Archeologists are often associated with digging the bones of ancient civilizations and million-year old dinosaurs, but what doesn’t often hit the headlines of mainstream reporting is the efforts of archeologists trained to study and explore Biblical archeology. In this article, we will learn about the time periods involved and some of the significant finds over the years.
Conducting excavations and locating artifacts associated with the Biblical world,
To learn more about Biblical archeology, the Biblical Archaeology Society was started in 1974, which is known to produce the Biblical Archeology Review. Filled with articles by respected scholars, the current events of archeological excavations concerning the Bible and other related topics are published throughout the pages of the review.
Biblical Archeology Time Periods
According to the Mercer Dictionary of the Bible, time periods of importance for Biblical archeology include:
The Bronze Age (from 3,200 to 1,200 BCE)
which is broken down into three different periods: Early Bronze (3200-2200 BCE), Middle Bronze (2200 -1550 BCE), and Late Bronze Age (1550-1200 BCE). During these time periods, man learned how to domesticate the horse. Some of the most advanced examples of metalworking also appear in the record of the Bronze Age. Other materials associated with this period in history, includes the act of smelting copper and tin. They also learned how to melt various metals together to produce objects, made from the likes of bronze alloy.
The Iron Age (from 1200 to 586 BCE)
displayed a great deal of development for our ancestors, as iron tools and weapons started to appear more and more in the historical record. Iron also played an important role in the changes taking place within society, which involved religious beliefs, artistic expression, as well as a shift in agriculture.
The Babylonian Period (from 586 to 539 BCE)
enjoyed a break from the usual Assyrian dominance, and Babylonia grew in distinction during this time. No matter what the Babylonians did, the Assyrians seemed to have an ever-lasting grip on their loyalty. They used incentives, such as extending privileges or enforcing their military power in order to gain the trust of the people
However in 627 BCE, Ashurbanipal, a respected force amongst the Assyrians, died. This gave Babylonia the leeway they needed to rebel against the Assyrians, which took place in the following year. Gaining assistance from the Medes, Ninevah suffered an attack in 612 , resulting in the shift of power once gain.
In the second article of this exploration into Biblical archeology, we will encounter information regarding the Persian Period, as well as some of the negative consequences associated with the prosperity of the Roman Period.