Tel Excavation: Uneven Stratigraphy

When excavating a Tel there are some common complications that diggers must be aware of. These next few posts will help familiarize new diggers with these problems and the terminology used to describe them.

Uneven Stratigraphy:

The first thing we need to realize is that, while a Tel may be described as a cake or onion with multiple layers, these layers are never constructed in nice, orderly, evenly separated, and clearly defined, lines.

 See, the two 'Tel' on either side here? The one on the left is a nice, evenly distributed Tel. The one on the right is a bit more true to life, (though still a bit 'neat') with the layers all sloped and walls from later periods cut into earlier periods. There is little ability to predict when the next layer will appear, or how deep a layer is until you dig all the way through it. Some layers may be a few inches thick in one area, and several feet thick in another area.


This is why it is paramount for a digger to keep a careful eye on what he/she is doing on a dig site. When soil begins to change (color, composition, compaction, etc) it could signal the start of a new layer. It is up to the digger to alert his area supervisor when he/she believes they have noticed such a change occurring. At times, the change can be so minute as some dark brown dirt slowly becoming more tan and less dark.

By keeping a keen eye on where you are digging and what you are seeing on a daily basis, an effective digger can help ensure that proper dating takes place for any artifacts found within that area. 

Summer Dig - 2013

There will be a continuation of the previous phase of digging beginning this summer with Dr. Mazar. The list of student diggers has been updated. More info to come... :)

Tel Excavation: A Few Basic Concepts

Today's post covers the theme of our most recent Digger's moot by explaining a few basic concepts of Tel Excavation. Should anything I say be wrong, partly or completely, please let me know.

Digger's should understand the basic construction of a Tel, and the need for dates. With this knowledge one is more likely to be careful when digging and less likely to corrupt or damage vital evidence through carelessness.

A Tel is a mound, or hill, where a series of cities once existed. These cities were built on sites that usually had 4 basic requirements: land to grow food, a water source, a semi-defensible position, and close proximity to a trade route. When some disaster lead to the destruction and abandonment of a city (invasion, famine, flood, God's wrath, etc.) the site where the city stood would still be a good spot for a city. Over time debris, sand, mud, and other things would bury what remained of the previous occupation. A new city would be built, destroyed, left to sit, rebuilt and destroyed again. This process lead to the formation of the Tels that we are now excavating.

Each layer of occupation is called an occupational layer. These layers can be dated to a relative time period using the pottery found, thanks to the work of Flinders Petrie. Pottery changed over time, and was used in large quantities. Broken pottery fragments are littered all over a destroyed city and can be analyzed to get an approximate date.
Radiocarbon analysis is another method of dating that is often used. This relies on analyzing the amount of carbon-14 within organic materials found in a layer.

Dating an occupational layer is very important. Any significant artifact found is only relevant if a date can be assigned to the artifact's time of existence.
Though a written record would be the best witness to the events of the past, they are very rare and sometimes hard to read. Without written evidence, we must rely on everything else left behind to reconstruct an image of the past.

In the paraphrased version of the words of Flinders Petrie, everything is evidence to the archaeologist.

That's all for now!

-Digger Justin

Preparing for Jerusalem: Brain Trust!

Hello everyone,

We had another exciting Digger's Moot the other night that left each of us on a high. The lecture time was split between Brent and Mr. Flurry. Though they both spoke about digging and working in Jerusalem specifically, the main principles can be applied in a broader sense to every day life.

When we are presented with 'one of those' opportunities - the type that almost floor you because of how awesome, amazing, and undeserved they are - we need to take it. That may be the one shot at doing the work that defines your life.

It would be the most painful of insults to all involved if we took that opportunity for granted and worked as though we had better things to do. We must realize that there is no better thing to do than what we are doing right now and then make the very most of that opportunity.

Take the zeal, the energy, that surges through your mind and body the very instant you recognize a once in a life time opportunity and WORK with it. Let that zeal fuel your thoughts and actions, motivating you through even the most mundane of tasks with an energetic optimism.

Zeal applied is a powerful force... for good AND for bad.

If that energy and enthusiasm is not channeled, left uneducated, it can cause irreperable damage, especially on a job where meticulous attention to detail and careful handling is required. Like on dig site, for example.

You must take that God inspired sense of world-conquering zeal and teach it to behave. Don't limit it, or hamper it, or kill it, but focus it. Learn what to do, how to do it, and have at least a general understanding of what must be done before going gung-hoe with a pick-axe, smashing through occupation layer after occupation layer in an attempt to be the first to reach the 1st temple period. That would be bad. We don't want to be bad. We don't want to be stoned either.

To cap it all off - have energy, have excitement, gain in knowledge, gain in wisdom, and take on the world! or, at least take on a dig square! Yee-Haw!

-Digger Justin

Preparing for Jerusalem: Prayers

Hello Everyone,

We recently had a "Digger's Meeting" between all the volunteers and Mr. Stephen Flurry. In the meeting a few key points were stressed for us to pray about. I wanted to pass along these points to everyone else, so we can all be praying for the same things.

He asked us to pray about the housing situation. We need housing to accommodate about 24 people (including the volunteers and a ministers family) comfortably, as well as in the same area. Specifically, the housing needs to be either communal or in very close proximity, centrally located, large kitchen (or multiple kitchens), cheap, and has a large communal space where we can share meals, Bible Studies, and Sabbaths.

Mr. Flurry and Mr. Locher will take a trip to Jerusalem soon to scout out the right place and make any decisions on where to live, so keep that in mind too. Also, they will look for a location for the Jerusalem Office.

Pray for the open door - and for the wisdom necessary to see when it really is God opening the door, not us with a pry bar. (pry bar is my analogy, not his)

Pray for the protection of those who will be going to Jerusalem, and for the impact that each of us will have on the dig site. This is the first time a large number of "Ambassadors" will be working in Jerusalem in nearly 2 decades. To put this in perspective, every member of God's church will be judged based on the actions of the 19 volunteers. That task is a little daunting, and we need all the help we can get. 

Thank you for the support! :)

-Digger Justin

Journal - The Beginning of Time

The archaeological dig was announced to the student body of Herbert W. Armstrong College during a camp-out in Robber's Cave, OK. A current of electric excitement pulsed through the student body for several days as everyone talked about what it would be like to dig in Jerusalem.

On Wednesday, march 21st, the students chosen as volunteers were announced. There were tears, hugs, shouts of joy, fist bumps, and wild eyed smiles as the 15 students selected recovered from their initial shock. 

I was one of the names read from the list. 

That day I thought of a million things at once. It was so overwhelming I almost didn't go to work. This morning, I decided to keep a journal. It will be a paper and leather thing, with pencil marks all throughout and occasionally a coherent sentence or two. Since my family will not be able to read that journal for many months, I also created this blog. (Love ya mom!)

This moment marks the start of a new web blog that shall endeavor to keep a record of what it's like Digging Jerusalem. Please, don't expect too much. I'll do what I can.

- Digger Justin