Archaeology and the Bible

Church of the Living Christ May 19-21, 2017

Session 2 Dr. Byron G. Curtis The Tale of a Tel: Geneva College in Scripture, History, and Stone Society Staff • 03/01/2015 (03/01/2015T09:20) Archaeology & the Bible This Bible History Daily feature was originally published in March 2013. It has been updated.— Ed. Biblical Archaeology Society Staff • 03/01/2015 (03/01/2015T09:20)

HowThis Bibleand when History did DailyChristians feature start was to originallydepict images published of in March 2013. It has been updated.— JesusEd. on the cross? Some believe the early church avoided imagesOur of Jesus on the cross untilPrayer the fourth or fifth century. In “The Staurogram: Earliest Depiction of How and when did Christians start to depict images of Jesus’ Crucifixion” in the March/April 2013 issue of Jesus on the cross? Some believe the early church Biblical ArchaeologyMay Reviewthe, Larry words Hurtado highlights of my mouth avoided images of Jesus on the cross until the fourth or an early Christian crucifixion symbol that sets the date fifth century. In “The Staurogram: Earliest Depiction of back by 150–200 years. Jesus’and Crucifixion” the in the meditationsMarch/April 2013 issue of of my heart LarryBiblical Hurtado Archaeology describes Review how, a Larry symbol Hurtado known highlights as a staurograman early Christian isbe created crucifixion accepted out of the symbol Greek that letters sets tau-rho the in date: thy sight, “Inback Greek, by 150–200 the language years. of the early church, the capital The staurogram combines the Greek letters tau-rho to stand in for parts of the Greek tau, or T, looks pretty much like our T. The capital rho, Larry Hurtado describes how a symbolO knownLORD as a .” words for “cross” (stauros) and “crucify” or R, however, is written like our P. If you superimpose (stauroō) in Bodmer papyrus P75. staurogram is created out of the Greek letters tau-rho: Staurograms serve as the earliest images of “Inthe Greek,two letters, the language it looks something of the early like church, this: the. capitalThe JesusThe staurogram on the cross, combines predating the other Greek Christian letters tau-rho to stand in for parts of the Greek tauearliest, or T, Christian looks pretty uses muchof this like tau-rho our T. combination The capital rho, crucifixion imagery by 200 years. Photo: Foundationwords for “cross” Martin (stauros Bodmer) and. “crucify” ormake R, however, up what isis knownwritten as like a staurogram. ourPsalm P. If you In superimpose Greek 19:14 the (stauroō) in Bodmer papyrus P75. verb to ‘crucify’ is stauroō; a ‘cross’ is a stauros … [these Staurograms serve as the earliest images of the two letters, it looks something like this: . The letters produce] a pictographic representation of a crucifiedJesus figure on hangingthe cross, predatingon a cross—used other Christian in the earliest Christian uses of this tau-rho combination crucifixion imagery by 200 years. Photo: Greek words for ‘crucify’ and ‘cross.’” Foundation Martin Bodmer. make up what is known as a staurogram. In Greek the Theverb tau-rho to ‘crucify’ staurogram is stauro ōis; onea ‘cross’ of several is a stauros christograms … [these, or monogram-like devices used by ancient Christians,letters produce] to refer a pictographic to Jesus. However, representation Larry Hurtado of a crucified points figure out that hanging the staurogram on a cross—used only refers in the to theGreek crucifixion, words for unlike ‘crucify’ others, and ‘cross.’” which mention Jesus’ other characteristics. Also, the staurogram is visual—the tau-rho combinations create images of Jesus on the cross, making the staurogram the The tau-rho staurogram is one of several christograms, or monogram-like devices used by ancient earliest Christian images of Jesus on the cross. Christians, to refer to Jesus. However, Larry Hurtado points out that the staurogram only refers to the crucifixion, unlike others, which mention Jesus’ other characteristics. Also, the staurogram is Thevisual—the tau-rho tau-rho staurogram, combinations like other create christograms, images of was Jesus originally on the cross,a pre-Christian making the symbol. staurogram A the Herodianearliest Christian coin featuring images the of JesusStaurogram on the cross.predates the crucifixion. Soon after, Christian adoption of staurogram symbols served as the first visual images of Jesus on the cross.

The tau-rho staurogram, like other christograms, was originally a pre-Christian symbol. A Herodian coin featuring the Staurogram predates the crucifixion. Soon after, Christian adoption of staurogram symbols served as the first visual images of Jesus on the cross. Archaeology & the Bible What is archaeology? What is archaeology? What is archaeology?

Archaeology & the Bible

Archaeology & the Bible

What is Archaeology?

› Archaios = “old” [Greek] › -ology = “the study of . . .”

Sir (1853-1942) genius-founder of scientific archaeology

with some of his crackpots Archaeology & the Bible

What is Archaeology?

Archaeology is › the science of › the material remains › of the human past. Archaeology & the Bible

What Archaeology Does:

› Discovery of the material › Recovery of the material › Interpretation of the material › Story of the human lives to which the material attests

Archaeology & the Bible

The Goal of Archaeology To Understand Past Cultures & Civilizations: Subsistence, Architecture, Economics, Politics, Literature, Art, Religion, and more

Not-Yet-Sir Flinders Petrie, And thus . . . at home to understand in a tomb ourselves in Giza, , 1880s Archaeology & the Bible

The Tale of a Tel: Harness the steeds to the chariots, inhabitants of Lachish; Tel Lachish it was the beginning of sin to daughter Zion, for in you were found the transgressions of . —:13

Tel Lachish Today Lachish in 701 BC Archaeology & the Bible

Tel = “Mound”

› A Tel is a ruined city › In traceable levels of civilizations › Layer-by-layer, “like a baker’s cake” › Lowest level = oldest city › Upper level = newest city

Archaeology & the Bible

Tel Lachish Some conspired against King Amaziah in , and he fled to Lachish. But they sent after him to Lachish, and killed him there. They brought him on horses; he was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors in the city of David. :19–20 767 BC

Tel Lachish Today Lachish in 701 BC Archaeology & the Bible Stratigraphy Tel Lachish Judah’s Map Tel Lachish Lachish in 701 BC Tel Lachish

Lachish Today Tel Lachish

Fortress Lachish, 701 BC Tel Lachish

Gate painting Tel Lachish The gate besieged stone relief carving, Palace of ,

Tel Lachish

Sennacherib’s Throne room, Nineveh Tel Lachish Tower besieged Tel Lachish

Impaled Judeans Tel Lachish

Detail of impaling Tel Lachish Lachish falls: Captives Tel Lachish

Judean family with Oxcart Tel Lachish Sennacherib receives Captives and their tribute Tel Lachish

Assyria’s King Sennacherib, 705-681 BC Tel Lachish

Besiegers on the Assyrian Siege Ramp, Tel Lachish, October 2011

Dr. Curtis and his class in “Judah’s Exile” Jerusalem University College, Jerusalem Tel Lachish Lachish today Tel Lachish

Relevance of Lachish

› Lachish is the best › Lachish puts to understood ancient flight all the biblical city in all Near Eastern minimalists who archaelogy disbelieve in an ancient › Lachish’s archaeology helps us make sense of several biblical stories: Tel Lachish Biblical stories illuminated by Lachish’s archaeology

› King Amaziah’s assassination in 2 Kings 14

› Micah’s denunciation of Judean militarism Micah 1:13

› Lamentations’s cry for Jerusalem’s fall in 587

Tel Lachish

Tal Tales: a bit of whimsy in honor of our Israel guide, David Tal, January 7, 2016, Jerusalem

This joke's too easy—this joke I tell: a "tel" is a mound that tells a tale, a tale that amounts to a fine account, a tale of a mighty town that fell.

You start with a hill by a well or a spring, then you level that hill of everything, and build a fort where a town may dwell to rise and rule over hill and dell.

My next joke's easy—'bout a bloke called Tal. The bloke in this joke is David Tal. He's no King David—this David's tall— about 6'2", far as I can tell.

to the next slide . . .

Tel Lachish

Tal Tales (continued. . .) He tells of tels; he tells 'em swell, regaling us with tale upon tale of tier upon tier in their rise and fall: "Like a baker's cake," cries David Tal.

No man can tell such tales so well as David Tal, who tells of tels. Tal tells of tall tels; he tall tels tells; and it's no tall tale that tall Tal tells!