When I went to the mailbox this afternoon I found the latest issue of Biblical Archaeology Review waiting for me. I was excited to read it since it is the annual Digs issue.

I was not surprised that Ashkelon was on the cover as one of the biggest discoveries of the season was announced there earlier this year.

See my post Philistine Cemetery at Ashkelon.

I then quickly browsed through Digging Through Time by Ellen White looking for any mention of Lachish which is where I dug this summer.

No luck, there was no mention. I even went back and read it more thoroughly. However, there was some good information about several of the digs I have been following through the years.

There was a small article about Luxurious Lavatories which referenced some of the facilities that have been found over the years, but no mention of the Lachish Latrine.

One of the feature articles was Rejected! Qeiyafa’s Unlikely Second Gate by Yosef Garfinkel, Saar Ganor and Joseph Baruch Silver.

The last two summers I have dug with Garfinkel at Lachish. Last year we made a visit to Khirbet Qeiyafa where I was able to see the two gates that are mentioned in the article.

This gate is the southern gate which was the second to be found. Finding the second gate was important as it helped identify the ancient name of Sha’arayim which means ‘Two Gates” in Hebrew.

Here is the western gate which would have been the main entrance into the stronghold.

My friend Luke dug for several years at Khirbet Qeiyafa and told me a few interesting stories 🙂

There was also an interesting article about the Pool of Siloam. Last year I made a return visit to the pool. I first visited the pool back in 2012. See my post Over, Under and Around Jerusalem.

Last year I went to the pool a different way. This time we walked through Hezekiah’s Tunnel.

The tunnel comes out into a small pool that was the Byzantine era Pool of Siloam.

The Second Temple Pool of Siloam that Jesus visited was not found until 2004.

Only one edge of the pool has been uncovered. There is hope that someday additional excavations will be made and possibly remnants of the pool from the First Temple time will be found.

Now to take some time and study the articles and treasure away some of the facts for later recall.

Steven

p.s. For more In the BAR articles enter In the Bar in the search box.