Blog
Dig a probe under Roman material and what do you find? Yellow bricks of course.
The probe in Grid 32
Excavation is done. Now, the cleanup begins. So, to Shimi, Ben, Kate, Meghan, and Jeff, congratulations on a job well done. Grid 32 proved to be endlessly fascinating. This salvage excavation leaves us with a lot to think about over the winter as we start planing the 2015 season.
Who's ready to get in the dirt?
Grid 32
That's a wrap, everyone.
Shimi tells me it was a 6:00 am - 5:00 pm day in the field today. Stratigraphically, they have moved into the Hellenistic/Early Roman period. The plan is to dig a small probe tomorrow to see if there is any differentiation between that earlier material and the Roman/Byzantine period structure they've largely finished excavating.
The team sent along pictures of several interesting finds:
Fibula
Unguentarium
Finally, Jeff has returned to Ashkelon and he sent along some pictures. This one is of Shimi with Jacob and Uri, two members of the team of Israeli workers. They worked with Shimi during the summer field season before things were cut short and then resumed working with him this month. Along with the entire team of workers, they did a great job moving a lot of dirt. It goes without saying, work in Grid 32 has made a major contribution to what we know about the site of ancient Ashkelon.
Shimi, Uri and Jacob
The Pottery Compound
When it rains it pours. It doesn't stop the work, however.
"Office" in a container
Meghan found a dry corner...
A cramped but serviceable "office"
...and so did Ben.
Every moment counts and there is always work to get done. Looks like there is a couple more days of digging which means we'll definitely have at least one more update. Check back next week.
It's never too early to start thinking about next year. Information about the upcoming 2015 field season will be available soon.
It was a quiet day in Ashkelon. Rain kept the workers away.
Puddles in Grid 32
One of the benefits of rain, which is generally not an archaeologist's best friend, is that it helps colors/soil changes to really pop.
"Clean" dirt
Here is a view to the north. It's easy to see the large cut in section ending at the cut portion of wall U66 at left. This may have been to clear rubble before installation of the cistern. The cistern is the installation at the top of the picture (look for the empty sandbags).
Shimi tells me they've asked for workers Sunday and Monday. Check back next week for one last update.
Better system = more dirt moved.
As of this morning, the crew is 40 centimeters away from the desired depth. Tomorrow is going to be a big day.
A second installation, a probable tabun, has appeared.
New tabun appearing next to robber trench
Want to know more about the building Ben is sweeping?
Grid 32
So do we. We won't be digging here in 2015, this area is being turned over to the park, but there is every possibility we will dig somewhere nearby. Grid 32 has exceeded our wildest expectations and produced a rich corpus of material. The above building, which still appears to be Byzantine in date, is substantial and may stand close to the cardo, one of the city's main streets. It's size and the remnants of the luxurious materials looted from it, suggests it was of some importance. One has to wonder, what might be found in its vicinity. Hopefully, we'll find out during the 2015 summer field season.
Another day, a lot more dirt moved.
The crew at work.
As work continues, the "tabun" gets more and more interesting and its identification as such no longer seems certain.
Amphora inside installation
The search continues for a preserved surface. So far, the best evidence for anything that can be associated with a surface is in the picture below. Shimi tells me, the white "lump" protruding from the top course of the lower wall is s surface bedding meeting the wall.
Surface bedding running up to wall
Two more days of digging to go.
Today, Shimi and crew dismantled walls as they continued excavating. There is still much to do to reach the required 4 meter depth by the end of the week.
Taking down wall segments
As they continue to excavate, the team is finding greater quantities of ash and indications they might be hitting a layer of destruction debris. Unfortunately, there is still no sign of a floor.
It's not all heavy work all the time, however. Kate pulled a double cleaning some of the painted plaster on one of the wall fragments.
Cleaning some painted plaster
What about the date of this building? Right now, all the evidence points towards the Byzantine period. With any luck, the stratigraphy will allow for a firm date when work is finished.
Only three more days of digging and then the countdown to the 2015 field season begins.
Daniel Master surveys the walls in Grid 32
There are walls and there are WALLS. Whatever Shimi, Ben and crew are finding in Grid 32, it is substantial. I asked Daniel for his thoughts. He told me that before the building was systematically looted it would have been impressive. The remnants of painted walls and multicolored marble floors, recovered during excavation, make that clear. He also told me that, as is often the case at Ashkelon, the building was thoroughly robbed making the interpretation of the structure, all that much more difficult.
Ben standing in a robber trench
It doesn't help that there are no preserved floors, another common pattern at Ashkelon. Tomorrow, Shimi tells me they hope to float the large pieces of fallen rubble in the middle of the picture.
Only a few more days of work remain and there is still a meter or so to go. Fortunately, Shimi, Ben, Meghan and Kate have found a way to keep their energy up.
Ashkelon staff enjoy a special dinner during their October field season
The JCB stands ready to haul away stones as wall U12 is dismantled by hand
Grid 32 is busy -- and is even using a mechanical "wheelbarrow" to help cart away stones from dismantled walls. There sure are a lot of walls, too, and for everyone that comes down, another wall gets bigger and goes down deeper. Some very complicated stratigraphy in this grid.
Ben standing next to a new wall/pier uncovered during excavation
This area has surpassed all our expectations. The fragments of the building being uncovered are impressive. As of yet, the function of the building remains undetermined but with a few more days of excavation to go, there is still time to learn more. Onward and downward!
Progress in Grid 32
It goes without saying that Shimi, Ben, and the crew of Israeli workers digging this area are doing a tremendous job and adding significantly to what we know about "late period" Ashkelon.
They are not alone in Ashkelon, however. Co-director Daniel Master is in Israel helping with the final shutdown of the 2014 season and planning the 2015 season. Dr. Kate Birney, in Jerusalem for several months, has been assisting as necessary while also making progress on the publication of Hellenistic period Ashkelon. Jeff, one of the 2014 season volunteers, has lent a hand as well. And this week, our registrar Meghan will arrive to assist in processing the material being uncovered in Grid 32.
Shimi is sending pictures on a near daily basis. Check back often to see the progress.
Shimi, Ben and crew have been busy in Ashkelon. This week saw Shimi and Ben power through more than 40 buckets of pottery. There's nothing like digging it up and cleaning it too!
Pottery laid out to dry
They had a number of interesting small finds this week including a glass base, likely from the Roman or Byzantine period, and a jar fragment incised with three letters.
Glass base
Jar fragment
Small finds aren't all they're finding, either. I'll do another post in the next few days showing some photos of the architecture/stratigraphy they are uncovering. As suspected, digging near the cardo has proven to be very interesting.
With only one more week of excavation -- and 1.25 to 1.5 meters -- there is still a long way to go. Watching the progress over the next few days promises to be very exciting.
Shimi, Ben and the crew of workers continue to make significant progress in the salvage excavation. With 5 days left, they are racing to complete the project so that the Park Authority can continue with its infrastructure improvements. As always, the workers display an enviable ability to multitask.
When work was stopped in early July, the rubble in the middle of the picture above was just being exposed. Even then it was surprising and interesting: pieces of plastered ashlar blocks, piles of floor tiles, and lots of nails. Of particular interest was the fact that the stones were simply left where they were and covered over. It's rare that such great building material was, in essence, ignored.
The resumption of work has revealed even more of this rubble including colorful patterned mosaic fragments, coins, nails, marble veneers and moldings, ashlars and lots of mortar fragments.
Painted plaster on wall fragment
There is still much to learn about this area and the structure being uncovered. I anticipate we'll know more in the next few days. Hopefully, we'll have an update before it is all said and done. I, for one, can't wait to learn more.
We have a team back in the field for the next three weeks as we race to stay ahead of the winter rains. The main focus of attention is Grid 32, the salvage excavation project, where Shimi and a crew of hired workers are continuing their excavation of Byzantine and Islamic period occupation levels.
Cleaning up Grid 32
Once excavation is completed, this area will be turned over to the park for the installation of a large pump which is part of a major sewer upgrade for the park.
Shimi -- happy and back in the dirt after passing his comprehensive exams
There is also a little cleaning to do in Grid 51.
Ben in Grid 51
I'll try to post regular updates the next few weeks while work continues...and even when it doesn't. A rain delay had people scrambling to improvise work spaces.
Co-director Daniel Master waiting out the rain
Backyard BBQ
Co-Director Daniel Master hosted his annual back-to-school BBQ for new and returning archaeology students at Wheaton College last weekend. Needless to say, Ashkelon was well represented. Volunteers and staff had fun catching up on the summer and our adventures together.
A small group of staff is returning to Ashkelon next week to do some work and start a proper shut down of some of the excavation areas. I'll try to get a picture or two to share.
Check back periodically for more Ashkelon news as we slowly work our way towards the 2015 season.
Ashkelon in South Dakota
It was quite the Ashkelon reunion in South Dakota in early August as a number of former and current staff/volunteers made their way west to attend the wedding of two of our favorite staff members, Josh and Sarah. It was a beautiful sunny day and great fun was had by all.
Congratulations Josh and Sarah!
A view of the neighborhood
No, this picture is not directly related to our excavation in Ashkelon. It is, however, indicative of the sights and sounds of summer back home as the last of us to return from Israel settle back into life stateside.
In no time at all, believe it or not, one of our staff members will be returning to Israel with the help of an NEH grant. Dr. Birney will be stationed at the Albright Institute as she continues to work on the publication of Hellenistic Ashkelon.
An additional team of staff members will return in October to complete the excavation of Grid 32, the salvage project which in just two weeks of excavation added greatly to our understanding of the post-Roman period city plan. I can't wait to see what two more weeks of work will reveal.
With luck, and cooperation from the involved parties, we'll update everyone on the progress of these two projects.
Finally, another picture from our study tour of the north. This is from the site of Gamla.
Staff member Mark Lester at the site of Gamla
The cancellation of flights in and out of Israel on American carriers means that the dig season goes on a little longer. This morning we were back in the courtyard of the Albright sorting objects to be sent to restoration, drawing, photography and storage. We also spent some time talking over the latest events with Matt Adams.
We are all in agreement -- no one can remember a season quite like this one.
Work in Grid 32
About that mystery object, the one about which "at least two supervisors" got very excited. It's a column base we found dumped into a water cistern, visible on the left side of the picture above, excavated in Grid 32. The reason why it is so exciting is the material found at the center of the column base.
Column base from Grid 32
There in the center, you can see the metal fasteners -- an iron spike or similar object with a lead seal around it -- used to hold the pieces of column together. Metal was so valuable in antiquity it was usually cut out of discarded architectural features, such as this column base, and to find it in this context was unexpected.
What a crazy, wonderful season! Thanks to everyone who followed along. This is the last daily post for the 2014 field season. Can't get enough of Ashkelon? Check back periodically during the offseason. We'll post updates periodically and then come October, if plans for the salvage excavation come together as we hope, we will have some new material to present.
Daniel Master and Matt Adams in the Albright courtyard
We ate dinner under the stars tonight as Matt Adams and the Albright hosted dinner for the fellows in residence as well as those of us from Ashkelon. We enjoyed a wonderful meal of lentil soup and makloubeh.
We are in the last few days of the season. The remaining staff currently camped out in Jerusalem heads home on their regularly scheduled flights Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Soon we'll be swapping memories of this season with our friends and families. Hard to believe.
Early Morning in the Albright Courtyard
Not a bad place to work, not at all.
Today is a data input heavy day with lots of lists and inventories getting uploaded into OCHRE, boxes of more data (old school pencil on paper) are getting taken to the post office this afternoon and, as mentioned yesterday, hard drives are getting backed up and ready for their return trips to Wheaton and Harvard.
We are here in Jerusalem for a few more days and then by the end of the week, everyone will be on their way home.
Last night the staff and volunteers who spent their last week at Megiddo enjoyed a nice evening out in Tel Aviv.
Dinner in Tel Aviv
After dinner, the staff returned to Jerusalem where work resumed this morning at the Albright. Meghan achieved a great milestone today -- she finished the inventory of the Vault. What does this mean? It means that we can now move out of the Lab and hand the keys over to our landlord who is already eagerly looking for new renters. With the Lab closing, tomorrow will see the first trip to the post office as we work on shipping items back to Wheaton and Harvard.
Our remote season shut down continues to go smoothly. Books are done, computers and hard drives are almost all backed-up, plans are in the work to bring a team back in October to finish the salvage excavation and staff members still here are turning their attention to the various Ashkelon research projects for which they are responsible.