Written by: Hannah Johnson
On January 29, 2023, the Lynn H. Wood Archeology Museum at Southern Adventist University will open a new exhibit called “Peace and War, The Assyrian of Lachish.” The archeology museum is currently closed in preparation for the new exhibit, according to the museum’s webpage.
“Our hope is that this will be a great exhibit, highlighting what Southern has been doing in archeology and investing in archeology, as we’ve taken 50 to 60 students and staff to excavate [in Israel],” said Michael Hasel, professor in the School of Religion. “This is a way to display the fruits of our labor in a way to be educational for people in the community, and, of course, here in the university.”
According to Hasel, the exhibit will showcase materials excavated by the Southern team that were brought from Israel and are associated with the Israeli government’s National Treasures Department as well as The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a major partnership within this exhibit.
“Our plan is to bring in some of the artifacts that we’ve excavated,” said Hasel. “The museum is focusing on a specific aspect of our excavations, which is a very famous military campaign that took place and is mentioned in three books of the Bible, described in vivid detail, against the city of Jerusalem and Judah.”
The museum’s webpage states that the archaeological museum started with a purpose to bring the biblical world to life through experiencing the ancient Near East. The museum’s goal is to actively engage visitors of all ages through collection, conservation, education and exhibition of archaeological artifacts from the biblical world.
The website also states, “The Museum is honored to be the home of William G. Dever Near Eastern Collection, which provides the basis for a visual display of more than 200 objects from Egypt, Babylonia, Persia, Syria-Palestine, Greece, Cyprus, and Anatolia. In January 2000, the Collection was transferred to Southern after the largest American graduate program in Near Eastern Archaeology was closed.”