Friends of ASOR (in partnership with the W.F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research) present the next webinar of the 2025-2026 season on November 12, 2025, at 12:00 pm EST, with panelists Igor Kreimerman, Michael Freikman, and Rachel Hallote. This webinar will be free and open to the public. Registration through Zoom (with a valid email address) is required. This webinar will be recorded and all registrants will be sent a recording link in the days following the webinar.

Presentation 1: “Tell Beit Mirsim in Perspective: Revisiting Albright’s excavations in Light of Renewed Work” with Igor Kreimerman

Albright’s excavations at Tell Beit Mirsim marked a turning point in the development of Biblical Archaeology, establishing the site as a key type-site for the discipline. The innovative methods applied in both excavation and publication resonated for decades and provided the foundation for Albright’s wide-ranging synthetic studies. Over time, however, many of his conclusions and theories have been challenged and re-evaluated. The renewed excavations at Tell Beit Mirsim invite a fresh assessment of Albright’s work, comparing his insights with new evidence from the field. This presentation will reconsider the validity of his reports in light of modern scholarship and reflect on the enduring impact of his excavations.

Dr. Igor Kreimerman is a Senior Lecturer in Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He directs the Selz Foundation Hazor Excavations in Memory of Yigael Yadin and serves as scientific advisor to the Renewed Excavations at Tell Beit Mirsim. His research focuses on the social and economic structures of Bronze and Iron Age Levantine societies, as well as on human-induced site formation processes, particularly those related to construction and destruction.

Presentation 2: “Going Where No One has gone Before: A Peek Into the Intricacies of Albright’s Expedition at Tell Beit Mirsim” with Michael Freikman

The excavation of this little-known tell became groundbreaking in the history of biblical archaeology. As one of the earliest American expeditions in the Near East, Albright drew on his wide learning and field experience, effectively turning Tell Beit Mirsim into an open-air laboratory and, in many respects, helping to shape biblical archaeology as we know it today. We will highlight key aspects of his experience at the site—the team’s methodology, day-to-day life in the field, and Albright’s relationships with his team and local population—together forming the enduring legacy of one of the foremost forefathers of modern archaeology.

Dr. Michael Friekman holds a Ph.d in Archaeology at Hebrew Univeristy in Jerusalem. He has studied the megalithic architecture in the Ancient Near East, excavated at Rujm el Hiri, and participated at the excavation and publication of Kh. Qeyiafa, Sha’ar Hagolan, and Tel Tsaf. He presently directs the renewed excavation of Tell Beit Mirsim.

Presentation 3: “Tell Beit Mirsim in Context: The American Archaeological Presence in Ottoman and Mandatory Palestine Before and After Albright” with Rachel Hallote

This talk will put W. F. Albright’s Tell Beit Mirsim excavations into the historical context of archaeological work that had previously been done in Ottoman controlled Palestine. The arrival of Albright at the American Schools of Oriental Studies in Jerusalem immediately after World War I marks the beginnings the a real American presence in archaeology that had not been acknowledged previously. Although the Americans did not dominate the field, the Tell Beit Mirsim excavations came to be known for its concentration on ceramic and stratigraphic methodologies, and continued to influence the discipline in later decades.

Rachel Hallote is Professor of History at Purchase College SUNY. Her research involves British and American archaeologists who excavated in Ottoman-controlled Palestine in the 19th century. She has worked at numerous archaeological sites in Israel, including Tell Miqne and Megiddo. Her publications include Bible, Map, and Spade: The American Exploration Society, Frederick Jones Bliss, and the Forgotten Story of Early American Biblical Archaeology and the co-authored volume, The Photographs of the American Palestine Exploration Society as well as many articles about archaeology and the history of the discipline. She currently co-hosts an archaeology podcast called This Week in the Ancient Near East.

SUPPORT THE WEBINAR PROGRAM!

Friends of ASOR is pleased to announce that the first webinars of the 2025-2026 season will once again be free and open to the public with a goal to raise $10,000 so that the entire webinar season will be free. Will you support this outreach effort with a tax-deductible contribution? All donors/sponsors with gifts of $100 or more will be recognized in subsequent webinars. Help ensure these webinars stay free and available to all by donating today!

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