Temple Mount Tiles and Wet Sifting | Frankie Snyder | STS 128

In this episode of Stones That Speak: Biblical Archaeology, Dr. David E. Graves and Dr. George Sparks speak with Frankie Snyder about the Temple Mount Sifting Project, the reconstruction of ancient Temple Mount floor tiles, and the vital archaeological method of wet sifting. Frankie Snyder brings a distinctive background in mathematics and geometry to the study of opus sectile—beautifully cut stone floor tiles once used in the monumental buildings of Jerusalem. She explains how fragments of triangles, squares, and other geometric forms can be studied and reassembled to recover ancient patterns associated with the Herodian period. 💧 Learn how wet sifting helps archaeologists recover small finds that might otherwise be missed. 🧩 Discover how broken stone fragments can reveal the design of ancient floors. 🏛️ Explore the material world of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount in the time of Herod. ⛏️ See why careful recovery methods are essential for biblical archaeology. In this conversation, we discuss: 📐 How mathematics and geometry assist the reconstruction of ancient floors 🧩 The process of identifying and reconstructing opus sectile tile patterns 💧 The difference between dry sifting and wet sifting 🔍 Why water helps recover small artifacts such as coins, beads, and bullae 🏺 The small finds most easily overlooked in an excavation 🏛️ The characteristics of Herodian and Roman-era floor tiles ⛏️ Wet-sifting work at the Temple Mount, Khirbet el-Maqatir, and Shiloh ⛺ Challenges and discoveries connected with the site of ancient Shiloh 👥 Training volunteers to recognize and recover archaeological material accurately 📚 The importance of careful methods, public participation, and education in archaeology Join us as we examine how broken tiles, small artifacts, and careful archaeological work help bring the biblical world into clearer view. Sponsored by Electronic Christian Media. 👍 If you enjoy biblical archaeology, ancient history, and New Testament studies, please like, share, and subscribe. 🤝 Support the Work of the Stones that Speak 📖 Books by Dr. David E. Graves available at Amazon and Logos Bible Software. LIST of ALL BOOKS https://smyrnaean.blogspot.com AMAZON amazon.com/author/ecmdavidgraves LOGOS 🔗 View the Logos collection here: (Save 19-48%) https://www.logos.com/search?query=Da... 🎙️ Archive of Podcasts from previous Episodes The Stone that Speak https://stonesthatspeak.blogspot.com Archive of Biblical Archaeology from the Ground Down episodes for 2024, 2025, 2026 at https://smyrnaean.blogspot.com/2026/0... Ten search questions 1. What is the Temple Mount Sifting Project? 2. How does wet sifting work in archaeology? 3. Why is wet sifting important for recovering small archaeological artifacts? 4. What kinds of artifacts have been found through wet sifting on the Temple Mount? 5. What are opus sectile tiles, and how were they used in Herodian Jerusalem? 6. How are ancient floor patterns reconstructed from broken tile fragments? 7. What do Temple Mount tiles reveal about the Herodian period? 8. What is the difference between dry sifting and wet sifting? 9. How are volunteers trained to identify artifacts at archaeological sifting projects? 10. What has wet sifting revealed at Shiloh and Khirbet el-Maqatir?