ANE Today, 29 May 2025
New Discoveries in the Pan Grotto in Paneas, the Friends of ASOR Chicago Tour, our Object of the Week, plus the usual round-up of news, books, and other media.
New Discoveries in the Pan Grotto in Paneas
By Adi Erlich and Ron Lavi
Travelers who visit the springs of Paneas in the Hermon Stream Nature Reserve in Northern Israel, at the foot of Mt. Hermon, are amazed by the cliff, water, and forest scenery. However, the most impressive feature of that landscape is a big natural cave on the cliff, which, during the Hellenistic and Roman periods, was associated with the cult of Pan, the god of the wild and shepherds. The name of the place, Paneas or Paneion (today after the Arabic: Banyas), is named after this cult. During the Hellenistic period, this cult place was initiated. According to Josephus Flavius, Herod the Great built a temple there to his benefactor, Augustus, near the cave. According to his account, the cave was full of water. Today the cave is usually dry, only filling up occasionally during rainy times.
Friends of ASOR Chicago Tour
Registration is now more than half full for the first Friends of ASOR tour in Chicago! Join us on September 18 and 19 for an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience. We will be kicking off our two-day jaunt on September 18 with the grand opening of a special exhibit on Megiddo at the iconic Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, followed by a walking tour of monuments and landscapes passing through Grant Park, the Museum Campus, and the Gold Star Families Memorial. On Friday, September 19, we will visit the Greek, Roman, and Egyptian galleries at the impressive Art Institute of Chicago to explore significant new developments and to learn about material little seen by the public. After lunch, we’ll continue our tour to the renowned Field Museum of Natural History, home to the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton of its kind, among remarkable collections and exhibitions. Space is limited, so reserve your spot now.
Registration and details can be found here.
In the News:
Mysterious Syrian artifacts reidentified as ancient baby rattles (Phys.org)
Prehistoric animal remains in Iran’s Wezmeh Cave reveal Zagros biodiversity (Archaeology News)
Three new tombs of high officials from the New Kingdom found in Luxor (LBV Magazine)
Archaeologists launch new excavation in West Bank at capital of ancient Israel (Times of Israel)
New archaeological discovery in Sinai reveals Egypt’s ancient eastern fortifications (Ahram Online)
Object of the Week:
New Books to Explore:
The Capture of Jerusalem by the Persians in 614 CE by Strategius of Mar Saba, by Sean W. Anthony and Stephen J. Shoemaker (open access!)
The Samaritan Pentateuch: An English Translation with a Parallel Annotated Hebrew Text, by Moshe Florentin and Abraham Tal (open access!)
Slavery and Servitude in Late Period Egypt (c. 900–330 BC), by Ella Karov
Letters from Old Babylonian Kish, by J. Nicholas Reid and Klaus Wagensonner
Interpreting Jesus, by Dale C. Allison, Jr.
Museum Exhibits:
Latest Podcasts:
Fragments and Falsehoods: The Papyrus Trade with Roberta Mazza (Peopling the Past)
Mary Buck – The Assyrian Period (OnScript Biblical Word)
Latest YouTube:
The Emergence of Mitanni (Dig)
A Mummy Wrapping of Petosiris: A Two-Thousand-year Journey (Getty Museum)
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In Case You Missed It:
A Failed Coup: The Assassination of Sennacherib and the Assyrian Civil War of 681 BC
By Christopher Jones
When the Assyrian king Sennacherib was assassinated in 680 BC, it launched a civil war amongst his sons. How did Esarhaddon come out on top? And what were the consequences for the Assyrian kingdom? Read more here.
ECS Spring Brown Bag Recording on Sudan
ASOR's Early Career Scholars hosted Dr. Rennan Lemos (University of Cambridge) for their Spring 2025 Brown Bag lecture, "Archaeology Under Fire: The History of Sudan Between War and Water." The history of archaeology in northern Sudan is, to a large extent, a history of salvage excavations. Successive dam projects in Lower Nubia have posed a tremendous threat to the region’s archaeology, resulting in significant losses but also producing one of the most comprehensive records of archaeological heritage in a single area. Drawing on archival materials and recent fieldwork, this talk explores how Sudan’s archaeological heritage has been endangered—first by the flooding of Lower Nubia and now by war—and how a history of major threats has shaped the region’s heritage. Click here to view the recording of the lecture.
New ASOR-Affiliated Projects
Currently, 152 projects are affiliated with ASOR. This includes 122 field projects and 30 publication projects. ASOR is pleased to announce that 12 new projects have received ASOR affiliation since last summer. These projects cover sites in Italy, Iraq, Jordan, Turkey, Greece, Israel, and Cyprus. Learn more about these new ASOR-affiliated projects.
ASOR Reservations at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza
Join us in Boston for ASOR’s 2025 Annual Meeting, November 19-22, at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza. Attendees will enjoy the central location of this iconic downtown hotel, just steps away from the Public Garden, Theater District, Newbury Street, and public transportation. ASOR has negotiated a discounted rate of $189 (plus tax), and the destination fee is waived for ASOR attendees. Don’t miss your chance to stay at this Boston landmark hotel at ASOR’s great rate – make your reservation online here.
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Published with the assistance of The Lanier Theological Library and Stevan Dana