Out of the dry dust of the ancient past have come fascinating details that enrich our knowledge of biblical history Countless remains of civilizations that flourished from the earliest cen turies of man's history inform us sometimes in vivid detail-of the daily lives, the exploits, the fears, and the ac complishments of people we had only distantly known. The study of archaeology adds a tangible dimension to the people. places, and events of long-past generations. The tables and ink-wells at Qumran, the inscription in Hezekiah's tunnel. Jeroboam's reconstruction work at Shechem-all these things and more are excitingly real today. The extensive evidence found at Masada, the "most spectacular site in Israel," speaks of the poignant tragedy of a besieged people.

Drs. Wiseman and Yamauchi trace biblical history from near the beginning of time to the New Testament era as archaeologi cal finds testify to the reliability of the record and even permit us to see more than the sacred record reveals. One can almost feel that he is present as history unfolds. The Amarna letters, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the 15,000 clay tablets found at Ebla are some of the recent discoveries that do more than show his tory they also tell it with dramatic and compelling interest

More than an academic study, this book presents the painstaking work of the archaeologist as a rewarding adventure of discovery