On April 2, renewed excavation began in Jerusalem's biblical royal quarter in preparation for reconstruction work to highlight the ancient city's famed past. The three-to- four-week excavation is the first return to the area, known as the Ophel, since the excavations led by the late Dr. Eilat Mazar in 2009–2010. This current excavation is led by Hebrew University's Prof. Yosef Garfinkel, staffed by the Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology (AIBA) and funded by AIBA alongside Daniel Mintz and Meredith Berkman. On today's program, host Christopher Eames interviews aiba staff member Brent Nagtegaal who was on the 2009 excavation and is helping coordinate the excavation this year.

https://armstronginstitute.org/1217-excavating-the-ophel-water-gate

The Temple Mount Sifting Project has produced some remarkable finds. The discoveries are diverse—from arrowheads to astragals—and unique, including items made of gold! Each discovery, just like the sifting project itself, makes a great contribution to the archaeological record of Jerusalem.

During their December interview, project co-director Zachi Dvira gave Let the Stones Speak co-host Christopher Eames an inside look at some of these finds. You can now see these for yourself in this second installment of that interview.

In a first for Israel, a tomb complex holding the bones of about 60 individuals was recently uncovered in the Negev region of southern Israel. On today's program, Let the Stones Speak host Brent Nagtegaal speaks with Israel Antiquities Authority senior researcher and Negev expert Dr. Tali Erickson-Gini about the unique discovery.

https://armstronginstitute.org/1189-2500-year-old-tomb-complex-discovered-at-critical-crossroads-in-southern-israel

The Bible says King Solomon possessed such quantities of bronze (an alloy of copper and tin) that it became a common material, not worthy of being enumerated. From where did Solomon acquire such vast supplies of copper?

Let the Stones Speak co-host Christopher Eames interviewed Prof. Erez Ben-Yosef, director of excavations at Timna, to discuss the copper mines of Israel’s united monarchy.

“Copper Mines of the United Monarchy”

“David’s Edomite Garrisons”

In December, Let the Stones Speak co-host Christopher Eames interviewed Zachi Dvira. In this first installment of the interview, Dvira discusses the history of the project, as well as some details about where the project stands today.

From the biggest of shipwrecks to the smallest of pendants—here’s our list of 2024’s greatest hits in biblical archaeology.

https://armstronginstitute.org/1145-top-10-biblical-archaeology-discoveries-of-2024

The book of Esther contains one of the most riveting and dramatic stories in the Bible. But is it true? There are those who have tried to discredit the book of Esther, relegating it to myth and fables. However, what does the evidence say?

On today’s program, host Nicholas Irwin interviews staff writer Christopher Eames about his article “The Book of Esther: Fact or Fiction?”

The Book of Esther: Fact or Fiction?

Esther in the Dead Sea Scrolls?

On today’s program, host Brent Nagtegaal speaks to Hebrew University Archaeologist Prof. Yosef Garfinkel about a recently discovered city wall at Lachish during his excavations in collaboration with Prof. Hoo-Goo Kang of Seoul Jangsin University, Korea. The interview occurred on the sidelines of the American Schools for Oversees Research annual meeting held in Boston in late November.

https://armstronginstitute.org/1138-king-rehoboams-fortifications-found-at-biblical-lachish

The Tel Dan Stele is arguably the most important artifact ever discovered in the world of biblical archaeology, containing the earliest confirmed mention of King David. In light of the opening celebration, Let the Stones Speak host Brent Nagtegaal interviewed epigrapher and historian Prof. Michael Langlois, who is currently researching the Stele.

https://armstronginstitute.org/1110-new-research-on-the-house-of-david-inscription-with-prof-michael-langlois

The team from Hebrew University and the Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology is about to start excavations again in the royal quarter of ancient Jerusalem—the Ophel. On today’s program, host Christopher Eames talks with excavation directors Prof. Uzi Leibner and Dr. Orit Peleg-Barkat about the upcoming Ophel dig.