Daily Archives: July 23, 2009

If you have a desire to visit the lands of the Bible, but can’t afford the trip, I would suggest you visit the Explorations In Antiquity Center in LaGrange, Georgia. Recently my wife and I visited the Center for the first time and were amazed at the quality of the displays.

The Explorations In Antiquity Center is a living museum of life in Bible times. As you walk through the outdoor exhibits you will see realistic replicas of scenes from the Ancient Near East, such as water wells, vineyards, olive presses, mangers, and a sheepfold, watchtower and a threshing floor.

Sheepfold at Explorations in Antiquity Center. Photo by David Padfield.

The tomb exhibit is especially worthy of notice. They have a replica of a typical Israelite tomb from around 700 to 500 BC, and a wonderful Herodian Period tomb like the one in which our Lord was probably buried. The replica was designed to show a cross section of the tomb (i.e., one of the walls is missing) and this makes it easier to explain the burial process in our Lord’s time upon this earth.

Cut-away replica of Herodian Period niche-type tomb. Photo by David Padfield.

My favorite exhibit is the one that depicts life in an ancient village. They have built a typical four room Israelite house that will help you to understand the importance of a courtyard, the place of domestic animals in village life, how household storage was managed and the way the sleeping quarters were divided.

The center is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. You can walk through the displays at your leisure, or call in advance for a guided tour that includes a Biblical meal (more about that in our second post).

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David Padfield has visited the Bible Lands several times and is well qualified to evaluate the Explorations In Antiquity Center. Many of you have used his photographs and other materials that are made available through his web site (padfield.com).

The Explorations In Antiquity Center web site is available here.