January 28, 2015
8:14 pm

A skull fragment found at the Manot Cave in northern Israel belonging to the oldest known anatomically modern human who migrated out of Africa (photo credit: Judah Ari Gross/Times of Israel staff)

Ancient skull found in north sheds new light on journey out of Africa

55,000-year-old fragment discovered in cave near Nahariya a ‘connecting link’ between ancient and modern humans

By Ilan Ben Zion

January 22, 2015
5:01 am

Egyptian special forces stand next to the funeral mask of King Tutankhamun in its glass case in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo (photo credit: AP/Tara Todras-Whitehill, File)

Tut’s beard glued back on after fall

Hasty epoxy fix after cleaning accident damaged relic, conservators say

By Brian Rohan

January 5, 2015
8:07 am

The Giza Pyramids, near Cairo, Egypt, March 30, 2006 (photo credit: Melanie Fidler /Flash90)

Tomb of pharaonic queen found in Egypt

Khentakawess III is believed to have been the wife of Neferefre, who reigned over 4,500 years ago

By AFP

December 31, 2014
3:40 pm

Coins confiscated from a suspected antiquities thief's home in Beit Shemesh, December 2014 (photo credit: Unit for the Prevention of Antiquities Robbery of the Israel Antiquities Authority)

Antiquities thief busted with over 800 ancient coins

Beit Shemesh man caught while prowling archaeological site with metal detector; found to have immense trove of currency, necklaces, seals, arrowheads and more at his home

By Ilan Ben Zion

December 30, 2014
4:50 pm

Detail from 'Noli me tangere' by Titian, c. 1512, depicting a meeting between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. (public domain via wikipedia)

‘Lost Gospel’ depicts a married political activist Rabbi Jesus

Simcha Jacobovici and Barrie Wilson’s bestseller portrays a Jesus married to Canaanite priestess Mary Magdalene, who, after the crucifixion, founds the Church of the Gentiles

By Michael Posner

December 23, 2014
6:30 pm

A stone with a menorah engraving unearthed in Magdala, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons/CC BY SA-3.0)

Synagogue where Jesus may have preached unearthed

From the web Christian group discovers rare structure on coast of the Sea of Galilee, DPA reports

December 16, 2014
2:52 am

House of David inscription, part of the “Assyria to Iberia at the Dawn of the Classical Age” exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (Photo credit: Meidad Suchowolski)

Ancient rock adds evidence of King David’s existence

Stone slab with earliest reference to House of David, on display at Met, said to be ‘one of the most important Biblical artifacts ever found’

By Menachem Wecker

December 14, 2014
11:35 pm

A tourist takes a picture of two colossal statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III in Egypt's famed temple city of Luxor, December 14, 2014. (photo credit: AFP/Radwan Abu Elmagd)

Colossal statue of Amenhotep III unveiled in Egypt

43-foot bust of Pharaoh was toppled in an earthquake some 3,000 years ago in Luxor

By AFP

December 14, 2014
10:57 am

Dr. Ehud Galili of University of Haifa taking core samples from the newly excavated Neolithic well in Kfar Samir (photo credit: Dr Jonathan Benjamin courtesy of Dr Ehud Galili, University of Haifa and Israel Antiquities Authority)

Remains of Neolithic ‘Atlantis’ found off Haifa coast

Ravaged by rising sea levels, 7,500-year-old well at Kfar Samir sheds light on climate change, Israeli archaeologist says

By Ilan Ben Zion

December 13, 2014
7:59 am

Israeli children gather around a bonfire on the Jewish holiday of Lag Ba'Omer, in Jerusalem. Lag Ba'Omer commemorates the death of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, one of the most important sages in Jewish history 1,800 years ago. The most well-known custom of Lag Ba'Omer is the lighting of bonfires throughout Israel and in Jewish communities worldwide. (Photo credit: Yossi Zamir/Flash 90)

Humans may first have learned to harness fire in Israel 350,000 years ago

Israeli researchers help pinpoint habitual, intentional use of heat in ancient Levant after uncovering material from cave near Haifa

By Ilan Ben Zion

December 9, 2014
4:34 am

In this photo taken Friday, Dec. 5, 2014, in Chicago, the mummified body of Minirdis, a 14-year-old Egyptian boy lies in his opened coffin after J.P. Brown and his team of curators at the Field Museum opened the coffin for the first time. (photo credit: AP/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Museum lifts lid on ancient mummy

A 2,500-year-old teenage boy’s remains receive conservation treatment ahead of exhibition on ‘Images of the Afterlife’

By Caryn Rousseau

October 21, 2014
1:03 pm

A monumental Roman inscription found in Jerusalem by the Israel Antiquities Authority. (photo credit: Moti Tufeld)

Rare Roman monument bearing Hadrian’s name found in Jerusalem

Massive limestone slab dedicated to emperor’s 130 CE visit discovered at construction site, pinpoints date of city’s reconstruction

By Ilan Ben Zion

October 20, 2014
4:30 pm

An aerial view of Tel Burna, a Canaanite and Israelite site near modern day Kiryat Gat. (photo courtesy Skyview)

Canaanite cult site offers up its treasures after 3,300 years

Tel Burna excavation in central Israel reveals ceramic masks that could mark shrine to storm god Ba’al

By Ilan Ben Zion

October 16, 2014
7:56 pm

Palestinian archaeology workers excavate more than 2000 year old traces belonging to the Greek and Roman Empire near Rafah, Gaza Strip. May 25, 2011 (photo credit: Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90)

Gaza’s ancient past in danger of disappearing

From the web Coastal enclave lacks ‘resources, political will’ to preserve history, museum founder tells the New York Times

October 2, 2014
3:55 pm

Part of a medieval inn, or khan, built in 1337 by the Mamluks, now beneath the Old City near the Temple Mount (photo credit: Ilan Ben Zion/Times of Israel staff)

Medieval inn, bathhouse beneath Jerusalem’s Old City to open to public

Western Wall Heritage Foundation seeking to determine best current use for subterranean archaeological site which reaches down to Herodian period, near Temple Mount

By Ilan Ben Zion

Topic: archaeology

Ancient skull found in north sheds new light on journey out of Africa

55,000-year-old fragment discovered in cave near Nahariya a ‘connecting link’ between ancient and modern humans

Tut’s beard glued back on after fall

Hasty epoxy fix after cleaning accident damaged relic, conservators say

Tomb of pharaonic queen found in Egypt

Khentakawess III is believed to have been the wife of Neferefre, who reigned over 4,500 years ago

Antiquities thief busted with over 800 ancient coins

Beit Shemesh man caught while prowling archaeological site with metal detector; found to have immense trove of currency, necklaces, seals, arrowheads and more at his home

‘Lost Gospel’ depicts a married political activist Rabbi Jesus

Simcha Jacobovici and Barrie Wilson’s bestseller portrays a Jesus married to Canaanite priestess Mary Magdalene, who, after the crucifixion, founds the Church of the Gentiles

Synagogue where Jesus may have preached unearthed

From the web Christian group discovers rare structure on coast of the Sea of Galilee, DPA reports

Ancient rock adds evidence of King David’s existence

Stone slab with earliest reference to House of David, on display at Met, said to be ‘one of the most important Biblical artifacts ever found’

Colossal statue of Amenhotep III unveiled in Egypt

43-foot bust of Pharaoh was toppled in an earthquake some 3,000 years ago in Luxor

Remains of Neolithic ‘Atlantis’ found off Haifa coast

Ravaged by rising sea levels, 7,500-year-old well at Kfar Samir sheds light on climate change, Israeli archaeologist says

Humans may first have learned to harness fire in Israel 350,000 years ago

Israeli researchers help pinpoint habitual, intentional use of heat in ancient Levant after uncovering material from cave near Haifa

Museum lifts lid on ancient mummy

A 2,500-year-old teenage boy’s remains receive conservation treatment ahead of exhibition on ‘Images of the Afterlife’

Rare Roman monument bearing Hadrian’s name found in Jerusalem

Massive limestone slab dedicated to emperor’s 130 CE visit discovered at construction site, pinpoints date of city’s reconstruction

Canaanite cult site offers up its treasures after 3,300 years

Tel Burna excavation in central Israel reveals ceramic masks that could mark shrine to storm god Ba’al

Gaza’s ancient past in danger of disappearing

From the web Coastal enclave lacks ‘resources, political will’ to preserve history, museum founder tells the New York Times

Medieval inn, bathhouse beneath Jerusalem’s Old City to open to public

Western Wall Heritage Foundation seeking to determine best current use for subterranean archaeological site which reaches down to Herodian period, near Temple Mount

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