THE QUARTERLY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ANTIQUITIES IN PALESTINE. - A collection, now concluded (1949-50), of 14 vols., which constituted the quarterly bulletin of the Department of Antiquities in Palestine, established by the British Mandatory Government, published in London by the Oxford University Press.
The first vol. appeared in 1931-32, taking the place of the Palestine Museum Bulletin, suspended in 1927.
It contributed, as a strictly scientific instrument of publication, to the development of those excavations and discoveries that constitute thus far the most fruitful period of archaeological research in Palestine. Its purpose was to publish with technical perfection: a) every discovery either made during the excavations carried out by the Department or by applying other methods of archaeological investigation, or occurring incidentally during its ordinary activity; b) notes on the antiquities contained in the Museum of the Department or elsewhere in Palestine, but not yet published; c) texts and translations that describe monuments or historical sites of Palestine; d) general news on archaeological work in Palestine. Thus excavations, numismatics, ceramics, inscriptions, etc. of that important period are treated there masterfully and exhaustively. Even more valuable is the collection for its bibliographies on excavations, mosaics and other Palestinian objects, so that it is indispensable for the study of biblical archaeology.
Taking its place, for the Hashemite Kingdom, is the Annual of the Department of Antiquities in Jordan (published in Amman by G. Lankester Harding, director general); for Israel, the most accessible among several, the Israel Exploration Journal, 1 (Jerusalem 1950-51).
Pietro Nober