Jerusalem Archaeologist to Speak at Pentecostal Theological Seminary
Assaf Avraham, an internationally acclaimed archaeologist and director of the City of David – The New Jerusalem Walls National Park, will be presenting a lecture at the seminary entitled: “City of David: The Temple Mount, Dome of the Rock, and Archaeology.” Avraham has done extensive archaeological research at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, with attention given to the first and second Temple periods.
The lecture is scheduled for Wednesday, March 4, 2015, from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. in Knight Hall and is open to the public.
The Temple Mount in Jerusalem is the most sacred site for Judaism. It was the site of the First and Second Temples and other national institutions. The site is also sacred for Christianity and was used by the Crusaders in the medieval times. Since the Early Islamic period the Temple Mount has been the site of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest mosque in Islam, and also the site of the shrine of the Dome of the Rock.
Even though the Temple Mount has played a major role in the history of Jerusalem, no systematic archaeological excavation has ever taken place there, in spite of the fact that Jerusalem is one of the most excavated cities in the world. The Waqf, the Muslim trust which manages the site, has always objected to archaeological research.
In 2004, on the western slopes of Mt. Scopus at Emek Tzurim National Park, archaeologists Dr. Gabriel Barkay and Zachi Dvira under the auspices of Bar-Ilan University established a project for sifting the earth debris that had been removed from the Temple Mount. The many finds uncovered from the Early Islamic Period include gilded mosaics, pottery bearing inscriptions, jewelry, gold coins, etc. The Sifting Project has proven itself to be an inexhaustible source of knowledge for the research and study of the archaeology and history of the Temple Mount. To date, less than half of the debris removed from the Mount has been sifted. The project is continuing full steam and many more finds are waiting to be discovered by visitors who come to work at the site.
Lunch will be provided for those wishing to attend, but an RSVP must be received. Please email [email protected] by Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. EST. For more information, contact the Student Academics Office at 423.478.7732.
