Spring 2007 | Volume 65, No. 3

Archaeology Honor

A major biblical archaeology magazine highlighted Tel Gezer, a dig co-sponsored by Southwestern Seminary, on the cover of its January-February 2007 edition. The cover photo on Biblical Archaeology Review shows Joy Perley, a volunteer from a school in Florida, as she unearthed shards of a chalice discovered at Tel Gezer.

Steven Ortiz, co-director of the Tel Gezer dig and associate professor of archaeology and biblical backgrounds at Southwestern Seminary, submitted the photo taken by Gary Arbino, associate professor of archaeology and Old Testament at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary.

“Biblical Archaeology Review is the premier archaeology magazine for reporting developments in the field in a way that is accessible to lay people,” Ortiz said. “Scholars, Sunday school teachers, pastors and rabbis read it. For a photo from Tel Gezer to appear on the cover heightens attention to the project as it goes into Southwestern Seminary’s inaugural season this summer.”

The 2007 dig at Gezer, scheduled June 18-July 20, is Southwestern’s first year to co-sponsor the project alongside the Israel Antiquities Authority. Southwestern’s work in Israel is a part of a consortium of schools including New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Golden Gate Seminary. It is also the second year of excavations that have been renewed at Gezer after 30 years of inactivity. This summer’s dig will emphasize Iron Age remains of Gezer running along the southeastern slope of the site’s western hill.

During last year’s dig season at Gezer, workers led by Ortiz and Sam Wolff of the Israel Antiquities Authority uncovered a large fortification system associated with the time of King Solomon. They also exposed two layers of destruction tentatively dated to the reigns of the pharaohs Merneptah and Siamun. The Merneptah Stela from the 13th century B.C. describes a military campaign in Palestine and contains
the earliest mention of Israel outside the Bible. Many scholars identify Siamun as the pharaoh who, according to 1 Kings 9, captured the city of Gezer and gave it to his daughter as a dowry when she married King Solomon. The Israelite king then fortified the city.