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Biblical Archaeology Yesterday (And Today): Review Article

This handsome volume contains the addresses given at the international congress celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Israel Exploration Society. It was held in April 1984. The congress was intended to present a current status report on "biblical archaeology" and in a sense that goal has been attained. Another goal was to press the case for biblical archaeology as against the recent trend to exclude the term biblical in favor of a presumed approach on a more technical level, the so-called "new" archaeology. The venue, Jerusalem, was the appropriate place for such a congress, of course. The Israel Exploration Society has done a great service to the world of scholarship by making these addresses available in such a well-edited and beautifully-produced volume. The treatments of the various subjects in the congress will be focal points of discussion for a long time. While it would be hazardous to speak in generalities about such a varied menu of topics, one trend does seem evident: that the senior organizers of the congress intended to have their say once more. The result is a summary of "Biblical Archaeology Yesterday." Careful perusal of the addresses by several (not all) of the more senior scholars reveals that the elder generation has had its say. It is mainly from the younger participants that one finds new and stimulating ideas. The "old guard" seems to have exhausted its resources. Though it will not be possible to discuss every contribution, in this article I will attempt to add my own perspective to some of the discussions on crucial issues facing "biblical archaeologists" today.