Under Jerusalem: The Buried History of World’s Most Contested City
Facilitated by Andrew Lawler
Tuesday, September 6, 2022
4:00PM - 5:00PM
Location: Online via Zoom
For those who are intrigued by Jerusalem “above and below ground,” Andrew Lawler’s lavish and spellbinding book Under Jerusalem will reveal a sweeping history of the holy city including the conflicting claims that have made it a “political tinderbox.” Lawler will share his extensive knowledge of what lies beneath the modern capital, revealing a cast of historic characters along with fascinating details about the many different archaeological layers.
His talk will also examine the different archaeologists who excavated Jerusalem layer by layer, including Frenchman Louis-Felicien Joseph Caignart de Saulcy, a confident of Napoleon; Kathleen Kenyon who was “considered the most influential woman archaeologist of the twentieth century; Israeli archaeologists Yigael Yadin (whose name is associated with that of Masada) and Yigal Shiloh; and many others. The author will address how politics impacts excavations and explore how archaeological discoveries can “square” or disagree with religious doctrines.
Sponsored by Contra Costa JCC, Cong. B’nai Shalom and Jewish Book Council. Co-sponsor: Diablo Valley Hadassah.