Rachel Hallote

Rachel Hallote is an archaeologist who works in Israel. Her research involves biblical history as well as the intersection of politics and archaeology in Israel.

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About

Rachel Hallote is an archaeologist who works in Israel. She is Professor of History at Purchase College SUNY, and previous director of the Jewish Studies Program there. Her research involves biblical history as well as the beginnings of the discipline of biblical archaeology. She is co-host of a popular podcast about the archaeology of Israel, called This Week in the Ancient Near East.

Programs

Politics and Archaeology in Israel

This talk will explore how archaeology is abused and and misinterpreted to justify modern political agendas. In Israel today, archaeology has become a pawn for both sides of the Arab-Israeli conflict. We will examine the politics surrounding well known archaeological sites such as Masada as well as recent political misinterpretations of archaeological finds from Jerusalem.

Women in the Biblical World

Biblical texts and archaeological evidence tell about the status of women in ancient Israelite society, but often these sources contradict each other. Biblical laws limit women, while narrative passages show they had power in their households. Meanwhile archaeology reveals the complexities of women's lives, and also how their religious concerns were not addressed by Temple worship in Jerusalem.

Did the Exodus Really Happen?

The Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt is one of the best known narratives of the Bible. But for almost a century, scholars have tried to show that it didn’t really happen, pointing out that Egyptian historical texts don’t mention it, and that there are no archaeological finds to confirm it. This talk refutes this view, and will show how the core of the Exodus narrative reflects accurate history.

Was King Ahab really so bad? The 9th Century BCE in History and Archaeology

In the Bible, King Ahab of Israel is notoriously evil, known for sinful behavior and stealing property. But what do archaeology and inscriptions tell us about Ahab? Do they confirm the biblical narrative or do they tell a different story altogether? This talk compares biblical and non-biblical evidence about the reigns of kings Omri and Ahab.

Between Israel and Mesopotamia: Archaeology, Art and Myth

There are many similarities between biblical narratives and Mesopotamian myths. This has led many scholars to think that Israelite culture is the inferior culture, merely derivative of Mesopotamia. This talk will demonstrate how after almost two hundred years of scholarship, biblical Israel can once again take its rightful place of importance in the ancient Near East.

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