Epic Archaeology

02/10/2026

6 SIGNIFICANT ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES WHICH AFFIRM THE HISTORICITY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

1. THE CAIAPHAS OSSUARY - In 1990 this ornate limestone ossuary was discovered in Jerusalem in a tomb which was in use during the Second Temple Period. The ossuary was inscribed with the name - Yosef bar Qayyafa; Koine Greek: Kaiáas, romanized: Kaïáphas - “Joseph son of Caiaphas,” the exact name also given by Flavius Josephus in The Antiquities of the Jews 18:63. The ossuary also contained the bones of a male individual in his 60’s. It is highly probable that the ornate ossuary & bones belonged to the same Caiaphas mentioned in the New Testament - the same Caiaphas who presided over the trial of Jesus (Matt. 26:57-67).

2. KING HEROD’S COFFIN AT HERODIUM - Discovered in 2007 by Israeli archaeologist, Dr. Ehud Netzer at Herodium, after many years of searching. The first century Roman historian, Flavius Josephus recorded that Herod was buried there. Archaeologist Dr. Jodi Magness of UNC Chapel Hill, hailed Netzer’s discovery of Herod’s mausoleum & sarcophagus as the greatest archaeological discovery in Israel since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls (see, her article, “Herod the Great’s Self-Representation Through His Tomb at Herodium, in The Journal of Ancient Judaism, Dec., 2019, pp. 258-287)

3. THE SIGNET RING OF PONTIUS PILATE - The Pilate Ring (Greek inscription) was discovered in 1969 at Herodium near Bethlehem in Israel. It was only recently translated in 2018 and contains the Greek equivalent of "Pilate." Luke 23:12 tells us that Pilate & Herod [Antipas] became friends on the very day that Jesus stood trial. For additional info check out this link - Behold the man who said "Behold the man!" https://bit.ly/2PgrfFS

4. THE POOL OF SILOAM – The Siloam pool dates back the time of the OT (Isa 8:6 & 22:9-11), and is also the location of the well known NT story of Jesus healing a man who was born blind mentioned in John 9:1-12. It was re-discovered in 2004 in Jerusalem by Israeli archaeologist, Eli Shukron, when workers were installing a nearby sewer line.

5. FIRST CENTURY SYNAGOGUE AT CAPERNAEUM - In 1866 the remains of the Capernaum synagogue were identified by British explorer & early archaeologist, Captain Charles Wilson in northern Israel (Galilee). Additional excavations have confirmed that the structure was a synagogue. The synagogue is mentioned in Luke 7. It was a gift to the Jewish people of the region from a certain Roman centurion who had great faith.

6. MACHAERUS: THE DANCE FLOOR OF SALOME: In 2012, Professor Gyozo Vörös, director of Machaerus excavations since 2009 announced that his team has identified the dance floor where Salome danced for the head of John the Baptist, as recorded in Mathew 14:1-12 & Mark 6:14-29. The site of Machaerus as the place of John the Baptist’s imprisonment, and death is also affirmed by First Century historian Flavius Josephus.

Later surveys & excavations were conducted the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum in Jerusalem, under Virgilio Corbo and Michele Piccirillo, in 1978–1981, and by Piccirillo again in 1992–1993. In 2020, Vörös was awarded the Gold Medal of the Pontificate, which is reserved for the Pontifical Roman Academy of Archaeology and the Pontifical Academy Cultorum Martyrum. This award honors not only Vörös’s excavations at Machaerus but also his three volumes on the archaeological findings, published by Edizioni Terra Santa, in 2013, 2015, and 2019.

01/10/2026

Want to get involved on a real archaeological dig?? Check out Associates for Biblical Research for their summer dig at Tel Shiloh! 🪏

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01/10/2026

SENNACHERIB - NEO-ASSYRIAN KING (705-681 B.C.) - Thanks to abundant archaeological and historical sources we know quite a bit about the neo-Assyrian king, Sennacherib who is mentioned in at least 13 passages in the Old Testament during the reign of Hezekiah of Judah in the 8th century B.C.. In one of his many inscriptions he boasts:

"Sennacherib, the great king, the mighty king, king of the universe, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world); favorite of the great gods; the wise and crafty one; strong hero, first among all princes; the flame that consumes the insubmissive, who strikes the wicked with the thunderbolt. Assur, the great god, has intrusted to me an unrivaled kingship, and has made powerful my weapons above (all) those who dwell in palaces. From the upper sea of the setting sun to the lower sea of the rising sun, all princes of the four quarters (of the world) he has brought in submission to my feet" (from the SW palace of Nineveh after his campaign against Babylon in 700 B.C.) [see, Luckenbill, Daniel David, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia Volume 2: Historical Records of Assyria From Sargon to the End. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1927, p. 140.]

In the books of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles, the Bible records Sennacherib's retreat from the walls of Jerusalem in 701 B.C.. Both the Assyrian records, the archaeology, and the Bible agree making this an excellent example of a Biblical historical synchronism. To learn more about this remarkable event in Biblical history, check out the the video in the comments below.

30/09/2026

NEWEST ONLINE COURSE FROM THE BESORAH INSTITUTE & EPIC ARCHAEOLOGY

CITIES OF THE BIBLICAL WORLD: FROM ABRAHAM TO THE APOSTLE PAUL

This course will survey the historical and archaeological evidence of major cities mentioned in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. In this course we will focus mainly on historical inscriptions & archaeological evidence of cities which helps illuminate key passages in the Biblical text, with the aim of gaining a richer understanding of the historical context, as well as the reliability of the Scripture. The geographical regions we will cover include cities from Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, ancient Judea (the Levant), Egypt, Greece & Rome. This course will highlight how and when each city was identified in the archaeological record, the major and ongoing excavations, as well as significant discoveries which relate to affirming, clarifying and/or illuminating the Biblical text.

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https://besorahinstitute.org/classes/

29/09/2026

FAITH, REASON & ARCHAEOLOGY — Should Christian believers believe something without evidence or reason? Does evidence (scientific, historical or archaeological) eliminate the need faith? What is the proper relationship of faith & reason? To dive deeper into these questions check out our article posted below in the comments! ⬇️⚖️📖🪏

28/09/2026

For those who would like to dig deeper into the science and geology behind the latest news of the Durupinar formation as Noah’s ark, here is a peer-reviewed article from 2018.

A natural rock structure near Dogubayazit, Turkey, has been misidentified as Noah's Ark. Microscopic studies of a supposed iron bracket show that it is derived from weathered volcanic minerals. Sup...

28/09/2026

KHACHKAR - ARMENIAN CROSS STONES - These are NOT "anchor stones" or drogue anchors, they are Armenian "cross stones" - from the Armenian word խաչքար which means xač "cross" k'ar "stone." They are carved memorial stones which have inscriptions of crosses and/or rosettes that are well known from the medieval period of Armenian Christianity. They are found throughout this region of eastern Turkey and Armenia. They were erected primarily for the salvation of a soul of a living or deceased person, or a military victory. These (pictured) are located in a small Kurdish village a at the base of Mt. Ararat (Agri Dagh) in eastern Turkey. Because of their close proximity and appearance of a stone anchor, recall the story of Noah's ark which medieval Armenian Christians believed was located on Ararat (Agri Dagh). The Jerusalem cross inscription and similar cross motifs were possibly carved in the 12th or 13th century.

Nowhere in the text in Genesis does God give instructions to Noah to make anchors or anchor stones to attach to the ark (Genesis 6:9-22).

26/09/2026

CITY OF DAVID BULLAE (7th-6th Century B.C.) - The bullae were discovered in 1982, during the fifth season of excavations at the City of David. They were found in Area G at the top of the northeastern slope of the City of David ridge, in a complex of structures related to Stratum 10 of the second half of the 7th-beginning of the 6th century B.C.. The complex of buildings apparently dates to the time of King Josiah and was destroyed together with the city and the Temple in 587/6 B.C. The bullae were found in one of the buildings which was later given the name House of the Bullae.

Most of the names appearing on the bullae from the City of David are known from the Bible. Those that are not are nevertheless not foreign to Hebrew onomastics, being known from inscriptions and other seal impressions. One man — Elnatan son of Bilgai — had appeared on two different seals (Bullae 20,21). Tbslm son of Zkr may have owned three seals — if indeed the assumption is correct that Bullae 4, 5, and 6 related to the same person. In Bulla 6, the profession of the owner of the seal is mentioned — “the healer.” Altogether, there are twenty-six theophoric names ending in “Yahu.”

Two of the personages mentioned in the bullae have names familiar from the Bible. One of these is Gemaryahu son of Shaphan of Bulla 2, a high official and scribe at the court of Jehoiakim of Judah eighteen years before the destruction of Jerusalem in 587/6 B.C., and a contemporary of the prophet Jeremiah.*

*Yair Shoham, Ancient Jerusalem Revealed (Jerusalem: Israel Antiquities Authority, 1994), 59.