The Catholic Courier has a pretty neat little essay describing the work of Tel Aviv University Archaeologist Oded Lipschits at Ramat Rachel. It mentions things like this:

One of the most impressive elements of the site, said Lipschits, is an ancient royal garden. It is one of a few palatial gardens of its kind in the world. Lipschits explained the significance: “The Assyrians and Babylonians believed that gardens represented spirituality. The name for garden in Hebrew represents a protected place, surrounded by a wall or a fence. This is exactly the meaning of the old Persian word ‘pardes,’ and this is why the Greeks, when translating the Bible, choose this word to describe the Garden of Eden story. “From here, it was a short jump to the use of ‘pardes’ to describe paradise,” said Lipschits. “In a way, we are excavating paradise at Ramat Rachel,” he said. “This is the only known garden in Judah from the biblical world, and excavating it is fascinating. We explore its plan and think about the connection between the garden and the attached palace.”

And this

In his ongoing research, Lipschits draws parallels between the ancient palatial garden at Ramat Rachel and the Western interpretation of heaven. At the site, he also is researching exotic trees, bushes and flowers imported from across the ancient Near East. A team is analyzing seeds, pollen and soil. Lipschits said team members hope the garden may give a deeper understanding to imagery and symbolism found in the Bible. Lipschits also is completing a book of stamp impressions bearing the name of the province “Yehud” from the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, when the Jews left Babylon to go back to their homeland. He wrote “The Fall and Rise of Jerusalem,” and continues to author publications in partnership with Boston College and David S. Vanderhooft, a theology professor there.

Read it all.  It represents journalism as it relates to archaeology as it should be.