Southern End of Jerusalem Cardo Possibly Built by Justinian I, According to the Nov/Dec issue of BAR

WASHINGTON - Oct. 10, 2013 - PRLog -- The Cardo was Jerusalem’s major north-south thoroughfare, as we know from the famous sixth-century C.E. Madaba map mosaic in Jordan. But was it fully built in the Roman period or only in the Byzantine period? The magnificent Nea Church that sat at its southern end may provide the answer, as discussed by Oren Gutfeld in “The Emperor’s New Church on Main Street, Jerusalem.”

In “An Ending and a Beginning: Why We’re Leaving Qeiyafa and Going to Lachish,” Yosef Garfinkel, Michael Hasel and Martin Klingbeil describe how seven seasons of excavations at Khirbet Qeiyafa have redefined the debate over Judah’s early history. Monumental discoveries from the 2013 season provide new evidence of an extensive civil administration during the time of King David. To continue investigating tenth-century Judah, the Qeiyafa archaeologists are heading to nearby Lachish.

Paul’s first missionary journey took him from Cyprus into the heart of Anatolia. Why did Paul and Barnabas choose the treacherous path through Perga to Pisidian Antioch? In “Why Perga? Paul’s Perilous Passage Through Pisidia,” Mark R. Fairchild explores the archaeological evidence for the likely presence of Jewish communities on the way that would have offered support for the evangelizing travelers.

The Hebrew Bible’s transmission history over several millennia meant that errors and textual problems are present in all ancient copies of the text. How do scholars, past and present, strive to preserve the most reliable text of the Hebrew Bible? In “What’s Critical About a Critical Edition of the Bible,” David Marcus and James A. Sanders discuss why critical editions of the Bible are necessary and describe the work that goes into creating such an edition.

In First Person, BAR editor Hershel Shank ponders why the Greek sun god was featured in some ancient Jewish synagogues. Leonard J. Greenspoon discusses the modern reputations of great Near Eastern rulers in The Bible in the News. In Biblical Views, Mary Joan Winn Leith explores the identity of Cain’s wife and what this implied about the world view of the ancient Israelites. Ann E. Killebrew discusses in Archaeological Views how technology in the 21st century has transformed fieldwork in Israel.

Featured online at Bible History Daily is an exclusive preliminary report on the excavation of a Roman camp by the directors of the Jezreel Valley Regional Project, a free iPad-optimized version of BAR’s 200th issue and a newly updated free eBook entitled The Holy Bible: A Buyer’s Guide.