[Rockhounds] Archaeomagnetic dating reshapes our understanding of biblical history, military campaigns, and Earth’s magnetic field changes.

[Kreigh Tomaszewski]

Reconstructing history often demands more than reading ancient texts or
uncovering ruins. By integrating archaeomagnetic research with archaeology,
scientists have uncovered new insights into the events described in the Hebrew
Bible
<https://www.thebrighterside.news/discoveries/biblical-discovery-archeologists-may-have-just-found-noahs-ark/>,
particularly the military campaigns against the kingdoms of Israel and
Judah during the 10th to sixth centuries BCE.

These findings not only deepen our understanding of ancient history but
also reshape our comprehension of Earth’s magnetic field and its behavior
during this period.

The Hebrew Bible and Near Eastern texts recount numerous military campaigns
by powerful neighbors like the Egyptians, Arameans, Assyrians
<https://www.thebrighterside.news/post/ancient-tablet-reveals-the-secrets-of-a-3000-year-old-biblical-view-of-life/>,
and Babylonians.

While some destruction layers unearthed by archaeologists have been
confidently linked to specific historical events, many remain disputed.
These unresolved cases challenge efforts to verify the biblical narrative
and reconstruct the scale of these campaigns.


An interdisciplinary study, led by researchers from Tel Aviv University
<https://english.tau.ac.il/> and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
<https://en.huji.ac.il/>, has employed archaeomagnetic methods to address
these chronological gaps.

Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
<https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2209117119>, the study analyzes
magnetic records preserved in burnt mud bricks and ceramics from 17 sites
across Israel. By comparing the intensity and direction of the Earth's
magnetic field recorded during these ancient fires, researchers created a
chronological framework to date destruction events.
https://www.thebrighterside.news/post/major-scientific-breakthrough-confirms-ancient-biblical-events/