Doing Archaeology in the Land of the Bible

Description

An introduction to archaeology and the methods archaeologists use to reconstruct the history of ancient Israel. Many people today are familiar with archaeological undertakings in the land of the Bible and the fascinating objects that have been discovered. However, the process of archaeology is generally not well understood. How do excavators know where to dig? How do they identify what they've found? John Currid provides many answers in this basic guide to Palestinian archaeology. Currid, a field archaeologist and Old Testament scholar, surveys the history of archaeological work in the Holy Land and the development of excavation methodology. He highlights pioneering individuals and their contributions, and explains the purposes of topographical survey, site identification, digging techniques, and find analysis. Utilizing the book's practical outline of archaeological investigation, the final chapter describes the site identification, history of excavation, and finds at et-Tell (Bethsaida). Complete with color photographs, line drawings, and sidebars, Doing Archaeology in the Land of the Bible offers a concise introduction to Palestinian archaeology useful for college classes, study groups, and excavation teams.