With apologies for the delay in posting, the 2009 season started with great success on Sunday, with the appearance of the group (we are just above 60 this week). We seem to have a really nice group – and it looks like we are going to have a great time!
On Monday, excavations started, and now, following the first three days, we can definitely say that things are going really well!

Even though I look like I’m having a hard time, actually, things are going well…

We are working in several areas:
Area A, situated on the eastern side of tell, is the main excavation area. This area, directed by Alex Zukerman, is divided into several sub areas, directed (from east to west), by Amit Dagan, who is excavating is Iron I layers, Louise Hitchcock (Melbourne) who is also excavating Iron I levels, Jill Katz (YU) who is excavating from surface into the Iron IIA destruction level, and Cynthia Shafer-Eliot (Sheffield) who is also excavating from surface and has so far hit the Iron IIB levels.
In addition, we have a small probe in Area E, directed by Itzik Shai (BIU), who is excavating in the LB. In Area F, near the summit of the tell, Jeff Chadwick (BYU) is working with a small crew on various issues, at this stage mainly concentrating on the early Iron I levels.
And finally, the archaeological science team, directed by Steve Weiner, is conducting various excavations and samplings throughout the excavations.

Today, Wednesday, we had a few very interesting results. Louise and her team uncovered a complete late Iron I Philistine bell-shaped bowl, just near where we had uncovered another bowl and a strainer jug few years ago.

Here is a foto of Dean, one of Louise’s students, as he is finishing to uncover the bowl.

In Jill’s area, after just a few days of digging from surface, they are clearly on the top of the 9th cent. BCE “Hazael” destruction, which we have seen often in this area, but we now hope to uncover additional parts of the possible cultic-oriented building which in previous seasons yielded some very interesting finds. This area should have many interesting finds in the next few weeks.
Next to Jill, Cynthia’s team has come down to surface on the late 8th cent. BCE level (Stratum A2), which we have uncovered before in this area, and it seems that she is about to expose architecture and vessels.
Amit is working in Iron I levels, and should be coming up with some interesting results very soon.
Jeff reports that he is working on an early Iron I level with Myc IIIC pottery, evidence of the earliest stage of the Philistine occupation on the site.

Finally, yesterday we had a very nice tour of Tel Zayit, led by the director of the excavations, Prof. Ron Tappy.

Here is Ron and yours truly at Tel Zayit.

So that’s a quick update for some of the things going on in the first few days – more to come!

Aren