EDMOND, Okla., Aug. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly twenty representatives of the Oklahoma-based Herbert W. Armstrong College (A.C.) will travel to Israel August 13 to participate in an archaeological excavation. The group will join an existing dig at a royal complex that archaeologists believe was built by the biblical King Solomon over 3,000 years ago in ancient Jerusalem.

"This is the largest number of volunteers we have ever sent to Jerusalem for the excavations," said college president Stephen Flurry.

Flurry moved his family to Israel in June to make preparations for the group of fifteen students, three alumni and two faculty members who will live and dig in Jerusalem for five months.

Leading the students is A.C. graduate and instructor of archaeology, Brent Nagtegaal. His experience includes four trips to Jerusalem where he worked on important archaeological excavations with prominent archaeologist Dr. Eilat Mazar of Hebrew University.

"After two years hiatus from excavating, I'm chomping at the bit to return to Jerusalem and continue digging in the ancient royal quarter!" Nagtegaal said.

Mazar expects to reveal portions of the 10th century B.C. palace in the area known as the Ophel, between the southern wall of the Temple Mount and the City of David. In 2010, Mazar received international attention when she uncovered a wall at the site nearly 228 feet wide and 19.5 feet tall. Mazar believes King Solomon built the wall and that the new excavation will continue to reveal portions of his palace.

The most significant finds from Mazar's previous excavations are currently on display in Edmond at Armstrong Auditorium. The world premiere of nearly three dozen archaeological artifacts discovered in Jerusalem is on display in an interactive exhibit titled, "Seals of Jeremiah's Captors Discovered." The figurines, large vessels and royal seal impressions that date to biblical times are available for viewing free to the public in the Armstrong Auditorium lobby until January 16, 2013.

For more information on the excavation or the exhibit, please visit http://www.ArmstrongAuditorium.org/exhibit or call 1-405-285-1010.

About Herbert W. Armstrong College:

Herbert W. Armstrong College is a privately supported co-educational institution offering courses in theology, liberal arts, and applied arts and sciences. The college was founded in 2001 on the model of Herbert W. Armstrong's Ambassador College of Pasadena, Calif., which Armstrong's successors closed after he died. The college's 171-acre campus lies just north of Oklahoma City. For more information about the college call 1-405-285-6000 or visit http://www.HWACollege.org.

About Armstrong International Cultural Foundation:

The Armstrong International Cultural Foundation is a non-profit, humanitarian organization sponsored by the Philadelphia Church of God with executive offices on the Herbert W. Armstrong College campus in Edmond, Oklahoma. The foundation sponsors both a world-class performing arts series at the Armstrong Auditorium in Edmond and several cultural activities in Israel. In 2006, the foundation began supplying volunteers and aid to Dr. Eilat Mazar's ground-breaking excavation of King David's palace in Jerusalem. It has also helped refurbish Liberty Bell Park in the heart of the city, a project Herbert W. Armstrong had started with Mayor Teddy Kollek. For more information call 1-405-285-1010 or visit http://www.ArmstrongAuditorium.org.

About Philadelphia Church of God

The Philadelphia Church of God is a non-denominational Christian church with world headquarters on the campus of Herbert W. Armstrong College in Edmond, Oklahoma. The church has over 300 congregations worldwide and produces the weekly half-hour Key of David television program, broadcast internationally on over 300 television stations. Over 340,000 subscribers receive the church's monthly Philadelphia Trumpet magazine, which examines the Bible prophecies being fulfilled in world events today and includes articles on Christian living. The Philadelphia Church of God was founded in 1989 when Oklahoma City pastor Gerald Flurry was excommunicated from the Worldwide Church of God for resisting sweeping doctrinal changes away from what its founder Herbert W. Armstrong taught. The PCG subsequently fought a six-year court battle with the WCG which resulted in the PCG owning the copyrights to 19 of Herbert W. Armstrong's major works. This story is told in the book Raising the Ruins—The Fight to Revive the Legacy of Herbert W. Armstrong by Stephen Flurry. To learn more about the Philadelphia Church of God, its members, beliefs and activities, visit http://www.pcog.org or call 1-405-340-7474.

SOURCE Herbert W. Armstrong College