This episode begins by noting the proximity of two of the most significant events of the twentieth century, one archaeological, the other political: the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 and the founding of the modern State of Israel in 1948. What do they have to do with each other? A lot, it turns out, at least when it comes to archaeology's role in Israeli nationalism, from justifying their claim to "Judea and Samaria" to using the legal and bureaucratic aspects of protecting "heritage sites" as a way to seize territory to the draw for Christian Zionists of Israel's supposed stewardship of "the Holy Land." Throughout the conversation, we draw on our guest Jasper Nathaniel's years of reporting on these matters, and especially his heroic work documenting the brutality of Israeli settlers — and their enablers— in the West Bank.

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Listen: Johnny Cash, The Holy Land (1968)

Sources:

Jasper Nathaniel, "In Ruins: Archaeological Warfare in the West Bank," The Drift, Dec 16, 2024

— "Israel's Archaeological Apartheid: An Update," Dec 19, 2025

Rachel Poser, "Common Ground: The Politics of Archaeology in Jerusalem," Harper's, Sept 2019

Bezalel Smotrich, "Israel's Decisive Plan," 2017

James Genn, "'Grandpa, Look What We Found': Huckabee Family Uncovers Ancient Coins in West Bank Caves," The Jerusalem Post, Jan 6, 2026

Gary Rendsburg, "The Dead Sea Scrolls," Great Courses lecture series, July 2013

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