The following call for applications for the 2009 field school in archaeological science (see reports on last year’s field school, here and here, and general information here), to be held as part of the Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project’s upcoming season has been published.

Here is a nice picture of the archaeological science field school as it looks in the excavation area and how it is integrated into the regular field work of the project

And here’s a picture of some of the field office lab facilities in which results are analyzed in the afternoon/evening, after the day’s work in the field

See below for the full text of the call:

Call for applicants for participation in the course
“Field school on archaeological science”
(For students who are registered in universities outside Israel)

The course “Field school on archaeological science” is offered by The Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology, Bar-Ilan University, and the Kimmel Center for Archaeological Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel. Registered students will participate in the excavation of the Biblical site Tell es-Safi, identified with Philistine Gath. The purpose of the course is to expose the students to interdisciplinary research that involves archaeology and the natural sciences, in the field. The students will experience interactive work that combines excavation and analysis of materials using an on-site laboratory. The course will emphasize the inter-connection between laboratory analyses and the archaeological context, and will include fieldwork, laboratory work, and lectures.

The course will take place between July 12th and 17th, 2009. Accommodation and food will be supplied by the excavation organizers at Kibbutz Revadim. The cost for students who are not registered at Bar-Ilan University is $400 per week. The Kimmel Center will cover the costs for two weeks for the most qualified student (one scholarship only). Applicants with little or no archaeological experience must participate in one week of excavations at Tell es-Safi/Gath between July 5th and 10th, 2009. An option for participation in a supervised one week project at the site is available between July 19th and 24th, 2008 upon confirmation with the course organizers.

The course is worth 2 US academic credits. Students interested in receiving the credit will have to pay an additional sum of $200 to Bar-Ilan University.

Course organizers and their fields of expertise:
Prof. Steve Weiner (WIS): mineralogical analyses, phytoliths, site formation processes
Dr. Elisabetta Boaretto (BIU and WIS): radiocarbon dating, materials analysis
Dr. Ehud Weiss (BIU and WIS): paleoethnobotany
Dr. Ruth Shahack-Gross (BIU and WIS): geoarchaeology, micromorphology

Applications are limited for students from third year undergraduates through Masters and doctoral studies. The best 10 students will be selected. Applications should include one paragraph explaining why the student is interested in participating in this course, CV, list of grades and two names of referees, and sent no later than March 1st 2009 to:
Dr. Elisabetta Boaretto
Kimmel Center for Archaeological Science
Weizmann Institute of Science
Rehovot 76100
Israel
E-mail: Elisabetta.Boaretto@Weizmann.ac.il

Todd Bollen, who runs an excellent blog and website on biblical studies and biblical archaeology related issues, has compiled a list of the 8 most important finds in biblical archaeology for this year.

Number 2 on the list is Tell es-Safi/Gath. What is particularly nice is that Todd places the Tell es-Safi/Gath excavations in the list, not on the basis of this or that particular find, but based on the overall finds and general contibution that the Tell es-Safi/Gath excavations has provided on a wide variety of issues.

Thanks Todd!!

And guys and girls – sign up for the season!

Aren

The January/February 2009 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review has appeared, and although I have not yet received my printed copy, much of it has appeared online. This is, apparently, the “Dig Issue” – which in addition to the regular articles, has a list of the digs that will take place this summer. Clearly, this is an important issue for all those interested in joining a dig in the summer, and needless to say, for those of us who want the volunteers to join a specific dig … (YES! do join our team at Tell es-Safi/Gath!!!).

In any case, from what I have seen online, Tell es-Safi/Gath has made it into this BAR issue in at least two places.

The first is in the article about high-tech archaeology, which includes not only several pictures of the people digging at Tell es-Safi/Gath, but also has a very nice small section about the archaeological science work going on at the dig, and in particular, the field labs that we have on site (discussing some of the importance of this unique feature) and the similarly unique field school in archaeological science (which is conducted on site, along with our “regular” field school in field archaeology).

In addition, there is a very nice piece about one of our volunteers from last year, Yvonne Oleson, who received a grant from the BAS to join the dig. In a very nice piece, “Vonnie”, who joined the dig along with her husband Ole, describes her experiences at the dig, which seem to have been very positive…

Check it out these very nice articles – they give a very nice view of the some of the fascinating and enthralling experiences that one can have as part of the team. Do join us!

I await to see the printed version which should arrive in the mail in the near future.

Aren

Today, the 100,000 websurfer visited the blog. Although I would like to offer the lucky person a life-time free entry to the Tel Zafit national park (which is free anyway …), I don’t know who it is, so anyone who surfed to the site today can think it was him/her…

And by the way, do you realize what this says about what SO MANY people have to do with their free time on a regular basis?
:-)

Here’s the staff (end of 2002 season) looking towards to future…

Many more years to go,

Aren

Just got the great news that Joe Uziel, long time member of the Safi staff and currently, the Area Supervisor of Area D (the lower city), has just had his PhD cofirmed, and so, as of now, he may be officially be called Dr. Uziel!!

Joe’s thesis, which is entitled: The Southern Coastal Plain of Canaan During the Middle Bronze Age (Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 2008), is a regional study of the Southern Coastal Plain of Canaan during the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 2000-1550 BCE), based on previous studies (excavations and surveys) of the regions and the publication of the MB finds from two previously unpublished excavations – Tel Nagila and Tel Yavneh Yam. Joe carried out an in-depth analysis of the material culture, settlement pattern and political structure, and I believe produced a study that will be of much importance for anyone studying the coastal plain in general, and the Land of Israel during the MB.

Mazal tov! Mabruk! Great work!

Aren

P.S. We now have so many Doctors on the staff of the Safi excavations that we should open a clinic and start treating patients … My expertise will be dealing with “chronic cracked pots” …

Yesterday I found out that some @#$%^&* unknown delinquents seriously vandalized the new signs and outlooks that were set up at Tell es-Safi/Gath by the Nature and Parks Authority!!! Here is an article (in Hebrew) on the results of this horrible event with some pictures.

I do hope that these @#$%^& villains will be caught and punished.

Boy – are those guys lucky I was not on site that day!! As some of you may know, although I’m generally a very docile, friendly and gentlemanly type, when my “Mr. Hyde” side comes out, it is not a pretty sight …

I do hope the Nature and Parks Authority will be able to fix the signs before the summer…

Aren

One of the most fascinating, and probably promising avenues for the study of human antiquity is the study of ancient human genetics. These studies have opened up fanstastic windows to the past, relating to diverse aspects such as unique populations groups, origin of modern humans, development of language, etc (see an example of these studies here and here). As usual, along with the interesting and important studies, there has been a lot of “bunk”, which some of you may have already come across..

In recent years there has been quite an intense ongoing discussion, and debate, regarding studies on the genetic origins of the jews and other related populations. In fact, even Nadia Abu el-Haj (know from other aspects) has been involved in this … (see some of these discussions, here and here). Also in this case, a lot of good science, and lot of very bad science, has been intertwined …

Just now, a fascinating study on the genetics of the Druze has just appeared (and summarized briefly here), which demonstrates that they are a unique, and very old “genetic refuge” – which offers a fascinating glimpse of the genetic makeup of the near east thousand of years ago.

The future potential of genetic studies in archaeology, is, in my opinion, one of the most fascinating, and promising paths which will be taken in the next few decades. In fact, if in the future we should find sufficiently preserved bones of the Philistines, in which the DNA has been preserved, it might be possible to reveal some fascinating aspects regarding the origins, and connections, with regions outside and inside the Levant. This is one aspect that I hope we can develop at the Tell es-Safi/Gath project in future years.

Read the article – very interesting.

Aren

Today, I recieved my copy of the new, 5th, supplementary volume of the New Encylclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land, which is chock full of many interesting articles on all kinds of sites in Israel, Palestine and Jordan which have been excavated since the original 4 volume encyclopedia was put out in the early 90’s. Much thanks and congrads to Prof. Ephraim Stern and the editorial staff of the IES for putting out this important volume!

Among other articles, there is an a summary of the work conducted at Tell es-Safi between 1996 and 2002 (pages 2079-2081 in the volume). This article was submitted quite a few years ago, so clearly, it is not up-to-date. Nevertheless, it does include a nice survey of various issues that have been broached in our excavations, and provides a nice English overview of the excavations.

Aren

As promised, I finally got down to writing something about the very nice ceremony that I participated in on Wednesday afternoon (April 2, 2008).

Here is a nice view of the tell from the north

The story goes like this: Several years ago, when the Israeli National Electric Company requested to expand the “Zafit” electric station, which is just to the north of Tell es-Safi/Gath, they were granted their request on the condition that they give substantial funds for environmental conservation in the region. Due to this, ca. 1000000 NIS were allocated for works on the Tel Zafit National Park and the Elah Valley Nature Reserve. Following a very impressive collaboration between the Yoav Regional Council, the Nature and Parks Authority, the Antiquities Authority, the Keren Kayemet (the Jewish National Fund), and several other public institutions, over the last year or so, work has been carried out at Tell es-Safi/Gath, as part of the planned opening of the “Tel Zafit National Park“.

In addition, quite a large crowd of people came, including members of the el-Azi family (including the Sheikh, Yunis el-Azi), some of the Safi staff (Uri Reiss and Amit Dagan), members of Kibbutz Kfar Menachem (where up till recent seasons, we used as our field base during the summer), local school children, and many others. There was even a local choir that sang some songs during the ceremony.

As I mentioned already awhile ago, among other things, they blocked off the site for 4X4 vessels, made some very nice paths, put up signs, and in general, cleaned up and fixed up the site.

On Wednesday, they had the official opening, with a ceremony, at which a whole bunch of public figures talked – and also yours truly … :-)

Here I am talking during the ceremony with all the banners and flags behind me.

Truthfully, it was very exciting and to a large extent, a dream come true – in which after so many years of hard work by the Safi team, the importance of the site, both for cultural AND enviromental heritage, was officially “put on the map.”

Particularly impressive are the signs along the paths at different parts of the tell. Most impressive is the lookout spot on the top of the tell with signs pointing out the various sites that can be seen from the top, as well as the very nice metal pole which points out the 4 other cities of the Philistine Pentapolis (Ekron, Ashdod, Ashkelon and Gaza).

Here I am standing on the top of the tell, under the sign pointing to the 4 other cities of the Philistine Pentapolis.

Note as well the very nice metal images of two Philistine warriors (ala the Rameses III reliefs from Medinet Habu) at the entrance to the site.

Here is the entrance sign under the tell, with the two Philistine warriors straddling the sign.

And by the way – the very nice pictures here were taken by Amit Dagan of the Safi staff – thanks Amit!

The “new look” of the site will be something for the team of the 2008 summer season to enjoy!

Aren

For those of you who are interested, I just came across a very nice summary on the Philistines in German, written by Carl Ehrlich, in the online Bibellexikon.

Although the part about Tell es-Safi/Gath could be longer and more updated in my opinion, and I would add, or change, a thing here or there in the article, it is a very nice, well-written and balanced survey of the relevant historical, archaeological, and biblical data about the Philistines.

I’ve added to the blog roll.

Nice job Carl!

Aren