A Byzantine-era shipwreck found off the shore of Israel, loaded with cargo from all over the Mediterranean, reveals that traders from the West came to port even after the Islamic conquest of the Holy Land, researchers say. A surprise storm? An inexperienced captain? Whatever the reason, the merchant ship, made from fir and walnut trees…

Commentary An often-quoted statement about the enduring importance of history comes from the celebrated Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana. He said that “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” In this context, it is always sad to hear that the study of history is neglected in our schools. There is a great…

The excavation of a huge Late Byzantine period winery in Israel recently yielded a gold ring inlaid with a purple amethyst stone believed to date back to the seventh century. Researchers from the Israeli Antiquities Authority analyzed the ring, and the stone was determined to be composed of silica—a common material in many other gems—ruling…

Archaeologists in Israel have uncovered a Byzantine-period industrial-agricultural area, including several artifacts, thought to be 1,500 years old—far older than previously assumed. The dig, conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority, commenced on the outskirts of Tel Aviv ahead of a new neighborhood development planned in Ramat Ha-Sharon. Among other finds, the researchers unearthed plastered installations,…

Since the 10th century, monks have lived at the Hosios Loukas Monastery in Distomo in central Greece, where they make a living by farming the land and selling souvenirs to pilgrims, who eagerly visit the crypt of St. Luke the Younger, the monastery’s founder. A hermit, Luke of Steiris founded the monastery in the mid-10th century….