Biblical Archaeology: A Very Short Introduction

Archaeologists working in the lands of the Bible encounter a difficult question: what can an excavated site or ancient inscription tell us about stories preserved in religious texts? Eric H. Cline traces the development of biblical archaeology, including the early drive to find material proof for those stories and the debates that followed.

At Hazor, Megiddo and Jerusalem, remains of ancient settlements are weighed against written traditions. The Dead Sea Scrolls, the Mesha Inscription and the Tel Dan Stele raise other questions about texts and historical context. Cline also considers the people who excavated these sites, disputed artefacts and possible forgeries. Archaeology can illuminate the societies of the ancient Near East without settling every claim preserved in their writings.