the highlands of Israel—Khirbet el-Maqatir (Ai?) and Shiloh—I am grateful for archaeology. However, while the material culture at these and other sites illuminates the biblical text, it often raises more questions than it settles. Despite the good work of scores of archaeologists in Egypt and the territories to its north, a staggering amount of ancient ruins remain unexcavated. Vandalism, urban sprawl, war, natural disasters, politics, and lack of funding limit what the trowel can reveal. The unexcavated