In 1925, James Henry Breasted, famed Egyptologist and director of the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, sent a team of archaeologists to the Holy Land to excavate the ancient site of Megiddo—Armageddon in the New Testament—which the Bible says was fortified by King Solomon. Their excavations made headlines around the world and shed light on one of the most legendary cities of biblical times, yet little has been written about what happened behind the scenes. Digging Up Armageddon brings to life one of the most important archaeological expeditions ever undertaken, describing the site and what was found there, including discoveries of gold and ivory, and providing an up-close look at the internal workings of a dig in the early years of biblical archaeology.
The Chicago team left behind a trove of writings and correspondence spanning more than three decades, from letters and cablegrams to cards, notes, and diaries. Eric Cline draws on these materials to paint a compelling portrait of a bygone age of archaeology. He masterfully sets the expedition against the backdrop of the Great Depression in America and the growing troubles and tensions in British Mandate Palestine. He gives readers an insider’s perspective on the debates over what was uncovered at Megiddo, the infighting that roiled the expedition, and the stunning discoveries that transformed our understanding of the ancient world.
Digging Up Armageddon is the enthralling story of an archaeological site in the interwar years and its remarkable place at the crossroads of history.
"Absolutely fascinating."—Paul Zimansky, Times Literary Supplement
"Like the best tales from the golden age of archaeology, Digging Up Armageddon combines the grandeur of ancient history, the currency of modern fame and the cast of a malarial soap opera."—Dominic Green, The Spectator
"An original and lively study that skilfully mixes archaeology with personalities, and politics with culture, science and technology."—Andrew Robinson, Nature
"[Cline] writes with the deft surety of someone familiar with both the site and its archive . . . . What makes [Digging Up Armageddon] such a smart historical treatment of Megiddo is Cline’s nuanced examination of how labor, privilege, politics, and capitalism underscored much of the archaeology done in the United States and Europe in the early to mid-20th century."—Lydia Pyne, Los Angeles Review of Books
"Enjoyable reading . . . riveting."—Amanda Borschel-Dan, Times of Israel
"Engaging."—Moment Magazine
"It’s really quite amazing how he pulls it off—Cline has written a book deeply-imbued with scholarship, an in-depth look at the history and archaeology not just of the expedition at Megiddo, but of the whole Near Eastern region and ancient Israel. . . . So vivid is Cline’s telling of the story that readers might be forgiven for finding the personal dimension just as interesting as the archaeology. Anyone who thought that archaeologists were just boring people digging up ancient relics which were of no interest to anyone outside their own field, will be quickly disabused of such a notion."—John Butler, Asian Review of Books
"A fascinating read. . . . So detailed is [Cline’s] account of those involved that the book reads better than many a modern novel."—Peter Costello, Irish Catholic
"If it is thrills, spills and devious political machinations of past excavations that take your fancy, why not check out Eric Cline’s new book. . . . This is the story about Megiddo that they didn’t want you to know."—Anglo-Israel Archaeological Society
"[A] diligent, clear, and engaging guide through the individuals, relationships, and (more or less) serendipitous events that shaped one of the most influential excavations. . . . Part biography and part history, Cline’s Digging Up Armageddon is an exemplary work of scholarship and story-telling that will entertain and inform scholars and interested nonexperts alike."—C. A. Strine, Palestine Exploration Quarterly
"If you love to read about crossroads of history, are fascinated by the years between wards and well beyond, and really just like a good story, this is the book to begin that journey."—Elaine Holden, Monadnock Ledger-Transcript
"At the time this massive dig was undertaken, it was criticised for high costs and never-ending delays. Cline celebrates the high points, but he also exposes the mission's failures."—Sam Waters, Current World Archaeology
"Cline writes with wry insight into human nature and a saving sense of humour."—Patrick Madigan, Heythrop Journal
"[Cline] has placed the project in the context of its times."—Neil Faulkner, Minerva
"We often hear of grand archaeological discoveries, but we rarely hear about the drama between the men and women behind them. Lively and eye-opening, Digging Up Armageddon reveals the reality-show level of human relationships on archaeological excavations at one of the world's most extraordinary sites, Megiddo, and just how little archaeology has changed in a hundred years. Essential reading for anyone who wants to know how archeological magic truly happens."—Sarah Parcak, author of Archaeology from Space: How the Future Shapes Our Past
"Digging Up Armageddon is a riveting account of the search for Solomon's lost city in the years prior to World War II. Eric Cline, who himself excavated for many years at Megiddo, adds a human dimension to the archaeology by interweaving the fascinating personal stories behind these exciting discoveries."—Jodi Magness, author of Masada: From Jewish Revolt to Modern Myth
"Megiddo is the mother of all ancient mounds, the cradle of biblical archaeology, a place related to great historical figures such as Thutmose III, Solomon, and Josiah. The excavations at Megiddo were the largest and most romantic in the history of Near Eastern archaeology. Thanks to them, unparalleled monuments from biblical times—gates, palaces, temples, and water systems—were unearthed. But Megiddo has also become the focus of every problem in the archaeology of the region, from questions about the beginning of urbanism to the historicity of a united monarchy of David and Solomon. In this deeply researched, beautifully written, and engaging book, Eric Cline writes the history of the dig at Megiddo, and by doing so, he sheds light on the entire history of the Bronze and Iron Ages in the Levant, including that of ancient Israel."—Israel Finkelstein, coauthor of David and Solomon: In Search of the Bible’s Sacred Kings and the Roots of the Western Tradition
"Enjoyable, fascinating, and engaging. Digging Up Armageddon is an extremely well written and lively account of perhaps the most important excavations ever conducted in Israel. Cline has, once again, written an excellent book."—Aren M. Maeir, coeditor of The Shephelah during the Iron Age: Recent Archaeological Studies
"Cline's successful detective work in figuring out the interpersonal relationships among these archaeologists, including the scandals and gossip that severely impacted their fieldwork, is extremely important."—Rachel S. Hallote, author of Death, Burial, and Afterlife in the Biblical World: How the Israelites and Their Neighbors Treated the Dead
