Steven Collins, Let My People Go, TSU Press (2012) ISBN 9780615687940 …. who was the pharaoh of the Exodus? No one knows of course but the author, a Biblical orientated archaeologist, claims he can shine some light on the issue. He looks at an interesting segment of ancient history, the period from Thutmose IV to Amarna, and thereby takes into account not just the Egyptians and the Levant (during the LB Age) but Hatti, Mitanni, and Assyria.
Phillip Silvia, Revelation: What did John really see?, TSU Press (2013) ISBN 9780615866055 … the John in question is the author of the Book of Revelations. It is generally thought he had some kind of vision – or witnessed some oddity in the sky that he interpreted as a prophecy regarding the End of the World (or something like that). There is a dispute on whether he was John the Apostle, or another John, active in Asia Minor during the Early Christian era. This is an important point – if you have the wish to date an event. However, this is primarily a teaching tool with the aim of getting readers to look at the text and check out what it says for themselves. It begins on the premise that it was a vision or dream that John witnessed. Silvia is not suggesting that John saw an actual and specific event that could perhaps be dated, and leaves the 'Revelation' as strictly in the realm of a vision – but he attempts to interpret what he saw from the perspective of astrophysical phenomena and geophysical consequences. We might add, is there a chance a cosmic event of some kind did colour the description of the End events – as it went on to heavily influence apocalyptic ideas for a long time (even in modern world).
For more information on the books and a link to several articles on archaeology and the Bible go to www.biblicalresearchbulletin.com