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2006 Megiddo Dig Blog
Meet our bloggers
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Kristine Merriman is a junior from Augusta, Georgia. She has a double major in archaeology and chemistry and attended the dig at Kabri, Israel, last summer. She’ll be at Megiddo for the full seven weeks and hopes to find research materials at the dig for study next fall.
Blade Smith, from Idaho Falls, Idaho, is also a junior. He is a geology major with a lifelong interest in archaeology. This is his first dig; he joined the excavation because he wanted to experience archaeology first hand.
Thoughts and encouragement for the bloggers
I can see where your family and school would want you home. I am 70 plus and scheduled for the Biblical Archaeology Society Israel Tour in September. I would say 2/3 of the tour is Haifa, Megiddo, Sepphoris to Dan and Tiberias and all the great sites in the northern Galilee. Oye Vey...who knows, we'll have to see. Sounds like you kids had a ball, worked your tachuses [behinds] off and learned a lot more about the world that I wish you didn't have to know, but the world is made up of many things.
One thing I carry with me is this thought I got from somewhere way back when: When down in the mouth, remember Jonah, he came out all right.
Shalom, lehitraot [au revoir in Hebrew] and see ya'll—
Marvin Hart, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
20 July 2006
Conflict in the Middle East is truly an unfortunate thing. As I wrote last week, the Israel-Lebanon conflict directly affected us at Megiddo. While we were safe at the kibbutz and at the site, a good number of us decided to leave early. When a few missiles hit the Jezreel Valley we began to rethink our situation. My University, professors, and family wanted me home with them and I wanted to be at home with them. I began to fell nervous about what could happen in the following days and how hard it could be to leave should something more serious happen. I am sad that I had to leave early, but I am happy to be at home watching the occurrences from afar. I had a wonderful time at Megiddo and plan to return next season in 2008. I hope everyone has enjoyed the blog over the last weeks. I certainly enjoyed writing it. Until next time!
—Kristine Merriman
Dig Q & A
The Stories Behind the Artifacts
Q. Archeology is fascinating, not the least of which is the human story of the objects found. Alluring to me are the 'stories' that must be a part of, though distantly removed, from the objects. Have either of you surmised about the people involved in the objects you unearth? What kinds of stories do you tell yourselves when you find pieces. Has there ever been a particular piece that really reasonated in your imagination?
Deborah
A. It is extremely interesting to think of these things as you dig. I constantly did this at Megiddo. I often wonder about the story of the pottery that I picked up. How did it break? Was someone careless, or was it possibly destroyed in an attack?
The most interesting artifact to me is flint, which arrowheads are made of. We are constantly finding pieces of this, and as a geology major, I am fascinated about the uses for this rock. These are the objects that always resonate in my imagination. I always wonder if the person ever finished the piece. Flint is extremely hard to break into specific pieces correctly, so I always wonder if the person making the arrowhead (or spear, etc) finished the job or if he/she accidently broke the piece and never completed the weapon. Of course, we all also made stories about every single artifact that we ever found, and sometimes during the hot days of digging, these stories became extremely far fetched and ridiculous. But they were a lot of fun to think about!
—Blade Smith
A. The stories of the people who lived in these ancient places are great things to think about during the sometimes tedious hours on a dig. I was digging domestic architechture, so thoughts of the people were constantly on my mind. One particular object did bring these thoughts to mind. In area K, we found a large quantity of grinding stones. When I found one, I thought about the women who used these stones to prepare food for their families. What did they think about as they ground the grain for breads? What were the songs she sang to herself or to her children? The people who owned these objects didn't live lives that were extremely different from our own. It is interesting to think about what was done on a particular surface, or how a jar was used. These stories got us through the third and fourth days of clearing a surface or a wall. It is what makes archaeology a little more fun.
—Kristine Merriman
Dig Q & A
Memories of Israel
Dear Diggers,
In 2001 I had the great pleasure of participating in the dig at Bethsaida. Our group stayed at Nauf Ginosaur kibbutz. We ate in the kibbutz dining hall—the upper floor of a community building with large sliding glass windows that were left open to let the breezes flow through.
The food was so-so, but the atmosphere and the company was great. We were greatly amused by the barn swallows nesting in the rafters above our heads, and got used to being "buzzed" occasionally. During supper one night, a swallow made a strafing run over my table and turned loose a "load." My friend across from me thought her plate was the target, but we could find no "ammunition," so she heaved a sigh of relief... until she stood up to leave and found a "bomb" splattered down the front of her shorts! Just think... there was only a couple of inches separating her lap from her plate!
Those of us who were there dubbed the dining hall the "Swallow Inn."
At lunchtime another day, some school-age children, supervised by two women, were eating at a table near the window. Two of the local dogs got into a fight under the table (scrappin' over scraps maybe??). One women snatched a dog by the scruff, hauled it from under the table, turned around, and unceremoniously dropped it out the window! Seeing as how there was a narrow walkway just beneath the window, the dog was unharmed, and soon reappeared, trotting back up the stairs and into the dining hall to resume his mooching.
I have been to Israel three times and traveled from border to border. It is endlessly interesting to me, and I would go back in a heartbeat. I enjoyed the people. I miss the food (Swallow Inn aside). Every day I pray for the peace and safety of those I met there.
B. Hall
Topeka, KS
Dig Q & A
Thanks for the update
Thanks to Kristine for her latest update on the situation to the north. I’m headed to the Apollonia-Arsuf dig on Sunday, August 20th. Herzliya, the town closest to the dig, seems out of harms way as it is just north of Tel Aviv on the coast. Also, I have family in Jerusalem who keep me posted. Like my family members, for me, life goes on. I have no plans to cancel my participation in the dig unless escalation causes folks at the dig to notify me otherwise. Our field trip was to Beit Shearim—a bit to the north but perhaps not involved. I do love your blog, and am grateful for BAR making the e-zine part of their communications. I’ll keep watching for your updates.
Gwyn Walcoff
Annapolis, MD
14 July 2006
I'm sure that those reading this are aware of the events that have transpired over the last few days between Israel and Lebanon. Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire across the border over the last two days. Cities that we know and have visited have been hit with missiles, and travel plans have been cancelled. We are all fine as the conflict is confined to the north of us; however we know people who have been sent home from other sites in the region. We are all paying very close attention to the news and are waiting to see what will happen in the next few days. It is my hope and prayer that the conflict will die down and a more peaceful climate will arise. We want everyone to know that we are safe and will keep in touch as the situation changes.
—Kristine Merriman
Dig Q & A
Can Anyone Join In?
Q. How does a layperson become a dig participant? Also, isn't the work mostly very tedious, such as sifting sand, dirt, etc inch by inch? So how does one maintain one's enthusiasm?
Digging hugs,
Mary Ann Burdett
Norman OK (home of the University of Oklahoma Sooners—sorry had to put that in! :) )
A. Anyone can participate in a dig! (Please come join us!!!) All you have to do is find a dig that interests you and apply. The process is very easy in most cases as you only need to fill out a one-age application and have the extra money to spend. Most digs you can find online, at places such as on the BAR website.
As for the nature of the work, it's not all tedious. We work with large tools and small tools. We work with pickaxes when we need to remove a lot of soil (going down up to 20 cm or more in a day). We work carefully and cleanly in order to see when a surface, feature, wall, or pottery accumulation rises. When these things do come up (we hope this happens, and it usually does), we use hand-picks, trowels, brushes and dust pans. We sift buckets of dirt only when we are removing the soil from an important surface. We also work in 4x4 meter squares, so it isn't quite on such a small level. The work can get a little tedious when articulating a floor, wall, or installation. The amazement that no one has seen these things in a few thousand years definitely helps our morale. We also make jokes, sing, whistle, and have great conversations within our squares and areas—there is always something to keep us amused.
—Kristine Merriman
A. There are many ways to become a dig participant. The internet is always a good option. You can look up many different digs and thus determine which ones suite your specific interests. The Biblical Archaeology Society website is a good place to start. They have information about the different digs occuring during the season. Also, if there is a university in your area with an archaeology department, they might also be able to help you in your search.
Yes, digging can be pretty tedious, but it all becomes worth it when you find something. When you realize that you are seeing objects that have not been seen for centuries, it becomes fun, and just like everybody who has dug before, you become addicted. At this point, maintaining enthusiasm becomes easy, as you find yourself digging for the pure joy of digging. It is a feeling that one never forgets.
—Blade Smith
11 July 2006
Part of the fun of a dig is the competition that always occurs. We have 5 areas open (H, J, K, L, and M)n and hence there are rivalries. With the rivalries come pranks. There are rivalries that have been ongoing and unresolved from many seasons past, and this season is no different. Area H and area J have had an ongoing rivalry for quite sometime now. This rivalry was 'resolved' at the end of the first session party with a treaty. This sounds nice, however in the treaty some of the areas were put under the control of area J. This did not make those areas very happy. So sometime last week, area J received a present during breakfast (see photo) and independence was declared. The story does not end there. Now, area K and area M have a plethora of buckets and other things labeled as belonging to J. We have yet to see what will happen from here. The rivalries, pranks, and amusement never cease.
—Kristine Merriman
Dig Q & A
Pure Bologna?
I just read your blog about how you don't see much by way of bologna sandwiches on a dig in Israel. I have to beg to differ here! When I was on my dig in Israel (I stayed at the Yad Hashmonah, and we dug at Khirbet el-Maqatir), we were supplied bologna for sandwiches every day. I made one once. A warm bologna sandwich with melted cheese is only good when you warm it on the stove, and not so good melted in the heat of the day. Yuck! Anyway, I enjoyed reading your blog because it made me reminisce. Thanks!
Shelly Bruschuk
Dig Q & A
You Say Tomato, I Say...
Q. Tomato sandwiches are one of the best you can get. Did they charge extra for the cucumber? Great food, too bad you didn't like it. Keep up the great work.
Charles Stanphill
Tulsa, OK
A. It is a good thing that they didn't charge extra for the cucumbers! As for the tomato sandwich... I am more a bologna and cheese fan myself. But you won't really see one of these in Israel or on the dig!
—Blade Smith
Dig Q & A
Age is No Barrier
Q. I have been an avid biblical archaeologist for the last 20 or so years and have visited Israel five times to satiate my appetite. I am still very hungry and will be going back next May for a three week visit. My wife has no interests in what she refers to as rocks but instead loves the vibrancy and culture of Israel. The question that I want to pose is a simple one—can a 60-year-old guy in good health actively participate in the activities of a dig? Will he be able to interact with other individuals in the field who will in most cases be younger than his daughter? Will he be accepted by them or will he simply feel out of place? Did anyone bring along a wife, and where did they stash her?
Paul Mayerowitz
A. Of course you could participate! One of the most interesting people I dug with was a 70-year-old gentleman from Washington DC who had recently retired. Everyone got along great. It is fantastic to have people of all ages participate and be able to share their knowledge and experience with others. As for the wife, well ... she would also like the experience of digging. I guarantee that she would find more than rocks! You could also contact the dig that you planned on participating on and ask if your wife could stay but not dig. They would be able to inform you of other alternatives.
—Blade Smith
Dig Q & A
Childhood Dreams of Digging
Q. Hi Bloggers! I just want to thank you both for your blogs. As a little girl, my first career dream was to be an archeologist. That was many years ago. I have been to Israel twice in the past 4 years and I am amazed at the progress of historical revelation at various sites across the land even between my visits. It is dedication and work like yours that helps us to see history in the present. I hope that you will appreciate the importance of your efforts and develop a passion that stays with you for your life.
Debra Berns
Moultrie, GA
A.
Thanks for your support! I had always wanted to be an archaeologist, especially since I was six and first saw Indianna Jones! I am glad that you are enjoying the blogs. We enjoy writing them and sharing our experiences with everyone. As for Israel changing with its historical revelations, it is truly occuring and we can only hope that it continues to do so. Perhaps we can answer many more complex historical questions concerning Israel because of the many dedicated archaeologists and volunteers that dig on this holy land.
—Blade Smith
4 July 2006
Today, my digging in Israel is half over. It is the Fourth, and I am not at home to celebrate the day with my family for the second year in a row. I miss my family and all the things we used to do (or not do) on this day in the past. Work goes on as usual; however, a few amends have been made to make those of us from the States feel a little bit more at home. First, at our 11:00 break, we had the treat of having cookies. Tonight we will barbecue and have a party—we will definitely enjoy ourselves this evening. The last thing that will be different from other days—the Italy-Germany World Cup soccer game is tonight. Although it starts at 10PM for us, many of us will stay up for it (this may be regretted when 4:15 comes around). The game is key, for it will determine how things go out on the tell tomorrow. Over all, while I do miss home, I am having a wonderful time.
—Kristine Merriman
Dig Q & A
Dig Software
Q. Hi. I am a South African post-grad archaeology student. Nice to read about life on the dig. On a technical level (no pun intended!), what computer software are you using to image the probable size and shape of the buildings etc?
Regards,
Keith Dowie
A. To my knowledge, we do not use any computer software to do these things. For shape and size, we have the floor plan that we dig. We extrapolate from the pieces of walls that we have, where there are corners, and thus the size of the building. If we can't do this from our drawn top plans (done every day), we open new squares in order to find new peices. As for the heights of buildings—we can guess the heights based on the thickness and sizes of the walls.
—Kristine Merriman
2 July 2006
The second session has officially begun—only four weeks left. The huge group of George Washington University students has left and have been replaced with Tel Aviv University students. It is interesting to see how moods change with new people. We had all gotten used to one another, and now those of us who are here for the seven weeks have to readjust to newcomers. Area K, usually quite musical, was very quiet this morning—happy, but quiet. My original square (O-11) has been closed as we came upon a stone pavement (now a marker for the level we want to find), and I have been moved to take over a new square (P-9). The new square is different from the last (mainly because there aren't 50 million stones of varying sizes!). It is a definite change of pace. On another subject: we graciously received ten extra minutes of sleep this morning! You wouldn't think that ten minutes makes a whole lot of difference, but the difference between getting up at 4:05 and 4:15 is remarkable. I think that it will be another great session.
—Kristine Merriman
Dig Q & A
Communicating On Site
Q. Dear Diggers,
How do you communicate on site? Is it all shouting back and forth? Does anyone use radios/head-sets? How are you blogging, and where are your computers located? And what are they connected to to link to the net?
I'm writing a story involving a dig site and have never been to one (yet), so I'm looking for experience and details.
Thanks in advance for any help you can give, and also thanks for your entertaining blogs!
Cheers,
—Spencer Grey
A. Anything you do and anywhere you go, you need communication. There are about 100 of us digging at Megiddo, so communication with each other is key to a smoothly running process. In my area, there are about 25 people, two or three in each square; we communicate simply by shouting across the squares. As for communication with any of the other areas, we usually send a diplomat from our ranks to negotiate. Area supervisors also have cell phones with which they can call other areas, the directors, or the office back at the kibbutz. Most of us also want to talk to the people we love and miss back home. Some of us (myself included) have cell phones with which we can speak with loved ones. We also have a room equipped with wireless Internet access for those of us who brought laptops with us. The Internet has definitely made things easy for me in terms of communication—email and instant messaging are amazing. All in all, our modes of communication aren't that much different from those at home.
—Kristine Merriman
June 30, 2006
Finally home! As I said earlier, this is bittersweet. I want to be home on the one hand, but on the other hand I will miss all my new friends and my new favorite place, Israel. It is weird coming home now. It feels like I left forever ago, but in reality I was only gone for three weeks. I am envious of the seven weekers, who get to dig in such an amazing spot for another four weeks. Even though I just got home, I am already looking forward to next summer and digging in Israel.
—Blade Smith
June 27, 2006
Excavating city walls is hard! This has been my job for the last few days. We have been working hard all this week, and it is going by so fast! It is also our last week here (for the three weekers). There are some people who are staying for the entire seven weeks, but alas, I am not one of them. It is bittersweet. On the one hand, I want to go home to a cheeseburger and a warm, soft bed. On the other hand, I am having a blast here and do not want to leave any earlier than I have to. But a weekend of sleep would be very nice to have at this point during the dig. It is funny that most of what we talk about now in our squares is about what we miss about home, such as food, pets, and our individual beds. But as I said earlier, we are all having a blast and all of us are disappointed that we are leaving in two days.
—Blade Smith
27 June 2006
So there were cows on the side of the tell as we were working the last two days. I'm not kidding—they brought cows out to the site to munch on the brush that covers the areas of the tell where we aren't working. It was an interesting sight. Work goes a little slowly in Area K, where we have been digging Late Bronze domestic architecture. The wall and pavement in my square have been extensively excavated. Three more squares have been opened in the last week, so there is plenty to do as we are once again halfway through our week. It is strange to think that in two days the makeup of our dig will change.
—Kristine Merriman
June 25, 2006
Back to work! That is exactly what happened after our short, two-day weekend. A large group of us went to Jerusalem. It is an amazing city! Haggling is the worst thing about Jerusalem (I found out how hard, and how horrible I was at it). Everything about the city is great. It is no wonder why everyone who visits Jerusalem swears to return sometime during his/her lifetime. You could spend weeks in this city and not be able to see everything. This was a great weekend until we returned. The lack of sleep has finally caught up with all of us. This morning we were all grumpy and extremely unhappy about waking up and working. But once we all started digging, this mood passed and we all had fun. We shall see what the rest of the week brings.
—Blade Smith
25 June 2006
You know that you are approaching an archaeological site when the first thing you see is a huge pile of pottery. That was the case as we visited the site of Tel Kedesh. Kedesh, on the border of Lebanon, has an amazing view of the surrounding countryside (however, I am still partial to my view from Megiddo's area K). I also visited Tel Bethsaida on the Galilee. The huge city gates and the preserved road were interesting to see and provided us with some interesting conversations on the way back. Work began again this morning and as some are approaching their departure at the end of the week it will be interesting to see how the week turns out.
—Kristine Merriman
June 21, 2006
Sunrise
courtesy of Professor Eric Cline
June 21, 2006
We are reaching the homestretch of the dig, which will also be the hardest portion. We only have one week of extreme digging left, preceded by a full weekend. I am hoping to catch up on sleep this weekend, but I am going to Jerusalem so this probably will not happen. We have the same schedule everyday, not to mention the same food. I have definetely decided that I will never eat a tomato or a cucumber again. I am torn on eating cheese—perhaps after a few months (or years) I will be able to stomach it again. Everyone here is looking forward to the weekend, which will start tomorrow after digging. It should be interesting to see what our last week at Megiddo will bring (hopefully something more than dirt).
—Blade Smith
Blade Smith at Breakfast
Kristine Merriman at Breakfast
courtesy of Professor Eric Cline
21 June 2006
In the middle of the second week, people are beginning to drag. We're getting tired, and some of us are a little annoyed with each other; I suppose that this is to be expected since we spend all of our time with each other. Everyone is looking forward to the weekend that approaches (the workweek ends here on Thursdays). A group of us is taking a trip to Tel Kedesh and Tel Bethsaida on Friday. The rest are traveling to Jerusalem for the weekend. It should be interesting to see what is going on at different sites this summer. I hope that everyone is in a better mood after the break, albeit a short one.
—Kristine Merriman
No light ... wrong shoes!
Carl Ward taking a nap.
courtesy of Professor Eric Cline
June 20, 2006
A Pickaxe Gallery
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courtesy of Professor Eric Cline
June 20, 2006
Bones are hard to dig up. Many things are piled on top of them; they always seem to be found in the bottom of everything. But they are also the most rewarding to excavate. We had a lecture on bones the other day (or what seems like several thousand years ago—a little archaeological humor there). We have been studying pottery recently. We have had many classes on pottery restoration, which is much like putting together a jigsaw puzzle but without the helpful picture. This takes an amazing amount of patience. But it is all interesting nonetheless. We all are tired here; this appears to be the part of the dig where we all begin to run out of gas. But we have all bonded, and we all are having a great time in the Holy Land.
—Blade Smith
20 June 2006
The Life of a Potsherd
Several thousand years ago a Bronze Age woman needed a new wine vessel. So, she went outside to make one—she gathered the clay and sat down at a wheel and made herself a new jar. She had it fired and began to use it. The wine vessel was praised for its simple beauty by the friends of this humble woman. Then one day the invaders came and the woman's husband decided to take his family out of the city and into the countryside—the beautiful vessel was left behind, later to be broken by the invaders. The shards were scattered and buried, not to be seen again. Then the archaeologists came and began to dig. Amongst the dirt and the stones, I found sherds from this once beautiful vessel. The sherds were put in a bucket and taken back to be washed. The sherds were washed and dried. Then others looked at them and saw that unlike other shrds they could not be restored. The sherd was taken by someone to adorn a shelf, until it changes places once again.
—Kristine Merriman
June 18, 2006
Latest Fashion Accessories at Megiddo
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courtesy of Professor Eric Cline
18 June 2006
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The weekend is over. While it was nice and relaxing, it was way too short. Today we searched for more of our floor and found more rocks—excuse me, stones. We had thought originally that some of the stones had fallen from the wall that is against the balk (the side of our excavation area). As we dug we found more and more of them—and they were not organized as in a wall. As we slaved under the sun, we found more and more stones. Some of them were small (about the size of my fist—most of these were removed), some of them were bigger, and some of them were flat out huge! It is nice that we have found them, as they must be something, but at the same time, it is more than slightly annoying to just find rocks. They are hard to articulate and work around. I hope that one of us will have a revalation or we will find something else that will tell us what these annoying stones are. Until then, we wash more pottery. |
—Kristine Merriman
June 18, 2006
The weekend finally came and that meant a day off for a sloth such as myself. Here's how the weekend goes: Everybody leaves the kibbutz and goes a-journeying. I went to Tzvat (Safed), Nazareth, and the Sea of Galilee. While this was great, the next morning wasn't: It was painfully hard to wake up at 4:00 after partying until 2:00. I was tired, cantakerous, and having a really bad hair day! But in spite of my mohawk, I was able to dig in the dirt, load buckets, and find a few stones. Such is my life ... I am an archaeologist.
—Blade Smith
16 June 2006
Archaeology being intense physical work, inevitably at least one person gets hurt and has to go to the hospital. Injury (mostly self-inflicted) and dehydration are the major culprits, and both always happen. I had the great joy of being the first to be taken to the hospital. I woke up at 4 am the other morning to notice that numbness had conquered half of my left hand—when it hadn't gone away by 8:30 (breakfast), they sent me to the hospital in Afula. I do not speak Hebrew at all, so it was unnerving to not know what is going on, not even mentioning that I don't like hospitals. The first doctor I saw did not speak English—with some help he decided to x-ray my hand. It wasn't broken, but I was pretty sure of that to begin with. Then I was sent to another doctor. This one did speak Eglish and was extremely nice. As it turns out, I pulled a muscle in my shoulder and the nerves around it made my hand go numb. Not that I like going to the doctor/hospital in the States, but I did wish I was at home for that experience. It is one I do not wish to repeat. But, as I said before, these things happen on a dig—I was the first, but I know I won't be the last.
—Kristine Merriman
6/15/06
Archaeology is hard work! It is not what you see in the Indiana Jones movies. We don't get to run through caves and find statues of gold. Instead, we find small bits of broken pottery. But it is very rewarding. The people who work at this site are amazing. I have never seen so many people work so hard to achieve one purpose. Everyone is very passionate, and they all take immense pride in what they do. At the kibbutz, some of us are taking classes, including an archaeological field methods class. We have learned about using a levelier, which shows the differences in elevation at the site. Another fun thing involving archaeology: pottery washing. This is a very complex process involving brushes and pottery. You take a piece of pottery, clean it with the brush, and then repeat the entire process on another pottery sherd. It is great to see the finished sherd all cleaned and ready for inspection.
—Blade Smith
14 June 2006
As a square supervisor, something I haven't done before, I am finding that I learn a whole lot more. I do not only have to think about how I dig, but I have to think about how to teach the people under me. All that I have learned in the past, I am seeing in a whole new light. Each day, I draw a plan showing what we have found in the square and how it relates to everything else. I also write a short paragraph explaining what we did, what we found, and what it might mean.
Before, I dug up a piece of pottery, not necessarily thinking about what it might indicate; now conglomerations of pottery are more enlightening. Of course, I don't have to figure this all out on my own- my area supervisors are always there for input. There are two lecture courses that we attend if we would like— one on history, the other on excavation techniques. What we learn in lectures always applies to what we are doing and can be helpful in the field. It's hard digging from 5 in the morning to 1 in the afternoon, washing pottery at 4:30, and having lectures at 6 and 8. However, it is definitely a fine life!
—Kristine Merriman
Day 2 - June 13, 2006
4:15 AM comes in full force. This is when I get to wake up for the next few weeks. We are at the site before the sun rises, which is extremely pretty to watch over the Jezreel Valley. We dig from 5:00 AM to 1:00 PM, with a breakfast break at 8:30. Breakfast is also quite an experience. I have never had a cucumber and tomato sandwich for breakfast (and I probably never will again after this!).
Everything is great. After the digging portion of the day is over, we all go back to the kibbutz to eat lunch. We also have some free time before pottery cleaning, which we are learning for the first time today. After that will be dinner, followed by a lecture from an archaeologist on this dig. Tonight is Dr. Eric H. Cline. Dr. Cline was my professor from the George Washington University this past year, so this will be a treat for everyone.
—Blade Smith
June 2006 - First Day at the Site
“Clean-up, clean-up, everybody, everywhere!” That is what comes to mind for the first day at the site. The first morning we all climbed up the tell to our assigned areas to find them covered in weeds and brush (this is what appens when you don’t dig for a season). You must clean up everything before you begin to think about digging for anything. Pulling the weeds, cutting back the brush, and putting up sun shades takes up most of the first day. It’s not a whole lot different from what I do in my yard at home, but it seems to be so much more fun! It could be that I knew as soon as the weeds were gone that I could find something interesting or it could be the amazing view. The tell of Megiddo looks out over the Jezreel Valley, so from the top of the tell I can see Nazareth, Mt Tabor and Mt Gilboa. It is truly breathtaking.
—Kristine Merriman
Day 1 - June 12, 2006
I got into Tel Aviv last night. What a flight—it was so long I received a meal and a snack. The meal was an omelet, I might add. Today was the first day digging at Megiddo. I am digging in Area H, which has not been excavated since 2000, so today we pulled weeds and cleaned up the area of vegetation in preparation for the excavation. We had an interesting experience today. Our tent, which we rely on for shade, fell over upon us as we dug. It took us about 20 minutes to set it up again. Tonight, Professor David Ussishkin is going to give us an introduction to the history and archaeology of Megiddo. After that, it is bedtime, with another wake up of 4:15 a.m. to start a new day of digging. I am looking forward to the bedtime. Right now I am so tired I can’t believe I can even make sense. Megiddo is a nine hour difference in time from my place in the States! I hope I soon get used to the time change.
—Blade Smith
