Yesterday I received the 200th issue of Biblical Archaeology Review. I have all issues of the magazine since that first small single color issue in March, 1975. When I bought the earlier issues in Libronix format for the computer I gave my paper copies to a young teacher.
Not everyone likes BAR. It has been a controversial magazine. No wonder. Editor Herschel Shanks has been controversial. But, I have enjoyed it all the way. I first met Herschel and his right hand gal, Suzanne Singer, at the ASOR meeting in New Orleans in 1979. I ate at the same round table with them, Prof. David Ussishkin, and Prof. William Sanford LaSor. Still, every time I see Herschel. I have to go through the introduction process.
Before BAR, unless we attended the annual meeting of the American Schools of Oriental Research, we had to depend on the reports in Biblical Archaeologist for popular articles on archaeology. My recollection is that the magazine was often late and the photography poor. Agree or disagree about Shanks and the magazine, one thing is for sure. It has made biblical archaeology a popular topic.
More information about this issue, with an opportunity to buy and subscribe, may be found at the magazine web site: Biblical Archaeology Review.
This special issue of BAR contains the following features:
- A first personal article by Gabriel Barkay on “The Riches of Ketef Hinnom.” It was during this excavation that Iron Age tombs were found, one of which contained the tiny silver plaque with the oldest known text of a Bible reference.
- Photos by the late photographer David Harris.
- Ten top discoveries.
- BAR’s Crusades, like the one to get the Dead Sea Scrolls published.
- Letters we loved.
- Much more.
In typical Shanks fashion, we are told that “The best is yet to come!”
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