Gannon University inaugurated its new Archaeology Museum Gallery with a guest lecture and a focus on Biblical history.  Gannon cut the ribbon on the museum which is located on the third floor of the Palumbo Center.

The guest lecturer was world renowned archaeologist Dr. William Dever, who specializes in Israel and the Near East in biblical times. In fifty years as a biblical archaeologist he directed thirty seasons of excavations in Israel.   "Today I talked about the past of archaeology, Israel is stable now, but in Syria sites are being shut down, there's no excavations and no one can predict what will happen in the future," said Dever.  He said the same is true of other middle eastern nations including Egypt. 

Gannon University history professor, Dr. Suzanne Richard was Dever's student, she's excited about what the new museum offers.  "Really there's very few archaeology museums in the country," said Richard. "How many people from Erie can look at 5,000 year old objects?  In New York or Washington perhaps, so that's the significance."

The collection now on display is from an excavation in Jordan directed by Dr. Richard.  She hopes to plan tours and events at the museum that will attract students grades K-12 as well as adults.