News from the Archaeology Front

Archaeologists digging in Tell es-Safi (Gath of the Philistines) recently presented a pottery sherd they've found. The Philistines, as you may know, are thought to have been part of the Sea Peoples migration, believed to have come from the area of the Aegean (Greece and ALL those islands). The sherd, dated to only about 100 years after the time of David, contains two Indo-European names written in Semitic letters. This inscription using Semitic script and giving Indo-European names (basis of Greek language, among others) is among the earliest hard evidence found thus far for this migration into the area where the Philistines lived. Evidence of the migration has existed in Egypt, thanks to wall carvings displaying their invasion (they have distinctive feathered headdresses). But this sherd serves to give some solid evidence of their existence in Gath very close to the time of David. The Bible doesn't NEED evidence to be proven true, but it is so very exciting when evidence is found!

I also recently heard from some friends who spent a few weeks volunteering at Tel el-Hammam site in Jordan. This is an exciting spot that may turn out to be the biblical Sodom. It's never been dug before and they are finding exciting things, which we won't get to see until the archaeologist releases his report. One friend reported significant char at the middle bronze level, which would have been the time of Abraham and Lot. He also narrowly missed being bitten by a venomous snake, which he wouldn't have survived. So in your prayers be sure to mention all those archaeologists and their volunteer help!