Frequently Asked Questions
What are the advantages of the electronic edition over the original works?
1. Search capabilities. You can quickly search the entire text to find a particular subject or site of interest.
2. Usability. It is easy to print a photograph in high quality, to copy a slide to a PowerPoint presentation, and to copy a portion of text into a separate file.
3. Price. The electronic works cost a fraction of the original, rare volumes.
4. Availability. Some of these works have not been published elsewhere, and others are so rare that you can only view them in a few university libraries around the world (assuming they trust you).
5. Some of these works are large and unwieldy. You have to clear the table in order to open and view them. And bookshelves have trouble accommodating large volumes. The electronic edition is easily viewed, transported, and stored.
What are the advantages of using older pictures vs. newer pictures of biblical places?
Well, if you're interested in the latest and best color photographs of biblical sites, we'd highly recommend the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands. But after we produced that, we realized that something was missing. Or rather, something was added. Modern photographs often have cars, power lines, crowds, and lots of modern construction. There are new roads, tall hotels, and even, occasionally, churches built on top of the ancient sites. But by going back one hundred years or so, all of that is erased. The sites are more authentic, the peoples' customs more traditional, and the ancient ways closer to the surface. You don't get this only in photos and drawings, but in text descriptions as well. That is why a significant portion of the Historic Views collection and this website is the words of ancient travelers. Put the picture and the description together and you've just gone back in time. Admittedly, 19th century Palestine is not the same as 1st century Judea, but it's a lot closer!
I like the electronic version, but I would like to purchase the original books. How can I do that?
First, not all of the volumes in the collection have a corresponding "original work." For some (both currently available and forthcoming), this is the first and only publication. Second, know that the original works are usually very expensive. For instance, the Survey of Western Palestine Maps volume is nearly impossible to find. We looked for it for about 5 years before finding a copy for sale (which we purchased for about $3,000). In the years since then, we've seen it for sale one other time (for more). The Picturesque Palestine 4-volume collection is usually available, but prices start at about $600 (you can check prices at addall.com).
Are these photos and maps copyrighted?
Many of the volumes in the collection derive from public domain works, but the electronic edition, with its significant improvements, is copyrighted. Creating the electronic works has required a substantial investment of time and money and selling them for a small charge makes the project economically viable. For more information about allowed uses, see the copyright and licensing pages.
Is there a money-back guarantee on the purchase of these volumes?
Yes, all of the products sold through this site have a no-questions-asked, 100% refund policy with no time limit. We are certain that you will be satisfied, and if you aren't, your money will be refunded.
What are some ways I can use these photographs and illustrations?
There are countless ways. Since the Historic Views collection provides thousands of images in jpg format, they can easily be adjusted and incorporated into nearly any type of project. They are perfect for teaching with PowerPoint and using as backgrounds for Scripture texts. Other programs are designed to lead you by the hand; this library is designed to be a tool to be used in as many ways by as many different people as possible.
How do you install the program?
There is no program to install. This is born out of a dislike for yet another program modifying the registry and stealthily stealing resources in the background. Furthermore, these volumes are designed to be tools; the pictures are provided for you to use and manipulate in whatever program you like (PowerPoint, Photoshop, etc.). Usually when pictures are packaged with an "engine," it makes it difficult if not impossible to use the pictures in another way (often this is by design). The intent of these collections is to provide pictures for use in countless ways.
Can you offer me a better price if I buy the complete set?
Yes. The complete Historic Views collection of 20 volumes is available for $199. If you purchase it as part of the Ultimate Teaching Set, the discount is 45% for everything.
Do you have a question that's not answered here? Let us know!
Last Revised: May 20, 2021