Badè Museum of Biblical Archaeology

Tell en-Nasbeh: The Original Sustainable Community

(January 28 - March 19, 2010)

The health of our environment is one of the greatest concerns facing the world today. Increasing populations and the luxury of “disposable” goods have created a threat to living space and agriculture. Many governments and environmental groups are now focusing on making communities more sustainable in an effort to reduce waste. Taking advantage of natural resources and recycling wherever possible would allow cleaner living not just for us, but for generations to come. In many ways, these new efforts harken back to daily life in the ancient world, where these issues were of the utmost importance.

Out of necessity for subsistence, the lives of ancient Israelite inhabitants at Tell en-Nasbeh revolved around agriculture and animal husbandry, food and water storage, sharing communal activity spaces, and the reuse of as many products as possible. Thus it may be said that Tell en-Nasbeh is a prime example of the original “sustainable community.”

William Frederic Badè: Theologian, Naturalist, and Archaeologist

(April 27 - Spring 2010)

William Frederic Badè was many things: teacher and scholar, naturalist and outdoorsman, companion and biographer of John Muir, and an archaeologist and excavator. In 1902 Badè came to Berkeley to fill the position of professor of Old Testament Literature and Semitic Languages at the Pacific Theological Seminary (later named the Pacific School of Religion). In the course of his career, Badè published a number of innovative, inspirational, and at times controversial works on the Bible, Palestinian archaeology and its methodology. As literary executor, he made available the unpublished works of his close friend and fellow naturalist John Muir. Furthermore, his many interests took him across the globe to the site of Tell en-Nasbeh in Palestine, where he spent a number of years uncovering the Biblical site of Mizpah.

Thanks to his loving and supportive wife, Elizabeth Badè, William F. Badè’s memory and work have lived on for many years atop Holy Hill at the Badè Museum of Biblical Archaeology. This exhibit highlights one of PSR’s premier educators and innovative scholars. The collection of material on display was chosen with the hopes of representing the truly dynamic and multifaceted character of William F. Badè. He was a family man, a dedicated teacher, a loving friend, and an innovative and passionate archaeologist.

This exhibit was made possible by the contributions of the Badè family and Kay Schellhase.

He was easily the most versatile man who has ever been attracted to the field of Palestinian archaeology, and all who came in contact with him fell under the spell of his personal charm. His passing is a great loss to each of the many spheres of life in which he was an outstanding figure.

~W.F. Albright, author of The Archaeology of Palestine and the Bible, 1932

Tell en-Nasbeh

(Permanent Display)

This exhibit is the "heart and soul" of the Badè Museum. It displays a wealth of finds from the excavations at Tell en-Nasbeh, Palestine whose objects span from the Early Bronze Age (3100–2200 BC) through the Iron Age (1200–586 BC) and into the Roman and Hellenistic periods.

Highlights of the exhibit include "Tools of the Trade" featuring real archaeological tools used by Badè and his team, an oil lamp typology, a Second Temple period (586 BC–70 AD) limestone ossuary, and a selection of painted Greek pottery.