2013 Holy Land Archaeology Blog

2013 Holy Land Archaeology Blog

Since its nineteenth century beginnings, archaeology in the Holy Land has been driven by the desire to illuminate, even to verify, Jewish and Christian scripture. At the same time, western expeditions and excavations served to further colonial interests in the exotic Orient. Both of these motivations—the religious and the political—persist although their specific manifestations have shifted over the course of more than a century of research. This course is designed to introduce the student to some of the major archaeological sites and to explore the political and religious issues that have emerged from or that surround their excavation. Through field-trips and museum visits, as well as discussions with local experts, students will gain direct experience with the places that have aroused controversy because of their problematic relationship to biblical and other ancient texts and/or because of their location in politically contested space.

Read the live course blog at: https://sites.duke.edu/hla2013/