Since the publication of the four volumes of the New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land (NEAEH) in 1993, archaeological excavations have continued at a staggering pace. The present fifth volume satisfies the need that has arisen for updates summarizing the many subsequent archaeological investigations conducted in the Holy Land.
 
Volume Five, a joint endeavor of the Israel Exploration Society, Jerusalem, and the Biblical Archaeology Society, Washington DC, updates the NEAEH with the following types of entries:
• New entries for sites or topics not appearing in volumes 1–4
• Updated entries for many of the sites that appeared in volumes 1–4
• Bibliographic updates for the remaining entries in volumes 1–4