. But it certainly is true that this discovery of scholarship is one that many religious believers remain ignorant of, and so I am grateful to the BBC and Dr. Stavrakopolou for popularizing this material, and not merely talking about but showing a substantial portion of the relevant evidence. [Thanks to Bible Nerd for pointing out that Dr. Stavrakopolou has blogged about the making of the program on the BBC web site].
As someone planning to take students to Israel in the not-too-distant future, I was delighted to find out that one of my favorite artifacts, the cultic stand from Taanach, dating from around the 10th century BCE, is on display in the Israel Museum. This artifact features two images of Asherah – depicted once as a woman and once as a tree. But I am also intrigued by the empty space flanked by cherubim – is that an indication that Yahweh was already subject to a prohibition of depiction, the second commandment perhaps predating the first significantly?
Other artifacts, such as the discoveries at Ugarit and the Kuntillet Ajrud inscription, are discussed in the documentary, as is the possibility that a reference to Asherah has survived in Deuteronomy in the form of an obscure word which might represent a copying error.
I’d be interested to hear from readers of this blog, whether the idea that the Israelites were once polytheists is shocking to you or is old news. Professors (who are bound to be familiar with this) can chime in about their views on this topic, and how students typically react when presented with this information.
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