Typical Days on a Dig in Israel

If you ponder joining an excavation in Israel someday, this is a post for you!

The blog for the Ashkelon dig has a recent entry titled, A Day in the Life of an Archaeologist. You can compare it with my on-site post last summer from Khirbet Qeiyafa, A Day in the Life of a Volunteer Archaeological Excavator. There are many similarities in the experience at both sites, with a few minor differences. (The Second Breakfast at Ashkelon has eggs!) It should be interesting to read the Ashkelon blog over the next couple of months as they document their experience. Those of us at Khirbet Qeiyafa last summer enjoyed an evening lecture on the Ashkelon site. It’s big, with some great architecture.

I am returning to the Qeiyafa dig with 3 other people this summer. We will visit sites around the country for a few days before joining up with the excavation. I’ve found some interesting, exciting accommodations for parts of our trip but will hold off on describing them until I’m actually there. Lord willing, we will depart the U.S. on July 5th. I plan to post daily summaries and photos from our travels in Israel. I’ll also follow the excavation at Khirbet Qeiyafa and share some of the interesting discoveries we may have. (Only after receiving permission from the archaeologists, of course!)

For anyone new to this blog, or for those who cannot immediately recall, Qeiyafa is located along the Elah Valley (site of the David v. Goliath account) and dates to the time of David’s reign over Judah/Israel. Even with the Bible accounts, there is a lot we simply do not know about that period. The biblical accounts provide few details about life, politics, details of inter-tribal and international relations, and a plethora of other matters. Excavations at Qeiyafa, Tel Burna, and other sites can fill in some of these gaps and provide clues to steer us in the (hopefully) right directions.

Stay tuned this summer for announcements of new finds, fresh evidence, interesting insights and more!

Sunrise over Jerusalem, as seen from Khirbet Qeiyafa. Photo by Royce Chandler.