Frederick Jones Bliss
Encyclopedia
Frederick Jones Bliss was an American
archaeologist. After training under Flinders Petrie in Egypt
, Bliss became involved with the Palestine Exploration Fund
working in the field of Biblical archaeology
at the site of Tell el-Hesi
between 1894 and 1897, while cuncurrently leading an expedition that dug in Jerusalem. Between 1898 and 1900, along with R.A.S. Macalister, Bliss excavated several sites in the Shephelah
region of modern Israel
, helping to improve the chronology
of the region. His excavation reports appeared frequently in the Quarterly Statement of the Palestine Exploration Fund
, and included the first jar handle stamped by one of the Hebron
LMLK seal
s (in 1899 simultaneously the first one with a 4-winged icon) as well as the first complete MMST
inscription (in 1900). He was dismissed as the head of the Fund in 1900 due to his ill health. After the publication of his and Macalister's Excavations in Palestine in 1902, he was not active in the field.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
archaeologist. After training under Flinders Petrie in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Bliss became involved with the Palestine Exploration Fund
Palestine Exploration Fund
The Palestine Exploration Fund is a British society often simply known as the PEF. It was founded in 1865 and is still functioning today. Its initial object was to carry out surveys of the topography and ethnography of Ottoman Palestine with a remit that fell somewhere between an expeditionary...
working in the field of Biblical archaeology
Biblical archaeology
For the movement associated with William F. Albright and also known as biblical archaeology, see Biblical archaeology school. For the interpretation of biblical archaeology in relation to biblical historicity, see The Bible and history....
at the site of Tell el-Hesi
Tell el-Hesi
Tell el-Hesi is a 25-acre archaeological site in Israel. It was the first major site excavated in Palestine, first by Flinders Petrie in 1890 and later by Frederick Jones Bliss in 1891 and 1892, both sponsored by the Palestine Exploration Fund...
between 1894 and 1897, while cuncurrently leading an expedition that dug in Jerusalem. Between 1898 and 1900, along with R.A.S. Macalister, Bliss excavated several sites in the Shephelah
Shephelah
The Shephelah is a designation usually applied to the region in south-central Israel of 10-15 km of low hills between the central Mount Hebron and the coastal plains of Philistia within the area of the Judea, at an altitude of 120-450 metres above sea level. The area is fertile, and a temperate...
region of modern Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, helping to improve the chronology
Chronology
Chronology is the science of arranging events in their order of occurrence in time, such as the use of a timeline or sequence of events. It is also "the determination of the actual temporal sequence of past events".Chronology is part of periodization...
of the region. His excavation reports appeared frequently in the Quarterly Statement of the Palestine Exploration Fund
Palestine Exploration Fund
The Palestine Exploration Fund is a British society often simply known as the PEF. It was founded in 1865 and is still functioning today. Its initial object was to carry out surveys of the topography and ethnography of Ottoman Palestine with a remit that fell somewhere between an expeditionary...
, and included the first jar handle stamped by one of the Hebron
Hebron
Hebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
LMLK seal
LMLK seal
LMLK seals were stamped on the handles of large storage jars mostly in and around Jerusalem during the reign of King Hezekiah based on several complete jars found in situ buried under a destruction layer caused by Sennacherib at Lachish...
s (in 1899 simultaneously the first one with a 4-winged icon) as well as the first complete MMST
MMST
MMST appears exclusively on LMLK seal inscriptions, seen in archaeological findings in Israel, and its meaning has been the subject of continual controversy.-ממשת transliterations into English:...
inscription (in 1900). He was dismissed as the head of the Fund in 1900 due to his ill health. After the publication of his and Macalister's Excavations in Palestine in 1902, he was not active in the field.