Abstract
When Palestine was first opened to archaeologists, they were excited to seek evidence of Israel's Conquest. When the findings didn't match their expectations, they decided to throw out the Bible rather than question their assumptions. Archaeological research in the Holy Land began in earnest in the 1800s, driven by a keen interest in the history of Bible lands. Joshua's Conquest of Canaan soon became an important focus. Unfortunately, two developments eventually led most scholars to deny that the Conquest ever happened.