Sacred Geography: A Tale of Murder and Archaeology in the Holy Land [Hardcover]

Edward Fox (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0805054936 | ISBN-13: 978-0805054934 | Publication Date: November 7, 2001 | Edition: 1st

A compelling, true murder mystery, that unfolds in the astonishing world of Biblical archeology, a field rife with skullduggery and intrigue

Biblical archeology has for centuries been subject to the manipulations of adventurers, generals, and statesmen, all seeking to further their own aims. Now more than ever, digging into the land of the Bible is a weapon as two rival nations seek to prove their claims to its treasures.

The most recent casualty in this bloody tug-of-war is Albert Glock, a prominent American archeologist, shot dead in the West Bank in 1992, who devoted his life to helping Palestinian archeologists find evidence of their historic roots. Edward Fox investigates the puzzle of Glock's murder and its background in the explosive cultural politics of archeology in the Holy Land. Fox reveals the strange sub-discipline of biblical archeology--a field rich in obscure mystics, greedy opportunists, and religious charlatans. He pursues the various suspects in Glock's death--Islamic zealots, Jewish extremists, and rival archeologists--only to find himself caught in an expanding labyrinth of deceit.

A lively history and a riveting mystery, Sacred Geography is also the tragic story of a man who devoted himself to a cause that ultimately destroyed him.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In 1994, British writer Fox, whose pieces appear in the London Times and other leading papers, stumbled upon a reference to an obscure incident in a footnote to an article in the Journal of Palestine Studies: On Jan. 19, 1992, Albert Glock, an American archeologist excavating in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, had been shot to death by an unknown assailant. The note's suggestion that Glock's death had come at the hands of an Israeli hit squad raised deep questions for Fox: Why would an Israeli hit squad kill an American archeologist? Why was an American teaching at Palestinian Birzeit University? Did his apparent Palestinian sympathies have anything to do with his death? Fox thus begins an investigation that takes him not only to the heart of the Israel-Palestine struggle, but also to the very contentious field of archeology. Fox discovers that early in his career, Glock had decided not to use excavations as a way to confirm biblical history like much of the archeological establishment but instead to aid Palestinians in recovering their antiquities. Glock was thus viewed with suspicion by his professional colleagues as well as by Palestinians, many of whom believed that this outsider had come to steal their valuable relics. Fox interviews both Israeli and Palestinian officials as he searches for clues about Glock's murder. In the end, he knows little more than he did when he began, and to date, the murder remains unsolved. But Fox presents a spellbinding detective story, a fascinating account of the contentious nature of archeology in the Holy Land, and a sad but compelling look at Israeli-Palestinian relations. 8 pages of b&w photos not seen by PW. (Nov. 6) Forecast: Holt will promote this in the religion press and will shoot for national media appearances and widespread reviews. Handselling will help this first-rate whodunit as will the hot topic of archeology in the Middle East.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In the Holy Land, the boundaries separating archaeology, faith, and politics are blurred at best and indistinguishable at worst. This was the underlying dilemma facing Fox, a London-based journalist who has written for the Independent, the Sunday Telegraph, and the Times, when he attempted to investigate the 1992 murder of American archaeologist Albert Glock in the Occupied Territories. For centuries, different groups have used the archaeology of this region to support their own claims. As Fox writes, "One saw what one wanted to see in the sparse facts available," and he quickly came to realize that the same was true of the sparse facts surrounding Glock's death. Sacred Geography is divided into two parts. The first, unfortunately longer, section describes the events, characters, history, and political climate that lead up to Glock's murder. This background is necessary but less engaging than Fox's account in the second part of his efforts to investigate the crime. Here the narrative comes alive as the reader is drawn into a maze of the competing political, academic, and religious views that characterize the troubled region. Suitable for larger public libraries. Shauna Rutherford, Univ. of Calgary, Alberta
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Metropolitan Books; 1st edition (November 7, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805054936
• ISBN-13: 978-0805054934
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,504,373 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars a vehicle, July 17, 2002

By 

meg woods (Richland, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sacred Geography: A Tale of Murder and Archaeology in the Holy Land (Hardcover)

Telling the history of Albert Glock is a vehicle for 1) an understanding of the ideology behind archaeology in the Holy Land, 2) a broader explanation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. By looking at Glock's work and murder and running through the possible suspects, the reader can better understand the various groups in Palestine and Israel, how their interpretation of the archaeological record is influenced, and the difficulties of occupation and in particular of "curfew". It's an interesting trip, but more like a tour bus than a home stay.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and compelling!, August 11, 2005

By 

Dela1970 "Dela1970" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sacred Geography: A Tale of Murder and Archeology in the Holy Land (Paperback)

A well-written, compelling account of the politics and various agendas of two centuries of archaeology in Palestine and Israel, as well as as a troubling and eye-opening study of social, political, and crime issues in Israel and the Occupied Territories in the '90s.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Local complexity of Israeli-Palestinian conflict, December 26, 2006

By 

Stephen C. Jacobs - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sacred Geography: A Tale of Murder and Archaeology in the Holy Land (Hardcover)

How important can archeology be today? Unbelievably crucial. In this part of the world it is the justification for worldview, religion, the meaning of life. It seems all of the parties involved come off are charlatans, awful human beings, and trying to justify their own criminality via archeology. This poor Dr Glock gets ineptly kmixed up in it and gets himself killed.
No matter how complex the issues of Palestine/Israel appear, they are clearly more complicated. And they are international, national, and LOCAL.
The book is clearly written and fun to read. Do not expect an answer.
I would have liked even more archeology.