A Rare Coin Found at Gezer

In an article published in the Star-Telegram.com, Steven Ortiz, an associate professor of archaeology and biblical studies at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, is reporting that a dig at a fortification in Gezer has revealed collapsed mud-brick walls which were probably burned by the Assyrians in the eighth century B.C.

In addition, archaeologists also found a cylinder seal with the image of a king, with his outstretched bow in hand, and riding on a animal. Archaeologists also found a silver coin dating to the reign of Ptolemy IV (207-205 B.C.). According to Ortiz, the coin is only the third of its kind excavated in Israel.

According to Ortiz, the people working at Gezer “were quite surprised at the preservation of the Assyrian destruction.”

Read the complete news report by visiting the Star-Telegram.com.

Of course, Jim West is skeptical about the findings. Jim wrote:

Perhaps it’s time to remind ourselves that without substantive evidence, the marriage of the Bible to scrapings in the dirt is tenuous at best; and the use of any and every bit of remains as linkage to the biblical narrative is disingenuous and ultimately misleading.

I wonder what it would take to convince Jim that some archaeological findings may demonstrate that some events in the Bible are based on historical facts.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Archaeology, Gezer, Solomon