I’d encourage readers to check out this worthwhile post from Todd Bolen of the Bible Places blog. It’s a measured, coherent response to a sensationalist claim reported by CBN. The archaeologist involved (Ami Mazar) and epigrapher Stephen Pfann (a friend of mine) are the real deal. Nevertheless, Bolen’s cautions are appropriate.
Archaeologists Discover the House of Elisha – Not So Fast
Mike what are your thoughts on the videos filmed using robotic submarine cameras such as “The Red Sea Crossing” by Michael Rood. It describes coral-encrusted objects at the bottom of the Red Sea with the shapely appearance of Egyptian chariot wheels littered across the ocean floor like an ancient chariot junkyard marking the Red Sea Crossing site. I have not seen the video but I’m tempted to purchase it.
It’s the same old Ron Wyatt nonsense. I’d think differently if someone came across a thousand chariot wheels all clustered in one place. one or two chariot wheels? Who cares. They may not even be chariot wheels. I’ve blogged about this before over at Paleobabble.
http://michaelsheiser.com/PaleoBabble/2011/12/ron-wyatt-egyptian-chariot-wheels/
Just trying to re- subscribe to your blog–
The feed for the RSS is on the front page:
http://michaelsheiser.com/TheNakedBible/feed/
MSH, what are your thoughts on the first comment on the linked blog article?
“it is neat that apparently the name Elisha has been found written on a potsherd from the late 9th century BC, found just miles north of his hometown”
Is this itself significant?
thanks
Elisha is a name found elsewhere in other contexts, so it’s hardly unique. I think it’s quite premature to say this points to “the” Elisha. Even if everything checks out, one has to wonder if we aren’t dealing with some commemoration of Elisha, as opposed to an item he would have actually used, or a piece of writing from his own hand. Still, even that would be a good archaeological argument for his historicity. I’ll wait and see.