A
TOUR OF BIBLE RELATED ITEMS IN
THE
Last Updated, May, 2003
by
Either of these tube stops is about four
blocks away: Holborn or Tottonham Court
Road. Look for signs to the Museum as
you leave the Underground Station for the street outside. The
The
The
The Bible stakes its
veracity on its historical accuracy. If it is inaccurate in describing ancient
peoples, ancient customs, ancient cities, then it cannot be what it claims: a
message to man from the mind of God. Whether it is accurate, then, is vital to
Christianity.
Archaeologists have
discovered not only many ancient objects but have learned how to use them to
draw important conclusions. Scholars can now read ancient languages and
decipher information from ancient objects through their location, shape or
decoration. In short, objects from the past have revealed much about the cities
and peoples of ancient times.
The question naturally
arises as to what light archaeology has thrown upon the statements in the
Bible. Do the objects from the ancient world match or contradict related
statements in the Bible? Is one led to trust the accuracy of the scriptures or
to doubt?
The
A book now available in
the
The tour outlined here
will take about two to three hours depending on how many other objects you view
as you go. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes. There is no charge to
enter the Museum but a donation of two British pounds is requested. There is
also a free check stand to leave bags. Any type of photography is permitted
except the use of tripods. There is a snack bar and a nice restaurant. The
snack bar has sandwiches and drinks and is less expensive. There are also
different bookshops with gifts and some replicas of artifacts. The
The attached map of the
We have a thirty-minute
videotape available that tracks this journey through the Museum. It is very
helpful to watch the video while looking at the map. Since some items have been
moved since the videotape was made, the written text is more accurate. The video still is useful, however, to help
visualize what you will see. The video
just shows how to find the objects and what they look like. The text below
provides detailed information not included on the video. Thus, get the plan in
mind from the map and video. Then have the text below with you to read as you
come to each of the objects described. If you are going with a group, one
person can lead the group to each item and read the information as the group
gathers at each location.
1. As soon as you enter the front doors from
A. H. Layard discovered this record, a 6-ft.
high black stone, in 1846. On the stone are five panels of carved
"pictures" on each of its four sides. Inscriptions tell what is in
each panel. Of great interest in the second panel from the top on the back side
as you enter Room 8, where Jehu, son of Omri, is pictured bowing before
Shalmaneser III bringing to him tribute. Behind Jehu are his servants bearing
the gifts. The stone indicates this would have happened in 841 B.C. The
inscription directly above the picture says, "Tribute of Jehu the
Israelite--silver, gold, a golden bowl, a golden vase, golden tumblers, golden
buckets, tin, a staff for a king [and] hunting spears I received."
Jehu is pictured with a short, rounded
beard, a sleeveless jacket, a long fringed shirt, a girdle, and a soft cap. This
is the earliest "picture" of an Israelite. The Bible records that Jehu was a successor
to, but not actually the son of Omri, and that he began his reign in 842 B.C.,
a time that would correspond to the record on the Black Obelisk. That Jehu paid
tribute to Shalmaneser is not mentioned in the Bible but Israelite kings often
did pay tribute to neighboring kings who were more powerful (See Mitchell, pp.
46-49). On the opposite side of the
obelisk is another panel about the Israelites.
2. Behind
the Black Obelisk are three tall monuments.
The one on the left is the stela of Shalmaneser III, the same as
the ruler of the Black Obelisk. Shalmaneser
III was ruler of Assyria from 859 to 824 B.C. One of the records he left is a
monolith with his likeness saluting his gods. In the cuneiform text, he records
the results of his first six campaigns. On the back of the stela is a report of
a campaign from 853 B.C. in which he tells how he advanced against a king who
had organized a coalition of 12 kings with over 50,000 men, 3,900 chariots,
14,000 cavalry, and 1,000 camels. Of these, he says that 2,000 chariots and
10,000 foot soldiers came from Ahab, the Israelite. The Bible does not mention
this battle but the time corresponds to the Bible’s account of Ahab as king. This
stela is probably the earliest artifact to contain the name of an Israelite
king. (See Mitchell, pp. 44-45).
3. Now
enter Room 4, and almost directly across from the Black Obelisk of Shalmanesar,
is displayed the famous Rosetta Stone which led to deciphering Egyptian
hieroglyphics. The top portion in hieroglyphics, has a message honoring Ptolemy
V, who lived about 200 B.C. The middle portion is in Egyptian script called
Demotic. The bottom portion is in Greek. It was found at the Egyptian
4. Continue
on into the Egyptian area, (Room 4) past the middle of the room, to find in the
middle a statue of Pharaoh Ramses II, who reigned in
Return
to the middle of the long Egyptian room (Room 4) to the opening on the right,
and enter Room 8.
5. To
the right on the wall of Room 8 is a large white panel picturing Tiglath
Pileser III, 745-722 B.C. The Bible sometimes calls him Pul. He was an
Assyrian king who reigned after Shalmaneser III. The order of the Assyrian
kings was Shalmaneser III, Tiglath Pileser III, Sargon, and Sennacherib. You
can find more from the Assyrians in Rooms 19 and 21, but these items have no
direct Bible connection.
6. Walk
now into Room 23. This will be our base for several excursions in three
directions from this room. First, go to Room 10. On the right by the stairs is a large wall
relief of Sargon. The Bible says Shalmaneser (V) was unhappy with Hoshea,
King of Israel, because he turned to
Assyrian inscriptions record that
Shalmaneser V (727-722) did come against
Sargon is only mentioned by name in the
Bible in Isaiah 20:1 where he is said to have captured
Also in Room 10 are two huge winged bulls,
with attendant genies, from Khorsabad, the
These finds about Sargon are very
significant because they attest to the accuracy of the Bible story since the
Bible presents information on Sargon when he, otherwise, was not known. Since
his palace would have been covered over by about 600 B.C., no one living
between then and 1843, when the palace was found, could have known of Sargon
from historical sources. Either the writer, Isaiah, lived when and where he
said he did, in the 8th century B.C., or God gave some person knowledge about
Sargon. The point here, is that this find from Sargon confirms not only that
the Bible was correct, but that Isaiah, who wrote about Sargon, lived when and
where he says he did, thus lending integrity to his writing.
Note:
Sometimes the rooms containing items 7, 8, 12, 13, and 14 are
closed. Often they are open from
7. Now
walk between the winged bulls and bear to your left to enter the south end of
room 10. Here we find wall reliefs from Sennacherib, another Assyrian
king mentioned by the Bible. This is the most significant Bible-related display
in the museum. Don’t miss it. In 2 Kings18 and 19, a long account is given of
what happened in 701 B.C. when Hezekiah was king of
This account occupies five chapters in the
Bible, the most detailed account of any battle the Bible records (2 Kings
18-19, Isaiah 36-37, 2 Chronicles 32). And here in the British Museum are two
significant independent records which not only are in total agreement with the
biblical record of this event, but which give additional details to help us in
understanding the scriptural account. These two records are the Sennacherib
cylinder and the wall reliefs from the
In the southern end of Room 10 begin by
reading the information on the wall to your right as you enter. Then look in
the wall cabinet at some objects from
In this same case is a copy of the
six-sided Sennacherib cylinder on which he left a record, in cuneiform, of his
campaign against
Now look on the wall that was to your left
as you entered this end of the room. Skip the first panel. Moving from left to
right along this wall, across the end wall and part of the way along the right
wall, you can see the story of the battle. We begin at the rear of
Sennacherib’s army with the rows of slingers. In front of them are rows of
archers. Then come rows of soldiers with spears and shields made of wicker.
Then you will notice several ramps at about a 45-degree angle. The Assyrian
troops have raised these against the walls of
Now note the prisoners already coming out of
one of the gates of the city. These are representations of Israelites of 701
B.C. Note the dress and hair styles. To the right of these first prisoners,
other prisoners are shown already dead, hanging on posts. Further to the right
are soldiers with camels and carts carrying away the booty. Some prisoners are
riding on ox carts, others are walking. Note one cart has two children in it
with the father, mother, and two other children walking just ahead of it.
Another cart has a mother with small children. Pictures of Israelites from
seven hundred years before Christ! Above all of this, are representations of
vines with grapes and what appear to be date palms, significant features of the
Near the corner of the room, note the
prisoners stretched horizontal, apparently being flayed. With the skin gone,
the muscles of the legs are evident. Around the corner, still more prisoners. A
soldier is about to cut one’s head off. Others are bowing.
Then see King Sennacherib himself on the
throne (being fanned) receiving his booty and prisoners. His advisors stand
before him. As the Bible says, he was on the scene at
Next are Assyrian horsemen and around the corner
a representation of their camp. Note the elongated circle with fortifications
around it. A road passes through the center. Inside are tents where soldiers
are staying. Also in the camp, priests are making offers to their gods. This
same camp was soon moved to
This story, to which the Bible devotes five
chapters, is told from his view by the very king the Bible says came, and every
detail precisely matches the Bible account. From this "newspaper"
record of the Battle of Lachish we get strong confirmation of the accuracy of
the Bible story. It is of interest that the battle to which the Bible gives
more space than any other ancient battle, is also the ancient battle about
which we have this lengthy pictorial record. (See Mitchell, pp. 60-64.)
8. When
you have finished in this area, walk through the door that was on your right as
you entered the room--another part of Room 10. Here are more Assyrian objects
but none with particular Bible significance. Then back into the northern end of
Room 10 and walk between the winged bulls to the stairs by the picture of
Sargon. Go down these stairs to Room 88. In this room you will see a small
exhibit on the Dead Sea Scrolls showing a jar in which scrolls were found and a
photo of one of the scrolls. Across from the entrance (right under the sign
saying New Testament Archaeology) is a model of King Herod’s palace called the
Herodium. This was one of five palaces which Herod the Great built. The
Herodium, between
Back on the opposite side of the room is a model of the Jewish temple built by Herod, thus showing how it looked in the time of Jesus. Note the temple itself in the center, the colonnade around the temple area, and the large fortress Antonia at the northwest corner. Jesus often taught in these courtyards and colonnades. The apostles were likely in one of these colonnades when the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost. Jesus may have been tried by Pilate in the fortress Antonia. So getting the temple area in mind through this model can be helpful as you visualize Bible events.
On the wall opposite the entrance there are
some ossuaries. These were boxes associated with burial practices in
9. As
you leave Room 88, go through the connecting Room 87 and into Room 82. This
room is devoted to the excavations of the city of
The most significant remains from the
Now return through Room 87 and go back up
the stairs into Room 10 and back to our base in Room 23. Our second excursion
from this room takes us into the rooms devoted to the Parthenon.
10. Go
now into Room 17, the entrance area for the Parthenon sculptures. In this room
is a reconstruction of the
As you go through the doors, you will notice
long, narrow rooms on each side. If you have time, these rooms are very good to
visit prior to entering the larger room where the primary materials from the
Parthenon are found. At the end of the room to the left is a very interesting video
showing a computerized reproduction of the Parthenon as it was originally.
Seeing this video will help you place the sculptures you will see in their
proper place. Other interesting explanations are also in the opposite anteroom.
Remember, as you look at the information
about the Parthenon its connection with the Bible. Acts 17:16-34, records
Paul’s visit to
11. Room
18 holds many pieces from the Parthenon of
Of special interest to the Bible student,
however, is the frieze. These remains from the Parthenon show the procession to
bring gifts to Athena, which took place every four years, the Parthathenia. On
the side where you entered are the horsemen in the procession. On the opposite
side, near the right end are maidens bearing gifts on trays to Athena. Other
maidens bring a tall incense burner and jugs with oblations to pour out. On the
other end are heifers being brought for sacrifice. About the center, you can
see a row of seated figures representing the Greek gods who will receive the
procession. From left to right, these seated figures are Hermes, Dionysos,
Demeter, Ares, Iris (standing), Hera and Zeus. Next are two girls carrying
stools, the Archon Basileus, and a young girl holding the peplos, a
garment brought to Athena. Finally, are Athena and her brother Hephaistos. What
a beautiful procession to bring things she needed to Athena!
Paul, standing within sight of this
procession in sculpture, says the God he declares to the Athenians, does not
need to be served by men’s hands as though he needed anything. He seems to have
made direct reference to this frieze for it surely showed "men’s
hands" bringing to a goddess the things they thought she needed.
12. Now
return to our base, Room 23. From this room now you will go in the third
direction, into Room 22. Several steps into the room you will see a large,
round marble sculpture. This is the base of one of the columns in the
Across from this carved base on the wall is
an exhibit about Alexander the Great you might want to see.
13. Now
go forward through Room 22 to the stairs at the back of that room. Descend
these to enter Room 77. In the rear of this room are the most extensive remains
from the temple in
14. Now
enter the room on your left, Room 78, and go to the right rear corner. Here is a
Greek inscription from a gateway at Thessalonica which lists the officials
of the town in the second century A.D. The first word in the inscription is
"poleitarch." These were the first officials named. When Luke
described an event in Acts 17:6-8, where Paul was brought to rulers of
Thessalonica, he used this very word. Again an indication of the accuracy with
which Bible writers worked. (See Mitchell, p. 98.)
15. Now
go back to the stairs and ascend not only the small stairs you came down but go
up the "west stairs" all the way to the second floor landing called
Room 59. When you reach the top of the stairs, you may go to the right to see
many items from the ancient Greeks and Romans. Of particular interest to
Bible students will be the busts of the Roman Emperors related to the Bible
story. Augustus (27 B.C. to 14 A.D.), Tiberius (14-37 A.D.), Claudius (37-41
A.D.), Nero (54-68 A.D.), Vespasian (69-79 A.D.) and Titus (70-81 A.D.) If you
are tired or pressed for time, do not take this excursion into Rooms 73-69. If
you do visit these rooms, return to the landing at the top of the stairs, Room
59, when you are ready to move on. (See Mitchell, pp. 91-94.)
16. From
Room 59 now go into Room 58. You will move down this corridor to Room 55 and
then return back to Room 59. In Room 58, you will see on your right remains
from a tomb in 
the city.
17. Now
go into Room 57. On the left side of the room are glass cases numbered 7, 8, 9,
and 10. In No. 7 are more remains from
18. Now
go into Room 56. In this room, on both the left and the right, are remains
taken from a royal tomb in Ur of Chaldees from about 2500 B.C. This would be
the same place Abraham was from but about 500 years earlier. Notice the
beautiful jewelry and artifacts. Particularly note the beautifully done knife
on the back side of the first cabinet on the left. Ur was clearly a city which was very advanced
for that time. See the goat in the bushes, which might have been a table leg
and the bust of a woman of that time, which might remind one of Sarah. Still in
Room 56, on the right side of the room, there is displayed a cylinder seal
which shows a legend of Mesopotamia about 2300 B.C. which included a god, a
tree, a woman, and a snake. Maybe there is a connection to the story of Eve and
the serpent seems apparent. (See Mitchell, p. 24).
A final item to note in Room 56 is a clay
tablet of the Babylonian Chronicle (Case 15, Item 24). This small document in
cuneiform writing, records the date of the Babylonian conquest of
19. In
Room 55, there are some very important remains related to the Bible. In Case 11
is the Taylor Prism or Sennacherib Cylinder. A replica of this was in Room 17
where the
In Case 13/14, look for the small Nabonidus
cylinder. In Daniel 5:1, Belshazzar is mentioned as king of
Also in Room 55, Case 10, you will find the
Gilgamish Epic, a clay tablet from the seventh century B.C. found in
20. Now
return through the rooms you have been viewing to the stair landing at Room 59.
From there you will enter Room 61 and the Egyptian corridor. Turn right and go
into room 62. Look on the back side of a case to the left and across from the
entrance where you will find a mud brick with the cartouche (signature) of
Ramses II. This brick would be from about the time the Israelites were being
forced to make bricks for building purposes in
21. Now
into Room 63 through 65. These rooms contain more from
Note especially the wrapped mummies and the
different types of mummy cases. Genesis 50:2-3 mentions that Joseph commanded
that Jacob be mummified and that it took 40 days, the standard length of time
suggested by Egyptian sources to remove the body parts and replace them with
the mummifying ingredients. Joseph was also embalmed in a similar way,
according to Genesis 50:26.
Passing through these rooms note also the
cases of ancient Egyptian jewelry. Relate these beautiful objects, whose
dates are given, to the times of Bible characters in
Notice the display of Egyptian baskets.
Remembering that Moses was put in a basket on the
22. After
you have seen all you wish in this area, move from Room 65 into stair landing
53. From there you will enter Room 52, the last area in which to find Bible
related materials. As you enter this room you will see in the center a
beautiful example of glazed bricks from the
Also in Room 52 is another object relating
to the Persians, one of the most significant confirmations of the Bible story.
In Daniel, chapter 5, the Bible states that the city of
In Room 52, Case 6, Item 7, on the left side
of the room, is a clay cylinder, 9 inches long, with the record of Cyrus
himself. He claims to have taken
You
may proceed on through this corridor to its end and then turn right to the
stairs that lead back to the main lobby and the exit. There are many
interesting items, some relating to the Roman occupation of
Click
here to view the map which correlates to this guide.
THE BRITISH LIBRARY
In 1998, many
historic manuscripts, which had been housed in the
The following items
are now in the British Library in the section called Treasures of the British
Library. Once inside the building, go to
your left into a large room containing all of the items listed below. As you enter, you can pick up a small
brochure which will guide you through the room.
Starting generally toward the left and working toward the right, you
will find the items of special interest to Bible students.
1.
In the
area called "Sacred Texts" are ancient manuscripts of the Bible.
a.
Codex
Siniaticus--a fourth century manuscript containing almost all of the Bible.
b.
Codex
Alexandrinus--a fifth century manuscript containing almost all of the Bible.
c.
Other
early manuscripts of scripture
1.
Also in
"Sacred Texts" are copies of early translations such as Tyndale and 1st
Edition of King James Bible.
3. "Illuminated Manuscripts"--early
manuscripts with hand done decorations.
4.
In "Printing"
you will find a copy of the Guttenburg Bible--1st book printed on
Guttenburg's new press with movable type about 1455 and other early printed
materials.
5.
In
"Historical Documents" will be a copy of the Magna Carta, written in
1215..
6.
In
"Science" are some things from Leonardo DiVinci.
7.
In the
final sections, "Literature" and "Music," are copies of
such things as a First Folio (1623) from Shakespeare, writings of other authors
and composers in their own hand including a manuscript from the Beatles.