The history and culture of the various peoples mentioned in the Holy Scriptures are represented in many everyday objects, many of which have come down to us. The "Bible Lands Museum" in Jerusalem holds several of these artifacts. Walking through these rooms becomes a real excursion through the history of these civilizations. YEHUDA KAPLAN Museum Curator "The Bible Lands Museum opened in May 1992, this year we celebrate its 30th anniversary. We can say it is a dream come true. The main exhibit we have here came about largely through the private collection of the Museum's founder, Dr. Eli Borowski, and his wife Batya, who still manages the Museum." The exhibits tell us about the Egyptian, Greek and Phoenician civilizations, but also about the Canaanites, the Romans, the Babylonians and the life of the first Christians, who belonged to this land. YEHUDA KAPLAN Museum Curator "The artifacts we have here are real antiquities. They come from most of the cultures that we find in this region in both the prehistoric period and the historic period (about ten thousand years ago), from the Neolithic to the Byzantine period. We have amazing pieces from Mesopotamia, ancient Sumeria, Acadia, and Egypt. In my opinion, it is one of the most impressive collections of ancient Egyptian artifacts." Among the museum's exhibits there is a carved sarcophagus, in which biblical events are depicted. YEHUDA KAPLAN Museum Curator "Behind me lies this incredible sarcophagus of a Roman noblewoman named Julia Latronilla, who was buried here, probably with her husband. This marble artifact is a demonstration of the combination of classical art and biblical heritage, along with the emergence of Christianity in the region. The scenes portrayed are stories we find in the New Testament, such as Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem or some of the miracles he performed both on the Sea of Galilee and in Jerusalem, including the healing of the blind man at the pool of Siloe. But along with these scenes we also have two things related to the Old Testament. One of these next to me is the binding of Isaac." In this other part of the exhibit we can get an idea of what the city of Jerusalem was like in ancient times and what tools were used at the time. Here we also have depicted the city of Babylon. In the Museum there are statuettes of people in prayer - kings or commoners begging for divine intervention - found in Iran, Syria and southern Mesopotamia. This was in use by Chaldean families; this is an Egyptian tomb. This and other exhibits give visitors an overview of the culture of these civilizations, mentioned in the Sacred Text. GURA BERGER Visitor "This is one of my favorite museums in Jerusalem. Behind me you can see the map of Abraham's trail, the areas through which he passed, and they are the same places today." As Dr. Borowski, founder of the Museum, said, "The future of humanity is rooted in the past - and only through understanding our history we can build a better future." Read More