The Discovery of the Lost Fortress of Ai; Bryant G. Wood, PhD; March 20, 2013

The location of Joshua\u27s Ai has been a matter of mystery and controversy since the beginnings of archaeological research in Israel. Scholars have concluded that the location of Joshua\u27s Ai is at et-Tell. They have also used this conclusion to discredit the biblical account of Joshua 7-8 because there is no evidence of occupation at et-Tell during the time of Joshua. Since 1995, under the direction of Associates for Biblical Research (ABR) Director of Research Bryant G. Wood (PhD, University of Toronto), ABR studies and excavations have uncovered important archaeological finds at Khirbet el-Maqatir, just 0.6 miles (1 km) west of et-Tell. The discoveries include a city gate and wall system, large amounts of pottery from the time of Joshua, evidence of destruction by fire, ancient coins, a house dating to the first century A.D., and a Byzantine monastery. This area is located nine miles north of Jerusalem. These discoveries provide evidence for a tentative identification of Khirbet el-Maqatir as the biblical city of Ai. Bryant Wood (PhD 1985, University of Toronto) is the director of research at Associates for Biblical Research. Currently, he is directing excavations at Khirbet el-Maqatir.https://knowledge.e.southern.edu/arch_museum_lectures/1021/thumbnail.jp