Archaeology delights in making new what is old. Dirt and outdated theses alike must be overturned, and this is its fascination. The Biblical Archaeologist Reader Volume III, like the two volumes before it, aims at what is new, whether that be George Mendenhall's interpretation of covenants in the ancient Near East or accounts of papyri just uncovered in the Judean Desert.
Twenty-four articles are divided into three parts, illustrating the content, means, and methods of archaeology: one part on the institutions of ancient Israel, with special attention to forms of covenant and law; one part on manuscripts and coins, as signposts to the Old Testament world; and the last on methods and results.
The Biblical Archaeologist Reader Volume III marks the completion of a series that witnesses to the evolving nature of archaeological research. As one author remarks, "We are on the verge of a revolution equivalent to the...revolution which changed archaeology from a treasure hunt into a science...".