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December 4, 2006

Shiloh, The Search for the Tabernacle and Archaeology

The Telegraph is reporting the discovery of a late fourth century CE Church at Shiloh on the West Bank. If nothing else, the picture of the mosaic floor is worth taking the link to the article. An inscription even mentions the name of the place as Shiloh, the ancient site where the Hebrew Bible indicates that the Ark of the Covenant resided before it was moved to Jerusalem. What really caught my eye in the story was the following.

Jewish residents in the modern settlement of Shiloh, which sits on a hill amidst Palestinian villages, want the team to keep digging.

David Rubin, a former mayor of Shiloh, said: "We believe that if they continue to dig they'll reach back to the time of the Tabernacle," referring to the portable place of worship where the Israelites housed the Ark.

But Mayor Rubin certainly knows that there is now ample evidence of Israelite occupation at Shiloh. Archaeologists over many years have discovered pillared houses, collar rim jars etc, even possible "public buildings" in the Iron I period and after a period of abandonment there is evidence that Shiloh was reoccupied on a smaller scale in the Iron II period. So what does the Mayor hope to find that is not already known? My guess is he hopes to find evidence of the Tabernacle.

Mayor Rubin appears to be motivated, at least in part, by political considerations. The mayor of a Jewish settlement in Palestinian territory has a high level of motivation to convince anyone who will listen that the location of his settlement was once in Israelite hands and evidence of the Tabernacle would do more than that for a place like Shiloh. But what would constitute evidence of the Tabernacle? Post holes? It was said to be portable after all. What I foresee is the association of any Israelite specific evidence, perhaps any Iron I evidence, below the Church as evidence for the Tabernacle and therefore evidence for a special place for modern Shiloh in the current political struggle.

There may or may not be sound archaeological reasons to dig below the mosaic floor. Hoping to find the Tabernacle is not among them.

Via Jim West

Posted by Duane Smith at December 4, 2006 8:44 AM | Read more on Archaeology |

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