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Amanda Borschel-Dan
Amanda Borschel-Dan
Amanda Borschel-Dan is The Times of Israel's Jewish World and Archaeology editor.
Destruction to a low stone early Iron Age wall at the Mount Ebal archaeological site, January 31, 2021. (Courtesy, Shomrim Al Hanetzach)
February 22, 2021, 12:11 pm
Settlers take on West Bank archaeology as ancient ‘Joshua’ wall tumbles down
Destruction of barrier at Iron Age Israelite cultic site deep in PA-controlled Area B creates media maelstrom, as right-wing campaign claims Palestinians destroying heritage sites
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
Fragment of the rare purple fabric from 1,000 BCE excavated in the Timna Valley. (Dafna Gazit, Israel Antiquities Authority)
January 28, 2021, 9:42 pm
Ancient cloth with Bible’s purple dye found in Israel, dated to King David’s era
3 scraps from 1,000 BCE, earliest such finds in region, point to Edomite kingdom described in Bible; vibrant and lasting ‘royal’ dye, mark of the elite, comes from murex sea snails
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
Swedish composer Jacob Mühlrad. (Andre Garcia)
January 25, 2021, 3:43 pm
29-year-old composer releases ‘Kaddish’ for survivor grandfather on top label
In new a cappella choral work, Swedish art music composer Jacob Mühlrad holds a dialogue with his deceased grandfather, using his harrowing testimony and texts by Elie Wiesel
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
A late 5th century CE Greek inscription, 'Christ born of Mary,' recently found in the village of et-Taiyiba (Taibe) in the Jezreel Valley. (Tzachi Lang/Israel Antiquities Authority)
January 20, 2021, 2:35 pm
‘Christ born of Mary’: 1st proof of early Christianity found in Galilee village
Greek inscription provides evidence of a hitherto-unknown 5th century Byzantine-era church; the find ‘closes a circle’ on Christian settlement in small Jezreel Valley village Taibe
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
Father Francesco Patton, the Custos of the Holy Land, leads mass on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, at St John the Baptist Chapel on the banks of the Jordan River, January 10, 2021. (COGAT Spokeperson's Office)
January 10, 2021, 10:21 pm
With landmines cleared, church on Jordan River holds 1st mass in 54 years
Baptism of the Lord on January 10 celebrated with 50 priests, guests, and soldiers, at the Franciscan St. John the Baptist Chapel
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
The Times of Israel Podcast presents the Best of 2020. (Images courtesy/ iStock photo)
January 1, 2021, 10:42 am
Pop in your earbuds, it’s the top 5 Times of Israel podcasts from 2020
From Uganda to the Arava Desert, to our own homes under lockdown, the ToI’s weekly podcast has brought listeners an eclectic play list this year
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
David Yeger, director of the excavation at Gethsemane in Jerusalem, in the Byzantine church. (Yoli Schwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority)
December 31, 2020, 1:16 am
As COVID hit, archaeologists turned to futuristic labs to dig up ancient history
From dental tartar studies to the use of police forensics techniques and AI to discern which scribe wrote the Bible, cutting-edge science beat out shovels for uncovering the past
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
Illustrative: A young devotee, face smeared with turmeric powder, participates in a procession towards Golconda Fort during Bonalu festival in Hyderabad, India, July 15, 2010. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
December 22, 2020, 11:53 am
‘Globalized’ early Bronze Age Levantines consumed exotic Asian nosh, study shows
Analysis of dental tartar from skeletons excavated at Megiddo and Tel Erani shows first evidence in region from 2nd millennium BCE of foods such as bananas, soy beans, turmeric
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
Second Temple-era ritual bath that was discovered during construction work on a modern tunnel under the 1920 Catholic Church of All Nations. (Yaniv Berman, Israel Antiquities Authority)
December 21, 2020, 10:31 pm
Ancient ritual bath may mark first New Testament-era find at Jesus’ Gethsemane
Olive grove where Jesus spent a night of agony, accepted his betrayal, and was arrested ahead of his crucifixion has until now had no physical link to Second Temple era
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
A sunken visitor's center will stand in place of these excavations at the foot of Jerusalem's Tower of David Museum, November 2020 (Ricky Rachman)
December 17, 2020, 12:32 pm
Arabic inscription found under Tower of David rewrites ancient citadel’s past
A newly found inscription has forced archaeologists to rethink their dating of a fortification wall, and high-tech analysis is building a clearer picture than ever of the site
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
Oil lamp molds from the Islamic period (mid-7th-11th century) uncovered in the summer 2020 excavation of ancient Tiberias. (Tal Rogovenski/Hebrew University)
December 13, 2020, 4:52 pm
Ancient oil lamp workshop, now at Israel Museum, shows the way we once lit
Rare assemblage of lamp molds, kiln and unused oil lamps found under rubble from Tiberias earthquake of 1033 sheds light on craftsmanship in early Islamic period
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
2,700-year-old clay sealing from a stamp from the Israelite King Jeroboam II in the 8th century BCE. (Dani Machlis/Ben Gurion University)
December 10, 2020, 6:35 am
2,700 years ago, tiny clay piece sealed deal for Bible’s King Jeroboam II
Bought for a pittance at a market in 1980, 8th century BCE paleo-Hebrew inscription is the earliest writing found on a clay seal impression in the Land of Israel, study shows
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
Second Temple-era menorah drawn in a cistern in the al-Aliliyat cliffs near modern Kfar Mukhmas. (Boaz Langford)
December 8, 2020, 2:05 am
Rare Second Temple menorah drawing from biblical Maccabean site brought to light
Hitherto unpublished 2,000-year-old engraved menorah, forgotten in archives for 40 years, shores up hypothesis that ancient Michmas was a priestly settlement, study says
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
Amit Re’em, Jerusalem District Archaeologist at the Israel Antiquities Authority, directs archaeologists at the Tower of David Museum. (IAA)
December 2, 2020, 4:44 am
LISTEN: Medieval poop chute exposed in renovations at Jerusalem’s Tower of David
Go behind the scenes onsite at the excavation of the Old City landmark with archaeologist Amit Re’em as the Crusader fortress turned museum undergoes a massive renewal project
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
A First Temple-era gold bead discovered in earth from the Temple Mount Sifting Project. (courtesy)
November 26, 2020, 7:29 pm
Gold bead, apparently lost on Temple Mount 3,000 years ago, found by 9-year-old
When Binyamin Milt uncovered the bead as he sifted earth for Temple Mount Sifting Project, it was so well-preserved that archaeologists initially didn’t realize its unique nature
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
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