22 Jan Top Archaeological Discovery of 2013!
Major Artifact Confirms Biblical Account
ABR has been conducting excavations in Israel since 1995 at Khirbet el-Maqatir (9 miles north of Jerusalem), which meets the biblical requirements to be identified as the fortress of Ai conquered by the Israelites as recorded in Joshua 7-8.
Copyright 2013, Associates for Biblical Research. may not be reproduced anywhere, in any format, without the express written permission of the Associates for Biblical Research. Photo by Mike Luddeni.
Pottery excavated at the site indicates the fortress was in use in the Late Bronze period, circa 1500-1400 BC. The scarab is a rare type that was made in the early 18th dynasty, ca. 1485-1418 BC. This is a significant discovery since it provides an independent date for the fortress apart from pottery. According to the Bible, the Israelites left Egypt in 1446 BC and entered Canaan in 1406 BC. The scarab substantiates the historical accuracy of the narratives found in Joshua. The Egyptian scarab from Khirbet el-Maqatir will be on display in the Dunham Bible Museum at Houston Baptist University from January 22 to December 20, 2014.
The exhibit, “Khirbet el-Maqatir: History of a Biblical Site,” will feature a Symposium and Conference that will take place on Saturday February 8, 2014. Speakers will include excavation staff archaeologists:
Dr. Bryant G. Wood
Dr. Eugene H. Merrill
Dr. Leen Ritmeyer
Dr. Scott Stripling
The public can register for this event on the Houston Baptist University Website.
For more information, please contact:
Henry B. Smith Jr.
Associates for Biblical Research
Director of Development