Glossary: St-Z

Strata Layers of earth or levels in an archaeological site.

Stratigraphy

The layering of deposits in archaeological sites. Cultural remains and natural sediments become buried over time, forming strata.

Survey

The systematic examination of the ground surface in search of archaeological sites.

Talmud

A body of Jewish literature composed of two parts: The Mishna, which is a rabbinic commentary on the Torah, and the Gemara, a more lengthy commentary.

Yahweh

A vocalization. favored by most theologians, of the tetragammaton -- the name of God ("JHWH") found throughout the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). An alternative pronunciation is Jehovah.

Zohar

The major text of the Kabbalah movement.