Table of Contents

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Early Israel Conference

Open House

Monumental Destruction

Albright Book

Random Survey

INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGYHORN ARCHAEOLOGICAL

MUSEUMNEWSLETTER

Paul J. Ray, Jr. EditorDavid Merling Assoc. EditorRandall W. Younker Assoc. EditorRobert D. Bates Asst. Editor

The Newsletter is published four times ayear by the Institute of Archaeology,Andrews University. Annual subscriptionprice is $7.50. Museum membership,subscription, and editorial correspon-dence should be addressed to the HornArchaeological Museum, Institute ofArchaeology, Andrews University,Berrien Springs, MI 49104-0990,Telephone 269-471-3273, Fax 269-471-3619, e-mail hornmusm@andrews.edu.

Volume 25.2Spring 2004

ISSN 1095-2837

Conference on Early Israelite History Over 80 people attended the conference on “Critical Issues in Early Israelite History” held

at Andrews University from March 26-28, 2004. The focus of the conference was to reevaluaterecent theories and stimulate discussions relating to early Israelite history, archaeological data andthe biblical text. During the past several decades archaeological discussions on the origins of Israelhave tended to ignore the biblical text because it has been seen by some as primarily theological innature. This theological “patina,” it has been thought, has obscured its historical value. Hence,archaeological theories concerned with the origins of Israel currently focus on indigenous peopleswho eventually self-authenticated themselves as “Israelites,” on the basis of economic, environ-mental or sociological processes. While much valuable information has come from these exercises,it is difficult to treat the subject holistically when part of the data is ignored. At the same time,ancient texts from Mesopotamia and Egypt, which also carry theological baggage, are neverthelessmined for historical information. Difficult questions relating to the early history of Israel demandserious attention, and that endeavor, the organizers and presenters of this conference submit, canbest be served by dealing with all of the available data.

The opening ceremonies of the conference included welcomes by Randall Younker and DavidMerling, the conference organizers; Niels-Erik Andreason, the president of Andrews University;and Lawrence T. Geraty, the president of the American Schools of Oriental Research. Papers included: “The Jericho and Ai of the Book of Joshua” (Richard Hess); Merenptah’s Reference toIsrael: Critical Issues for Early Israel (Michael Hasel); Classical Models for the Appearance ofIsrael (Paul Ray); Recent Models for the Appearance of Israel in Canaan (Patrick Mazani); The

Conference Presenters: (front l-r: Merling, Younker, and Hawkins; middle l-r: Fleming, Chavalas,Wood, Hess, and Klingbeil; back l-r: Velázquez, Mazani, Monson, Ortiz, Ray, Younger, and Master).

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Rhetorical Structuring of the JoshuaConquest Narratives (K. LawsonYounger); The Search for Joshua’s Ai(Bryant Wood); Gilgal: An Early IsraeliteSite for Dedication and Military Staging(David Merling); Israelite Settlement atthe Margins of the Northern Hill Country:Clues from Tell Dothan (Daniel Master);The Southern Shephelah as a Check andBalance in Reconstructing Early IsraeliteHistory (John Monson); A View Throughthe Window of the House of David(James Fisher); Re-writing PhilistineHistory: Recent Trends in Philistine Archaeology and Biblical Studies (StevenOrtiz); Processes of Ethnogenesis and theQuestion of the Emergence of Israel

(Randall Younker); Tribe and State:Reflections of Early Israel in Light of theMari Archives (Daniel Fleming); EarlyIsrael Context Viewed through theArchae-ology of North Mesopotamia and Syria(Mark Chavalas); The Making of Myths:Exodus and Exile as Ideology (EfraínVelázquez);Between North and South:TheArchaeology of Religion in Late BronzeAge Palestine and the Period of the Settle-ment (Gerald Klingbeil); and The Surveyof Manasseh and the Origin of the EarlyHill-Country Settlers (Ralph Hawkins).

Drs. Merling and Younker plan topublish the conference papers in a book-length manuscript. (Paul J. Ray, Jr.)

On March 25, 2004, the Institute ofArchaeology/Horn ArchaeologicalMuseum held an open house in honor ofthe completion of the reconstruction ofthe first wing of its new four-wingedfacility. The open house was hosted byPresident and Mrs. Andreason and theInstitute/Museum staff. The new wingconsists of a classroom/reception areawhere archaeology classes and theMuseum Lecture series can be held.Along the sides of the room are 11 low-light ambiance centers of the major

archaeological periods, featuring theNathan Greene murals from the oldMuseum and a few artifacts for illustra-tion. The new wing also holds tworesearch centers for the major excavationssponsored by the Institute of Archaeology.A temporary display featuring a bedouintent as well as artifacts from the variousarchaeological periods was set up in thefuture exhibit wing and the 200+ peoplewho attended were able to walk throughthe whole building to get an idea of whatthings would be like when the entirefacility is completed. (Paul J. Ray, Jr.)

Lawrence T. Geraty opens session.

Local ladies in the bedouin tent of the temporary exhibit: (front: Becky Ray; back l-r:Barbara Ray, Mariella Velázquez, Stephanie Merling, and Jennifer Groves).

Classroom/reception area in new research centers wing.

Open House

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On April 20, 2004, Peter Brand,Assistant Professor of History at theUniversity of Memphis, Tennessee andDirector of the Karnak Hypostyle HallProject in Egypt, presented an illustratedlecture entitled: Preserving Egypt’sThreatened Past: the Karnak HypostyleHall Project. Dr. Brand was a researchassistant for the Akhenaten TempleProject and served as the epigrapher, staffartist and is currently the director of theKarnak Hypostyle Hall Project. He wasthe first visiting scholar to lecture in thenewly renovated lecture room at the newHorn Archaeological Museum. In addi-tion, he served as the external examinerfor a dissertation presented for scholarlyreview on April 21, 2004.

Within the last decade, the work ofpreserving the Hypostyle Hall at Karnakhas become more pressing. The Aswanhigh dam, which was built in the 1960s,created lake Nasser, and has affected thelocal climate. Steady rains throughout thewinter months, rising ground-water level

and increasing humidity levels are havinga negative effect on the monuments.

Many of the reliefs carved on thewalls are flaking off in large chunks aswater is drawn up through the stone like asponge and evaporates on the surfaceleaving the salts behind. As the salt crys-talizes and expands, the surface of themonuments resembles “peeling paint.”Although efforts have been made to pro-tect the surface, the destruction is comingfrom the inside of the monuments wherewater has seeped into the sandstone. Dr.Brand believes that only a careful record-ing of these reliefs can preserve them forfuture study.

Among the reliefs that may be threat-en is the Merenptah wall found just out-side the Great Hypostyle Hall. Manyscholars have equated the reliefs of thiswall with the names mentioned on theMerenptah stele, including the name ofIsrael. The question remains as to whichsection of the relief depicts the Israelites.

Some scholars, including Redford,dispute the dating of this wall to the reignof Merenptah, claiming that Ramses II’sname had been erased and two successivenames were written in its place.

Dr. Brand believes that he has found

evidence for assigning the wall toMerenptah instead of Rameses II. He sug-gests that although other names werewritten on the monument, its surface wasnot erased deeply enough to allow for thename of Rameses II, and that the firstname written on the wall was actually thatof his son Merenptah. There is simply notenough depth on the surface inside thiscartouche to account for three namesinstead of two. (Robert D. Bates)

Andrews Un ive r s i t y P re s sAndrews Un ive r s i t y P re s sWilliam Foxwell Albrightand the Origins of Biblical Archaeology

by Peter Douglas Feinman

This study seeks to understand the origin of the scholarship of William FoxwellAlbright (1891-1971), the Dean of (American) biblical archaeology, from his birth in1891 to his departure for The Johns Hopkins University in 1913. It focuses on theinfluences and events which defined the world in which he was nurtured and suggestshow his adult scholarship derived from these factors. Chapters include: 1) Introduction;2) The Early Years (1891-1903); 3) The Midwest Years (1903-1913); 4) Albright'sJourney (1913); and 5) Summary and Conclusions.

ISBN 1-883925-40-12004; x + 250 pp. paper: 6 x 9”; $24.99.

Phone: 269-471-6134 * Toll Free: 1-800-467-6369 Visa/MC * Fax: 269-471-6224 * Email: aupress@andrews.edu

Peter Brand.

MonumentalDestruction

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Lecture Halls of AncientAlexandria

Polish and Egyptian archae-ologists working inAlexandria have found 13large semicircular rooms,each featuring benchesarranged around an elevatedpodium. These findings,near a Greek theater, haveled the team to concludethat these rooms are ancientlecture halls connected tothe great Library ofAlexandria, whose exactlocation is still unknown.

Head of Marcus Aurelius found at Petra

A white marble head of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius was recently found withinthe temenos of Qasar al-Bint, suggesting that he was worshiped at Petra. The head istwice life-size, and assumed to be part of a yet undiscovered larger full-body statue.

Human Sacrifice at Abydos

Mortuary enclosures at Abydos, Egypt,surrounding the tomb of Aha, the first kingof the first Dynasty, suggest that variousofficials and servants were sacrificed toprovide services for the king in the afterlife.

Early Dynastic NecropolisDiscovered

A massive unlootednecropolis of the First andSecond Dynasties of Egypthas been discovered nearCairo. The Australian exca-vators believe the site maycontain up to 10,000 burialspredating the pyramids atGiza. The 20 tombs exam-ined thus far have includedobjects made of alabasterand copper, gold jewelry,and a limestone inscriptionin a very early version ofhieroglyphics. The necropo-lis apparently containstombs for all social classesof the period.

To discover more about archaeology, theInstitute, and the Museum, contact us at:

VOX: 269-471-3273FAX: 269-471-3619E-mail: hornmusm@andrews.edu

or visit our Web site at:www.andrews.edu/ARCHAEOLOGY

INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY

HORN ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI 49104-0990Address Service Requested

Non-profit Organization

U.S. Postage PAID

Permit No. 5Berrien Springs, MI 49103

Pool of Siloam Rediscovered?

Archaeologists John Seligman, Ronny Reich, and Eli Shukrunhave recently discovered a pool associated with the southernmostwall of Jerusalem’s City of David that dates to the Second TemplePeriod. While still unsure as to how water may have reached thispool from Hezekiah’s Tunnel, the excavators believe this to be astronger possibility for the biblical Pool of Siloam than theByzantine-era pool now commonly associated with the site.

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