Theology Today - Vol 41, No. 1 - April 1984 - BOOK NOTES - American Archaeology in the Mideast: A History of the American Schools of Oriental Research

138 - American Archaeology in the Mideast: A History of the American Schools of Oriental Research

American Archaeology in the Mideast:
A History of the American Schools
of Oriental Research
By Philip J. King
Philadelphia, American Schools of Oriental Research, 1983. 292 pp. $15.00.

In 1973 the late G. Ernest Wright, distinguished president of the American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR), suggested that a history of ASOR be written to mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of that prestigious organization. For, as he noted, there had not been a detailed study of American archaeological activity in the Mideast since 1903. The trustees of ASOR, carrying out that suggestion, commissioned the Rev. Philip J. King-noted biblical scholar, field archaeologist, and seventh president of ASOR-with this important assignment.

In the Introduction, King explains the "somewhat esoteric title" of ASOR, which really represents the North American (including Canadian) research centers of Middle Eastern archaeology. He defines the term archaeology as a humanistic discipline, including such other disciplines as history, anthropology, epigraphy, linguistics, architectural history, textual and literary criticism, and art history. Thus we see the broad canvas and field covered by this excellent and significant book.

As of January 1982, ASOR was constituted of 150 institutions of higher learning, both religious and secular, whose names are listed in Appendix V, -entitled "Corporate Members of the American Schools of Oriental Research."

Today the overseas institutes of ASOR in the Middle East-Jerusalem, Amman, Baghdad, and Nicosia-go beyond their primary purpose of field excavations. ASOR is a vital link between the American academic community and the governments of the Mideast with their highly important departments of antiquities and national universities. The role which the Jerusalem school played in the discovery and preservation of the Dead Sea Scrolls is a good example of such cooperation.

The close relationship between political power and archaeology in the Middle East is made clear in the nine chapters of the book, which correspond to periods in the modern history of the Mideast. The reader is left with the cumulative impression of a remarkable piece of historical writing. King is to be commended for a book with such a high factual content presented in such a fascinating way. The achievements of hundreds of archaeologists and scholars (not all of whom are Americans), including the great names, who participated in ASOR's history, are chronicled, together with the development of archaeological methods (pottery classification and stratigraphy), biblical theology, and literary criticism, calculated to furnish a synthesis of biblical science in the twentieth century. The many photographs add to the interest and give

139 - American Archaeology in the Mideast: A History of the American Schools of Oriental Research

life to the text, though a biblical atlas is needed to get the most out of the text, since the schematic map of Palestine, page xv, does not list most of the sites mentioned. Thus, King's book will prove to be a valuable addition to the library of archaeology.

Even though there has been a tendency to abolish the term "biblical archaeology" (pp. 269-71), biblical studies have nevertheless been an important influence on Palestinian archaeology. The reviewer feels that there is a definite relationship between archaeology and theology. King in his book strongly emphasizes the scientific objectivity being applied to the Bible in the form of archaeology, despite many errors and controversies in the field of archaeology. The last chapters, covering the years 1967-80, show tremendous growth and widespread activity; after eighty years the work of ASOR has just begun.

Margaret A. Schatkin
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Mass.