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The content you enjoy in each issue of BAR is the work of a small team of editors dedicated to making the latest in archaeology and biblical scholarship available to all. In addition to meticulously editing each issue, our editors work to develop and curate our feature articles, select and caption the beautiful images that accompany each story, and research and write the news, profiles, and quizzes that make BAR a truly popular magazine.
As such, it is never easy to say goodbye to one of our own. The Fall 2023 issue is the last for BAR Managing Editor Megan Sauter, who, after a decade serving the magazine, is moving on to other new and exciting adventures. As with each issue she has managed, Megan’s hard work, professionalism, and attention to detail can be found throughout.
In “The Millo: Jerusalem’s Lost Monument,” leading archaeologists identify the ancient fortifications around Jerusalem’s Gihon Spring as the Millo, a mysterious biblical structure whose exact location has long puzzled scholars. In his article, “Yahweh or Baal,” biblical scholar Michael Stahl examines the biblical and archaeological evidence for the religion of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and finds that its infamous rulers may not have been the heathen Baal worshipers portrayed in the Bible. Archaeologist Dennis Mizzi then looks at the enigmatic jar burials from Qumran’s cemetery and postulates that this unusual practice reflected the religious views of the sectarian Jewish community responsible for the Dead Sea Scrolls. And in “Constantinople: Christianity’s First Capital,” BAR Contributing Editor Sarah Yeomans explores the deep history of Istanbul and the magnificent monuments that still give an impression of the city’s glorious Christian past.
This issue’s Strata brings you the latest news from the world of biblical archaeology, including an update on the recently published Mt. Ebal curse tablet that continues to stir controversy among scholars. Aaron Demsky takes a fresh look at a short Hebrew inscription from Second Temple Jerusalem and the meaning behind its apparent reference to Daedalus, the master craftsman of Greek mythology. Reflecting on her own recent travels abroad, Megan guides you through the Catacomb of Priscilla in Rome, an underground labyrinth of ancient burials that preserves some of the world’s earliest Christian art. We also hear from Steed Davidson, the new Executive Director of the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL), who shares his exciting plans for the organization’s future.
In Epistles, Gary Rendsburg reexamines the symbolism behind the “horns of Moses” and argues that the writers of Ex-odus gave the prophet horns—and other unique qualities—to make him the equal of the Egyptian pharaoh. Rodney Caruthers explores the biblical concept of inspiration and its meaning to ancient writers, from Plato to the authors of the New Testament. And Hanna Tervanotko recovers the complex figure of Miriam in the Hebrew Bible, an important woman in the life of Moses and early Israel but one that Jewish and Christian traditions have rarely evaluated on her own terms.
So as we say goodbye to Megan and wish her well, I also offer my thanks and appreciation to a colleague and friend who has not just been a joy to work with but has been essential to making BAR the magazine that it is today. Thank you, Megan, for everything.
The content you enjoy in each issue of BAR is the work of a small team of editors dedicated to making the latest in archaeology and biblical scholarship available to all. In addition to meticulously editing each issue, our editors work to develop and curate our feature articles, select and caption the beautiful images that accompany each story, and research and write the news, profiles, and quizzes that make BAR a truly popular magazine. As such, it is never easy to say goodbye to one of our own. The Fall 2023 issue is the last for BAR Managing Editor Megan […]
