Syro-Palestinian Archaeology

Post by **Minimalist** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 2:41 pm

It's a bit more complicated than that, I'm afraid. Eilat Mazar works for the Shalem Center, which is a right-wing group which wants to evict the Palestinians from Jerusalem and somehow thinks that archaeology will help them achieve that goal.

I always find it strange that Mazar's own cousin, Amihai, frequently disputes her findings....as he did in this case.

Ishtar · Post by **Ishtar** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 3:15 pm

kbs2244 wrote:Different priorities.
Reporters get graded on where their stories get placed in the paper.
And that is based on the ability of the story headline to grab attention so as to sell a paper.
(And as I understand it, headline writers are a separate bunch from the reporters)
Maybe we should make it a point to wait for the “follow up” stories?

You're right KB. When I was a journalist, I would be given the headline before I even started researching the story, and was told to make my story fit the headline!

Post by **Minimalist** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 5:05 pm

Fox News gets their headlines from the White House.

kbs2244 · Post by **kbs2244** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 9:21 am

Over here we have what are called “Supermarket Tabloids.” The ones you have to look at while waiting to check out.

Great headlines.

My favorite has always been, “I cut her heart out and stomped on it!”

Turns out it is a Grandpa telling Halloween stories to the kids, and describing how he was helping butcher chickens at his Grandfathers farm.

Post by **Minimalist** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 9:49 am

<sigh>

I'm such an old fart that when I see these in a supermarket I wonder WTF these people are?

kbs2244 · Post by **kbs2244** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:38 am

Nice collection!

Post by **Minimalist** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 1:39 pm

To get back on track, I can't believe I missed this report from last June. Big doings.

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/a ... rmat=print

The traditional chronology of ancient Israel in the 11th-9th centuries BCE was constructed mainly by correlating archaeological phenomena with biblical narratives and with Bible-derived chronology. The chronology of Cyprus and Greece, and hence of points further west, are in turn based on that of the Levant. Thus, a newly proposed chronology, about 75-100 yr lower than the conventional one, bears crucial implications not only for biblical history and historiography but also for cultural processes around the Mediterranean. A comprehensive radiocarbon program was initiated to try and resolve this dilemma. It involves several hundreds of measurements from 21 sites in Israel. Creating the extensive databases necessary for the resolution of tight chronological problems typical of historical periods involves issues of quality control, statistical treatment, modeling, and robustness analysis. The results of the first phase of the dating program favor the new, lower chronology.

Arch will be so pissed!

kbs2244 · Post by **kbs2244** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 4:22 pm

This is a big deal in the Biblical Archaeology world.
75 years can be a big deal to them.
But then, we all know how accurate RC dating is!
It will be fun to watch for what they use as a standard.
And if they collate it with tree rings, etc.

Post by **Minimalist** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 4:45 pm

I enjoy it because the Low Chronology is championed by Israel Finkelstein and my old pal Arch had made Finkelstein his personal devil. Arch does that a lot, though.

Which reminds me. I have to go stick this up his ass!

Rokcet Scientist · Post by **Rokcet Scientist** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 7:23 am

What's that god-fearing URL again, Min? I've got a new IP address...

Post by **Minimalist** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:46 am

Which one was that?

Post by **Minimalist** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:48 am

New find announced in Jerusalem.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071205/wl ... 6ss9dFeQoB

JERUSALEM (AFP) - Israeli archaeologists said on Wednesday they have unearthed a palace complex dating back to the first century AD in an Arab neighbourhood just outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City.

Beagle · Post by **Beagle** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:49 am

It seems that all they find is the city that Herod built. You would think those guys would be looking for David's city sooner or later.

Post by **Minimalist** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 12:28 pm

They have. It's not there.

Beagle · Post by **Beagle** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 1:07 pm

Hmm...I don't know Min. I have a lot of faith in these old texts and ancient myths. Usually they are guilty of sins of omission. The Egyptians would just wipe out a historical fact and pretend it never happened.

But generally, if an ancient text says someone built a city, it's true.