Have you ever wondered what it takes to become a biblical archaeologist?
Biblical archaeology is the scientific study of people, artifacts, and cultures related to the biblical texts.
Archaeological excavation is a scientific and methodical recovery of material culture, including formulating research questions; recording and documentation; processing, caring for, and conserving the material culture along with analysis; and publication. A biblical archaeologist combines expertise in biblical studies and scientific study of people, artifacts, and cultures related to the biblical texts and time periods.
Biblical archaeology is best studied and experienced firsthand. Find a program that will connect you with world-renowned scholars, exceptional excavation experience, expert research skills, and an encouraging community. Engage with biblical scholarship, archaeological method and theory, and tangible, historical artifacts to become a biblical archaeologist for your community and the world.
Watch the video above to learn more about biblical archaeology from one of our very own Ph.D. students, Erika Brown!
How can I become a biblical archaeologist?
To enter the occupation, archaeologists typically need at least a master’s degree in anthropology or archaeology. Experience doing fieldwork in either discipline is also important. Bachelor’s degree holders may find work as assistants or fieldworkers. Doctoral degrees offer the opportunity to teach, research, and supervise in a variety of different archaeological settings.
Biblical Archaeology in the News
Biblical archaeology is relevant to this world today in so many ways. Check out these news articles that showcase different archaeological discoveries and resources relating to archaeology.
Kourion Project 2022
Thomas Davis, assistant director of the Lanier Center for Archaeology, is the principal investigator. Davis and Laura A. Swantek of Arizona State University serve as project directors. They along with Lipscomb students and a team of archaeologists working at Kourion last month found a sculpture of a young boy lying face down on a mosaic floor and covered by large, tumbled wall stones in the remains of one of the buildings being excavated there.
Kourion Project Article
Gezer in BAR 2022
The Merneptah Stele, which most scholars date to c. 1208 B.C.E., provides the earliest known reference to Israel outside the Bible. But while history books focus on the stele’s reference to Israel having been “wasted without seed” during Pharaoh Merneptah’s campaign into southern Canaan, the bigger prize was almost certainly the prominent Canaanite city-state of Gezer, located in the Judean foothills about 20 miles west of Jerusalem, which the stele says was “captured” during the same campaign.
Gezer in BAR Article
David and Solomon’s Biblical Kingdom May Have Existed After All, New Study Suggests
The radiocarbon study of the 3,000-year-old ruins of Gezer, an ancient site in central Israel, was published Wednesday in the journal PLOS ONE and claims to introduce new evidence in the longstanding debate on how much of the Bible is a true story. Particularly, the work relates to the historicity of the fabled kingdom of David and Solomon.
Haaretz ArticleInterested in becoming a biblical archaeologist?