Biblical archaeology

Biblical archaeology studies material evidence in relation to the peoples, places, and periods described in the Bible. It compares archaeological findings with biblical texts without treating either source as automatic proof of the other.

Stratigraphy: The study of layered deposits and their sequence, used to establish the relative chronology of archaeological remains. Excavation layers help date settlements and events associated with biblical periods.
Merneptah Stele: An Egyptian victory inscription from the late thirteenth century BCE that includes the earliest widely accepted reference to Israel. It anchors evidence for a people called Israel in the southern Levant before the monarchy.
Edward Robinson: An American biblical scholar whose nineteenth-century journeys in Palestine helped identify ancient sites through place names and geography. His work helped establish the systematic geographical study of biblical locations.
Minimalism (biblical scholarship): A scholarly approach skeptical of using biblical texts as direct evidence for Israel's early history without independent corroboration. It challenges reconstructions that treat biblical narratives as reliable historical frameworks.
History of ancient Israel and Judah: The history of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah and their peoples in the ancient Levant. Archaeological evidence has reshaped accounts of these kingdoms' origins, scale, and political development.
Radiocarbon dating: A method for estimating the age of once-living material by measuring its radioactive carbon-14 content. It provides independent date ranges for organic remains from relevant archaeological contexts.
Tel Dan Stele: A ninth-century BCE Aramaic inscription from Tel Dan that appears to mention the 'House of David.' It offers non-biblical evidence for a dynasty associated with David, while leaving many historical questions open.
William F. Albright: An American archaeologist and biblical scholar who shaped twentieth-century Near Eastern archaeology and biblical studies. His influential synthesis of archaeology and biblical history defined much of the field's early outlook.
Maximalism (biblical scholarship): A scholarly approach that gives biblical texts substantial historical weight when reconstructing the ancient past. It contrasts with more skeptical readings of the texts' historical value.
Historical Jesus: The study of Jesus of Nazareth as a figure situated in the history of first-century Judea and Galilee. Archaeology supplies social and material context for interpreting the world of the Gospels.

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