What subjects would you like to see in the next issue of BAR?

[serapha]

Hi there...

 

Along the same lines of "favorite articles"... what is your favorite subject that you would like to see BAR include in their next issue...

Of course, posting a subject isn't going to get it published, but we can share what we like about archaeology.


I'd like to see an updated article on Capernaum without having to buy the latest books by the Franciscan Press.   

Or... a new article on the Wadi  El-Kharrar in Jordan... the location of John the Baptist baptizing in the Jordan.


If you were putting out the next issue, what would you include?    Come on ... dream a little... make a wish.

~serapha~

[rumplesnitz]

"Mazzaroth" Evidence of Hebrew Astrology

I'll donate the title.

[rumplesnitz]

I'd also like to see an article which would detail comparisons between the 'Jesus Tomb' ossuaries and the 'James' ossuary specifically dealing with chemical analysis of the patina and/or any other valid details which could prove/disprove the likelihood they came out of the same tomb.  I'd like to see a display of all the inscriptions on one page to see any similarities in them.  Surely out of six or seven inscriptions at least two of them were made close enough together in time to have the same engraver do the work.  There should be some obvious 'handwriting' similarities among them of some sort.  I mean, my wife's family is old money in a town miles away from us.  I've been to a lot of their funerals over the decades she's had me, and they've used the same funeral home and undertaker every time.  Surely that's not so different than the way it was back then?

I don't mean to encourage 'National Enquirer' sensationalism in your excellent magazine - serious scholarship is best, long term - but since this mess is stirring around I can't think of a more reliable or well-positioned journalistic source to document some of the scientific facts which could help the public make good decisions for themselves regardless of how things drag on in court for the individuals concerned..

[RamboPreacher]

I wish I knew a good subject.  I guess, one of the many things that intrigue me is the work in excavation (and lead to it) of Babylon and area.  specifically the unfired brick issues, and any maps/pictures etc of the area.  something in the nity-grity/dirty of the challenges and troubles, and how these are addressed and solutions are currently used.

[rumplesnitz]

Also, something on the high/low chronology factions, setting the various views side by side with maybe some time line charts, which could demonstrate the implications of each theory, without prejudice toward or against young-earth or ancient-earth theories.  Just lay it out there for public view and point out how each concept could affect dating methods, anthropological interpretations of social environments, and artifact appreciation; and how these observations agree or disagree with each concept.

After all, many scientific observations confirm or at least open up a reasonable possibility that human life has been near extinction one or more times in the past due to global catastrophes such as asteroid strikes or volcanism so it is becoming professionally and intellectually conceivable that our awareness of human history could encompass a much shorter period than some suggest.  I'm not saying that the article should attempt to take on geologic ages, just supposed/known/mythical human history of the Levant, and if a detail impacts established doctrine of dating truly ancient data handle it with a foot note so as to avoid having the story swarm.

It seems that at first The Bible was the authority everyone was required to interpret all data against, then the backlash came and nothing was allowed to agree with The Bible at all.  But now we seem to be returning toward the middle where rationality can abide both the facts that The Bible does record some very accurate human events - and that It is not nor was ever meant to be an all-encompassing record of every detail of life in It's day.  But there is now a muddled mess of old, older, and new and emerging historical timelines which each still get attention - and the curious layman can get lost in the deep pool of details pretty quickly so that he can never know what is fairly trustworthy and what is blustering poppycock.

A difficult undertaking perhaps, but who else but BAS/BAR could pull it off?

[archaeologist]

i would like to see an expose on finkelstein and silberman and have it show how they arbitrarily down date without proof, and have an agenda which influences their conclusions {publicly stated at http://sol.sci.uop.edu/~jfalward/Archaeology_and_the_Bible.htm}

and how they have no interest in the truth but want torewrite israeli history to where they want it to be and not what it was really.  i have read some of their articles and other works (trying to read david and solomon now) and their position is out there.  they can't find the the evidence they want o they twist it to fit what their theory says.

[Michael]

I would like to see one on the big fat astrological Pisces symbol they found at the oldest know Christian "church" at Meggido.

[archaeologist]

well if you get lost here is a simple guide to follow:

'if the interpretation disagrees with the Biblical account, then the interpretation is wrong'

there has never been  one archaeological discovery which disproves the Bible, what is used to argue against the Biblical record is 'interpretation' and it is the interpretation that you have to watch out for, for it is not infallible and subject to all the mitigating influences {i.e. pressure from investors, persoanl bias, theories, corruption, sin etc.}.

given the minute amount of evidence dug up, it is unwise to allow human undersdtanding (or lack of it) to disuade you from the validity and truth of the Bible.

then you must remember that those who belong to the copenhagen school of thought, or the centralist position (finkelstein and dever) come froma position of unbelief which colors their perspective and influences their theories and conclusions.

those who take an evangeliecal or christian position come from an attitude of belief and they have to be scrutinized as well so that their faith doesn't influence their conclusions.

the Bible has to be the standard for it is the only document that isn't influenced by the fall of man and cannot say anything but the truth.

[kattey]

I would like to see more articles along the lines that appeared in Bible Review.  With art, if possible.

I am interested in the ancient Jewish four room house.  More articles and drawings would be great.  How about comparisons between the four room house of that age with the houses of other cultures from the time?

More on the Phoenicians and the Punic wars.

I'll keep thinking...

[archaeologist]

a good article would be , how archaeology supports creation not evolution

[Admin1]

I would like to see one on the big fat astrological Pisces symbol they found at the oldest know Christian "church" at Meggido.

There has been one about zodiac symbols found in a synagogue.

The “Synagogue Excavation Reveals Stunning Mosaic of Zodiac and Torah Ark,” article (BAR 10:03) is about excavations at Hammath Tiberias.

I'm more interested in learning about new discoveries, the likes of which have not been previously written about. 

[rumplesnitz]

There has been one about zodiac symbols found in a synagogue.

The “Synagogue Excavation Reveals Stunning Mosaic of Zodiac and Torah Ark,” article (BAR 10:03) is about excavations at Hammath Tiberias.

I'm more interested in learning about new discoveries, the likes of which have not been previously written about. 

True, the idea I first put in may be more of an anthropological study than an archaeological article.

[archaeologist]

another article i would like to see would probably take a series of indepth reports (by indepth,i mean really researched) about all the fringe people who make outlandish claims of discovery and mislead the common people.

the late ron wyatt aside (he has been talked about enough through the years and serves only as inspiration for this suggestion) but i know there are more out there and it is hard to keep up with 'all the players without a scorecard'.

i don't know if such a series can be produced properly in this day and age of lawsuits and hurt feelings but for the general public's sake an honest series would go a long ways.

[RamboPreacher]

maybe something on preservation of sites.  the issues, the costs, whether or not to even preserve "original", etc...  maybe some interviews of opposing sides.

[stilgar]

re the outlandish claims, an effort to begin debunking them systematically has been made by Cline in his new book From Eden to Exile: Unraveling Mysteries of the Bible:
Amazon.com: From Eden to Exile: Unraveling Mysteries of the Bible: Books: Eric H. Cline

see also his "call to arms" in the Boston Globe, republished on the Archaeology magazine website, as well as elsewhere:
Raiders of the Faux Ark
It would indeed be good to have such a series appear in BAR, if it could be done without worry re lawsuits...