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Sept. 16, 2005
Revitalizing the Bible
Filmmaker examines stories behind ancient tales.
KELLEY KORBIN
Move over Naked Chef, because The Naked Archeologist
is bringing more exposure to your living room this fall. Vision
TV's latest offering is a fast-paced, reality-TV-meets-historical-documentary-style
show that aims to provide a fresh interpretation of biblical history.
Israeli-born Toronto documentary filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici is
the executive producer and host of The Naked Archeologist.
Jacobovici says his goal is to "demystify the Bible in general,
and archeology in particular, to brush away the cobwebs and burst
academic bubbles."
It's an ambitious objective, but one that, if the first two episodes
are any indication, is easily met by Jacobovici and his team.
The first episode, "Delilah's People," aired on Sept.
5. Jacobovici travels to desert archeological sites to speak with
experts about the ancient Philistine and Israelite societies, but
there's nothing dry about this show. Although the series is more
about unearthing the true nature of Philistine culture than about
the biblical story of Samson and Delilah, Jacobovici doesn't miss
an opportunity to expose the steamy side of the pair's relationship.
The show itself moves very quickly and interviews with archeologists,
scientists and theologians are interspersed with old, often quirky,
footage from movies, television shows and documentaries. This format
is complemented by Jacobovici, who is an irreverent host. His style
is entertaining and informative and helps the viewer wade through
academic jargon. "Is the Philistines' bad rep a bum rap?"
he asks.
In fact, he explains, according to the experts, ancient artifacts
prove that the Philistines were actually far more cultured than
their Israelite foes. So then why the derogatory reputation? That's
easy, according to Jacobovici: the Philistines didn't write the
Bible. The Israelites did.
Adding to the show's allure is the fact that Jacobovici does not
shy away from controversy. For example, he and archeologist Dr.
Aren Maeir discuss what Maeir calls the "ludicrous" law
initiated by ultra-Orthodox groups in Israel that
insist any bones unearthed in archeological sites be turned over
to the Ministry of Religious Affairs to be buried before archeologists
have a chance to study them. The law is in place in case the bones
are those of Jews who require a proper burial. Maeir, himself a
religious Jew, says it means missed opportunities to study the human
remains of ancient civilizations, like the Philistines.
In the second episode, "Who Invented the Alphabet?," Jacobovici
explores the evolution of the phonetic alphabet. He takes viewers
on a television excursion, from early Egyptian hieroglyphics in
desert caves to modern-day graffiti artists on Toronto streets.
This show takes on the virtually ubiquitous assumption that it was
the Greeks who invented the phonetic alphabet.
Jacobovici points out that Egyptian hieroglyphics were so complex
that only the scholars and the royals learned how to use them. The
introduction of a phonetic alphabet, with only 26 or so characters,
was revolutionary in that it took writing out of the exclusive purview
of the elite.
Perhaps, argues Jacobovici, Hebrew slaves actually created the first
alphabet as a kind of secret code in their rebellion against the
Egyptians. This interpretation would help explain how Moses later
taught God's commandments to the escaped Israelite slaves. In support
of this theory, he demonstrates how the letter aleph derived from
the hieroglyph for ox, likewise, beta (or bet) comes from the hieroglyph
for house.
The experts don't always agree with Jacobovici's interpretations
– and sometimes they don't seem to get his humor, but that
makes the show even more entertaining, as these archeologists and
scientists unwittingly play straight-man to Jacobovici's comedian.
Overall, The Naked Archeologist strips away some of the myths
of biblical history in a very engaging fashion.
The Naked Archaeologist airs Monday and Tuesday evenings on
Vision TV.
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