Luke Chandler reports on the last full day of excavation at Khirbet Qeiyafa (the Elah Fortress) here. Several good photos are included with the post. Thanks to Luke for the reports and photos.
I call attention to these reports to give our readers who may not be aware an idea of the difficulty and slowness of an archaeological dig. Information is accumulated over many years. The archaeologists may have some conclusions at the end of the season, but they may change next year as new information comes to light.
Now we must await a full report by the director of the dig. There may be a press relase within the next month or two, but the next step is the presentation at the annual meetings of the American Schools of Oriental Research and the Society of Biblical Literature in November. Maybe a popular article or two will follow. In the background there may be lab studies, calling in of experts in various fields to look at artifacts, etc.
There will likely be more questions than answers. In the years to come other scholars will interact with the conclusion drawn by the excavator. Hopefully this will provide background for a better understanding of the story of David and Goliath (the Israelites and the Philistines).
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