All About Archaeology FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions on Archaeology

• What are the contents of the Ark of the Covenant? - What items were held in the Ark? Read biblical passages and discover what the Ark contained. Do we know what happened to those items?
• When did the Ark of the Covenant disappear? - Discover the views on when this biblical piece disappeared. Why did it disappear? Did God have a purpose?
• Where is the Ark of the Covenant? - Do we know where this biblical piece is located? Learn various views on its location passed down through tradition, and personal claims.
• Why are archaeologists searching for the Ark of the Covenant? - Why are people in search of the Ark and who are they? Why would someone want to find it?

• Ancient Jericho - The conclusion of many scholars is that the city was conquered at the time of the harvest, but was burned, instead of looted. This evidence matches the biblical account of Joshua 6.
• Ancient Jerusalem - David conquered ancient Jerusalem in approximately 1004 BC and it became known as the City of David.
• Babylon and the Ishtar Gate - The Ishtar Gate is one of the most dramatic finds from ancient Babylonia. Covered with dragons and bulls, Nebuchadnezzar dedicated the huge, ceremonial gate to the goddess Ishtar.
• Caesarea - What is significant about this biblical city? View images and video about this important city.
• Haran - How does the ancient city of Haran play into biblical history? Is it significant in biblical archaeological finds?
• Hittite - How did the discovery of the lost Hittite civilization provide evidence in support of the biblical record? What is the significance?
• Joppa - What is important about this biblical city? Learn about this port city on the Mediterranean Sea in Israel.
• Shechem - Was this archaeological find important to biblical research? This ancient city plays a prominent role in the Bible.
• Tel Dan - The gatehouse below dates to the ninth century BC, and was probably constructed by King Ahab. It’s this exact area where the “House of David” Inscription (Tel Dan Inscription) was discovered in 1994.
• Tel Hazor - What does Tel Hazor mean and why is it important to biblical archaeology? Learn more here.
• Tel Megiddo - Tel Megiddo is an ancient city located in the Jezreel Valley of northern Israel. With approximately 26 layers of civilization at the archeological site, Megiddo has assumed a huge role throughout history, from the earliest recorded conflicts, through the Israelite conquest of Canaan, to the decisive battle between the British and the Ottomans in 1918. Also known in the biblical text as Armageddon, Megiddo is the location of the final battle between Jesus Christ and his enemies (Revelation 16).
• The city of Ur - Learn facts about this biblical city and its biblical significance. Why was it an important find in archaeology?

• Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser - This artifact is another important source that corroborates the biblical account of the early Israelites. The depiction of Jehu is one of the earliest surviving pictures of an Israelite. Discovered in 1846 in Nimrud, Iraq, the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser currently resides in the British Museum.
• Cuneiform Tablets - What is it about ancient writings that keep archaeologists returning to them? There’s much discovered, yet perhaps even more to come.
• Epic of Gilgamesh - One of the tablets comprising the Epic of Gilgamesh contains an extensive flood story that’s similar in many ways to the biblical account in Genesis.
• Hammurabi Code of Law - Read about two codes of laws and how the "eye for an eye" principle is compared; one view is discredited.
• House of Yahweh Ostracon - The House of Yahweh Ostracon (a writing on pottery also known as the “House of God Ostracon”) was discovered in Arad, an ancient Judean city. Written in ancient Hebrew and dated to the early 6th century BC, it is considered to be one of the earliest references to the Temple in Jerusalem outside of the biblical accounts.
• Merneptah Stele - The Merneptah Stele is significant to biblical archaeologists because it is the earliest extra-biblical reference to the nation of Israel yet to be discovered.
• Moabite Stone - Mesha’s account of his rebellion against Israel is found on a large stone monument known as the Moabite Stone (Mesha Stele).
• Shishak Relief - The Bible records the attack from Judah's perspective in 2 Chronicles 12, but the Shishak Relief in the Karnak Temple gives much greater detail.
• Sumerian King List - Information about ancient list of Mesopotamian rulers, Dr. Raul E. Lopez, who has written about antediluvian patriarchs and pre-flood kings.
• The House of David Inscription - The House of David Inscription (also known as the “Tel Dan Inscription”) was discovered in 1994 during excavations at the ancient city of Dan. It is considered by many to be the first reference to the "House of David" discovered outside the biblical text.

• Can we improve the accuracy of carbon dating? - How accurate is the method of dating. Can we improve to make it more accurate? Can further research be done?
• Can we use radioactive carbon dating to determine the age of the earth? - Can this dating method be used to determine the age of the earth or just to determine the age of earth's organisms?
• How does carbon 14 dating work? - Understand what carbon-14 is and what part it plays in our biosphere. Discover how it can be used as a dating technique.
• Is carbon dating accurate? - What is the level of accuracy of this dating method? Why are there discrepancies in results when using this method?
• Why do they call it radio carbon dating? - Understand the radioactive decay process and how it got its name. Discover the basics of the unique process.

• Is the city of Petra in the Bible? - Does this ancient city have biblical significance? Find out where it is mentioned and read the passages.
• Is the City of Petra truly a hidden rock city? - Is this ancient city truly hidden? Who inhabited it in the ancient times? What was its purpose?
• Where is the City of Petra? - Where is this ancient city located? What can I see there if I visit? Is there a modern city nearby?
• Who created the city of Petra? - Where did this historic wonder come from? Who built it? Who are the Nabataeans?

• Books of the Bible included in the Dead Sea Scrolls – How many of the Bible's books are represented? - Have you ever wondered what books are included in the scrolls and which were not included? Look no further than right here.
• Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit - Where could I go to see the "Great Isaiah Scroll" on exhibit? - Where can you see the oldest biblical texts available? Apocryphal and pseudepigraphical texts are available for public viewing. Find out more.
• How Did the Great Isaiah Scroll Return to Israel? - How Did the Great Isaiah Scroll Return to Israel?
• Qumran - Qumran (Khirbet Qumran) is located on a desolate terrace between the hills of the Judean desert and the flats of the Dead Sea in Israel.
• What Happened to the Dead Sea Scrolls from Qumran Cave 1? - What Happened to the Dead Sea Scrolls from Qumran Cave 1? Discover the history.
• Where can I find more information on the Dead Sea Scrolls? - Digging deeper into the mysteries of the dead sea scrolls? Don't forget there's a difference between scholarly work and sheer speculation.
• Where can I find the Dead Sea Scrolls in English? - Ancient copies of Biblical texts--are they available? Where can one find out more? Read these resources for more information.
• Who Found the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Qumran Caves? - Who Found the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Qumran Caves? There’s a great story behind who found the Dead Sea Scrolls in the first caves just above Qumran in Israel. Here it is!

• Ein Gedi in the Bible - Where is Ein Gedi mentioned in the Bible? Check out this instance in Ezekiel 47.

• Ancient Capernaum - Check out this picture! It’s at Capernaum where we have early accounts of Jesus teaching both Jews in the synagogue and Romans in the homes.
• Bethlehem - On the horizon in the picture below, in the distance, is the Church of the Nativity that marks the traditional place of Christ’s birth. This is the view the shepherds would have had on that awesome night about 2,000 years ago (Luke 2:8).
• Caesarea Philippi - Caesarea Philippi is a large archaeological site containing elaborate building projects erected by Herod Philip and Agrippas II in the area of Dan.
• Caiaphas - Do we have any evidence for Caiaphas outside the biblical texts? Check out this image of the ossuary where “Joseph son of Caiaphas” is written!
• Chorazin - Study the archaeology of this ancient Jewish town on the northwestern hills overlooking the Sea of Galilee.
• Church of the Holy Sepulchre - Check out this image! Based on ancient pilgrimage evidence and new evidence under the ceremonial flooring, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is considered a credible historical site.
• Crucifixion Evidence - Is there evidence for crucifixion outside the Bible? Check out this image of a human heel bone with the nail still in it!
• Galilee Boat - Check out this image of the "Jesus Boat" discovered by local Galilean residents in January 1986 during a major drought at the Sea of Galilee.
• Garden of Gethsemane - It’s a peaceful garden among a grove of ancient olive trees, looking back at the eastern wall of the City of Jerusalem. Check out these images where Jesus prayed before being crucified.
• House of Peter at Capernaum - Here’s a picture of the House of Peter archaeological site before it was covered for protection and restoration by the Franciscan church in 1990.
• Kidron Valley - Many scholars view the Kidron Valley as a major location in “ends times” prophecy. Check out these pictures and scriptures to see why Christians, Jews and Muslims have built huge cemetaries here.
• Mount of Olives - Check out this picture! The Mount of Olives was a significant location in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. However, the Mount of Olives seems to have an even larger role in his second coming to earth!
• Pontius Pilate - Do we have evidence for Pontius Pilate outside the biblical texts? Check out this image where the inscription reads: Pontius Pilatus, Prefect of Judea, has dedicated to the people of Caesarea a temple in honor of Tiberius.
• Pool of Bethesda - Until the 19th century, there was no archaeological evidence for the Pool of Bethesda (also known as Bethsaida), so skeptics used this as proof that John’s account was written by some later zealot who didn’t have eyewitness knowledge of Jerusalem or an actual pool called Bethesda.
• Pool of Siloam - Check out this image! In 2004, archaeologists stumbled upon the true 1st century Pool of Siloam when sewer engineers uncovered ancient steps during pipe maintenance near the mouth of Hezekiah’s ancient water tunnel. The bulldozers were immediately stopped, and by the summer of 2005, archaeologists carefully revealed the actual Pool of Siloam from the time of Jesus.
• Sea of Galilee - The Sea of Galilee isn’t really a sea, but actually Israel’s largest freshwater lake (13 by 8 miles), located in the northern part of the country. Today, the lake is also known as Lake Galilee and Lake Tiberias. In the Bible, the Sea of Galilee was also known as the Sea of Gennesaret.
• Star of Bethlehem - Under the marble slabs and ornamentation of the Star of Bethlehem, there are natural cave walls and a grotto that many scholars believe is the actual birthplace of Jesus Christ (Luke 2:7). The Star of Bethlehem has become the symbolic destination of pilgrimage for Christians since Constantine.
• Synagogue at Capernaum - The synagogue at Capernaum is a fantastic structure of white stone and ornate columns, probably built in the late third or fourth century AD. Below its foundation, archaeologists have discovered basalt walls of a previous synagogue dating to the first century AD.
• Tabgha - Tabgha is on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, just southwest of Capernaum. Learn about this town and its archaeology.
• Temple Mount – Jerusalem in Jesus’ Time - Check out these two images of Temple Mount in Jerusalem and the model of what it looked like during the ministry of Jesus.
• The Church of the Nativity - Check out these exterior and interior images of the famous Church of the Nativity. The history of the church is quite interesting...
• Tiberias - What has been discovered in Tiberias, the capital of Herod the Great? Find out the archaeology here.

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