The Red - Haired Acheologist, reviewed by Miriam Mathie
The hobbits of J.R.R Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings are not the only people who take second breakfast. According to Amanda Hope Haley in her book, The Red-haired Archaeologist Digs Israel, it is one of the pleasures they get after 5 a.m. rises for excavations. However, if you’re looking for a book all about the hobbit habits, this may not be the book for you, even though it is just as delightful. Packed full of information and Biblical references, Haley manages to leave readers gasping for more details of her travels throughout Israel and Palestine – from hot sweats in the airport to the heart of why she ‘digs’.
At the beginning of The Red-Haired Archaeologist, Haley’s personality is immediately clear as she merges her humour and passion for archaeology in her journey from America to Israel. In talking with Haley, I too felt like I was alongside her in the areas she describes so well in the book; from the stress of running through crowded streets and getting caught in traffic to the stillness and awe of seeing some of the most amazing sights in the world.
Readers are taken on a journey alongside Haley and her family, beginning with some of the Philistinian places she has visited in the modern-day area of Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. One place that she mentions fondly is Ashkelon, which she helped excavate for the first time at age twenty-two: ‘In the Iron Age, Ashkelon was one of the Philistines’ capital cities – and a Canaanite stronghold before that – so I was studying Israel’s rival civilisations’ who were surrounding and interacting with them as the Old Testament was being written. Learning about those foreign-to-Israel cultures helped me better understand the temptations the Israelites faced in the region and the potential motivations behind some of God’s commands and laws.’
She goes through each step of her trip with close reference to the Bible and the biblical characters and stories that readers will associate with each place, whilst pairing it to recent excavations done by Haley herself or by her fellow archaeologists. Despite being different from the Hollywood scenes of The Mummy and Indiana Jones that are my personal knowledge of archaeology, the The Red-haired Archaeologist kept me just as engaged, especially with the grey boxes of external links which encouraged readers to find out more – a useful tool in fact-based books like this!
I particularly enjoyed chapter eight where Haley described her family’s experience of Hebron, which is nestled in the Judaean mountains. This part of the journey showed the divide between Israel and Palestine. This was beneficial to the reader as she informs us of both sides of the story and handles it well without any sign of bias. It encouraged readers to think about these things, not only based on Israel and Palestine, but also on society - locally, nationally, and worldwide. Haley’s dad sums this up perfectly, saying: ‘If either side is driven by passionate hatred, then peace is unattainable.’
Towards the end of the book, Haley details the chaos of her journey with warmth and sincerity, contrasting the busy streets with the calm atmosphere of her favourite small business and the stark reality of the Holocaust Museum she visits. She utilises this as a perfect way to sum up her thoughts whilst on the trip, leading her to be where she is nowadays. She talks about how, as Christians, we should take up every opportunity to dig and be curious. We should want to know more, understanding other ways of thinking, other religions, and other cultures to strengthen our own beliefs in God – and best of all, do this completely and wholeheartedly in love.
Matthew 22 :37-38 says: ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment.’
In short, it is safe to say that, as a reader, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Amanda Hope Haley’s The Red-haired Archaeologist Digs Israel. From young adults to those young at heart, this book is a great way to get started and excited about biblical archaeology. Whilst it is not an action-packed Indiana Jones lifestyle or just idyllic second breakfasts like the hobbits from the Shire, it shows a balanced insight on Haley’s passion and encourages us all to get involved.
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