Inside BAR

004

In this issue of BAR, two renowned Israeli scholars, Yigael Yadin and Abraham Malamat, bring their formidable talents to bear on a much-debated Biblical subject—the Israelite takeover of Canaan. “Is the Biblical Account of the Israelite Conquest of Canaan Historically Reliable?” by Yadin and “How Inferior Israelite Forces Conquered Fortified Canaanite Cities” by Malamat present various theories of peaceful infiltration, military conquest and social revolution.

BAR readers can examine a range of archaeological evidence to support these respective theories—evidence from spectacular Egyptian reliefs, to cuneiform tablets, to simple storage jars.

Yigael Yadin is one of the world’s pre-eminent archaeologists and a former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces. He occupies the chair in archaeology at Hebrew University established in honor of his father, archaeologist Eliezer Sukenik. Yadin led the excavations at Hazor, 1955–58, that revolutionized our understanding of much of Biblical chronology. He also directed the exploration of the Judean Desert caves where Bar Kochba documents were discovered in 1960–61, and led the Masada excavation in 1963. His next English publication will be The Temple Scroll (Hebrew University Press), the longest of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the last to be discovered.

One of the world’s leading experts on early Israelite history, Abraham Malamat is especially adept at socio-political and military analysis of ancient Near Eastern cultures. Malamat has published and lectured widely in both Hebrew and English. Professor of Jewish history at Hebrew University since 1954, Malamat has also taught at the University of Chicago, the University of Pennsylvania, Oberlin College and Oxford University in England.

In Israel, it’s difficult to break ground for a new building without unearthing ruins from an earlier civilization. But few people build a new home and then excavate beneath it after it is built. Read how the Siebenbergs accomplished this challenging task and found the remains of their ancient predecessors in “Jerusalem Couple Excavates Under Their Newly Built Home in Search of Their Roots.”

Authors of the Siebenberg story are Leroy Aarons and Goldie Feinsilver. Aarons, temporarily a resident of Tel Aviv, was a national correspondent for the Washington Post for ten years before leaving to pursue independent projects.

Feinsilver has been one of BAR’s Jerusalem correspondents since 1977, after participating in Benjamin Mazar’s 1976 excavation near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. In addition to her valuable liaison work for BAR, Feinsilver works as a guide in the archaeology department of the Israel Museum.

Another BAR staff member who enjoys an occasional hands-on archaeological excursion is Editor Hershel Shanks. Relating a personal experience at Tel Hazor, Shanks explains how important finds can be made right “On the Surface,” in BAR Jr.

Important, unusual and sometimes unidentifiable finds challenge BAR readers in “Archaeological Stumpers.” Study these strange objects and match them with your knowledge and imagination Then send your conclusions to BAR.

BAR readers who participated in the 1981 Israel Summer Seminar were asked to submit their best pictures to our first Photo Contest. The entries are in, the winners announced, and three of the prize-winning photos appear in “BAS Photo Contest.”

In this issue of BAR, two renowned Israeli scholars, Yigael Yadin and Abraham Malamat, bring their formidable talents to bear on a much-debated Biblical subject—the Israelite takeover of Canaan. “Is the Biblical Account of the Israelite Conquest of Canaan Historically Reliable?” by Yadin and “How Inferior Israelite Forces Conquered Fortified Canaanite Cities” by Malamat present various theories of peaceful infiltration, military conquest and social revolution. BAR readers can examine a range of archaeological evidence to support these respective theories—evidence from spectacular Egyptian reliefs, to cuneiform tablets, to simple storage jars. Yigael Yadin is one of the world’s pre-eminent archaeologists […]