The recovery of the history of the ancient Near East through archaeology is one of the major achievements of the modern age. Although the impact of this new knowledge on biblical matters is briefly surveyed, the main concern of this book is with the methods that archaeologists use in going about their work. Lance discusses the principles of excavation and how materials recovered are brought to bear on biblical studies. The book explains in detail the principles of stratigraphy and typology, suggests practical ways for the beginner to find needed information in the confusing array of primary and secondary publications, and takes a brief look at the future of biblical archaeology as a discipline.