A Calendar in Stone: Hittite Yazılıkaya
All cultures have calendars. Some also make stone monuments. Hittites’ stone calendar included depictions of some of their thousands of gods.
Resurrection in the Mediterranean World
The Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth gradually made its way around the ancient Mediterranean world. But it fell on fertile ground because the idea of resur
The Genesis of the Near Eastern Pig
Pigs are among the very oldest domesticated animals in the Near East with evidence going back past 9000 BCE. But unlike Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Europe, pig popularity in the
‘Mummify like an Egyptian’ – Egyptianizing Mummification in the Canary Islands
One of the most remarkable features of the indigenous culture of the Canary Island was their practice of mummification. Writers have long associated the practice with Egypt, but is
A Week in the Life of the Mousterian Hunter
Human sacrifice was never very common, but it occurred around the world. And as with many things, what mattered what who was doing the sacrificing.
Jewish Cliff Shelters and Hiding Complexes in the Roman Period Galilee
Josephus described fortifying Jewish sites in the Galilee before the Roman onslaught. New research has shown that many of those sites were hewn into cliffs and dug below settlement
Servant Figurines from Egyptian Tombs: Whom Did They Depict, and How Did They Work?
Scholars have interpreted servant figurines in Egyptian tombs as anonymous toys designed to come to life. But a closer look suggests they may have represented a deeper relationship
Russian Archaeology of the Holy Land
Russian scholars have been active in the Holy Land for 150 years. Like other Europeans, they came as part of imperial competition, but their contributions endured and are expanding
Human Sacrifice in the Ancient Near East and Egypt
Human sacrifice was never very common, but it occurred around the world. And as with many things, what mattered what who was doing the sacrificing.
Fossil Pollen and the Story of Olives in the Mediterranean Basin
Olives are among the most characteristic Mediterranean crops. Examining fossil pollen has yielded new insights on how they spread across the Mediterranean.