Summary of Jericho archeology

“Recent Discoveries that prove the Bible – digging up the truth” by Bryant G. Wood PHD, director of research Associates for Biblical Research, his specialty is Canaanite pottery from the late Bronze Age

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History of Excavations at Jericho
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• early 1900’s 1st dig
• 1907-9 German’s
• 1930’s John Garstang – dated it to 1400’s
• 1950’s Kathleen kenyan – dated to 1550’s
• 1992 Italian’s

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Description of Jericho
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• There were 2 walls separated by a sloped embankment which circles around the city. (more on this below)
• The North Wall was still standing. It was closest to the mountains and thus matches the description of the wall where Rahab helped the Israelite spies escape, and where the Israelites ultimatedly rescued Rahab.
• The Southeast slope was excavated by Garstang and Kenyan. they found, buried 1 meter thick ‘black’ destruction layer caused by fire. The cuts shows the walls were leaning likely due to an ‘earthquake’. Both Kenyan and Garstang discussed the earthquake evidence.
• Garstang found a palace that was likely of Eglon king of Moab (Judges 3:13), then called ‘the city of Palms). Kenyan found some bits and pieces of outbuildings.
• Garstang and Kenyan found large storage jars full of grains. The city was not looted as per God’s instructions. The full wheat jars indicate the harvest had just taken place indicating it was the spring/early summer which corresponds to the time Joshua and the Israelites conquered Jericho.

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The 2 Walls
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(1). a lower wall. older house with pottery, graveyard with pottery and signed Egyptian Scarabs.

The lower wall not only served as a defensive wall, but also a retaining wall as seen, in that it’s base was built upon the bedrock. The outside of this wall was steep/tall (12 to 15’?), while the other other side was sort of level with the dirt as it sloped to the top. The Italians trenched extensively on both sides of the lower (retaining wall), and discovered some structures/houses that had been partially destroyed to make room for the lower (retaining wall). These were obviously the oldest structures as they had pre-existed prior to the lower. These houses had pottery, in it which was the same style/markings as those that were found in a nearby graveyard (found by Garstang) .This pottery dates to the early late Bronze age. This is known as follows. Garstang found Egyptian Scarabs were also co-located with this graveyard pottery. These scarabs had the names of Pharaohs Hatshepsut (died 1458bc), Thutmosis III (died 1425bc), Amenhotep III (born 1411bc). Kenyan also found some pottery, but didn’t analyze it or date it. Instead, she searched in vain for some Cyprian pottery she hoped would be found to date the dig to 1550bc.

(2). an upper Wall --- had some red brick, much of which had rolled down the slope over the Lower Retaining wall (where it is still today) making a ramp (for the Israelites to ascend) from Ground level up to the retaining wall, up the embankment and to the base of the fallen upper wall.