Queries & Comments

012

An “Easy” Explanation for the Peculiar Headrests for the Dead

My father introduced me to BAR three years ago. BAR has opened up for me a world of insights and revelations about mankind’s Biblical past.

I would like to comment on the article “Peculiar Tomb Headrests May Depict Return to the Womb,” BAR 13:04. The article suggests that the omega-shaped tomb headrests found (primarily) in the École Biblique burial caves have a Mesopotamian origin and represent a return to the womb. Others (Kloner and Barkay) suggest the headrests are “Hathor wigs.”

It seems to me that too much is being “read into” the shape of these headrests. Is it possible that these headrests have no particular meaning other than to orient and cradle the head of the deceased? So much for the “easy way out.”

I love your magazine and avidly read each issue. However, “The Peculiar Headrests for the Dead in First Temple Times,” BAR 13:04, seemed rather much ado about nothing. My reply:

Those “Omega” headrests from Judean tombs,
I propose, are neither “wigs” nor “wombs,”
But simple, loving designs to keep
Face up the loved ones forever asleep.

Similar Headrests in Mesoamerican Iconography

As a specialist in Mesoamerican iconography, I immediately recognize the omega-shaped stone headrests that were found in a Jerusalem tomb.

The U-shaped element is a symbol of the Mother Goddess also in Mesoamerican art. In this part of the Western Hemisphere, the earth-mother symbol is portrayed both with and without curls at the end of the motif, i.e., as an W or as a U, and it matters not whether it is up, down, or sideways.

J. Eric Thompson, one of the greatest Mayanists of the 20th century, wrote in Mexico Before Cortez (New York, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1937):

“Recently a burial has been described in which the body lay full length with the head placed inside the yoke, which lay flat. The open ends of the yoke reached to the person’s shoulders. Joyce has suggested that the yokes represent the gaping jaws of the earth monster ready to receive the dead, and this is a feasible suggestion since such scenes are frequently depicted in the codices.”

In Mesoamerican art, the earth monster represents the womb of mother earth, where all men return when life on earth ceases. Many of these stone yokes contain carvings of the gaping open mouth of the earth-mother monster, which is stylized after the U-womb symbol.

Foreign or Divine Influence in the Design of Solomon’s Temple?

I want to express my appreciation to you and your staff for your outstanding magazine. I have certainly enjoyed it over the years it has been my privilege to subscribe.

Regarding the article on the architecture of Solomon’s Temple (“Temple Architecture: What Can Archaeology Tell Us About Solomon’s Temple?” BAR 13:04), however, I beg to differ. I would not deny for a moment the cultural impact of the 014Israelite scene at the time of the building of the Temple. The Bible itself acknowledges (speaks of?) such influence and speaks of David and Solomon procuring the services of outsiders in constructing the Temple. However, as to the Temple’s design, 1 Chronicles 28:19 quotes David as saying that the Lord gave him these instructions: “The Lord made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the details of this pattern” (NASB).

I believe that not only does archaeology throw light on the Bible, but conversely the Bible throws even greater light on archaeology. I choose to let the Biblical text stand as the final word.

Regardless of patterns for temples around the nation of Israel, the designs and instructions concerning the Temple that was designated as the sole place of worship in Jerusalem came from God and were not borrowed from pagan nations.

Praise for Biran Interview

I want to thank you for your in-depth article on Avram Biran. It was beautifully done and it brought out the best of Avram. Your questions were to the point; they were meant to reveal problems; they dealt with questions of priority and many of the other issues Avram and I have been grappling with together for now close to 15 years, since I persuaded Avram Biran to become the director of the Nelson Glueck School for Biblical Archaeology in Jerusalem. I did not, despite my high expectation, have in my fondest dreams the notion that he and I would be able to work together with such a concert of common understanding, interest and priorities as has in fact turned out to be the case. Avram turned the Nelson Glueck School around at a crucial time in its history and we are very grateful to him for that alone, but, in addition, I rejoice in the fact that you have given my friend Avram the hearing he deserves and the exposure he so richly merits.

I am not even an armchair archaeologist. I simply enjoy reading about discoveries relating to the Bible and Bible times.

Your recent interview with Avraham Biran was excellent—easily understood and thoroughly entertaining and educational.

If more articles had so much “life” in 018them, I might graduate to the armchair ranks.

The Jerusalem Tomb of Solomon’s Egyptian Wife

When I was on an archaeological tour in Jerusalem recently, our guide mentioned something that intrigued me: She said that the tomb of Solomon’s Egyptian wife had been discovered, in the Kidron Valley, I think some time ago. Is this true, and if so, do you know where I can find out anything about it? It doesn’t seem to be mentioned in any of the sources I’ve consulted.

The so-called Tomb of Pharaoh’s Daughter is one of several monolithic tombs hewn out of bedrock during the time of the Judean kings, in the tenth to ninth centuries B.C. The tombs are clustered on the eastern slope of the Kidron Valley, opposite the City of David. The pyramidal roof of this tomb, already known in the 19th century, suggested Egyptian influence; hence the name the tomb still bears. In his recent book In the Shadow of the Temple, Meir Ben-Dov suggests that the pyramid on top of the tomb was a symbol of the nefesh or “soul” that ascended from the body buried within the houselike tomb. This type of tomb resembles others from the same period discovered to the north in Phoenicia, as well as in the western Galilee. Another element appears on some of the pyramidal tombs—a small, vertical shaft or “chimney.” Ben-Dov suggests that the shaft was meant to provide a passage for the soul on its way from the body to its dwelling place in heaven.—Ed.

Friendly Syrians

I would like to relate the experiences of my colleague Dr. Paul W. Gaebelein and myself while on a trip to Syria this past summer.

Our first stop in Syria was the Aleppo National Museum, where much of the Ebla material is stored and presented for display. While visiting there we had the great good fortune of meeting the director of the museum, Dr. Hamido Hamadi and his lovely wife Louise. When we told them of our interest in the Ebla material they received us with a great deal of enthusiasm. Hamido not only gave us a peek at some of the latest finds, but provided us with a guide to show us the site of Tell Mardikh. He even gave Dr. Gaebelein and myself a complete rundown of all the latest work going on in 019Syria so we could visit the sites ourselves. Everything we saw and experienced while traveling in Syria only confirmed how proud the Syrians are of their heritage and the contributions they are continuing to make towards a better understanding of the past. Such places as Ras Shamra (Ugarit), Mari, Dura-Europos, Tell Halaf and Tell Leilon are all open for visiting. The government is even in the process of building a special museum to house the Ebla finds.

Our warmest thanks go to Dr. Hamadi and the Aleppo National Museum for their hospitality and extreme helpfulness. They have shown themselves to be not only colleagues but friends as well.

Praise for Israel Seminar

I would like to thank you and BAR for making this summer’s Israel Seminar one of the most profound learning experiences of my life. The quality of instruction and the overall value of the experience far exceeded my expectations. I feel like I know and understand Israel and her history much more thoroughly and have developed an even greater thirst for further study. I gained new friends, and we all grew to love and respect Jim Fleming for his encyclopedic mind and his joyful giving spirit. I doubt that any of us will soon forget our “sojourn in the wilderness” of Sinai or the actual back-breaking labor required to uncover all those fascinating artifacts so gloriously photographed in the pages of BAR. We were privileged to meet unexpectedly the director of the dig at Arad, Ruth Amiran, who graciously took the time to speak with us about her current work there. A brief stop at Gamla turned into a thrilling two-hour exploration when the director of that dig, Mr. Guttman, personally and excitedly led us all over that hillside to explain Gamla’s history and the significance of many of his most recent finds. Sadly, his labor of love at Gamla is apparently hampered by lack of funding. We all agreed that his efforts to uncover and preserve this important site were deserving of greater attention, and we would hope that BAR or some other organization would find ways to assist Mr. Guttman in his current financial difficulties.

My six weeks in Israel were intense, exhausting, challenging, and deeply satisfying. I have a greater sense of self-confidence after living with the Bedouin in the desert, 062riding a camel, climbing Mt. Sinai, wielding a pick-axe, and sweating more than I thought humanly possible! Most of all, I am grateful for the changes that have taken place in my spiritual life, as vast new treasuries of insight have been opened for me. I sincerely thank you for making this all possible.

BAR at Harvard

Just a little note to tell you how much I enjoyed this summer’s BAR Vacation Seminar at Harvard University. Both Michael Coogan and JoAnn Hackett gave fine lectures and helped us to expand our knowledge and understanding of Biblical Archaeology. The visits to the Boston Museum and Semitic Museum were highlights of our experience. It was also good to re-acquaint ourselves with colleagues from previous seminars and to meet new ones. All in all, it was a week I shall long remember. Thank you for providing us with such a memorable experience.

How Different Viewpoints Broaden Understanding

When my new issue of BAR arrives, the first thing I read is the Queries & Comments section. It’s always amusing to see who is canceling their BAR subscription because some author contradicted what they think the Bible says. Most people study archaeology because they want to know the truth about ancient peoples. Unfortunately, there are always a few who study it to find proof of the truth of their prejudices. If physical fact fails to confirm their prejudice as true, they take it as a personal attack.

I have a favorite tactic for answering such people. I draw a circle alongside a rectangle, and tell them both are the same thing. This is denied, until I show them a can of soup. From the end, a can is a circle. From the side, it’s a rectangle. So in the most literal sense possible, a can is both circle and rectangle at the same time. The purpose of this analogy is to demonstrate that reality has more than one dimension. Human vision can only see two dimensions from any single point of view. From one view, only a circle is visible. From another, only a rectangle is seen. Only by combining both into one image is it possible to get the true 063view of three dimensions.

We can add the third dimension in two ways. We can either change our own position to see the missing dimension, or we can allow one who sees it to tell us what we can’t see. Once we add the missing dimension to our perception, it expands our minds until we see three dimensions.

I want to say that BAR has enriched my life beyond the ability of words to express it, by the policy of presenting as many different dimensions as possible. Each time I see a view that differs from my own conception, I study it, and more often than not, the differing view corrects my opinion. In almost every case, the archaeological artifacts end up confirming what the Bible says. When I see things in conflict, it turns out that it was my interpretation of the Bible which was at fault, and not the Bible itself. If my perception of the Bible is wrong, then I welcome the correction. I want the truth even if I must change my opinion.

If the author of a BAR article has made mistakes, the policy of BAR has always been to publish a second article by the critic. Even if both are partly wrong, the exchange of ideas is as educational as if both had been true. This is an extremely healthy way to face conflict. I enjoy it very much, and have been enriched by it beyond measure. Please continue this policy just as it is, even if a few subscribers are offended enough to cancel.

Scholars’ Disagreements Support Accuracy of the Bible

As a reader of BAR for several years, I have noted letters from readers canceling their subscriptions or simply lamenting about the anti-inerrancy bias displayed by a magazine with “Biblical” in its name. As one who shares their belief in the accuracy and reliability of the Bible, may I offer the following reminders.

First, the learned experts are, for all their intelligence, education and expertise, laboring under a great handicap of prejudice. They have, for the most part, already decided not to accept the Bible as God’s revelation to men. Therefore, their efforts are either consciously or unconsciously directed toward justifying their position, not toward confirming the Biblical account of history.

Second, observe how they are constantly in disagreement between themselves, as they analyze archaeological findings. Every issue of BAR reminds us of this. Bible believers do not have to refute the objectionable conclusions of the writers. Another “expert” will do that for us.

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Third, is it not remarkable that this Bible of “myths,” “fables” and “fabrications” is used so often as a reference? The fact is, the Bible is absolutely essential to most of their studies. It is the “touch-stone” of Middle East archaeological research. We can only wonder how far a research team could go in uncovering thrilling pieces of history, if they were convinced, as we are, that they could trust what it has to say, with no reservations!

Combining Scholarship with Readability

We have always enjoyed BAR.

You have quite successfully combined scholarship with readability to produce an informative and entertaining magazine.

BAR Travelers Versus Political Summits

For several years I have been a BAR subscriber, but I never appreciated the content as much as I did during a recent trip to Jordan, Egypt and Israel. Our reading of BAR well prepared my wife and me with information about, and understanding of, sites we visited, truly authentic knowledge of the cultures of the countries we visited.

Summit meetings, I suppose, are worthwhile, but the dissemination of cultural knowledge, as done through the pages of BAR and carried abroad by traveling subscribers has, I think, a more genuine effect on achieving friendship among the peoples of the world than any accord reached by politicians, whether meeting at a summit or in a valley.

Spectacular Jerusalem Photos

My compliments to you on two spectacular photos of Jerusalem in your May/June issue.

For many years I’ve had a love affair with Jerusalem, and have had the pleasure of visiting there five times. If it is the Lord’s will, I’d like to go again this summer.

Would it be possible to obtain copies of these photos suitable for framing? They would be treasured among my other mementos from Jerusalem.

Unfortunately, in small quantities, they would be extremely expensive to reproduce.—Ed.

An “Easy” Explanation for the Peculiar Headrests for the Dead

My father introduced me to BAR three years ago. BAR has opened up for me a world of insights and revelations about mankind’s Biblical past.