The mound of Megiddo from the southeast, Samaria, Palestine

In the 19th century, the stereoscope emerged as one of the most dazzling innovations of the era. Through stereoscopic photography, two subtly offset images were captured, mimicking how our eyes perceive the world, creating a single image that brimmed with depth and realism. This invention’s ability to transport the viewer through a virtual voyage made it very popular with audiences eager to see the “Holy Land” as depicted in biblical stories. The invention especially fuelled the “Holy Land” mania in the United States, with companies like Underwood & Underwood and Keystone View Company publishing and distributing educational and collectible stereographs of Palestine that reached hundreds of thousands in America. Despite their steep price tag, these stereographs were purchased by many middle-class American families and schools.