Deus Artefacta: Masada

Aerial view of Masada.
Photo by Andrew Shiva.

Masada

Exploring Masada: A Look at the Archaeological Wonders

Have you heard about the incredible archaeological wonders that can be found at Masada? Located in Israel, it's a site that has seen its fair share of history, and its importance for first century studies is undeniable. If you're looking to explore the archaeological excavations that have taken place there, we've got you covered.

Masada is an ancient fortification in the Judean Desert. It was first built by Herod the Great in the first century BC, and it has since become a symbol of Jewish independence and heroism. As well as telling the story of the Roman conquest and the mass suicide of Jewish rebels in 73 AD, Masada also has many archaeological treasures to explore.

One of the most notable discoveries in Masada is the oldest synagogue ever discovered, which was excavated in 1963. Ancient scrolls were also found, and they provide valuable insight into the Jewish culture of the time.

Other archaeological wonders found in Masada include pottery and coins from the first century BC, as well as an aqueduct built by Herod the Great. All of these discoveries can tell us a lot about the history of the area, and how it changed over time.

If you're looking to explore the archaeological wonders of Masada, the official website provides a great resource LINK. Additionally, make sure to consult good encyclopedia entries, journal articles, and books that specialize in the subject. This will give you a cross section of material, and provide you with a better understanding of the historical background of the site, objectives of the current excavations, progress at the site, and significance of discoveries to biblical study.

So if you're looking to gain a better understanding of Masada and the archaeological excavations that have taken place there, make sure to check out the official website and the other resources mentioned above!

The Israel Exploration Society publications on Masada LINK
Avi–Yonah, Michael N. Avigad, Y. Aharoni, I. Dunayevsky And S. Gutman,“The Archaeological Survey of Masada,” Israel Exploration Journal 7 no. 1, 1957, 1–60. JSTOR
Ben–Yehuda, Nachman.The Masada Myth: Collective Memory and Mythmaking In Israel. University of Wisconsin Press: December 8, 1995.Look Inside
_____. Sacrificing Truth: Archaeology and the Myth of Masada. Amherst, N.Y.: Humanity Books, 2002. Look Inside
Bar–Nathan, R., Masada; The Yigael Yadin Excavations 1963–1965, Vol 7. IES Jerusalem, 2006.
Crawford, Sidnie White. “Scribe Links Qumran and Masada,” Biblical Archaeology Review 38:06 (Nov/Dec 2012): n.p. LOOKUP or LINK
Dant, D. R. “Masada and the World of the New Testament (1996-97),” Brigham Young University Studies, Vol. 36, No. 3, 1–430. Index PDF 400 pages of articles on Masada. JSTOR
Davies, Gwyn “The Masada Siege: From the Roman Viewpoint,” Biblical Archaeology Review 40 No. 4 (Jul/Aug 2014), 28–36, 76. LINK View through Liberty Library login or BAR
Hall, J. F.and J. W. Welch, Masada and the World of the New Testament, 1997. Look Inside
Hurvitz, Gila. The Story of Masada: Discoveries from the Excavations. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem: The Institute of Archaeology 2002. LINK
Jacobson, David,"The Northern Palace at Masada – Herod’s Ship of the Desert?,” Palestine Exploration Quarterly 138 no. 2 (2006), 99–117. LINK
Kadman, L. “A Coin Find at Masada,” Israel Exploration Journal 7 no. 1, 1957, 61–65. LINK
Netzer, Ehud. “The Last Days and Hours at Masada: Zealots Scavenged Roof Beams to Build Wall to Resist Attack by Roman Siege Machines,” Biblical Archaeology Review 17, no. 6 (1991): 20–32.
LOOKUP
Netzer, Ehud. The Palaces of the Hasmoneans and Herod the Great. Jerusalem: Yed Ben–Zvi Press and The Israel Exploration Society, 2001.
Ngo, Robin. Masada: The Dead Seas's Desert Fortress. Washington, D.C.: Biblical Archaeology Society, 2014. Five articles by various authors. PDF
_____. “The Masada Siege: The Roman Assault on Herod’s Desert Fortress,” Bible History Daily, June 13, 2014. LINK
Roller, Duane W. The Building Program of Herod the Great. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1998.
Shanks, Hershel. “Masada: The Final Reports,” Biblical Archaeology Review 23 no. 1 (Jan/Feb 1997): 58–63. BAR
Wilson, E. Jan “The Masada Synagogue and Its Relationship to Jewish Worship during the Second Temple Period,” Brigham Young University Studies, Vol. 36, No. 3, Masada and the World of the New Testament (1996-97), pp. 269-276. LINK
Yadin, Yigael, Joseph Naveh, and Yaacov Meshorer. Masada I: The Yigael Yadin Excavations 1963–1965: Final Reports. The Masada Reports. 6 vols. Atlanta, Ga.: Biblical Archaeology Society, 1989–99.
Yadin, Yigael. “The Excavation of Masada, 1963/64: Preliminary Report,” Israel Exploration Journal 15, no. 1/2 (January 1, 1965): 1–120. JSTOR
Yadin, Yigael. Masada: Herod’s Fortress and the Zealots’ Last Stand. London, 1966.

Dictionaries and Encyclopedias:

The list of abbreviations can be found here. LINK

Avi–Yonah, Michael, and Ephraim Stern. “Masada,” Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land. 4 vols. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1978.
Foerster, Gideon. “Masada,” Edited by Merrill C. Tenney and Moisés Silva. Pages 122–24 in Vol 4: Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. 5 vols. Revised, Full–Color Edition. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2009.
Kogel, Lynne Alcott “Masada,” Freedman, David Noel, Allen C. Myers, and Astrid B. Beck, eds. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2000.
Negev, Avraham, and Shimon Gibson, eds. “Masada,” page 320–325 in Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land. New rev., and updated. 1 vols. New York, N.Y.: Continuum International, 2001.
Netzer, Ehud. “Masada,” Edited by David Noel Freedman, Gary A. Herion, David F. Graf, and John David Pleins. Pages 586–87 in Vol. 4: The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary. 6 vols. New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1992.
Pfeiffer, Charles F., ed. “Masada,” pages 367–68 in Wycliffe Dictionary of Biblical Archaeology. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 2000.
Stern, Ephraim, Ayelet Levinson–Gilboa, and Joseph Aviram, eds. “Masada,” Pages 973–85 in Vol. 3: The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land. 4 vols. New York, N.Y.: MacMillan, 1993.
Stiebel, Guy D. “Masada,” Encyclopaedia Judaica.Ed. Michael Berenbaum and Fred Skolnik. 2nd ed. Vol. 13. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2007. 593–99.