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.
