The Haas and Schwartz Megiddo Gallery features artifacts from the Oriental Institute’s excavations at Megiddo, modern Israel (ancient Armageddon), including the famed Megiddo ivories, whose artistic style is evidence for early internationalism. The excavation of the mound at Megiddo is documented by objects such as lamps, weapons, and pottery arranged in stratigraphic order to illustrate how archaeologists could recreate the culture from 5000 to 600 BC. Other objects trace the rise of the Israelites and the royal city of Megiddo. Artifacts of special interest include a gold-covered statue of the Canaanite god El, a fragment of the Dead Sea Scrolls – one of few on permanent display in the United States – and a cast of the Moabite Stone.
