely regarded as one of the most important biblical period sites in Israel. Protected by fortifications and covered with palaces and temples, Megiddo was one of the most important cities in Canaan and Israel. Because of its location and importance, archaeologists have been excavating the site for over one hundred years. Biblical scholars often cite Megiddo as a site containing supporting evidence for the chronology found in biblical text, a subject that has come into controversy in recent times. Israel Finkelstein, current director of excavations at Megiddo and professor at Tel Aviv University, has been excavating at Megiddo for over 10 years and is planning further excavations at the site. According to Finkelstein, his excavations have revealed archaeological evidence that puts the more traditionally held viewpoints on biblical chronology in question. This presentation will cover the history of Megiddo, how the site relates to biblical text, the 2004 excavation and evidence Finkelstein claims supports the Low Chronology argument.
...Megiddo was recently in the news due to the discovery of what appears to be one of the oldest Christian buildings in Israel nearby.
For further information on these events or MBAS, contact Jeff Blakely (jblakely@facstaff.wisc.edu)