Jerusalem Tracker: News, Publications, and Media about the Holy City (No. 7)
Jerusalem Tracker: News, Publications, and Media about the Holy City (No. 7)
Helpful lists of new material about Jerusalem
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Readers of this newsletter will know that one of my main goals is to follow and collate new publications about historical Jerusalem. To date, I track over 220 periodicals and 65 book publishers in search of relevant articles. These numbers increase with each publication of the quarterly Jerusalem Tracker newsletter (see the full archive here). Most sources are in English due to my bias as a native speaker, although I follow research published in other languages as I am able.
This post mainly covers material that has appeared since February 2024. I continue to be stunned at the rate of new publications about Jerusalem. While some are authored by renowned scholars or highlighted in popular media (often both), other fascinating and important papers appear in more obscure corners of the publishing world. I aim to throw light on them all to create a gathering point for the continually growing and diverse body of writing about Jerusalem. These newsletters also highlight developments, digital resources and upcoming events relating to historical Jerusalem.
Open access works are noted, and only published material is included. This excludes forthcoming material or journal articles that have been published online but have not yet appeared in print. If you sense that any relevant resources are missing below, feel free to leave a comment or send an email to approachingjerusalem@gmail.com.
New Academic Articles about Jerusalem
Book Reviews
Review of The Monk on the Roof: The Story of an Ethiopian Manuscript Found in Jerusalem (1904) by Stéphane Ancel, Magdalena Krzyżanowska and Vincent Lemire in Comparative Oriental Manuscript Studies Bulletin by Elagina (open access)
Review of The cult of Stephen in Jerusalem. Inventing a Patron Martyr by Hugo Méndez in The Journal of Ecclesiastical History by Labadie
History of Jerusalem
"If I Forget you, Jerusalem!" (book chapter) in If I Forget You, Jerusalem!:
Studies on the Old Testament by Lemche
“Is it not Samaria? (Micah 1:5). Reconsidering the Centrality of Jerusalem's Yahwism in the Iron Age” in Semitica by Frevel
“Material Culture, Administration and Economy in Judah during the Persian Period: The Role of the Jerusalem Temple” in Judah in the Biblical Period Historical, Archaeological, and Biblical Studies by Lipschits
The English translation of this article was previously published in German; all other relevant essays in the book have already appeared in English.
“The Gate of Mercy as a Contested Monument: Jerusalem’s Sealed Gate as a Muslim Site of Memory” in Journal of Islamic Studies by Abu Sarah
“Writing on the Burial of Christ in the Twelfth Century: An Absent Presence in the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem” in Sakrale Schriftbilder
Zur ikonischen Präsenz des Geschriebenen im mittelalterlichen Kirchenraum, Tobias Frese, Lisa Horstmann, and Franziska Wenig (eds) by Ingrand-Varenne (open access)
“Gottesbergvorstellungen aus der exilischen und nachexilischen Zeit in Jerusalem” (book chapter) in Vom Sinai zum Zion? Das Verhältnis der Gottesbergüberlieferungen im Alten Testament by Oepping (open access)
Jerusalem and Ancient Literature
“Jerusalem’s Destruction and the Coming of the Son of Man: Assessing an Alleged Lukan Association” in Currents in Biblical Research by Neville (open access)
“The Eschatological Jerusalem in Zechariah 14” in Liber Annuus by Lopasso
“Gerusalemme in Mt. La città del gran re” in Liber Annuss by Munari
“Outside the City Walls: Remarks on 2 Kgs 23,4-20” in Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament by Suriano
“Jerusalem and Samaria in the Final Chapters of the Pentateuch in Deuteronomy” in Semitica by Otto
“The Hebrew name "Yerûšalaim" in selected Slavic translations of the Gospels” in The Biblical Annals by Kawecka (open access)
“Consoling in the Aftermath of the Destruction of Jerusalem: Hebrews” (book chapter) in Hellenistic Jews and Consolatory Rhetoric. 2 Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, 1 Thessalonians, and Hebrews by Trotter
Archaeology of Jerusalem
“A Seventh-Century BCE Cylinder Seal from Jerusalem Depicting Worship of the Moon God’s Cult Emblem” in Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis by Uehlinger, Winderbaum, and Zelinger (open access)
“A Representation of the Inauguration Ceremony of the Restored Temple? A (Tentative) Reinterpretation of the Bar Kokhba Tetradrachm” in Harvard Theological Review by Bourgel (open access)
“Identifying Cultural Habits and Economical Preferences in the Islamic Period, Mount Zion, Jerusalem” in Journal of Islamic Archaeology by Namdar, Zimni, Lernau, Vieweger, Gadot, and Sapir-Hen
“An Iron Age Stone Toilet Seat (the ‘Throne of Solomon’) from Captain Montagu Brownlow Parker’s 1909–1911 Excavations in Jerusalem” in Palestine Exploration Quarterly by Gibson
“Radiocarbon chronology of Iron Age Jerusalem reveals calibration offsets and architectural developments” in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA by Regev, Gadot, Uziel, Chalaf, Shalev, Roth, Shalom, Szanton, Bocher, Pearson, Brown, Mintz, Regev, and Boaretto
“Absolute dating, the Bible, and World cultural heritage” in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA by Levy, Smith, Najjar, and Ben-Yosef
“Archaeological excavations in the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem: 2023 preliminary report” in Liber Annuus by Stasolla
“Composition of Roman period pottery from Jerusalem revisited” in Archaeometry by Yellin (open access)
“Identifying the (Royal) Winepresses in the “Valley of the King” in ‘Atiqot by Storchan, Ben-Ari, Sapir, and Lipschits (open access)
“Out of Context: “Backdirt” Privatization and Contested Space in East Jerusalem” in Journal of Field Archaeology by Sawerthal
New salvage excavation reports in Hadashot Archaeologiot (all open access):
Jerusalem, Amazya Street by Hagbi
Jerusalem, Mishkenot Sha’ananim by Abu Raya and Avni
Jerusalem, French Hill Junction by Zilberbod
Jerusalem, Giv‘ati Parking Lot — 2019–2020 by Shalev, Bocher, Shalom, Sindel, Gellman, and Gadot
Jerusalem, Ido Ha-Navi Street by Avner and Mizrahi
Jerusalem, Radak Street by Gellman
Jerusalem, City of David by Chalaf and Uziel
New Books about Jerusalem
Robert of Nantes, Patriarch of Jerusalem (1240-1254) by Adam M. Bishop
The Jerusalem Temple and the Temple Mount: Collected Essays by Joseph Patrich
Orthodox Choreographies: Boundaries, Borders and Materiality in Jerusalem's Old City by Georgios S. Tsourous
Frankish Jerusalem: The Transformation of a Medieval City in the Latin East by Anna Gutgarts
Revelation's New Jerusalem in Late Antiquity, edited by Nathan Betz, Anthony Dupont, and Johan Leemans
New Pop/Social Media and Blogs about Jerusalem
Popular reports and reactions to the new radiocarbon study of Jerusalem:
An electrum pendant was found on the Southeastern Hill. Various claims have been made and discussed about a Phoenician origin for the pendant and possible connections with the United Monarchy.
A gold ring from an Early Hellenistic Period context was found in the Givati Parking Lot Excavations on the Southeastern Hill.
IT and JNS recycled a story about a clay bullae found in the Western Wall Excavations which took place between 2006-2009. Both incorrectly state that it is a seal.
The Temple Mount Sifting Project blog explores a clay token found in 2011, sparking coverage by popular media.
OnSite: The Via Dolorosa (BAR)
Books & More—Queens of Jerusalem: The Women Who Dared to Rule By Katherine Pangonis (Aramco)
Did Jesus’ Last Supper Take Place Above the Tomb of David? (BAR)
The Ancient Altar from Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre (BAR)
In 4 minutes, from Venice to Jerusalem in the 15th Century! (TSM)
Michael Chernin shares about a Czech pilgrim who visited Jerusalem’s Citadel in 1546 and Mamluk Period facade on the Via Dolorosa (use the “translate” feature).
The Israelite Conquest of Jerusalem in the Bible: When and Who? (TheTorah.com)
Judaization vs Islamization: The case of the Tower of David (Alex Stein)
King David Hotel, a Focal Point in British Mandate Jerusalem Whose Bombing Was a Watershed Moment (Jerusalem Story)
Recent Approaching Jerusalem articles
Jerusalem in Brief (No. 5): A new radiocarbon study of Jerusalem and a model showing Herod the Great's three towers
Jerusalem in Brief (No. 4): An Iron Age II tomb discovered in the Old City, a shadowy photo of a rock-cut canal, and a happy 230th birthday to Edward Robinson
Jerusalem in Brief (No. 3): A tower named after a Philistine giant, some new books, and a dinner party in the middle of World War I
New Digital Resources related to Jerusalem
Videos
Behind the Bible - Why Jerusalem Matters
Bible & Archaeology - The Burial of Jesus
Ronny Reich - The Iron Age II Tombs from Mamillah, Jerusalem
Religion for Breakfast - Garden Tomb vs. Holy Sepulchre: The Quest for the Real Tomb of Jesus
Israel Antiquities Authority - New scientific study has managed to accurately date findings from the First Temple period
Christian Media Center
James Tabor
New Developments in Jerusalem
The new pavilion at the Tower of David Museum has opened
Meet the creative force behind Jerusalem's Tower of David Museum
The Spanish Biblical Studies And Archaeology Centre was inaugurated on March 2
See also here.
The Dubious Land Deal Threatening East Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter
A fragment of a chancel screen was found by a volunteer in the Temple Mount Sifting Project.
Upcoming Events about Jerusalem
In Jerusalem
The Yad Ben Zvi Institute is offering free tours in Hebrew covering a number of aspects of historical Jerusalem. Sign up here.
June 20 19:00 JT: “Along the Symbols” exhibition opens at Jerusalem House of Quality highlighting heraldic symbols used during the British Mandate. The opening ceremony includes lectures by Amit Re’em, Ya’akov Billig, Issac Weiss, Michael Chernin, and Yehiel Zelinger. More info here.
July 10, 2024 19:00 JT: The presentation of Eretz-Israel Volume 35, in honor of Hillel Geva. Lectures in Hebrew will be offered by Yiftah Shalev, Orit Peleg-Barkat, Oren Gutfeld, and Amihai Mazar. Others will offer comment. Hosted by the Bible Lands Museum. Register here.
Online
Dr. Marik Shtern offers four free Zoom lectures in English. They will cover Jerusalem’s social history, urbanism, and geopolitics from the Late Ottoman Period onward.
June 25, 8:00-9:30pm ET: The next livestream for paid supporters of Approaching Jerusalem. Among other things, we will explore the context of a newly found Iron Age II tomb in the Old City.
During these events, we discuss excavations, publications, pop media articles, and developments relevant to historical Jerusalem. I occasionally also present original research. Participants will have opportunities to ask questions. Paid subscribers get access these ongoing live events, as well as the archive of recorded livestreams.
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