Archaeology
Archaeology is the study of human history and prehistory through the excavation of sites and the analysis of artifacts and other physical remains. Archaeology is the systematic recovery and study of material evidence, such as buildings, tools, pottery, and graves, that remains from past human life and culture. From Archae = Ancient, Ology = Greek, study of. An archaeologist is a person who studies human history, particularly the culture of historic and prehistoric people, through the discovery and exploration of remains, structures, and writings. Anthropology is the scientific study of the origin, the behavior, and the physical, social, and cultural development of human beings. Anthropology = Greek anthrpos, human being, and study of. The scientific study of the origin, history, and structure of the Earth. Also, the structure of a specific region of the Earth's crust. Greek Gê - earth and Ology - study of. Paleontology: The study of life existing in prehistoric times, as represented by the fossils of plants, animals, and other organisms. Greek palaio-, from palaios, long ago, study of. The archaeological record is the body of physical (i.e. not written) evidence about the past. Archaeologists document and interpret the archaeological record. Archaeological theory is used to interpret the archaeological record for a better understanding of human cultures.
When compared to other religious books, the Bible is unique in that it is the oldest, as testified by the places, people, and title and events mentioned in the Bible; and the language and literary formats used to compose the Bible. Has everything been found? No archaeology is looking for very old things. Is there enough to confirm the Bible? Yes, and more is found each year!
Time: CE = Common Era or Current Era or (Christian Era), CE is the same as AD. AD = Anno Domini, Latin for in the year of the Lord. Or in the year of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Both are years since Jesus Christ’s birth. BCE = Before the Common Era or Before Current Era or Before Christian Era. BCE is the same as BC. BC = Before Christ. Both time before Christ’s birth. Dating From Today: kya = Thousand years ago or “ka”. mya = Million years ago or “ma”. Bya = Billion years ago or “Ga”. bp = Before present (today). A Geological Period is the basic unit of geological time in which a single type of rock system is formed. Two or more periods comprise a geological Era. i.e., the Cretaceous period and the Paleogene period are defined by the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, 66 mya (million years ago). Era is a span of time marked by events on earth. When used in geology, an era denotes a clearly defined period of time. For example, the Mesozoic Era is 252 mya to 66 mya. Two or more Eras form an Eon, the largest division of geologic: Eons: Hadean, Archean, Proterozoic, and Phanerozoic. The Cenozoic Era is the current and most recent of the three Phanerozoic geological eras. The Cenozoic Era covers the period from 66 million years ago to the present day. The Cenozoic is also known as the Age of Mammals. The Mesozoic Era is an interval of geological time from about 252 to 66 million years ago. It is also called the Age of Reptiles. Divided to three Periods: Triassic Period 252 to 201 mya. Jurassic Period 201 to 145 mya. Cretaceous Period 145 to 66 mya. The Paleozoic is the oldest of three geologic eras spanning from 541 to 252 million years ago: The Cambrian Period was the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era, lasting from 541 to 485 (mya). The Cambrian explosion was a short event around 542 mya, during which most major animal phyla (body plans) appeared.
Some ways in which archaeologists determine the age of sites, structures, or artifacts. 1) Radiocarbon dating 2) Sediment Layer 3) Thermoluminescence dating 4) Tree Rings 5) Radiometric dating 6) Ice Core
1) Radiocarbon determination of the approximate age of an ancient object by measuring the amount of carbon-14 it contains. Error bars ±40-150 years, Maximum range of 50,000 years. Minimum age about 4,500 years. Concern is always contamination, how pure is the sample?
2) Sediment Layer : The layer on top must have been placed there at a later point in time than the lower layers (unless folding occurred in the past). Ash Sediment Layer Dating.Each Eruption’s ash is different. Pollen is annually deposited in layers.
3) Thermoluminescence dating: Measuring the radiation dose determines the time elapsed since material containing crystalline minerals was either heated (lava, ceramics) or exposed to sunlight. Can have large error bars. Dating Range: 1,000 - 300,000,000 yrs; the error bars not always quoted!
4) Tree Rings: Very Accurate. Annual growth in summer makes tree rings. Rings also record the rainfall and sunshine received. Fire scars are also record.
5) Radiometric Dating : Potassium-argon dating: The ratio of argon to potassium from the radioactive decay of a potassium isotope into argon. Potassium-40 is usually found in significant amounts in volcanic rock and ash. 100,000 to 4.5 billion years. Note there is a gap from 50,000 to 100,00 years ago.
Uranium-lead dating: The ratio of lead to uranium from the radioactive decay of uranium into lead. 1 million years to 4.5 billion years ago. Low error bar. An isotope of uranium will take 2.250 Billion years to become 25% lead.
Uranium Thorium Dating: Good for carbonate sediments, bones, and teeth. Range: 1,000 - 500,000 yr.
6) Ice Core: Counts snow layers containing ash and pollen deposits that are trapped in the ice. The oldest sample is 800,000 years old. Volcanic eruptions leave identifiable ash layers. Samples from Greenland and Antarctica.
Archaeomagnetism uses the changes in the Earth's magnetic field in the past. Materials with enough iron content can be dated. The iron may have aligned to magnetic north when heated. 600AD – present, if the object is not moved.
Many coins have the date of their production written on them or their use is specified in the historical record, such as the reign of a ruler. The study of pottery is a key into the study of past cultures. Paleography is the study of ancient writing, including the practice of deciphering, reading, and dating historical manuscripts. It includes the study of ancient and historical handwriting, which differs over time and cultures.
Bible Finds
The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of 981 different texts discovered between 1947 and 1956 in eleven caves about 1.2 miles inland from the northwest shore of the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea Scrolls are the single most important manuscript find in history. Placed into caves around 408 BC to 200 BC for safekeeping: 40% of scrolls are Bible Scrolls. Jews hid them away in caves for fear of the Jewish / Roman Wars - Revolts. Only one Scroll was almost completely intact: The Isaiah Scroll from 335 BC. The Great Isaiah Scroll shows that Isaiah's foretelling of the Messiah was made well before the birth of Christ, since the scroll dates from 335 BC. Jesus is the only person who completed - fulfilled - these promises. Thus, Jesus Christ is the Messiah.
The Silver Scrolls contain scriptures from Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Silver Scrolls date back to about 600 BCE. (AKA Ketef Hinnom scrolls)
The Tel Dan Stele is a fragmentary stone containing a Canaanite inscription which dates to 900 BCE. It is notable for being the only written extra-biblical archaeological reference to King David.
Khirbet Qeiyafa Ostracon, 3,000 years old, Hebrew text...“But worship God”.....“Protect the poor and the slave”......“Support the stranger”...
Shelomit Seal: Hebrew text and image, 2,500 years old, Name (Shlomit) found in 1 Chronicles 3:19 and Ezra 8:10 Found in Jerusalem . Two priests at the incense altar worshiping.
Egyptian hieroglyph picture of "coat of many colors", same as that of Joseph and "his coat" of many colors mentioned in the bible.
Jehu is depicted on the Assyrian Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III, bowing and paying tribute to the Assyrian king, confirming his historical role.
The Hittites were an Ancient Middle Eastern people who established a large empire. The empire reached its height in 1350 BC in Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey. They are repeatedly mentioned throughout the Hebrew Bible as the adversaries of the Israelites and their God. Before the discovery of Hittite cities, the only source of information about the Hittites had been the Old Testament. Because of this, some doubted they were real. Bible texts note in the Books of Kings, they supplied the Israelites with cedar, chariots, and horses. They are also a friend to Abraham in the Book of Genesis.
Record of Nature fossils:
Fossilization takes at least 10,000 years .Cells are replaced with mineral-rich groundwater, then only minerals remain. The oldest known fossils are cyanobacteria from rocks found in Western Australia. Fossils are 3.5 billion years old. Most fossils are bones and shells, but sometimes soft tissues are fossilized. Dinosaur Skin, Bird feathers go back 145 million years ago.
Link to video on YouTube link
Ref:
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Many studies use 5730 +/-40 yrs, but the most recent measurements find a half-life of 5700 +/-30 as in Walter Kutschera, (2019). “The Half-Life of 14C—Why Is It So Long?,” Radiocarbon 61, no. 5 (October 2019): 1135–1142, doi:10.1017/RDC.2019.26.
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