The Temple Mount and the Western Wall — Jerusalem’s Sacred Center Artifact Summary The Temple Mount in Jerusalem is the site where Solomon built the First Temple and where the Second Temple, expanded by Herod the Great, stood in the time of Jesus. The Western Wall (or Wailing Wall) is a surviving section of the … Read more
The Pools of Bethesda and Siloam — Healing Waters in Jerusalem Artifact Summary The Pool of Bethesda and the Pool of Siloam are two Jerusalem pools connected with miracles of Jesus in the Gospels. Bethesda (John 5:2) is where Jesus healed a man who had been lame for thirty-eight years. Siloam (John 9:7) is where … Read more
Sodom and Gomorrah — Destroyed Cities of the Plain Artifact Summary Sodom and Gomorrah were cities of the plain east of Canaan, remembered in Genesis 19 for their wickedness and sudden destruction by fire from heaven. Archaeological interest has focused on sites around the Dead Sea that show evidence of catastrophic destruction in the Early … Read more
Solomon’s First Temple — Archaeology of the House of God Artifact Summary Solomon’s First Temple was built in Jerusalem around the mid-10th century B.C.E. as a permanent house of worship for the God of Israel. The biblical account in 1 Kings 6–8 describes its dimensions, materials, furnishings, and dedication. While the Temple Mount itself has … Read more
The Dead Sea Scrolls — Ancient Manuscripts and the KJV Artifact Summary The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of Jewish manuscripts discovered between 1947 and 1956 in eleven caves near Qumran, on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea. The scrolls date from approximately the 3rd century B.C.E. to the 1st century C.E. They … Read more
Sea of Galilee Boat (The “Jesus Boat”) What It Is The Sea of Galilee Boat — also called the Ancient Galilee Boat or popularly the “Jesus Boat” — is a 1st-century C.E. wooden fishing vessel discovered in January 1986 on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, near Kibbutz Ginosar. It is now displayed … Read more
Tel Arad Ostraca What They Are The Arad ostraca are more than 200 Hebrew inscriptions on pottery sherds discovered at Tel Arad, a fortified city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Most come from a single archive dated to the late 7th century B.C.E. (roughly 600 B.C.E.), during the final decades of the Kingdom … Read more
Solomonic Gates at Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer What They Are The “Solomonic gates” are monumental six-chambered city gates excavated at three major sites in Israel: Tel Hazor (upper city) Tel Megiddo (northern gate complex) Tel Gezer (western gate) These gates share a common architectural plan: an entrance flanked by two towers, with three chambers on … Read more
Papyrus 52 and Papyrus 75 — Early New Testament Manuscripts What They Are Papyrus 52 (𝔓52) and Papyrus 75 (𝔓75) are two of the earliest known Greek manuscripts of the New Testament. They are written on papyrus in codex form (the ancestor of the modern book) and contain portions of the Gospels of John and … Read more
Caesarea Maritima — Roman Capital of Judea What It Is Caesarea Maritima was a major port city on the Mediterranean coast of Israel, built by Herod the Great between c. 22 and 10/9 B.C.E. and named in honor of Emperor Augustus. It served as the capital of Roman Judea and the residence of governors such … Read more
Magdala / Migdal Synagogue What It Is Magdala (also Migdal, “Tower”) was a first-century Jewish town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, about 5 km north of Tiberias. Excavations begun in 2006 and 2009 uncovered a well-preserved Second Temple-period synagogue and the famous Magdala Stone, carved with a seven-branched menorah. Why It … Read more
Capernaum — Jesus’ Ministry Base in Galilee What It Is Capernaum (Hebrew: Kfar Naḥum, “Nahum’s village”) was a fishing village on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Archaeological work has uncovered houses, a synagogue, an octagonal church, streets, olive presses, and fishing equipment spanning the Hasmonean through Byzantine periods. Why It Matters The … Read more