The new Amman archaeological museum in downtown Amman is excellent, and it’s not even finished yet. It is perhaps most well known for housing  some Qumran documents, most famously the Copper Scroll. In case you are unfamiliar with this scroll carved into metal sheets, which is the most unique of all the Dead Sea Scrolls because of the material that was used to preserve these writings– actually copper.  It was found in Cave Three, and was originally one scroll about... Read more

Going to Mt. Nebo can be quite emotional.  Here is the spot where the Biblical text says Moses was allowed to look into the promised land, but not to enter it.  This memorial, above is of the bronze serpent lifted up on a stake, and the reference to that story on the lips of Jesus in John’s Gospel. This sign is very helpful and gives you good clues of where to look. Yes that’s the Dead Sea down there, not... Read more

Though we were only in Jordan for a single day (and that was a happy accident as our flight to Cairo from Tel Aviv was canceled and so we went to Jordan for the day instead), it was jam-packed.  We went to Madaba, Mt. Nebo, and the new Amman Archaeology Museum which is excellent.  Let’s start with Madaba/Medaba.  Medaba is probably the most Christian town in all of Jordan. There are various historic churches there, like the church of the... Read more

This is the last of our posts on Egypt as we must move on to our time in Jordan, but let us start with some more, and very different papyrus art including war scenes. Notice how much darker the colors are in these scenes on papyri.   Notice the trampling of enemies under the feet. In this image the vultures, the bird of carrion can’t wait to swoop in after the kill. This gives new meaning to a war chest.... Read more

One of the real highlights of the Cairo museum is the papyrus art, as you will now see some of which needs not explanation, and some of which begs for it. This is a scene of a woman making her offerings… notice these are all food offerings including one example of game.   What in the world is this guy doing to this giant bird?  Trying to prevent it from flying off? Little girl tries to fly, with the help... Read more

When a British boy says, ‘I want my mummy’ that means one thing.  When an ancient Egypt said words to that effect, they meant something entirely different. Mummification was an art perfected by the Egyptians long before the time of Jesus.  Just one problem— it was based on a faulty anthropology.  The Egyptians like many ancients assumed that the internal organs were what really matter, and the heart was the control center of the person, the center of thought, feelings,... Read more

This museum requires days and days to visit, and I’m not even talking about the below ground levels of its many antiquities. Most people seem to focus on seeing the King Tutankhamen treasures, which are certainly spectacular, but just one problem. They are all protected by glass that is not non-glare glass…. so the pictures do not come out perfect, sadly… As if all the gold were not enough, there are pure alabaster items, chiefly canopic jars in which were... Read more

It’s been far too long that we have had a good rom-com in the theaters truly worth going to see.  You know, one with star power (in this case Julia Roberts and George Clooney yet again, this time as a divorced couple who have to go their pending daughter’s wedding in paradise).  Also one with real romance, in this case a Romeo and Juliet kind of young romance, and yet also something more for the older crowd.  In fact this... Read more

Cairo is a huge city of 9.5 million people, with extremes of wealth and poverty. The face they want you to see looks like this… A city of large private residences and beautiful acacia trees… But our focus is on the Giza plateau north of the city, and the pyramids. The two on the left were members of my tour group, the guy on the right, burning up in a suit, bless his heart, is our security guard. Of all... Read more

St. Simon’s monastery aka the Cave Church, aka the church built on the garbage dump in Cairo is world famous, and rightly so, not least because it illustrates how God can use people to turn trash into treasure.  This church is built in the neighborhood of the city garbage collectors, and you have to ride through piles and piles of stacked up garbage of various sorts to get to the church.  The Christians here make their living doing tasks no... Read more