The Holy Land: An Archaeological Guide from Earliest Times to 1700 (Oxford Paperbacks)

This concise, witty, and readable guide is an ideal companion for travelers to the Holy Land. Based on Murphy-O'Connor's many years of directing archaeological field trips, this guide gives clear directions about how to find sites and monuments of interest, from Stone Age Caves and Roman roads to the grandiose buildings of Herod the Great and Byzantine churches and synagogues. This new edition has maps and detailed site plans on nearly every page and includes the reports of the most recent excavations. As well as treating the sites that everyone should see, Murphy-O'Connor encourages visitors to leave the beaten track to discover the amazing variety of the Holy Land's cultural riches.

This book is an excellent choice for visitors to the Holy Land who want to take an in-depth look at the area's historical sites. Among this Oxford guide's special features are 150 site plans, maps, diagrams, and photographs; routes through the Old City of Jerusalem; a brief historical outline; and a glossary of essential terms. Oxford Archeological Guides: The Holy Land is also a useful source of practical advice on museum hours, suggested dress, travel and lodging contacts, as well as information on visiting desert locations such as the Judaean Desert and the hills of Elat.

The first half of the book covers sites in the city of Jerusalem, grouping them into areas for easy exploration. Maps accompany each site described. The second half of the book features an alphabetical listing--from Abu Ghosh to Yehiam--of key sites scattered throughout the Holy Land. Each site includes a reference to its position on the "Israel Touring Map" (available at bookstores in Israel), and especially recommended sites are starred or double-starred.

As an added bonus to this edition, more than 70 shaded sidebars offer a mini-anthology of ancient texts. "Not only do such documents illustrate the sort of material on which our historical knowledge is based, but their vividness and immediacy give a new dimension to the sites," writes author Murphy-O'Connor. --Kathryn True