One century of archaeological excavations in Syria-Palestine: the archaeological exploits, the scholars, the definitive autonomy from Assyriology.
[One Century of Biblical Archaeology] The work analyzes the relationship between archaeology and biblical studies in Palestine, from the pioneering excavations at Tell el-Hesi, in 1890, to very recent discoveries, through the methods and theories derived from historical events and contemporary politics.
The essay is useful for comprehension of the complicated situations that have decisively influenced the development of archaeology in modern Syria-Palestine. Archaeological exploits alternate with the study of the personalities of scholars who have made history in this discipline, including the figure of Paolo Matthiae and the extraordinary results of the excavations of Ebla.
These developments have led to a clear acceleration of the independence of this discipline from that of Assyriology, and a complete reconsideration of the role, the aims and methods of the Archaeology of Syria-Palestine.