Chronology – A History of Our Excavations
From its foundation in 1890, the École biblique was contemporary with the first archaeological excavations in Palestine. It witnessed the development of scientific programmes and of the disciplines of field research.
Father Marie-Joseph Lagrange, the founder who wanted to read the Bible in the land of its birth, had conceived his historical-critical method by placing the text in its archaeological context, and against the wider background of Near Eastern studies. His first priority was to discover the land in order to understand it better.
Fathers Lagrange and Séjourné, then Jaussen and Savignac, accompanied by the young Vincent and Abel.
From Father Lagrange to Father de Vaux
The period of exploring and prospecting: 1880-1920
- 1885-1892
The site of the École bibliqueUncovering the remains of the Byzantine basilica of St Stephen in order to restore it.
- 1897
MadabaExamination of the Madaba Map.
- 1907, 1909 and 1911
Northern Arabia, in the HejazExploration, archaeological and epigraphic harvest, with photographic documentation of the Nabataean sites by Jaussen and Savignac, in collaboration with the Académie des Inscriptions.
- 1911
Jerusalem, Siloam Tunnel and underground passagesPhotographic documentation and systematic surveys on behalf of the English mission.
- 1914
PalmyraEpigraphic and photographic mission for the Académie des Inscriptions.
New wave of arrivals: de Vaux, Benoit, Tonneau, Barrois and Carrière.
First occasional and modest excavations: 1930-1940
From Father de Vaux to the present day
With Father de Vaux as director, the excavations expand
- 1946-1960
Tell el-FarʽahNine excavation campaigns.
- 1951-1956
Khirbet QumranExploration of the caves from 1951, then four excavation campaigns on the site.
- 1971-1980
Tell KeisanIn Galilee, stratigraphic excavations, eight campaigns.
- 1981-1991
Khirbet al-SamraIn Jordan, stratigraphic excavations and urban clearance.
- 1986
MafraqIn Jordan.
- 1988-1989; 1991 and 1994
Amman, the CitadelIn Jordan.
- 1993-1998
Northern JordanExploration of Early Bronze Age sites, with a Spanish team.
The École is still working on several sites whose publication is in progress
- 1995-1997; 1999; 2003-2005; 2012
GazaSites of Blakhiyah, Abassan el-Kabir, Mkheitim (Jabaliyah) and Nusayrat (St Hilarion): systematic and/or rescue excavations.
- 2008-2009
Tomb of the KingsJerusalem, rescue excavations.
- 2010-2011
Crypt of the Church of St John the BaptistJerusalem, rescue excavations, under the aegis of UNESCO.
- 2011
Mount of OlivesJerusalem, around the Church of the Pater Noster (Eleona), rescue excavations.
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