While resolving old mysteries archaeology can create new ones. Rudolph Cohen of the Israel Department of Antiquities excavated a site commonly thought to be Kadesh-Barnea, the most important stop on the Exodus route from Egypt to Canaan. But Cohen found no remains from the Exodus period. He discusses the problem in “Did I Excavate Kadesh-Barnea?” Cohen also reports on some of the important remains which he did find from the period of King Solomon and later. For 13 years, Cohen has served as Southern (Negev) District Archaeologist. Between 1976 and 1979 he led the excavations he describes in his article. Cohen has also directed the Negev Emergency Survey, part of Israel’s archaeological rescue work in anticipation of construction of new Negev airfields after Israel withdraws from the Sinai. Cohen has excavated at many other sites including Atar Haro’a, Horvat Haluqim, Ein-Qedeis and Kissufim. Cohen wrote about the last site in “The Marvelous Mosaics of Kissufim,”BAR 06:01.
Some mysteries about what lies under the hill adjacent to the Western Wall of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem have been solved by the clearance of the tunnel described in Michael A. Zimmerman’s “Tunnel Exposes New Areas of Temple Mount.” But a new question is raised by the enormous ashlars in the Western Wall uncovered in the tunnel—ashlars so large they make the megaliths at Stonehenge look like pebbles. How did the Jews of Herod’s time ever move blocks of stone this large? This mystery is solved or resolved by Murray Stein in “How Herod Moved Gigantic Blocks to Construct Temple Mount.”
Zimmerman, who has lived in Jerusalem since 1972, is a professional writer and photographer. He has served as Israel correspondent for five Jewish-American newspapers. His articles have also appeared in the International Herald Tribune, Vogue, Midstream and many other publications.
Stein is a professional engineer and computer specialist, who has combined his vocation with his archaeological avocation. Stein’s interest in archaeology began when he visited Jerusalem, the home of his grandfather, a blacksmith who had been commissioned by the Turks to restore four of the gates around the Old City.
Anthony Pitch, another veteran BAR author (see Pitch’s review of A Manual of Field Excavation: Handbook for Field Archaeologists in Books in Brief, BAR 07:01, has written “Sharp Eyes Find Ancient Treasures on the Beach” for BAR’s newest feature, BAR, Jr. An amateur numismatist/archaeologist, Pitch enthusiastically shares his experience with beach explorations. Born and raised in Salisbury, Zimbabwe (Rhodesia), Pitch was educated in South Africa and England. He has written several books and guides including The Bazak Guide to Israel, The Bazak Guide to Italy, Peace and Israel—for Children. Pitch is now a staff writer for U.S. News and World Report.
While resolving old mysteries archaeology can create new ones. Rudolph Cohen of the Israel Department of Antiquities excavated a site commonly thought to be Kadesh-Barnea, the most important stop on the Exodus route from Egypt to Canaan. But Cohen found no remains from the Exodus period. He discusses the problem in “Did I Excavate Kadesh-Barnea?” Cohen also reports on some of the important remains which he did find from the period of King Solomon and later. For 13 years, Cohen has served as Southern (Negev) District Archaeologist. Between 1976 and 1979 he led the excavations he describes in his […]
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