Documentaries about religion tend to fall into the love it or hate it category, generally depending on the religious views of the viewer.  Anything that goes along with one’s religious beliefs tends to get a good rating, while anything that challenges that often elicits bad ratings and negative reviews.

However, even with a certain degree of religious bias displayed, there are some historical discoveries that remain fascinating.  That is the case with discoveries made around the Dead Sea in the Middle East.  Although the Dead Sea Scrolls are the most famous “lost” writings to come from the area, there is much more to be learned.

Nova: Ancient Refuge in the Holy Land follows Biblical Scholar Richard Freund back to the area of the Cave of Letters.  I had never heard of it before and was interested in the history and theories surrounding it.  This was one of the largest discoveries ever in the area around the Dead Sea.  An expedition made the discoveries here in 1960 while they were looking for historical artifacts to secure them before they were looted and lost forever.  The letters found in this cave were from Shimon Bar-Kokhba, a legendary Jewish military leader who led a rebellion against the Romans in A.D. 132 and contained military orders as well.  These letters were the first proof that he actually existed and wasn’t just a legend.

Using old films, pictures, artwork, and more, the history of the area and this subject matter is re-created, including artifacts found in the cave.  Freund is interested in examining the cave further and possibly discovering finds that were overlooked by the earlier expedition.

Nova tries to be objective, but at times it seems as if Freund’s theories are being taken as fact. He doesn’t seem to approach what he’s doing objectively, as if he’s seeking the truth. Rather, he makes the mistake of many investigators in that he seems eager to find evidence that supports his theories. One of the most interesting moments comes when another historian confronts Freund with another theory that also fits the evidence, and he becomes noticeably frustrated in front of the camera.

However, from a historical perspective, Nova: Ancient Refuge in the Holy Land was interesting. The description is a bit sensationalized to get viewers to tune in, but it’s worth checking out at least once.  There are no DVD extras to make this worth purchasing, and it’s not something you will want to watch again and again.  There were some interesting insights into what life was like in the second century, especially for those who found themselves out of favor with Rome.