James Hoffmeier | Trinity International University (original) (raw)

Papers by James Hoffmeier

Research paper thumbnail of Some Egyptian Motifs Related to Warfare & Enemies and Their Old Testament Counterparts

Egyptological Miscellanies:A Tribute to R.J. Williams, 1983

This paper investigates through Egyptian iconography, images related to warfare and enemies and h... more This paper investigates through Egyptian iconography, images related to warfare and enemies and how these motifs are attested with the same symbolic meaning in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament

Research paper thumbnail of Abraham's Battle with the Mesopotamian Kings and His Encounter with Melchizedek 1

HIPHIL Novum 9 #2, 2024

The events described in Genesis 14 have been of great interest to biblical scholars and theologia... more The events described in Genesis 14 have been of great interest to biblical scholars and theologians over the centuries, especially seeking to understand the nature of the meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek and the significance of the priest-king of Salem offering bread and wine to the Patriarch. While theological readings typically dominate the literature on this mysterious meeting, the intent of this study is to examine this encounter in its military setting side-by-side with other Old Testament texts and ancient Near Eastern parallels. The latter will include focusing on Gen 14:13-18 alongside the Tale of Sinuhe, Tanaach Tablet 6, Papyrus Anastasi I, and other sources. It will be suggested that Melchizedek's actions are consistent with one seeking to appease a military victor.

Research paper thumbnail of Towards a Diplomatic, Contextual Reading of the Encounter between Jacob and Esau in Genesis 33

“Now These Records are Ancient” Studies in Ancient Near Eastern and Biblical History, Language and Culture in Honor of K. Lawson Younger, Jr., 2022

This study investigates the encounter between Jacob and Esau when Jacob returned from his self-im... more This study investigates the encounter between Jacob and Esau when Jacob returned from his self-imposed exile in Haran (Gen 32:3–7 & 33:1–11). It especially investigates the rather odd practice Jacob employed of presenting his wives and children, thereby exposing them to potential danger and harm. Based on analysis of select texts and reliefs from Egypt and Hittite annals that report on one party surrendering to another, it is suggested that Jacob’s actions and gestures are consistent with ANE diplomatic protocols for surrendering and ending hostilities. The presence of woman and children on such occasions is critical element to peacemaking after hostilities.

Research paper thumbnail of Reflections on a Decade of Research and Excavations at Tell el-Borg and Its Environs (1998-2008)

Proceedings of the 12th International Congress of Egyptologists, 3rd thru 8th of November 2019, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of New Archaeological evidence for Ancient Bedouin (Shasu) on Egypt's Eastern Frontier at Tell el-Borg

Excavations at the military site of Tell el-Borg, just outside of the eastern Delta has produced ... more Excavations at the military site of Tell el-Borg, just outside of the eastern Delta has produced two New Kingdom forts that were a part of the East Frontier defense system and the military highway, the Ways of Horus. Among the discoveries at Tell el-Borg were the burnt out remains of a cluster of reed huts. This study will investigate who the occupants of these huts may have been. The pottery and C 14 dates suggest that these structures were used in the 2 nd Intermediate Period to early New Kingdom. It will be argued provisionally that the occupants of this little community were dessert dwellers, possibly Shasu.

Research paper thumbnail of Book Review: The Hyksos: New Historical and Archaeological Perspectives

Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Dec 1, 2004

A few additional bibliographical entries can be suggested. For the autobiographical text, see als... more A few additional bibliographical entries can be suggested. For the autobiographical text, see also A. B. Lloyd, 'The Great Inscription of Khnumhotpe II at Beni Hasan', in A. B. Lloyd (ed.), Studies

Research paper thumbnail of Tell el-Borg and the Ways of Horus in the Ramesside Era

Perspectives on the Ramesside Military System: AAT 121, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Further Reflections on Egyptian Influences on the Early Hebrews-Priestly Matters

Linguistic and Philological Studies of the Hebrew Bible and its Manuscripts, 2023

via communal account further reflections on egyptian influences 169 demonstrate that they are bas... more via communal account further reflections on egyptian influences 169 demonstrate that they are based on ancient traditions and are not recent innovations. Sylvie Cauville explains that [W]e know from the texts of Edfu that the great temple of this city is a replica of the one of Heliopolis and that the founding charter of Dendera was preserved in the national archives in Memphis. Thanks to the priest imbued with knowledge from time immemorial, some hymns, two millennia old resurface with their archaic vocabulary.6 In many cases, the more ancient texts have not survived from earlier periods. There are cases, however, where the earlier source behind the Ptolemaic text is known, such as citations from Old Kingdom Pyramid texts and New Kingdom ritual papyri.7 Because the more ancient sources, texts, and iconography, are replicated verbatim in these temples, Cauville further opines that "it is the Graeco-Roman buildings, a millennium later [from the New Kingdom], that allow us to decipher the past".8 Consequently, even if one allows a postexilic date for the Priestly texts in the Torah, this does not preclude them from reliance on older traditions and practices. Ash Melika has recently conducted a substantial study of the Ptolemaic Edfu Temple, in which he analyzed scenes and texts dealing with the rituals surrounding the founding of the temple.9 Here, likewise, some of the texts can be traced to the New Kingdom and the reign of Senusert i (ca. 1943-1898b.c.e.) from temple walls of the Atum Temple at Heliopolis. Scenes also are paralleled by earlier temple reliefs. The stretching the cord ritual, for example, can be traced back to the sun temple of Niuserre in the 5th Dynasty (ca. 2400 b.c.e.),10 a full two millennia before the construction of the Edfu Temple. Contrary to what Wellhausen and his followers maintain(ed), viz., that the Priestly portions of Exodus that deal with the tabernacle and priesthood are artificial and idyllic retrojections from the Second Temple Judaism, Gary Rendsburg has long argued that the Priestly writings in the Torah date to the 10th century b.c.e. (or earlier). He bases his arguments on linguistic, gram-6 Ibid., p. 8.

Research paper thumbnail of PITHOM AND RAMESES (EXODUS 1:11): HISTORICAL, ARCHAEOLOGICAL, AND LINGUISTIC ISSUES (PART II)

Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections 34, 2022

ABSTRACT

Research paper thumbnail of Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections PITHOM AND RAMESES (EXODUS 1:11): HISTORICAL, ARCHAEOLOGICAL, AND LINGUISTIC ISSUES (PART I

INTRODUCTION Nineteenth-century pioneer Egyptologists were interested in Bible history. Indeed, i... more INTRODUCTION Nineteenth-century pioneer Egyptologists were interested in Bible history. Indeed, in 1882 the Egypt Exploration Fund (EEF), later to become the Egypt Exploration Society, expressed a goal "to make surveys, explorations [...] for the purpose of elucidating or illustrating the Old Testament narrative, or any part thereof, insofar as the same is in any way connected with Egypt." 1 Just as Heinrich Schliemann had set out inspired by Homer's writings to discover Troy and Mycenae a decade earlier, so Edouard Naville and W. M. F. Petrie went to Egypt to identify sites connected to the Exodus story, investigating sites such as Tell el-Retaba, Tell el-Maskhuta, Tell el-Yehudiyah, Khataanah-Qantir, and Ṣan el-Hager (Tanis). 2 Ever since, archaeologists and biblical scholars have debated their identifications and their roles in the literature of the Hebrew Bible. Central to these enquiries were the toponyms Pithom and Rameses in Exodus 1:11. 3 A general consensus developed among biblical scholars that Egyptology had furnished genuine background information and that the toponyms in Exodus reflected authentic memories from the New Kingdom, the likely era of the sojourn and exodus. 4 This positive assessment of Exod. 1:11, however, has had its detractors in recent decades, including

Research paper thumbnail of The Hebrew Exodus from and Jeremiah’s Eisodus into Egypt in the Light of Recent Archaeological and Geological Developments

Tyndale Bulletin, 2022

Egyptian texts mention two bodies of water on Egypt's eastern frontier with Sinai, š-ḥr and p3 tw... more Egyptian texts mention two bodies of water on Egypt's eastern frontier with Sinai, š-ḥr and p3 twfy, the latter of which is mentioned in connection with the Exodus (as ‫ם-סּוף‬ ‫יַ‬-yam suf), while the former occurs in Jeremiah 2:18. Recent palaeoenvironmental work conducted by the North Sinai Archaeological Project, which was in the field from 1998 to 2008 and directed by the author, has shed new light on these bodies of water and the roles they played in the biblical events involving entering and departing Egypt. The 2019 publication of the geological data now allows one to offer some insights into these ancient lakes. Supplemented by new archaeological discoveries, elements of the routes of both journeys can be elucidated.

Research paper thumbnail of The power of walls: fortifications in ancient northeastern Africa. Proceedings of the international workshop held at the University of Cologne 4th–7th August 2011

Azania: Archaeological Research in Africa, 2014

community. For example, the Survey of Community Heritage Perception provided in the Appendix focu... more community. For example, the Survey of Community Heritage Perception provided in the Appendix focused on heritage and development, but did not seem to offer the opportunity for community members to problematise the research questions of the archaeologists themselves. Here the aims of archaeologists and community members, in showing change versus continuity in tradition, for example, may differ significantly. In summary, this volume provides a comprehensive overview of the history and archaeology of ritual practice in the Tong Hills. It does so in a readable, lavishly illustrated format that is much more theoretically engaged than a site report, thus highlighting the value of the data presented for addressing larger scale issues of continuity and change in ritual practice. This format ensures that the volume will be useful not only to area specialists, but also to archaeologists interested in ritual and community archaeology more broadly.

Research paper thumbnail of «The heavens declare the glory of God» : The limits of general revelation

Research paper thumbnail of Which Way Out of Egypt? Physical Geography Related to the Exodus Itinerary

Quantitative Methods in the Humanities and Social Sciences, 2015

The Exodus narrative is rich with geographic references that are properly understood in the conte... more The Exodus narrative is rich with geographic references that are properly understood in the context of the ancient landscape of the eastern Nile Delta and adjacent Sinai Peninsula. Changes in the physical geography of the region reflect dynamic interactions between the Nile river system, the Mediterranean Sea, and tectonics of the Red Sea rift system. Coordinating field geology, archaeological sites, digital topography, and satellite imagery with Geographic Information Technology resulted in a map depicting the physical geography of the area of interest during the Bronze Age. The map reveals different positions of the Mediterranean coastline with associated lagoons and the existence of Pelusiac Nile distributaries, lakes, and wetlands. The restored geography constrains the path of the ancient “Ways of Horus,” the militarized coastal road between Egypt and the land of the Philistines, but also provides a plausible map of the region that is described in the Exodus texts.

Research paper thumbnail of Egyptologists and the Israelite Exodus from Egypt

Quantitative Methods in the Humanities and Social Sciences, 2015

Early Egyptologists were steeped in interest in biblical history and in particular the Hebrew exo... more Early Egyptologists were steeped in interest in biblical history and in particular the Hebrew exodus story. Edouard Naville and W.M.F. Petrie were among the early pioneers. Of interest to early Egyptologists was the geography of the exodus and the route of the Hebrew departure from Egypt. By the mid-twentieth century, Egyptology’s love affair with Old Testament matters had soured, but this allowed the discipline to develop as its own science.

Research paper thumbnail of Chapter 4. The Funerary Area: Field III, The “Eastern Cemetery”

Research paper thumbnail of New Light on the Amarna Period from North Sinai

Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of The Hebrew Exodus from and Jeremiah's Eisodus into Egypt in the Light of Recent Archaeological and Geological Developments 1

Tyndale Bulletin 72, 2021

Egyptian texts mention two bodies of water on Egypt's eastern frontier with Sinai, š-ḥr and p3 tw... more Egyptian texts mention two bodies of water on Egypt's eastern frontier with Sinai, š-ḥr and p3 twfy, the latter of which is mentioned in connection with the Exodus (as ‫ם-סּוף‬ ‫יַ‬-yam suf), while the former occurs in Jeremiah 2:18. Recent palaeoenvironmental work conducted by the North Sinai Archaeological Project, which was in the field from 1998 to 2008 and directed by the author, has shed new light on these bodies of water and the roles they played in the biblical events involving entering and departing Egypt. The 2019 publication of the geological data now allows one to offer some insights into these ancient lakes. Supplemented by new archaeological discoveries, elements of the routes of both journeys can be elucidated.

Research paper thumbnail of New Light on the Amarna Period from North Sinai

Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 2010

Since 1999 investigations at Tell el-Borg in North Sinai have uncovered significant material from... more Since 1999 investigations at Tell el-Borg in North Sinai have uncovered significant material from the Amarna period. In addition to pottery from this period, several wine jar seals and other small objects mention the names of members of the royal family of Akhetaten. Particularly interesting is a seal impression with the cartouche of Neferneferuaten followed by the epithet Akhetenhyes, adding a further occurrence to the dossier of this enigmatic royal figure.

Research paper thumbnail of A New Military Site on "The Ways of Horus" - Tell el-Borg 1999-2001: a Preliminary Report

Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 2003

This is a preliminary report of the archaeological excavations at Tell el-Borg, North Sinai, from... more This is a preliminary report of the archaeological excavations at Tell el-Borg, North Sinai, from 1999-2001. Tell el-Borg is a New Kingdom military site on Egypt's frontier with Sinai and was most likely one of the forts on the 'Ways of Horus'. Blocks from a temple of Ramesses II were uncovered, as well as tombs from the late Eighteenth to early Nineteenth Dynasties. Two separate mud-brick forts were also uncovered that appear to date to the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Dynasties respectively.

Research paper thumbnail of Some Egyptian Motifs Related to Warfare & Enemies and Their Old Testament Counterparts

Egyptological Miscellanies:A Tribute to R.J. Williams, 1983

This paper investigates through Egyptian iconography, images related to warfare and enemies and h... more This paper investigates through Egyptian iconography, images related to warfare and enemies and how these motifs are attested with the same symbolic meaning in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament

Research paper thumbnail of Abraham's Battle with the Mesopotamian Kings and His Encounter with Melchizedek 1

HIPHIL Novum 9 #2, 2024

The events described in Genesis 14 have been of great interest to biblical scholars and theologia... more The events described in Genesis 14 have been of great interest to biblical scholars and theologians over the centuries, especially seeking to understand the nature of the meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek and the significance of the priest-king of Salem offering bread and wine to the Patriarch. While theological readings typically dominate the literature on this mysterious meeting, the intent of this study is to examine this encounter in its military setting side-by-side with other Old Testament texts and ancient Near Eastern parallels. The latter will include focusing on Gen 14:13-18 alongside the Tale of Sinuhe, Tanaach Tablet 6, Papyrus Anastasi I, and other sources. It will be suggested that Melchizedek's actions are consistent with one seeking to appease a military victor.

Research paper thumbnail of Towards a Diplomatic, Contextual Reading of the Encounter between Jacob and Esau in Genesis 33

“Now These Records are Ancient” Studies in Ancient Near Eastern and Biblical History, Language and Culture in Honor of K. Lawson Younger, Jr., 2022

This study investigates the encounter between Jacob and Esau when Jacob returned from his self-im... more This study investigates the encounter between Jacob and Esau when Jacob returned from his self-imposed exile in Haran (Gen 32:3–7 & 33:1–11). It especially investigates the rather odd practice Jacob employed of presenting his wives and children, thereby exposing them to potential danger and harm. Based on analysis of select texts and reliefs from Egypt and Hittite annals that report on one party surrendering to another, it is suggested that Jacob’s actions and gestures are consistent with ANE diplomatic protocols for surrendering and ending hostilities. The presence of woman and children on such occasions is critical element to peacemaking after hostilities.

Research paper thumbnail of Reflections on a Decade of Research and Excavations at Tell el-Borg and Its Environs (1998-2008)

Proceedings of the 12th International Congress of Egyptologists, 3rd thru 8th of November 2019, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of New Archaeological evidence for Ancient Bedouin (Shasu) on Egypt's Eastern Frontier at Tell el-Borg

Excavations at the military site of Tell el-Borg, just outside of the eastern Delta has produced ... more Excavations at the military site of Tell el-Borg, just outside of the eastern Delta has produced two New Kingdom forts that were a part of the East Frontier defense system and the military highway, the Ways of Horus. Among the discoveries at Tell el-Borg were the burnt out remains of a cluster of reed huts. This study will investigate who the occupants of these huts may have been. The pottery and C 14 dates suggest that these structures were used in the 2 nd Intermediate Period to early New Kingdom. It will be argued provisionally that the occupants of this little community were dessert dwellers, possibly Shasu.

Research paper thumbnail of Book Review: The Hyksos: New Historical and Archaeological Perspectives

Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Dec 1, 2004

A few additional bibliographical entries can be suggested. For the autobiographical text, see als... more A few additional bibliographical entries can be suggested. For the autobiographical text, see also A. B. Lloyd, 'The Great Inscription of Khnumhotpe II at Beni Hasan', in A. B. Lloyd (ed.), Studies

Research paper thumbnail of Tell el-Borg and the Ways of Horus in the Ramesside Era

Perspectives on the Ramesside Military System: AAT 121, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Further Reflections on Egyptian Influences on the Early Hebrews-Priestly Matters

Linguistic and Philological Studies of the Hebrew Bible and its Manuscripts, 2023

via communal account further reflections on egyptian influences 169 demonstrate that they are bas... more via communal account further reflections on egyptian influences 169 demonstrate that they are based on ancient traditions and are not recent innovations. Sylvie Cauville explains that [W]e know from the texts of Edfu that the great temple of this city is a replica of the one of Heliopolis and that the founding charter of Dendera was preserved in the national archives in Memphis. Thanks to the priest imbued with knowledge from time immemorial, some hymns, two millennia old resurface with their archaic vocabulary.6 In many cases, the more ancient texts have not survived from earlier periods. There are cases, however, where the earlier source behind the Ptolemaic text is known, such as citations from Old Kingdom Pyramid texts and New Kingdom ritual papyri.7 Because the more ancient sources, texts, and iconography, are replicated verbatim in these temples, Cauville further opines that "it is the Graeco-Roman buildings, a millennium later [from the New Kingdom], that allow us to decipher the past".8 Consequently, even if one allows a postexilic date for the Priestly texts in the Torah, this does not preclude them from reliance on older traditions and practices. Ash Melika has recently conducted a substantial study of the Ptolemaic Edfu Temple, in which he analyzed scenes and texts dealing with the rituals surrounding the founding of the temple.9 Here, likewise, some of the texts can be traced to the New Kingdom and the reign of Senusert i (ca. 1943-1898b.c.e.) from temple walls of the Atum Temple at Heliopolis. Scenes also are paralleled by earlier temple reliefs. The stretching the cord ritual, for example, can be traced back to the sun temple of Niuserre in the 5th Dynasty (ca. 2400 b.c.e.),10 a full two millennia before the construction of the Edfu Temple. Contrary to what Wellhausen and his followers maintain(ed), viz., that the Priestly portions of Exodus that deal with the tabernacle and priesthood are artificial and idyllic retrojections from the Second Temple Judaism, Gary Rendsburg has long argued that the Priestly writings in the Torah date to the 10th century b.c.e. (or earlier). He bases his arguments on linguistic, gram-6 Ibid., p. 8.

Research paper thumbnail of PITHOM AND RAMESES (EXODUS 1:11): HISTORICAL, ARCHAEOLOGICAL, AND LINGUISTIC ISSUES (PART II)

Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections 34, 2022

ABSTRACT

Research paper thumbnail of Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections PITHOM AND RAMESES (EXODUS 1:11): HISTORICAL, ARCHAEOLOGICAL, AND LINGUISTIC ISSUES (PART I

INTRODUCTION Nineteenth-century pioneer Egyptologists were interested in Bible history. Indeed, i... more INTRODUCTION Nineteenth-century pioneer Egyptologists were interested in Bible history. Indeed, in 1882 the Egypt Exploration Fund (EEF), later to become the Egypt Exploration Society, expressed a goal "to make surveys, explorations [...] for the purpose of elucidating or illustrating the Old Testament narrative, or any part thereof, insofar as the same is in any way connected with Egypt." 1 Just as Heinrich Schliemann had set out inspired by Homer's writings to discover Troy and Mycenae a decade earlier, so Edouard Naville and W. M. F. Petrie went to Egypt to identify sites connected to the Exodus story, investigating sites such as Tell el-Retaba, Tell el-Maskhuta, Tell el-Yehudiyah, Khataanah-Qantir, and Ṣan el-Hager (Tanis). 2 Ever since, archaeologists and biblical scholars have debated their identifications and their roles in the literature of the Hebrew Bible. Central to these enquiries were the toponyms Pithom and Rameses in Exodus 1:11. 3 A general consensus developed among biblical scholars that Egyptology had furnished genuine background information and that the toponyms in Exodus reflected authentic memories from the New Kingdom, the likely era of the sojourn and exodus. 4 This positive assessment of Exod. 1:11, however, has had its detractors in recent decades, including

Research paper thumbnail of The Hebrew Exodus from and Jeremiah’s Eisodus into Egypt in the Light of Recent Archaeological and Geological Developments

Tyndale Bulletin, 2022

Egyptian texts mention two bodies of water on Egypt's eastern frontier with Sinai, š-ḥr and p3 tw... more Egyptian texts mention two bodies of water on Egypt's eastern frontier with Sinai, š-ḥr and p3 twfy, the latter of which is mentioned in connection with the Exodus (as ‫ם-סּוף‬ ‫יַ‬-yam suf), while the former occurs in Jeremiah 2:18. Recent palaeoenvironmental work conducted by the North Sinai Archaeological Project, which was in the field from 1998 to 2008 and directed by the author, has shed new light on these bodies of water and the roles they played in the biblical events involving entering and departing Egypt. The 2019 publication of the geological data now allows one to offer some insights into these ancient lakes. Supplemented by new archaeological discoveries, elements of the routes of both journeys can be elucidated.

Research paper thumbnail of The power of walls: fortifications in ancient northeastern Africa. Proceedings of the international workshop held at the University of Cologne 4th–7th August 2011

Azania: Archaeological Research in Africa, 2014

community. For example, the Survey of Community Heritage Perception provided in the Appendix focu... more community. For example, the Survey of Community Heritage Perception provided in the Appendix focused on heritage and development, but did not seem to offer the opportunity for community members to problematise the research questions of the archaeologists themselves. Here the aims of archaeologists and community members, in showing change versus continuity in tradition, for example, may differ significantly. In summary, this volume provides a comprehensive overview of the history and archaeology of ritual practice in the Tong Hills. It does so in a readable, lavishly illustrated format that is much more theoretically engaged than a site report, thus highlighting the value of the data presented for addressing larger scale issues of continuity and change in ritual practice. This format ensures that the volume will be useful not only to area specialists, but also to archaeologists interested in ritual and community archaeology more broadly.

Research paper thumbnail of «The heavens declare the glory of God» : The limits of general revelation

Research paper thumbnail of Which Way Out of Egypt? Physical Geography Related to the Exodus Itinerary

Quantitative Methods in the Humanities and Social Sciences, 2015

The Exodus narrative is rich with geographic references that are properly understood in the conte... more The Exodus narrative is rich with geographic references that are properly understood in the context of the ancient landscape of the eastern Nile Delta and adjacent Sinai Peninsula. Changes in the physical geography of the region reflect dynamic interactions between the Nile river system, the Mediterranean Sea, and tectonics of the Red Sea rift system. Coordinating field geology, archaeological sites, digital topography, and satellite imagery with Geographic Information Technology resulted in a map depicting the physical geography of the area of interest during the Bronze Age. The map reveals different positions of the Mediterranean coastline with associated lagoons and the existence of Pelusiac Nile distributaries, lakes, and wetlands. The restored geography constrains the path of the ancient “Ways of Horus,” the militarized coastal road between Egypt and the land of the Philistines, but also provides a plausible map of the region that is described in the Exodus texts.

Research paper thumbnail of Egyptologists and the Israelite Exodus from Egypt

Quantitative Methods in the Humanities and Social Sciences, 2015

Early Egyptologists were steeped in interest in biblical history and in particular the Hebrew exo... more Early Egyptologists were steeped in interest in biblical history and in particular the Hebrew exodus story. Edouard Naville and W.M.F. Petrie were among the early pioneers. Of interest to early Egyptologists was the geography of the exodus and the route of the Hebrew departure from Egypt. By the mid-twentieth century, Egyptology’s love affair with Old Testament matters had soured, but this allowed the discipline to develop as its own science.

Research paper thumbnail of Chapter 4. The Funerary Area: Field III, The “Eastern Cemetery”

Research paper thumbnail of New Light on the Amarna Period from North Sinai

Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of The Hebrew Exodus from and Jeremiah's Eisodus into Egypt in the Light of Recent Archaeological and Geological Developments 1

Tyndale Bulletin 72, 2021

Egyptian texts mention two bodies of water on Egypt's eastern frontier with Sinai, š-ḥr and p3 tw... more Egyptian texts mention two bodies of water on Egypt's eastern frontier with Sinai, š-ḥr and p3 twfy, the latter of which is mentioned in connection with the Exodus (as ‫ם-סּוף‬ ‫יַ‬-yam suf), while the former occurs in Jeremiah 2:18. Recent palaeoenvironmental work conducted by the North Sinai Archaeological Project, which was in the field from 1998 to 2008 and directed by the author, has shed new light on these bodies of water and the roles they played in the biblical events involving entering and departing Egypt. The 2019 publication of the geological data now allows one to offer some insights into these ancient lakes. Supplemented by new archaeological discoveries, elements of the routes of both journeys can be elucidated.

Research paper thumbnail of New Light on the Amarna Period from North Sinai

Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 2010

Since 1999 investigations at Tell el-Borg in North Sinai have uncovered significant material from... more Since 1999 investigations at Tell el-Borg in North Sinai have uncovered significant material from the Amarna period. In addition to pottery from this period, several wine jar seals and other small objects mention the names of members of the royal family of Akhetaten. Particularly interesting is a seal impression with the cartouche of Neferneferuaten followed by the epithet Akhetenhyes, adding a further occurrence to the dossier of this enigmatic royal figure.

Research paper thumbnail of A New Military Site on "The Ways of Horus" - Tell el-Borg 1999-2001: a Preliminary Report

Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 2003

This is a preliminary report of the archaeological excavations at Tell el-Borg, North Sinai, from... more This is a preliminary report of the archaeological excavations at Tell el-Borg, North Sinai, from 1999-2001. Tell el-Borg is a New Kingdom military site on Egypt's frontier with Sinai and was most likely one of the forts on the 'Ways of Horus'. Blocks from a temple of Ramesses II were uncovered, as well as tombs from the late Eighteenth to early Nineteenth Dynasties. Two separate mud-brick forts were also uncovered that appear to date to the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Dynasties respectively.

Research paper thumbnail of “The Gate of the Ramesside Period Fort at Tell el-Borg, North Sinai,” in Ramesside Studies in Honour of K. A. Kitchen (ed. M. Collier & S. Snape; Bolton: Rutherford Press, 2011) 207-219.

Research paper thumbnail of Observations on the Evolving Chariot Wheel in the 18th Dynasty

Journal of the American Research Center in …, Jan 1, 1976

It is generally believed that the horse-drawn chariot was introduced into Egypt by the Hyksos, an... more It is generally believed that the horse-drawn chariot was introduced into Egypt by the Hyksos, and that it originated somewhere in the area of Syria-Palestine.1 Egyptian literary references to chariots occur as early as the reigns of Kamose,2 the 17th Dynasty king who took the first steps in freeing Egypt from the Hyksos, and Ahmose,3 the founder of the 18th Dynasty. Pictorial representations, however, do not appear until slightly later in the 18th Dynasty. Two of the earliest scenes are found in the tomb of Rennie of El Kab4 (possibly dating to the reign of Amenhotep I), and in the tomb of User5 (reign of Thutmose I).

Research paper thumbnail of Further Reflections on Egyptian Influences on the Early Hebrews-Priestly Matters

Linguistic and Philological Studies of the Hebrew Bible and its Manuscripts (Leiden, Brill), 2023

via communal account further reflections on egyptian influences 169 demonstrate that they are bas... more via communal account further reflections on egyptian influences 169 demonstrate that they are based on ancient traditions and are not recent innovations. Sylvie Cauville explains that [W]e know from the texts of Edfu that the great temple of this city is a replica of the one of Heliopolis and that the founding charter of Dendera was preserved in the national archives in Memphis. Thanks to the priest imbued with knowledge from time immemorial, some hymns, two millennia old resurface with their archaic vocabulary.6 In many cases, the more ancient texts have not survived from earlier periods. There are cases, however, where the earlier source behind the Ptolemaic text is known, such as citations from Old Kingdom Pyramid texts and New Kingdom ritual papyri.7 Because the more ancient sources, texts, and iconography, are replicated verbatim in these temples, Cauville further opines that "it is the Graeco-Roman buildings, a millennium later [from the New Kingdom], that allow us to decipher the past".8 Consequently, even if one allows a postexilic date for the Priestly texts in the Torah, this does not preclude them from reliance on older traditions and practices. Ash Melika has recently conducted a substantial study of the Ptolemaic Edfu Temple, in which he analyzed scenes and texts dealing with the rituals surrounding the founding of the temple.9 Here, likewise, some of the texts can be traced to the New Kingdom and the reign of Senusert i (ca. 1943-1898b.c.e.) from temple walls of the Atum Temple at Heliopolis. Scenes also are paralleled by earlier temple reliefs. The stretching the cord ritual, for example, can be traced back to the sun temple of Niuserre in the 5th Dynasty (ca. 2400 b.c.e.),10 a full two millennia before the construction of the Edfu Temple. Contrary to what Wellhausen and his followers maintain(ed), viz., that the Priestly portions of Exodus that deal with the tabernacle and priesthood are artificial and idyllic retrojections from the Second Temple Judaism, Gary Rendsburg has long argued that the Priestly writings in the Torah date to the 10th century b.c.e. (or earlier). He bases his arguments on linguistic, gram-6 Ibid., p. 8.