The biblical city of Ai was one of three cities that met a fiery demise when the Israelites conquered the Promised Land: “So Joshua burnt Ai, and made it a heap …” (Joshua 8:28). Over the years, archaeologists have proposed a few sites as being biblical Ai. One such site is Khirbet al-Maqatir. Al-Maqatir was excavated by the Associates for Biblical Research for 14 seasons. This small site conforms with a number of key parameters for Joshua’s Ai. In today’s interview, which was recorded in May, Let the Stones Speak co-host Christopher Eames speaks with Abigail Van Huss, one of the site’s excavators, about the history of the site and its identification as Ai.

Let the Stones Speak

Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology

#54: Khirbet el-Maqatir: Evidence of Biblical Ai

JUL 2, 202518 MIN
Let the Stones Speak

#54: Khirbet el-Maqatir: Evidence of Biblical Ai

JUL 2, 202518 MIN

Description

<p>The biblical city of Ai was one of three cities that met a fiery demise when the Israelites conquered the Promised Land: “So Joshua burnt Ai, and made it a heap …” (Joshua 8:28). Over the years, archaeologists have proposed a few sites as being biblical Ai. One such site is Khirbet al-Maqatir.</p> <p>Al-Maqatir was excavated by the Associates for Biblical Research for 14 seasons. This small site conforms with a number of key parameters for Joshua’s Ai.</p> <p>In today’s interview, which was recorded in May, <em>Let the Stones Speak </em>co-host Christopher Eames speaks with Abigail Van Huss, one of the site’s excavators, about the history of the site and its identification as Ai.</p> <p><a href="https://armstronginstitute.org/1239-jericho-ai-hazor-investigating-the-three-cities-that-did-joshua-burn">Jericho, Ai, Hazor: Investigating the Three Cities ‘That Did Joshua Burn’</a></p> <p><a href="https://armstronginstitute.org/1244-et-tell-joshuas-ai-after-all">Et-Tell: Joshua’s Ai After All?</a></p>