Biblical Archaeology—Old Testament is the discipline that explores the peoples, places, and events depicted in the Hebrew Bible through tangible historical evidence unearthed from the ground. Archaeologists engage in meticulous excavations, unearthing artifacts such as pottery, clay tablets, inscriptions, and tombs that provide critical insights into the lives and environments of ancient figures documented in the Old Testament. This rigorous scientific process not only enhances understanding of the historical and cultural contexts in which the Old Testament was written but also sheds light on the diverse languages spoken by the Israelites and their neighboring cultures, including those in regions such as Canaan, Egypt, Assyria, and Babylonia.
The field of Old Testament archaeology began to take shape with significant linguistic breakthroughs, notably with the decipherment of the Rosetta Stone in 1822, which unlocked the mysteries of Egyptian hieroglyphics. This pivotal discovery laid the groundwork for further advances, such as the decoding of Assyrian cuneiform more than two decades later. These developments catalyzed systematic archaeological excavations, starting in Assyria in 1843 and in Egypt in 1850, significantly advancing our knowledge of the ancient world as it relates to the biblical narratives of the Old Testament.
EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).
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