In the Qumran community, the Essenes created several cisterns that, as shown here, were plastered and had steps to allow them to access water. At least two of these cisterns are believed to be mikvoth, ceremonial or ritual baths used for actual cl...
This photograph is taken from the hills north of the Sea of Galilee, looking south. The sea is nearly 13 miles long and more than seven miles wide. The area in the foreground is the northwestern corner of the sea, where most of Jesus' miracles wer...
Land of the rising sun or "the East" refers to the Asiatic part of Turkey.
Ancient Anchors these stone anchors were found in one of the ancient harbors in the area of Galilee. Each is a large piece of basalt in which a hole has been made and to which a rope has been attached.These anchors would have been thrown into the ...
To pour oil on a person's head. It meant that God's Spirit was helping that person to do a special job (1 Sam. 16:1%u201413, 1 John 2:20%u201421).
Son of Herod the Great. He heard about Jesus, listened to John the Baptist's teachings, met Jesus but sent him to Pilate (Mark 6:14%u201420; Luke 23:8).
Herod the Great rebuilt the Hasmonean foretress (Bira) in Jerusalem next to the Temple Mount and renamed it the Antonia after Mark Anthony. Roman troops were stationed here.
Greek god of love and beauty. Daughter of Zeus and Dione (or did she spring from foam in the sea?)
Greek god of light, music, and poetry. He is often pictured with bow and arrow; Son of Zeus and Leto.
The leaders that Jesus chose to bring his message to the world. Jesus first chose 12 men and then later Paul and some others became apostles.
A Roman emperor was declared to be divine when a witness came forward claiming to have seen the emperor ascend to heaven or claiming to have seen the emperor's father ascend to heaven (making the current emperor the "Son of God"). This p...
Semicircular recess in a wall, especially in a church or Roman law court.
The town of Arad is not important in the sense of great Bible events, but it does give a sense for the lives of common people during the time of Israel's monarchy. The ruins of a small temple from Hezekiah's time are significant in understanding t...
Town 17 miles north of Beersheba at the edge of the Negev and the Hebron Mountains. It was an important fortress city and protected the southern approaches to Jerusalem.
The Temple CourtsThe remains of Israel's first temple lie buried beneath the present-day Temple Mount. But at Tel Arad, a city located in the Negev, archaeologists discovered the remains of a temple modeled after Jerusalem's First Temple.Although ...
Greek god of war. Son of Zeus and Hera.
The Hebrew word means "box," or "chest." It contained the tablets of the Ten Commandments. The ark of the covenant was as sign to the people of Israel that God was with them, and the cover represented God's throne.
Transliteration of the Hebrew har megiddon, which means literally the "hill of Megiddo." Revelation 16:16 uses this place to symbolize the final great battle between good and evil. Many battles were fought at this location because the ma...
Greek god of marriage, chastity, hunting, and moonlight. Twin sister of Apollo, daughter of Zeus and Leto.
Who was Artemis The supposed goddess of fertility Who worshipped her? She was probably the most worshiped deity in Asia and perhaps the world during Paul's time. What was worship like? Hundreds of eunuch priests, virgin priestesses, a...
