Georgia Magazine - April 2022 - 28

Around GEORGIA
The relics give a closer look at the lives showcased in the Archaeological
Replica Garden, including actual millstones, Stone Age tools and Iron
Age pottery. The Old and New Testament home exhibits feature oil lamps,
storage jars, coins and even ancient board games, while tomb exhibits from
the same periods feature bone boxes, a tomb door and a jar used to collect
mourners' tears, which then would be buried with the deceased.
Finally, a look at the lives of fishermen includes anchors, fishing-net
weights and murex shells, which were the source of the rare and costly
purple dye mentioned in the Bible.
" We are looking at archaeological findings and aligning them with
historical texts, " Cantu says. " It helps to put the Bible into perspective. "
A hands-on approach
The BHC brings history to life with hands-on experiences. ReproducEaster
is the busiest season for the Biblical History Center,
when it off ers Empty Tomb Tours. Docents walk visitors
through the events of Holy Week, beginning with Jesus'
ride into Jerusalem and ending at the empty tomb on
Easter Sunday.
Continued from page 26
The garden highlights ancient life from four
perspectives: a shepherd, a farmer, the village,
and a Roman theater and market street. Entering
through an exhibit depicting a desert oasis, visitors
pass through a goat-hair tent, made by a tribe in the
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and learn about
nomadic life for the biblical patriarchs as well as
today's Bedouins. From there, the tour meanders
past wells and watering troughs, permanent and
temporary sheepfolds, and a cave stable and manger.
Ancient farming practices are illustrated
through a threshing floor, an olive and grape press,
and a waterwheel milling area and olive crusher.
Visitors can walk through reproductions of Old
and New Testament tombs like those used to bury
Abraham and Jesus, a catacomb, a rock quarry and a
watchtower. And finally, they pass the city gates and
walk into the courtyard to see the town's storehouse,
vendor food stalls and a stepped Roman theater.
From replica to real
After the outside tour, visitors head into the
Biblical Life Artifacts Gallery, which features more
than 250 precious relics on loan from the Israel
Antiquities Authority (IAA). The gallery was built to
specific standards required by the IAA, including
that it be secure; able to withstand tornados,
earthquakes and floods; and able to maintain a
constant temperature and humidity in order to
preserve the exhibits. The BHC is one of only eight
museums worldwide entrusted with such artifacts.
28 Georgia Magazine April 2022
tions of ancient relics such as the Rosetta Stone hang inside the museum,
inviting visitors to touch and feel inscriptions. In a classroom, they can
study a model of the ancient Tabernacle in Jerusalem, constructed according
to details specified in the Bible. Visitors also can schedule a biblical
meal, a four-course production consisting of 15 foods authentic to the
era, including kebabs and olives. Seated on low benches around the table,
guests enjoy dining while learning about ancient dining traditions,
including Passover and the Last Supper.
The BHC believes that children learn better by doing and not just
seeing, so it offers several activities to engage them. The Shepherd's Bread
Experience allows visitors to pat out dough and bake it over a wood fire in
the goat's-hair tent. While it bakes, they make butter for their bread-then
get to eat the food they've made, all while learning about life in the desert.
They also can take part in a Kids' Dig in three archaeology pits, which
are based on actual excavation sites and stocked with real and replica
artifacts. A fourth features dinosaur remains and fossils for the youngest
participants. The " digs " become increasingly complicated as children go
from one pit to the next, and they learn archaeological techniques and
analysis while having fun.
Continued on page 30
Staff members of the Biblical History Center demonstrate the ancient
practice of dining while reclining during a Last Supper re-enactment.
The center serves foods that would have been eaten during biblical
times, including grapes, olives and kebabs.
VISIT LAGRANGE / BIBLICAL HISTORY CENTER
VISIT LAGRANGE / BIBLICAL HISTORY CENTER
Georgia Magazine - April 2022

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