Archaeology
Archaeology is the scientific study of human history through excavation and analysis of artifacts and other physical remains. It provides tangible evidence of the past. Like pieces of a puzzle or clues to a mystery, archaeology provides physical evidence that helps fill the gaps in what we know. When we combine those clues with other sources of historical information, we get a more accurate picture. Archeological discoveries of the past 150 years provide direct physical evidence that supports the reliability of the Bible.
If you are uncertain about whether the Bible is trustworthy, examining archaeological discoveries that corroborate events described in the Bible can be encouraging. Personally, I have been amazed at some of the recent finds. Not only do they shed light on Biblical culture in general, but some directly connect with the historical people and events of the Bible.
In the articles below, I will highlight some of the archaeological finds that have been meaningful for me. I’m not an archaeologist. But I can at least point you to some of the significant archaeological discoveries I have learned about. Archaeology is just one of kind of evidence that supports the reliability of the Bible. But it is certainly a fascinating evidence to pursue!
If you want to dig deeper into archeological evidences supporting the reliability of the Bible, take a look at my Recommended Resources page.
Earliest Known Archaeological Mention of Israel
Pioneer British Egyptologist Flinders Petrie (1853-1942) excavated on the west bank of ancient Thebes, across the river from the famous Temple of Karnak. Ancient Thebes is modern Luxor, a city in Upper Egypt on the Nile River. It was the religious center of Egypt during the New Kingdom period (c. 1550-1070 BC). During his excavations in 1896-1897, Petrie's excavation team carried out fieldwork on six temples. In one of these, the Temple of Pharaoh [...]
Why is the Rosetta Stone Famous?
The Rosetta Stone is part of a larger stone monument known as a stele . Although many similar stelae have been found, the Rosetta Stone is arguably the most famous archaeological artifact ever discovered. In 1799, Napolean Bonaparte's army was campaigning in Egypt. The story goes that Napolean's soldiers were digging a new foundation near Rashid (Rosetta), a city near the Mediterranean in the Nile delta, when they discovered a large piece of an ancient [...]
What Can Archaeology Tell Us?
Archaeology tells us about the past. Modern archaeology, as we know it, began in the mid to late 1800's. In earlier centuries, excavators were little more than treasure hunters, unconcerned about the historical context of their finds. But modern archeologists apply scientific methods to the study of past human cultures. The sequence dating method of British Egyptologist Flinders Petrie (1853-1942) had a profound impact on the application of scientific analysis to the field of archaeology. [...]