The Philistines were a highly cultured people who left behind a rich legacy. We examine the tribe of Delilah and Goliath, their fertility cults, a temple like the one Samson may have destroyed with his bare hands, see some surprising artifacts and get the scoop on who the Philistines really were.
Everyone assumes the Greeks invented the alphabet, but what are its real origins? Archaeological finds tell us that it originated in Egypt where Hebrew slaves began the process of turning hieroglyphics into a series of symbols which convey sounds that can be used to form words.
It's been an enduring mystery for two thousand years; what stopped the brutal Assyrian army from sacking Jerusalem in 701 BCE? The army was poised outside the walls of Jerusalem - imagine the US Army against the Saskatoon police force - but at the last moment, according to the Bible, "an angel of God" intervened and the Assyrians were defeated.
One of the most brutal and brilliant leaders of ancient times, the first century King died with worms crawling from his flesh before he expired. On the one hand he was famous for impressive public works and architecture; on the others, for the Biblical slaughter of the firstborn sons of Israel and extraordinary cruelty including murdering his own family.
In North America it would be pretty unusual to have a bulldozer hit anything besides a hidden gas line or cable...but in Israel the cumbersome building tool often unearths ancient treasure. While digging a foundation for a new home, it's not uncommon to find the remains of an ancient city.
The Bible is full of references to the kinds of food ancients ate - but there are no recipes. Simcha learns what archaeology tells us about what people ate in ancient times; shops in Jerusalem for ingredients noted in the Bible and attempt to cook a meal fit for a king.
The Gospels sometimes contradict each other in their descriptions of Jesus' early years and not much is known about how he spent his childhood. Now archaeology can help uncover some clues about his early influences and even his birth.
New archaeology has revealed what may be the cave where St. John baptized new converts to Christianity.
The first century historian, Flavius Josephus, is the most frequently quoted scholar when it comes to the history of Jesus' time. But are his views accurate? We get a profile of the controversial historian.
In ancient times, thousands of people's lives ended, excruciatingly, on the cross. Despite the fact that so many were crucified, little physical evidence of it remains. We investigate why there is so little archaeological proof and visit the only known artifact - a foot with a nail through it - in an Israeli museum.
The Bible paints a picture of King David as a mighty hero, but for decades archaeologists have been struggling to find evidence of David's mighty kingdom.
How did this Phoenician princess become one of the Bible's best, or worst, femme fatales? Jezebel married Israelite King Ahab. But the Israelites new queen didn't move into the bridal chamber alone.
Ancients suffered from hundreds of ailments, some of which still plague us today. Leprosy is mentioned in the Bible frequently, and now archaeology has uncovered what may be the bones of the oldest leper. Scientists studying those bones can now tell us more about the disease than we may ever want to know.
Joshua is one of the Bible's greatest generals who conquered Canaan, the land God promised the Israelites. From Joshua came Israel, from Israel Jesus, from Jesus, Christianity and much of the Western World. But did the Old Testament's fiercest warrior even exist?
After the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, legend has it that a group of about 1,000 politicized Jews committed suicide rather than be taken into slavery by Rome. Archaeological evidence has proven the legend to be real.
n the 1950s a Bedouin shepherd's sheep stumbled upon some ancient scrolls in a cave on the shores of the Dead Sea. This accidental find would prove to be the greatest archaeological discovery of the twentieth century.
St. Helena was the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine. She convinced him to establish Christianity as the official state religion in the 4th century. She was also the first Christian pilgrim. Simcha visits some of the holiest Christian sites to find out how accurate St. Helena was.
The Bible is made up of dozens of books, but tradition has it that the first five books were dictated to Moses, by God. But could Moses have really written down the words that God spoke, including the Ten Commandments?
One hundred years after Jesus was crucified, a warrior hailed by rabbis as the Jewish messiah led a massive rebellion against Roman occupation in Israel. Who was this would-be messiah? This is the story of the rabbis' best kept secret.
At the Vatican in Rome stands the most iconic Christian church in the world, St. Peter's Basilica. It's named after the one-time fisherman turned saint – the famous bearded bouncer who controls the Pearly gates of heaven – St Peter. According to Christian tradition, Peter is buried deep in the catacombs underneath the basilica. But is there any actual archaeological proof that St. Peter is there? In this episode, the Naked Archaeologist tracks down the last footsteps of St. Peter and you may be very surprised where they lead!
What do a lost city, a forgotten empire, deodorant and Moses have in common? The Naked Archaeologist is on a mission to find out. The Nabateans, an ancient and mysterious people built the beautiful hidden city of Petra as the capital of their trading empire in the first century BCE. It was an empire, which rested on the trade of Frankincense, which was, among other things, ancient deodorant. But who were the Nabateans? Almost nothing is known about them. The Naked Archaeologist is determined to find out, and along the way he finds a surprising link to Moses and the Exodus.
In Genesis 6:4 of the Old Testament it says: "There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown." Who are these giants that the bible speaks about? From Goliath of Gath to the mighty King Og, this episode journeys through the archaeology that could explain who these other beings could have been.
Part 1 of 2. New clues take host Simcha Jacobovici around the world on a hunt for the treasures of King Solomon's Temple.
Part 2 of 2. Searching for the treasures of King Solomon's Temple; host Simcha Jacobovici.
If the Bible was rated the way movies are, it wouldn’t even get close to a family rating. But even by that standard the story of Lot and his daughters is racy. Few people remember that Lot had a drunken fling with his daughters after his wife was killed as they all escaped from Sodom. But why is Lot venerated as a Saint. And more to the point, what were they doing in Sodom that was so bad it makes incest look good? The Naked Archaeologist is on a quest to find evidence of ancient Sodom, find out what really went on there and to find out if the story of Lot and his daughters is true
King Solomon has been the source of great debate in recent years: Was he, or wasn't he, a real historical figure? Taking clues from the Bible, the Naked Archaeologist attempts to separate fact from fiction and figure out what legacy King Solomon left behind
In part two, the Naked Archaeologist takes his investigation of King Solomon up a notch, and makes some amazing discoveries that just might prove that Solomon really was the King of Israel in the 10th Century BCE.
Since the beginning of time, man has searched the heavens for answers to the meaning and purpose of life. But what did the ancients know about the make-up of the universe? And what archaeology is out there that can tell us how they mapped the stars?
The Catacombs, the Vatican, the Churches--to much of the world Rome IS Christianity. But with the oldest European Jewish community in the world, is there another story under Rome? Starting in the historic streets of the Jewish Ghetto and ending in the rarely seen Jewish Catacombs, the Naked Archaeologist digs down to an older, deeper layer of Rome--one that predates Christianity by centuries.
Everybody knows Chanukah: that holiday in mid December that doesn’t involve reindeer. But where does it come from? The Naked Archaeologist explores the “miracle of the oil” and the Maccabees, who freed the Temple in Jerusalem and without whom we wouldn’t celebrate Chanukah. But he’s also on a mission: the tomb of the last king of the Maccabee dynasty was found recently in Jerusalem. Now the Naked Archaeologist is determined to find the tomb of the founders of the dynasty.
King David, biblical king of Israel, was a man of many talents. He slew Goliath. He conquered the Philistines. His sex life was X rated, but he also played the harp. Apparently he got pretty good at it. How do we know? There’s a passage in I Samuel that says King Saul wanted a “cunning harp player” to calm his nerves when the evil spirit was upon him. So David was summoned and when he played for Saul, sure enough, the evil spirit departed from him. What did David play for Saul? The Hebrew Bible says he played a “KINNOR”. What’s a kinnor? In many editions of the bible, ‘kinnor’ is translated as harp, but ‘kinnor’ is also known as a lyre. What can archaeology tell us about King David’s instrument and can it bring his music back to life?
Part 1 of 3 - Two thousand years ago there were no lines drawn between Jewish and Christian. The earliest Christians were in fact Jews - essentially, a Jewish sect of Jesus followers. They followed Jesus and respected his teachings as if he were much like a modern-day rabbi. And they adhered to the laws of Moses - which means they circumcised, ate Kosher, and respected Saturday as the Sabbath. So why is there such a separation between Judaism and Christianity today? What happened to make these two faiths so different?
Part 2 of 3 - Two thousand years ago there were no lines drawn between Jewish and Christian. The earliest Christians were in fact Jews - essentially, a Jewish sect of Jesus followers. They followed Jesus and respected his teachings as if he were much like a modern-day rabbi. And they adhered to the laws of Moses - which means they circumcised, ate Kosher, and respected Saturday as the Sabbath. So why is there such a separation between Judaism and Christianity today? What happened to make these two faiths so different?
It was the kiss heard round the world, and in its wake a new religion was born. But was Judas Iscariot really the man who betrayed Jesus, or just a handy scapegoat? Following clues in the Bible and investigating archaeology in the Holy Land, the Naked Archaeologist is on the trail of the world’s most famous traitor
A miracle is a concrete example of divine intervention and proof of the supernatural power of God. The Christian Bible tells us that Jesus performed at least 36 miracles in his lifetime, most of them in the Galilee. But was Jesus the only miracle maker of his time? What if we look at the Jesus miracles through the lens of first century Judaism? Can the archaeology of this time illuminate the phenomenon of 1st century miracles and tell us why the Galilee was miracle central?
Shlomo Moussaieff has one of the most impressive, and most controversial collections of antiquities in the world. We profile this fascinating character and get a rare look at artifacts that are rarely seen. From 2500-year-old magic bowls to erotic temple cult objects, the Naked Archaeologist is hands on with the Moussaieff collection…and he starts a collection of his own.
Who was Pontius Pilate? Was he a brutal dictator with a habit of crucifying dissenters, or just an easy-going guy who had a fetish for keeping his hands clean? Following the latest evidence and talking to leading experts the Naked Archaeologist is determined to find out.
Part 3 of 3 - Two thousand years ago there were no lines drawn between Jewish and Christian. The earliest Christians were in fact Jews - essentially, a Jewish sect of Jesus followers. They followed Jesus and respected his teachings as if he were much like a modern-day rabbi. And they adhered to the laws of Moses - which means they circumcised, ate Kosher, and respected Saturday as the Sabbath. So why is there such a separation between Judaism and Christianity today? What happened to make these two faiths so different?
Prostitution: the world’s oldest profession. The Hebrew Bible mentions prostitution in lots of places. But the juiciest sex story involving a prostitute is the one about Judah and Tamar in Genesis 38—where prostitution is the lynch pin to the whole plot. So how do you go from prostitution and non-marital sex not prohibited in the Bible, to the prudery of the New Testament. Is there anything archaeology can tell us about this shift?
Who was the Beloved Disciple? Mentioned five times in the gospel of John, but never named, scholars have speculated about the identity of the “disciple whom Jesus loved” for centuries. Could it be John himself, or Peter, or even Mary Magdalene? Or is it a code for a disciple whose identity had to remain secret? It’s a two thousand year old mystery, and the Naked Archaeologist is on the case.
There’s a curious sentence in Judges 5:17, “and Dan remained in ships.” In this episode of the Naked Archaeologist we try to determine whether some of the Dan took to the sea and became part of a Mediterranean confederation of Sea Peoples. Are the Danoi, a people mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey, really the Dan? Is there any light archaeology can shed on the age old mystery of why Dan remained in ships?
A talking donkey, an angel of the lord, and a curse against the Children of Israel. These are just a few of the clues that the Naked Archaeologist investigates as he uncovers archaeology about Balaam, the pagan prophet who tried to stop the Jews from entering the Holy Land.
Can ancient rags and roots and herbs lead us to the famous coat of many colours that the Bible tells us Joseph wore? Well, pretty close...The Naked Archaeologist takes a CSI look at remnants of ancient material, brews up some dyes made of roots and plants, and gives viewers a pretty accurate look at the coat that made Joseph's brothers so jealous.
The Bible instructs men to wear fringes on the corners of their garments as a constant reminder of God. Can we trace these holy threads back to ancient times and learn more about their significance? One of the threads of these fringes is supposed to be a particular colour blue - made from the blood of a shellfish. In this episode Simcha and chemist Zvi Koren try to track down the dye using ancient clues and tests them with modern science.
The Bible says that Moses was the first person to bring the idea of Monotheism – the worship of one God and one God only – to the ancients. But Sigmund Freud has a different idea. The famous psychoanalyst wrote a book crediting a little known Pharaoh named Akhenaten with the idea. He says Moses heard about it from Akhenaten, not directly from God. But it all depends on timing. Simcha investigates who came first: Moses or Akhenaten?
A giant slab of glass is discovered in the middle of an ancient cemetery where important Rabbis are buried. What’s it doing there? Simcha has a theory that it was an unsuccessful attempt at making a window for Herod’s temple renovation in the late 1st century BCE – and therefore Holy. That’s why Rabbis would want to be buried near it. But as he tries to figure out if his theory is correct, he follows the glass trail and discovers that glass may have been invented in Israel – not Egypt, as is commonly believed.
The Naked Archaeologist investigates how important looking and smelling good was in Biblical days, So Simcha learns the secrets from Nefertiti to Queen Esther--and, in the process, learns how to make his own line of Ancient Beauty Products
Many questions are raised by the Biblical love triangle of King David, Bathsheba and her husband Uriah. Simcha sets out to find evidence of the events that led to the union of David and Bathsheba, which began the Messianic line. It all begins when the king “saw her bathing on the roof”, and Simcha is on a quest to find the place where it happened
The Bible is not a picture book so even though it's chock full of references to hair we have no idea what ancient Israelite hair-dos looked like. Did women braid or cover their hair? And did men sport long hair and long beards or just Elvis style sideburns? The Naked Archaeologist goes on a quest to find out.
Over two thousand years ago, the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, but now it is being rebuilt in some surprising places. Simcha travels from Texas to Jerusalem to London to visit model builders obsessed with discovering what Solomon’s Temple looked like. For decades, they have studied all the evidence and are making spectacular models of computer and clay. But why do they do it?
The Gospels tell us Jesus was a 'tekton' or a builder but there's not a single stone mason or carpenter among his disciples. Why were fishermen so important to Jesus’ ministry and why did he choose to spread his word among the fishing culture of the Sea of Galilee?
According to a rabbinical interpretation of the Book of Genesis, Adam's first wife wasn't Eve, but a woman named Lilith. But where did the rabbis get the idea of Lilith from? Tracking backwards in time, The Naked Archaeologist uncovers evidence that Lilith was actually a child-killing demon who first shows up in Ancient Babylon.
A cross has just been found in a town in the Galilee where Jesus and his disciples hung out, and archaeologically dated to that time. But the cross did not become a symbol for Christianity for another three centuries. The Naked Archaeologist investigates what this cross is doing here, and what its original meaning might have been, which could change our understanding of the Jesus movement.
Simcha follows a spy checklist to see if St. Paul was a secret agent, working for the Romans to infiltrate the Jesus movement. Paul hits every item on the list, and archeology shows that James, the brother of Jesus, may have gotten short shrift in the Gospels, thanks to Paul’s espionage tricks.
The Book of Esther tells us that a 5th Century bad guy named Haman wanted to kill all the Jews in Persia. He relied on a game of chance to select the day. But which game of chance was it? The Naked Archaeologist goes on a hunt to uncover archaeological clues that will unravel this ancient mystery.
A letter addressed to a royal found in the Dead Sea Scrolls sheds light on an apparent rift between the message of St. Paul and the message of James, brother of Jesus. The Scrolls letter leads Simcha to a stunning archeological site in Jerusalem, where walls of what appears to be a royal palace points to an early convert to a version of Christianity that is all James, not Paul’s.
Simcha answers letters sent in to The Naked Archaeologist. Viewers’ questions take him from Israel to Egypt to Istanbul, as he investigates ancient sports, Biblical sex quandaries, and we learn fascinating things about our forbearers, everything from their fashion sense to where their bones ended up.
