Customer Reviews

Bible Archaeology: An Exploration of the History and Culture of Early Civilizations

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I like this book a lot. It's a very accessible introduction to the world of Biblical Archaeology. It shows how Biblical Archaeology fits as a scientific discipline within the other realms of archaeology of the ancient world. It also shows how what we know about the Biblical world from archaeology fits in with what we know archaeologically about other nearby ancient civilizations. Modern scientists treat these realms as separate disciplines but in the ancient world they were inter-related and we profit by better understanding the relationships. This book is bountifully illustrated with beautiful color photographs, many photographs and perspectives that I haven't seen in other books on Biblical Archaeology.

This book is up to date and is well written and illustrated. It covers the entire Biblical text with emphasis given to each separate geographic area, i.e. Egypt, Mesopotamia, etc. Suitable for either a classroom text or for the general reader, it is a good place to start.

In my intro classes, I get students who are hungry and excited to learn about archaeology. Mind you, all they know about 'archaeology' is usually from movies or programmes on the History Channel and PBS. Some of the mental image they have is correct, but they have many mis-perceptions also. This book gives a good introduction to what archaeology is, how it is carried out in the field, and what conclusions can (and more importantly CAN'T) be derived from the material record. It also gives historical background over the major periods of Biblical history - which is a good foundation for not only students of archaeology, but students of the Bible!

I strongly recommend this book if you would like to learn the basics of archaeology, middle eastern history from ~5300 BCE to ~70 CE, or more about the world and cultures of the Bible. I believe if you read this book and study your Bible with it, you'll know more than probably 95% of the general population on this subject.

Hoerth and McRay have put together a helpful resource for people who want to know what kind, quantity, and quality of archaeological evidence exists for Bible times. Beginning with Mesopotamia and continuing with Egypt, Palestine, Persia, Turkey, Greece, and Italy, Hoerth and McRay systematically walk us through the archaeological finds pertaining to each of these regions and show us the significance to the Biblical narrative.

Filled with hundreds of pictures and maps, Bible Archaeology can be a useful resource to own. Written in an easy-to-understand style, this book puts lots of useful information at your fingertips without forcing you to wade through the technical shop-talk.

While using these resources is important, it is necessary to remember their limitations. The authors are neither inspired nor inerrant, their conclusions should not be accepted blindly as fact, and we should always try to corroborate their conclusions with other sources and experts. Having said that, I would recommend this book to pastors, youth pastors, small group leaders, and anyone else striving to strengthen the faith of fellow believers (or their own).

The book "Bible Archaeology..." is a wonderful companion to your daily bible study. The authors define archaeology for us "simple folks" so that our faith is reinforced and God's Word is made more alive! The book has over 200 high quality photos that will also reinforce the memories of those who have traveled to the Holy Land or the areas where Paul discipled the early Church. I recommend this book to all who love God's Word and who desire greater depth to their studies.

This book is really a brief history of the ancient world. The first 94 pages have little to do with the Bible much less Bible archaeology. If you want a thumb nail sketch of the "Rise and Fall of the Assyrian Empire," or the "Rise and Fall of the Chaldean Empire," or "Egypt prior to Abraham," you might like this book. Otherwise, you will be disappointed.

If you're visiting the Holy Lands, including Greece, Turkey, and Rome, then this is a book you need to pack away in your carry-on to read on the plane flight over there. I have read a number of books on archaeology, especially when they relate to biblical sources, and this is by far my favorite. It is well illustrated and the information is generally up-to-date. (I'd love to see them update it soon, though, as there are many new discoveries not covered here, including finding Herod's tomb at Herodium). It is a fascinating read, and you don't have to have much background knowledge to get a lot out of this book. While biblical archaeology does not prove the Bible to be true, it sure provides the evidence that the people and places mentioned in the Good Book are historically accurate. The evidence for our Bible is just overwhelming, with new discoveries every day.

The text is helpful in its write up to the layman of Bible archaeology and listing each period of time. The maps and pictures are very clear when reading the write up of what is contained in each picture. The writers condense the abundance of information into a format this readily understandable. I would recommend this book on this topic.

im using it for a biblical archeology class, and its a great text book. very easy to understand and its full of helpful maps an pictures. i wish every text book was this easy to read.