2019 was a banner year for archaeologists who made several grand discoveries that have advanced our understanding of the ancient world. Biblical archaeology is an important field of study because it identifies real connections between the accounts of the Bible and historical records. The corroboration of biblical narratives by historical records enhances our understanding and can light a fire of renewal in our devotions.
Let’s take a look at some of the greatest discoveries that 2019 had to offer.
1. Experts believe they have found an anchor from St. Paul’s shipwreck
Four anchors were discovered by divers in St. Thomas’ Bay in the 1960s. If they are in fact the anchors of St. Paul’s vessel, then their discovery in St. Thomas’ Bay, south of Malta, has already changed what we know of St. Paul’s journey, as it was previously believed that they landed in St. Paul’s Bay, north of Malta.
2. Catacomb art in Malta provides testimony to life of early Christians
Discovered in Malta, this finding offered a rare glimpse at the worship practices of early Christians. The walls were scrawled with graffiti that depicted biblical scenes, some of the oldest such images ever discovered.
3. Israeli researchers revive 5,000-year-old yeast to recreate ancient beer
Utilizing samples of yeast from excavated clay pots, which had been dormant for thousands of years, a team composed of biologists, archaeologists, and craft brewers has successfully brewed beer that could have been consumed by our favorite biblical figures.
4. Unusual stone discovered near Jerusalem might be connected to the Ark of the Covenant
Archaeologists have found a stone near Jerusalem that is very suggestive of one described in Scripture as being the resting place of the Ark of the Covenant, which held the tablets of the Ten Commandments.
5. Excavation at Mt. Zion yields evidence of the biblical razing of Jerusalem
Archaeologists working at a site on Mount Zion have unearthed evidence that Iron-Age era Jerusalem was much larger and wealthier than previously thought. Also found were artifacts and ash layers that support the biblical account of the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem about 2,600 years ago.
6. Declassified images from U-2 spy planes helping with biblical archaeology
Cold War-era U-2 spy planes photographed areas of the Middle East, and the declassification of those top-secret images are shedding new light on ancient history, according to a recently published scholarly paper.
7. Noah’s Ark discovered in Turkey, experts say
New developments in the search for Noah’s Ark have experts confident that we will soon have definitive proof that Noah’s Ark is buried in Turkey.
And today we celebrate...