How Many?

How many chapters of the Biblical Archaeology Society were formed around the United States?

Answer: At least 14 chapters

In 1981, the Biblical Archaeology Society (BAS) launched its chapter program with the goal of connecting like-minded individuals who shared a passion for biblical archaeology. BAR founder Hershel Shanks gathered a group of friends and acquaintances from around the country who shared his vision and brought them all to Washington, D.C., for a planning meeting. It was decided that BAS’s home office in Washington would serve as the national headquarters, supporting the chapters by advertising their groups and programming in BAR and by providing one speaker a year. From this initial meeting, the chapters grew to at least 14 groups from Los Angeles to New York and everywhere in between.

In addition to hosting regular meetings in which top scholars and well-known BAR authors were invited to give lectures on their work, chapters also organized short courses on biblical archaeology, toured local museums, and represented BAS at conventions.

Although most of the local chapters eventually closed or disbanded, a few continue to exist in various forms, either as email or social media groups or as wholly independent organizations with their own lectures and events, most notably the Biblical Archaeology Society of Northern Virginia.