MISSION STATEMENT
The Lynn H. Wood Archaeological Museum is an educational institution dedicated to
the study of the art, history, and culture of the ancient Near East. Our goal is to
actively engage visitors of all ages through collection, conservation, education,
and exhibition of archaeological artifacts from the biblical world. The museum serves
the research and teaching interests of the students, faculty, and staff of Southern
Adventist University and offers cultural enrichment to the community.
The museum houses the William G. Dever Sherd Collection of more than 300 pottery sherds
from the Near East. This unique teaching collection is an invaluable instructional
resource for archaeology students. The museum's laboratory facilities serve as a basis
for teaching pottery typology, ceramic conservation, and artifact cataloguing and
accession.
Each artifact is documented and catalogued in an electronic database that incorporates
digital photographs of each artifact, accession numbers, descriptions, date, and provenance.
The electronic database facilitates additional research in ceramic typology as well
as regional socioeconomic variation and development.
The William G. Dever Near Eastern Collection, together with other collections, provides
the basis for a contextual display vividly illustrated through original art designed
to introduce artifacts in their ancient life setting. Exhibit highlights include an
ancient brick from the city of Babylon stamped with the seal of Nebuchadnezzar; a
complete lamp typology from the Early Bronze Age to the Roman period; a royal Judaean
jar handle containing a royal lmlk ("for the king") seal impression; and a complete
corpus of ceramic vessels from the heartland of biblical history.
The Lynn H. Wood Archaeological Museum Lecture Series on the history and archaeology
of the ancient Near East hosts leading experts from around the world. The Lecture
Series is designed to bring the latest archaeological discoveries from the southern
Levant, Egypt, Cyprus, and Mesopotamia. The lectures are open to the public and are
free of charge.