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2,000-year-old ballista stone returned to the City of David by an anonymous Israeli 15 years after he stole it. 
(Moshe Manies)
March 16, 2020, 12:31 pm
Fearing the end is nigh, man returns stolen 2,000-year-old artifact to park
For 15 years, theft of a catapult bolt stone weighed on his mind. With the coronavirus crisis, anonymous Israeli uses go-between to restore national treasure, unburden conscience
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
Palestinian youths take cover amidst tear gas smoke during clashes with Israeli forces in a village south of Nablus in the West Bank on March 11, 2020. (JAAFAR ASHTIYEH / AFP)
March 11, 2020, 3:50 pm
Palestinian teen shot dead in clashes with troops near Nablus
IDF says 500 Palestinians carried out violent riot; PA official says it was a sit-in to stop settlers taking over hilltop; 16 others said wounded, 2 critical; military opens probe
By Adam Rasgon
A 1.4-meter (55-inch) wide sarcophagus and what appears to be an altar, dating back to the 6th Century BCE, are seen in an underground chamber, at the ancient Roman Forum, during an unveiling to media, in Rome, February 21, 2020. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
February 22, 2020, 2:47 pm
Lost shrine to Rome’s founder believed discovered in Roman Forum
Archaeologist in charge of dig site in area identified with city’s founding says the find is not a tomb but ‘very likely… a memorial site’ to Romulus
By Frances D'Emilio
The exterior of Shanidar Cave in northern Iraq in 2005 (CC BY JosephV/Wikimedia Commons)
February 20, 2020, 6:21 pm
New evidence points to Neanderthal burial rituals
Skeletal remains found in Iraqi cave give credence to theory that humans’ ancient relatives interred their dead, and even left flowers by their side
By TOI staff
Archaeologists at work excavating the biblical city of Lachish, where an early 12th century BCE Canaanite alphabet inscription was found in 2014. (courtesy of Yossi Garfinkel, Hebrew University)
February 17, 2020, 8:07 pm
Rare ‘smiting gods’ among artifacts found at 12th century BCE Canaanite temple
Once-in-a-career Bronze Age findings from Lachish described as ‘breathtaking’ by archaeologist Yosef Garfinkel, who published a comprehensive report on 2013-2017 excavations
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
Aerial photo of the temple at Motza at the end of the 2013 excavation. (P. Partouche, SkyView)
February 3, 2020, 3:02 pm
Revealed: In First Temple era, another massive temple was in use near Jerusalem
Large 10th century BCE worship complex being excavated at Motza in ancient Judah; 4 miles from Temple Mount, site was ‘sanctioned’ by Jerusalem administration, say archaeologists
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
One of the sarcophagi discovered in the village of Tuna al-Gabal, near the Nile Valley city of Minya. (Egypt’s antiquities ministry via AP)
January 30, 2020, 10:46 pm
Egyptian archaeologists unveil ancient tombs, 2,500-year-old artifacts
Find includes 20 limestone sarcophagi etched with hieroglyphs, hundreds of amulets and 10,000 blue funerary statues dating to 664-399 BCE
By AHMED HATEM and MOHAMED SALAH
From the trove of coins found in the home of a suspected antiquities thief from Kfar Kana, January 2020. (Yaron Bibas/IAA)
January 27, 2020, 1:05 pm
Coins from 5th century BCE found in trove seized from home of antiquities thief
Israel Antiquities Authority’s Theft Prevention Unit inspector says there are a growing number of thieves using metal detectors who are destroying unexcavated archaeological sites
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
Illustrative: A detail of a sarcophagus discovered at the Memphis necropolis is seen during an event in Dashur, Egypt, July 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
January 24, 2020, 10:46 pm
The mummy talks: Scientists bring back voice of 3,000-year-old Egyptian
Researcher on team that recreated vocal tract of ancient priest says technique could make the public’s encounters with history ‘more multidimensional’
By AP
Example of Samaria ostraca: No. 14: 'In the year ni[ne] from Az[…]t Par'an to Shemaryau jar of aged wine'(Courtesy Tel Aviv University)
January 22, 2020, 10:30 pm
Illiterate Israelites? Hi-tech review of ancient sherds suggests few scribes
Multi-disciplinary Tel Aviv University study uses new image processing and computer learning techniques to reexamine large cache of paleo-Hebrew ostraca from 8th century BCE
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
Stav Meir, 13, holding a 1,500-year-old Greek burial inscription that he discovered near Caesarea. (Karem Said/ Israel Antiquities Authority)
January 22, 2020, 1:16 pm
X marks the spot on 1,500-year-old burial slab found by 7th-grader near Caesarea
The recent rains have uncovered many artifacts, but 13-year-old Stav Meir had the skills to understand what he found while foraging for mushrooms
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
Dr. Scott Stripling at the site of ancient Shiloh, May 2017. (Amanda Borschel-Dan/Times of Israel)
January 16, 2020, 2:27 pm
LISTEN: At Shiloh, archaeologist finds artifacts hinting at biblical Tabernacle
With Texan chutzpah, Dr. Scott Stripling says all digs must start wet-sifting their earth, as he recovers overlooked ancient items at the first Israelite priestly capital
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
The tell of Abel Beth Maacah from the northwest, with the Golan Heights in the background. (photo credit: Ferrell Jenkins)
January 10, 2020, 11:29 am
Hebrew nametag on ancient wine jar reopens debate on size of Israelite kingdom
The area of Abel Beth Maacah, near Metula, was previously thought to be outside of Hebrew domain during 10th-9th century BCE
By TOI staff
The 2,000-year-old volumes measuring table, pictured here on the City of David's Pilgrims' Path. (Kobi Harati, City of David archive)
January 6, 2020, 1:31 pm
City of David archaeologists say 2,000-year-old central Jerusalem market found
Stone table top used to measure liquid volumes located in large courtyard in City of David’s Stepped Street, which archaeologists believe was the central market
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
Visitors at the Qumran archaeological site, January 22, 2019. (Luke Tress/Times of Israel)
January 1, 2020, 4:43 pm
Digging the land: The top 10 Holy Land archaeology stories of 2019
A purely subjective list from the ToI’s archaeology editor on objectively important discoveries
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
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