# PonderIt

## Sunday, October 08, 2006

### Relics from Herod's Temple

An archaeologist claims that artifacts found in 1960 that were assumed to be Roman, were in fact objects taken from the 2nd Temple before it was destroyed in 70 AD. I'm not sure if I believe his claim, but the facts that are uncovered are worth the journey, even if you don't support the conclusion. If you are a fan of Biblical Archaeology, you'll enjoy the video. The NOVA documentary is titled "NOVA: Ancient Refuge in the Holy Land".
Here is the description of the video from the site:

> Will secrets buried in an ancient cave rewrite the story of a desperate time? Nearly 2,000 years ago, a dark, inhospitable cave located in a canyon near the Dead Sea was a secret refuge for Jewish refugees fleeing for their lives from the oppressive rule of the Roman Empire. In 1960, archaeologists discovered dramatic letters written by Bar-Kokhba, the heroic Jewish rebel who led a guerrilla uprising against the Romans. Could the cave conceal more historical treasure from that desperate time? Armed with high-tech equipment, a new team led by archaeologist Richard Freund returns to explore a place that has intrigued the experts for decades. With the help of ingeniously improvised devices, they unearth long-lost artifacts and relics that provide tantalizing clues to turbulent times of messianic fervor, oppression, and revolt. The team’s discoveries lead Freund to a radical new theory that he hopes will rewrite Holy Land history--could the treasure concealed in the cave be a long-lost relic of the Great Temple in Jerusalem destroyed by the Romans? Join NOVA for a fascinating detective story that will immerse you in the strong currents of archaeological controversy. For more great science stories, tune in weekly to NOVA on your local PBS station.

#### 1 Comments:

- Wow. That was quite a show.
  Like Bradley, I'm not 100% convinced. But it's a pretty good working theory. The bit about Broshi's Law was particularly clever.

  By MistaBen, at 10/09/2006 10:25 PM

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