June 2007

Hot Off the Press: Three New Faculty Books in Time for Summer

By Rachel Muir

The real location of the Garden of Eden, the true story behind Noah’s ark, and the fate of the 10 lost tribes of Israel are among the mysteries explored in a new book by GW Associate Professor of Classics Eric Cline.

In From Eden to Exile: Unraveling Mysteries of the Bible, Cline examines seven Biblical stories that have been the source of speculation for centuries, including Moses and the Exodus, the Ark of the Covenant, and Sodom and Gomorrah. “These are episodes I’m constantly asked about,” says Cline, a 20-year veteran of excavations at ancient sites throughout the world, including Israel’s Megiddo, the reputed location of Armageddon.

“I wanted to put the facts and possible interpretations out there and let readers decide for themselves,” says Cline, who draws on ancient texts, archaeological finds, and the Bible itself to present and scrutinize evidence in each case.

The book is a companion to the popular National Geographic TV series Science of the Bible, for which Cline serves as a consultant, but he had another motivation in writing it: debunking some of the fiction presented as fact in the popular press. “So many books on the Bible read by the general public are written by enthusiasts, not scholars, and are full of inaccuracies. I think, as archaeologists, we have a professional responsibility to bring the proper facts to a wider audience.”

Published by National Geographic, From Eden to Exile hits the bookstands June 19.

Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu