Last Days

Hey everyone!!! Thanks for all the comments. It is so good to hear from all of you. Glad you like the pics, will post more Sat. night. Only 2 more days left of digging, then it is clean-up and mountains of paperwork. Pretty soon you will be hearing about the trip, not my dig. I will let you all know about the finds of the dig after our wrap-up talk. Miss you all.

My Square Now

The grinding stone

Roman Siege Ramp at Masada

Ein Gedi (David Waterfall)

Cable Car to Masada

Finishing up the Weekend

The rest of the weekend wasn't as much fun as Sat., but it was nice. The best part was swimming in the Mediterranean. The rip tide was really bad, but it was wonderful just to be in the ocean again. The rest of the day was more archaeological sites (walls, cisterns, rocks). We got back at a decent time which was good. Monday and Tuesday at the dig were fun. We do have less people now, so it is a little more demanding...but we are finding some amazing stuff. Today we came upon a layer that contained a bunch of pottery pieces and a grinding stone. The stone is really cool (kinda looks like the obelisk in the movie 2001 Space Odyssey). Looking forward to my sister coming up. She will love it here. Thanks for all the comments!!! I miss seeing and talking to everyone. Grandma H (or witch Hazel) thanks for the mail!!! The weather has gotten a little warmer here at the Tel as well (i think Egypt will be quite toasty). I got my "exam" the other day. It will be really easy (too bad it is only the exam for here and has nothing to do with the credit for the classes i am taking). I have to draw a map of ancient sites in Israel, write 2-3 paragraphs on one of the major time periods, discuss the square I worked in and lastly give them feedback about the dig experience. Man oh Man do I wish that was all I had to do. I am going to attempt to upload some pics!

Dead Sea/Masada

I know I have been asked for more pics and they are on the way, just need to borrow someone else's camera. Let me tell you about my weekend. We started off heading towards the Dead Sea, which takes us through Jerusalem. We then start heading down as the Dead Sea is 1300 ft. below Sea Level. The drive takes us through the Negev desert (also known as the Judean Wilderness). Nothing grows here, but there are a lot of bedouin with their flocks, horses and of course CAMELS!!! (was very excited to finally see some camels, kinda want to ride one...and buy a stuffed camel...okay, moving away from the camel...). As we drive down the sea comes into view as well as an oasis called Ein Gedi. There are palm trees and cultivation here, which stands out from the bleakness of the desert. The oasis is fed by a waterfall called David's Stream (connections with 2 samuel). The temp. difference is quite amazing as you hike up the hill. Too bad a fire ravaged part of the site. After the 30 min. climb it would've been nice to jump in, but alas, no swimsuit. We next went to the Dead Sea. Thought it would smell bad (kinda like Salt Lake) but it doesn't. There is an area where you can go in a float as well as cover yourself with that Dead Sea mud. I did not go in because I thought it would be nice to do something with Melissa that I had not already done. Next was Masada. Now this is an amazing wonderful amazing place that cannot be described in words. Hopefully some pics that I post will help, but...it is breathtaking. The site stands above the desert on a plateau and you can see for miles because you are so high up. Of course, there has to be a downfall, and, there was. I now know what hell feels like and let me tell you...it is VERY hot (please bring plenty of sunscreen). The temp. was about 107 F with no breeze. HOT, very very HOT. But, I will take Melissa there (can't be the only Keerins who has been to hell and back). That was the end of our day so we drove to Arad, which is situated in the desert. It consists of 2 areas. One built for the Bedouin and one built for everyone else. ( you can guess which part is nicer). 14 of our group left in the morning (very sad, miss them already) so we are much smaller now. A few more people leave on Tuesday. Well, I have to go wash and read some pottery so will fill you in on Sunday (Tell Arad, Beer Sheva, Asheklon, Swimming in the Med and Lachish) and hopefully put up some pics. Miss you all!!! Please write comments to me!!! I want to know what is going on and what I am missing.

Food

I have been asked many times about what I have been eating. Well, it is good, but does tend to repeat often. For Breakfast on the site we get bread, cheese (several types), tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggs, some sort of neon red jelly and nutella spread. Sometimes there is yogurt and pudding. Lunch and Dinner at Neve Shalom has hummus, salads, pickles, beets, olives, potato salad, sometimes an amazing avacodo salad, cooked vegetables and a meat (usually chicken and once a week fish). Bread is always available and often fruit. There is always tea and coffee (instant or turkish), but milk is not always easy to find. I keep milk and juice in the fridge from our once a week grocery runs. On the weekends our food varies widely. Falafel and shwarma (gyros), McDonalds, pizza and buffets at the hotels. I am ready for some Tex Mex and margaritas when I get back.

Taking a Day Off

Well, I did not go to the site today, stayed back to some of the other work that needs to be done on an archaeological dig. This means I washed bone and marked pottery. When it comes to marking pottery...only the really good stuff that we uncover actually gets kept, the rest goes back to Tel Gezer. We must write on the pottery we keep certain information so that people can always access the pottery for papers, museums and the like. You have to write really small (something which I do well). Tonight is a huge concert by Robert Waters of Pink Floyd. I guess he sings some of his own stuff, as well as Pink Floyd hits. It is happening right below us and they are expecting 35,000 to 50,000 people to show up for the concert. No sleep for us diggers tonight!!!! But there is a plus, we get to watch and listen to a free concert. And...since we are digging around rock walls..."another brick in the wall" really actually fits. So long all!!!

Roman Colonade - Beit Shean

Very Sorry

Having problems uploading pics today. I will try again tom. forgot to tell you all that we did go to the Jordan River also. Wish me luck with pics!!

What a Weekend!!

boker tov everyone!!! I have just had the busiest weekend of my life!! We started out on Friday at 10 am and went to Mini Israel. This place has mini versions of ancient, old and new buildings and the like. I really felt like playing Putt Putt the entire time (that is not allowed by the way). We then moved Cesarea (spelling prob. wrong) Maratima which is a mainly Roman site that the infamous Pilate once lived. Has a great ancient port under the water that I would love to dive on. The aqueduct system is huge and streches across the beach. We then got to Galilee, but it was late so we justate dinner and went to bed. The next morning we went to Hazor, a site that was very impt. during the Middle and Late Bronze Age (Solomon). We also went to Tel Dan, another site similar to Hazor but set in a nature preserve, so it was really pretty. The entrance gate architetchure that is surving is amazing. We then moved on to Cesarea Phillipai (also known as the Caves of Pan and Banias). Here is a sacred pool with healing powers associated with the Greek satyr god Pan. We then got the chance to going swimming in the Sea of Galilee. It is very rocky for a long way out...so you are walking in water that comes only up to your thighs for quite some time. It was refreshing to swim!! I then enjoyed a beer with a few others on the dig (it was about time I could have a beer, but so sorry Coors folks...it was not a Coors product). The next morning we went to see the Galilee boat (or the Jesus boat). I was exicted about this because one of my professors from A&M was in charge of this site. We then set off to see some churches (transfiguation, mount of beattitudes and multipication of the loaves and fishes) then moved on to Caperneum (the home of Peter). We also went to another Bronze Age site of Meggido and a Roman site Biet Shian. I hope this tired you all out reading it!!! Will update soon about the work on my site and what else is going on with the people here, now that I really know them. Amy and Bryanna...it was great to hear from you, keep an eye out for a postcard Bry. Grandma Hazel...I recieved my letter yesterday in the mail. It was great and EVERYONE was jealous (which makes me feel good) Thanks alot!! Keep sending me comments and tell me how all of you are doing.

Quick Note

Hey Everyone...we are heading out to the Sea of Galilee Fri, Sat and Sun. I will try my best to update the site on Sunday. If not, it will be there on Monday. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

My Square

Back to the Dust

EnShallah. Well we have been back to work for 3 days now. Up until today, nothing much was happening in our square. We have opened a new 4 meter square below the one we are working on, haven't found much yet. And found that our square had a room in it!! I will send a pic tomorrow (I hope). I have learned to hand draw rock to scale (but i do it very badly). Got alot of sun today since I worked outside of the shade, but no burn...still just getting tan. We have a 'free' day on friday, which means no working on the tell. We have breakfast at 8 am then have 2 hours to pack ALL our luggage so we can store it while we are gone (Neve Shalom is giving us a really good price, so we clear out on weekends so they can rent the rooms). We will leave at 10 am to start our weekend. Don't know all the places we are going, but do know we will be staying in a hotel at the Sea of Galilee (fingers crossed for softer bed and more hot water). My mother (who I have described here as having a wicked sense of humor) asked about classes. A few lectures have been so-so, but most interesting enough to keep me awake. Yesterday's lecture was the best so far, it was about zooarchaeology (study of animal bones in an archaeological context). I was always interested in Forensics so it was cool. Thanks again for all the comments, glad you all are enjoying them!!

Weekend in Jerusalem

Shalom!! Sorry it has been a few days since an update, but I was under the weather yesterday. The dust at the site is a very fine powder (it could double as lunar dust) and so you breathe alot in. I spent yesterday coughing all that lovely dirt right back out. Fun.... Anyways, the weekend in Jerusalem was fun and annoying all at the same time. We spent one day in the Christian Quarter and walked down the Via Dolorosa and visited the Church of the Holy Speculre (spelling is way off I am sure). That church is built on what some think the hill of the crucifixion was as well as the tomb of Jesus. It was quite interesting and is shared by Greek and Russian Orthodox Christians. We then went into the markets that are open on Sat. (the are the ones run by Muslims as Sat. is the Jewish Sabbath). The markets were so much fun!!! For lunch we ate falafel (chickpea patties) with hummus and vegetables. We continued on to the Mount of Olives and overlooked all of Jerusalem. On Sunday it was time to visit the Jewish Quarter. We started off my going to the Rockerfeller museum (really cool, built on top of an excavated archaeological site) and then headed to the burnt house (a little museum about a 1st cent. AD house burnt when the Romans burnt down Jerusalem). We went off on our own for lunch and I had (surprise surprise) falafel again. We then went on to the Western (or Wailing) Wall. This is where many Jews come to pray and leave prayers in the wall. It is considered a very holy site and you have to be dressed correctly (skirt covering to knees, shirt covering most of arms and head covered). You are supposed to back away from the wall, not turning your back to it for most of the way. It was really cool to go there. We did not get to the Temple Mount, but am hoping to go later with Melissa. We visited the site were they think that King David was buried, inside a beautiful building. We lastly went to the Cardo, a roman "mall" with pillars and a rich history since it was were much of the trade took place, the market I guess. What was annoying about the 2 days was our tour guide. Those of you who have seen Monty Python...please think of the French soldier who taunts King Arthur. Remember his voice? With that really bad French accent? This is what our guide sounded like. He also repeated himself at least 10 times. I now know way to many ways to phrase "this is King David's Tomb". He was horrible!!!! But at least the city was fun!! We are going to Galilee next weekend. Will give you more info. on how the dig is progressing tomorrow.

Jerusalem

Melanie in Jerusalem

One week down

Well, it has been a week!! Amazing. The site is going along well...going to try my best to post a picture (keep your fingers crossed). In my area we are working on digging around a wall and trying to find the floor. Didn't find much these past few days execpt some fine delicate pottery. Have found way to many scorpions. Killed about 5 today alone!! I am learning how to 'supervise' a square. This is very important because it could mean I could actually get paid to do this next year!! It is hard work, but learning how to work a surveying machine to take levels, draw an accurate 1:50 scale map of my square and other paperwork things that are not as interesting. Washed pottery for the first time after digging today (very sad as it cuts into nap time). Takes about 2 hours to get the pot sherds clean!! We are going into Jerusalem this weekend. On Sat we will go into the "Christian" Quarter which includes walking down the Mount of Olives, walking the Via Dolorosa and visiting several chruches and markets. On Sun we will go into the "Jewish" Quarter of the city. I will update and tell you all how it was. It is great to hear from all of you. To the coors group: I have been asked many times what it is like working at a brewery...I think many here think that all we do is drink beer!!! Lindsey: The backpack is great!!!

Miss you all

Actual Archaeology

Shalom! Good to hear from all of you with your comments. It is hard not having a phone! Today (Wed. June 7th) we actually started digging in the square I am assigned to. We have an interesting square because there is several occupation levels visible from Early Bronze Age to Iron Age (i.e. a VERY long time). We found a Hellenistic (Greek era) measurment stone, some bone, some ivory and a ton of pottery. Tomorrow we will be digging out the wall that runs thru part of square. We got all of our shade tarps up so it was much cooler today on the site but...i do already have tan lines...my sock line at the ankle is quite amusing. It almost looks like I am wearing socks when I am not! I will try to post pics tomorrow (using someone else computer and card reader so not always sure when I can access stuff). This weekend we are going on our first travel outside of Neve Shalom and Tel Gezer so I am really excited. Can't wait to see Jerusalem and other sites. The food is quite good here and geared towards vegetarians, so I have been eating well and drinking water and turkish coffee (which is actually more chewed than drunk...). Miss you all!!

Here at last/first days digging

Hello or Shalom everyone. I am here in Israel after my wonderful 2 day flight. It actually wasn't too bad, spent my 15 hour layover in London with my old flatmates. We sat around a park, ate food and had fun talking and catching up. Even enjoyed a beer before going back to the airport. Landing in Israel was so exciting...i was ready to not be sitting in an airplane seat. Caught a taxi to Neve Shalom where I am staying. It is right between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Spent my Sunday sleeping, showering, eating and then sleeping again!!
I have now spent two days digging in the dirt at Tel Gezer (funny...Gezer means carrot in modern hebrew). The weather is hot (high 80's low 90's) and the sun is brutal by afternoon. We get on the bus to take us to the site at 5 am. Once on the site we work in the cool of the morning, then eat our breakfast at 8:30. After that we go back up and work some more. Our fruit break is at 11 and we finish at 12:30. Water is so important here, it is amazing how much one needs to drink while on the site to not get dehydrated (i drink about 4 liters on the site). We are opening up 10 new squares (will post pics soon) so we have been cleaning up the site, which means weeding as well as marking everything out in 5 meter sections. Today (Tuesday June 6th) I was on the Shade Crew (meant I was popular). We are setting up tarps over the squares for shade from the sun. Hope to tell you more soon!

testing the system

Just making sure I know how to work everything

Ready??

The day before I leave for my trip and I just got this set up for everyone!!