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Today, June 14th, we are exactly 3 weeks before the beginning of the 2009 season (July 5th-31st). Things are beginning to fall together for the season, and a few updated are in order.
First of all, in the last few weeks we have had quite a few last minute/late signups, and the team has grown to quite in impressive size.
As of today (and today I received a registration package from someone!), we will be about 60 team members in the first week, 90 in the 2nd, 80 in the 3rd, and then 25 in the 4th. In light of the small numbers that had signed up up to quite recently, this is quite a nice development, particularly in light of the tight economic situation throughout the world. Who knows – perhaps we can serve as one of the indicators that the world financial crisis is over the worst…
As far as the plans for the summer season, we will be focussing our work in Area A and most of the team will be there. Our main objectives in Area A are to excavate in the Iron Age levels and in particular, to reach various Iron Age I levels in an extensive exposure as possible, including the earlier phases of the Iron I, which in previous season have only been exposed in a very limited manner in Area A (and in Area F as well). We hope to get a nice, “robust” representation of these important phases of the early stages of the Philistine culture.
In addition, we will have a small group working in Area F doing some very focused probes (directed by Jeff Chadwick) and perhaps, a small group working with Itzik Shai in Area E (depending on the results of the analyses carried out a few weeks ago. In addition, we will have a large team of archaeological scientists (up to 22-23 in the 3rd week) working in Area A with us, including the students in the archaeological science field school.
All told, it looks like we are going to have a great season and we should have some great finds.
I hope to keep updating on the blog, both in the preparations in the next few weeks, and needless to say, during the excavations as well.
Aren
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