The 2026 ASOR Annual Meeting is supported by a dedicated mobile app, hosted by Whova, for participants attending in Chicago and remotely. The app provides the complete academic program, speaker and exhibitor listings, and floorplans of the Hilton Chicago.
Registered participants may download the app from Apple’s App Store or Google Play on your phones.
Learning My Colors: Excavations and Pigment Analysis at Idalion, Cyprus
Ella Hattem, 2026 Platt Fieldwork Scholarship Recipient
This summer I returned to Idalion, Cyprus, as a first-time staff member, having been a volunteer during the 2025 season. I was very excited to take on more responsibility at such an exciting site and to work with the amazing friends I made this season and last. I spent most mornings in the field, where we were excavating baulks in the Eastern Terrace. At the same time, I was conducting my own project to investigate the pigments used on painted objects that had been found at the site. This included eleven registered objects that are kept at the Cyprus Museum, and several more from the site apotheke. After looking at close to thirty potential objects, I selected five for further analysis. The objects I studied primarily consisted of terracotta figurines and limestone sculpture fragments.
Dinner with other members of the project in Nicosia. From left to right: Liam, myself, Victoria, Cedar, and Traci.
After visual examination, I utilized Visible-Induced Luminescence (VIL) to detect and identify Egyptian blue, followed by portable X-Ray Fluorescence (pXRF) to characterize the applied pigments for all selected objects. As a final stage of analysis, we conducted Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy on two objects—one from the museum, andanother from the apotheke. I worked closely with the STARC lab at the Cyprus Institute, which provided both equipment and expertise to perform the pXRF and FTIR analysis. Unlike objects permanently kept at the Cyprus Museum, I was able to bring objects from the apotheke directly to the lab for analysis. I am incredibly appreciative to have been able to work with and learn from the wonderful Cyprus Institute staff. I learned a lot about technical analysis and gained meaningful experience in applying these methods to the questions I’m asking about resource use and artistic practice at Idalion, as well as its relationship with the rest of Cyprus.
As is often the case, all aspects of the work became more intense as the season progressed—necessitating more time in the field for all of us, as well as demanding I spend more time on my own project. While it meant balancing my responsibilities in the field with my pigment analysis project, I found it incredibly rewarding to get to engage in so many aspects of archaeological research at the same time, as well as to work with students while still learning myself. I really enjoyed getting to excavate at the same time as conducting rigorous object analysis, and I believed it made my work stronger and better contextualized in all aspects.
In the field, wrapping up for the day.
During the last week of the field season, one day for me looked like this:
Having already photographed and done VIL and pXRF analysis on all of the Cyprus Museum objects, I spent one final morning in the museum. Typically I would leave Nicosia with the rest of the team at 5:00 am to reach the site, about half an hour away, as the sun was rising. I would then spend the next few hours working on my assigned baulk, either alone or with a student. On the mornings I spent in the museum, however, I was able to begin work at 9:00 am.
Working at my baulk
On this particular morning, the last that I would spend at the museum, I brought a 3D scanner with me. Earlier in the season, I had worked with Andreas Manoli and Pengxiao Hao to perform the pXRF analysis. On this day, we just had one FTIR point to take on a particularly puzzling object. After we concluded the analysis, I remained at the museum by myself for a few more hours to scan and generate 3D models of the eleven museum objects.
By the time I was finished at the museum, morning fieldwork had concluded. I grabbed lunch near Ledra Street and arrived back to the hotel for siesta a little after the rest of the team. I usually took this time to rest or do some light work, such as updating my spreadsheet where I tracked each step of examination for the objects. Earlier in the season, I used the siesta to work on a presentation for the field school students on the scientific techniques and methodology I was using for the project.
pXRF analysis on one of the objects at the Cyprus Museum.
Just before the end of siesta, as I did every day, I stopped by a nearby cafe to grab a delicious Cypriot freddo cappuccino before we all returned to the dig house in Dali for afternoon lab work. On most days, I would use this time to draw a new top plan and update our digital recording software with notes and photos from that morning’s excavation. As I had already done so for the previous days’ progress, I spent the afternoon going through the data I had just collected. Meanwhile, the students were sorting the pottery from the previous day, now washed and dried, to be read. Once they were done and the pottery was being analyzed, I stayed close so that I could provide the requisite information when it was time for my trench’s pottery.
Once it had cooled back down, I returned to the field with the rest of the team for evening work, which typically consisted of lighter tasks than in the morning, such as cleaning or articulation to prepare for photogrammetry. Once we were done, we went back to the house for dinner, then drove to our hotel in Nicosia.
The Cyprus Museum garden.
Ella Hattem is an M.A. student in Archaeological Studies at Yale University. Aside from Idalion, she has also participated in the Iklaina and Keros projects in Greece. She is interested in ancient pigments and paintings and the implementation of scientific methodologies to understand artistic practice in the eastern Mediterranean.
Want to help more students and early career archaeologists get into the field? Donate to the cause today by selecting “Fieldwork Scholarships” as your gift purpose!
Currently, 150 projects are affiliated with ASOR. This includes 114 field projects and 36 publication projects. Six new projects have received ASOR affiliation since last summer. Read more about these new ASOR-affiliated projects below.
CAP is continuing to review many applications for affiliation. Stay tuned in the coming months on more newly-affiliated projects!
The Tell el-Ghaba Mission is an archaeological project supported by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. It seeks to enhance our understanding of the history and archaeology of the North Sinai and Eastern Delta regions of ancient Egypt. Since 1995, we have been engaged in the archaeological recovery of the Tell el-Ghaba site. We study the materials and structures uncovered during excavations, dedicate ourselves to their conservation, and disseminate the results.This work is of great significance, as it provides insights into lesser-known aspects of Egypt’s past, including the daily lives of its inhabitants and the strategic role this site played on the eastern frontier of the Egyptian state. The area is crucial for both land and maritime trade, linking Egypt with the Levant and the broader Mediterranean region. Our mission also strives to safeguard this heritage, which is situated in a complex and vulnerable area facing numerous conservation challenges.
Photo by Omer Ze’evi-Berger, Tel Hadid Archaeological Project
Tel Ḥadid is a prominent archaeological mound in central Israel overlooking the coastal plain and the Ayalon Valley, along major routes connecting the Mediterranean coast with the inland highlands. The site preserves remains from multiple periods, with particularly substantial occupation during the Iron Age, the Hellenistic, Byzantine, and Modern periods. The Tel Ḥadid Archaeological Project is an Israeli–American collaboration led by Tel Aviv University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS). Fieldwork follows rigorous scientific standards, integrating excavation, environmental sampling, and interdisciplinary analyses. Each field season includes the participation of trained supervisors and specialists who assist with the excavation and analysis of ecofacts.
All finds are processed, conserved, and curated at Tel Aviv University, where ceramics and organic materials are treated in the university’s conservation laboratory to ensure their long-term preservation and accessibility for research. The project is committed to the responsible stewardship of the archaeological record and fully opposes the illicit trade in antiquities. The project also serves as a field school that trains undergraduate and graduate students in archaeological field methods and interdisciplinary research. Particular emphasis is placed on the study of the recent past, including the documentation of the modern village of al-Haditha and other later remains at the site. The project further promotes public engagement through outreach activities and educational tours, and is committed to the timely publication and dissemination of its results.
The Landscape Archaeology of Southwest Sardinia Project is an international and multi-disciplinary project conducting a diachronic archaeological landscape study of the Sulcis region of Southwest Sardinia. The Project is particularly interested in bringing to light evidence of everyday life and in identifying settlement patterns and activity areas in order to better understand rural communities in this agriculturally fertile and mineralogically rich region over time. Such research is particularly fruitful due to the region’s complex history. Repeatedly incorporated into and then disarticulated from larger political and economic structures (from Late Bronze Age and Iron Age Mediterranean systems, via the empires of Carthage and Rome, to the Byzantine reconquest, the reorganization under the judicate and subsequent European kingdoms, and finally under the Italian state), this region of southwest Sardinia provides an ideal context in which to study the influence of changing political structures on local economic practices and social organization. Thus, the results of the LASS Project serve to balance large-scale historical narratives about the island and its position in the wider Mediterranean world with the lived experiences of local rural communities.
Kom Firin Archaeological Project (KFAP), Egypt (Luiza Osorio G. Silva, Oren Siegel)
Remains of enclosure walls at Kom Firin, eastern mound (photo by Oren Siegel)
The Kom Firin Archaeological Project (KFAP), started in 2025 by Luiza Osorio G. Silva (University of California, Irvine) and Oren Siegel (University of Toronto), aims to build upon excavations conducted at the site by the British Museum from 2002–2011. Those excavations focused on investigating the remains of a fortified settlement built in the Ramesside period (New Kingdom) and a Late Period town, and established the site’s chronology. Kom Firin has enormous potential to illuminate the transition from the New Kingdom to the Third Intermediate Period, an understudied era. Around 1,500 years of near continuous occupation are preserved above the relatively low water table at the site, and KFAP seeks to focus its investigations on the sizable western occupation outside the fortified town to explore intersections between the state and the broader Egyptian population in these periods. The aim of our first season in 2026 is exploratory, primarily to survey and document the site and identify future targets for excavation, with a focus on this portion of the settlement mound. We work in close collaboration with the local inspectorate and the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities to preserve the ancient remains, as well as the local facilities and infrastructure.
Staff members of the Tel Shaddud Archaeological Project
This project marks the beginning of a new and exciting journey into the heart of the Jezreel Valley. Our mission is to delve into the valley’s ancient history, to reconstruct its social fabric and rural hinterland across the millennia. We aim to clarify the nature of Egyptian imperial rule in the region and gain groundbreaking insights into the origins and formation of early monarchic Israel. We are not just digging a site; we are building a team. As we grow our expedition, we are thrilled to have you join us in the field to help bring these “big stories to light.”
Olivia Spink, 2025 Eric and Carol Meyers Fieldwork Scholarship Recipient
I had the privilege and pleasure of attending the Tell Timai International Training Program this July in Egypt. I am so thankful to ASOR and Profs. Eric and Carol Meyers for making this dream a reality. Tell Timai or ancient Thmuis is situated in the Nile Delta, about two hours from Cairo. The site is a town that mostly dates to the Greco-Roman Period. While this was not a typical excavation season, the lectures, workshops, field trips, and training sessions working with Egyptian, American, British, and Australian colleagues was an unforgettable, unique, and informative experience. In this report, I will recount several aspects of the Program and reflect upon the skills learned experiences that ultimately armed me with not only archaeological skills applicable to my career but also with an amplified enthusiasm and drive to focus more on Egyptian archaeology in my graduate studies.
After all team members had arrived in Cairo, we spent a day in the city and our learning began immediately. After an early morning trip to see the Pyramids in Giza, we had the opportunity to visit the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE) where we went on a guided tour of the Center and gained insight into their digital archival process. Following the visit, we attended a lecture on 19th century cultural heritage in Luxor by Sylvie Weens at the Netherlands-Flemish Institute in Cairo.
We soon departed Cairo and headed to the dig house, which was about 2 hours from the city. Once everyone was settled, we wasted no time in beginning training. Egyptian classical archaeology professor Dr. Mohamed Abouarab from Kafr El Sheikh University presented an introduction to archaeology lecture. After the lecture, we had our first fieldwork training session. Using the floor as a mock trench, with rocks and features included, we were guided through making plan drawings. Over the next few days, we had lectures on all things Timai — history, history of excavations, recent finds, technologies used, and more — delivered by project co-director Dr. JaySilverstein from Nottingham Trent University.
One of the most notable elements of the history of Timai was its destruction in the early second century BC. The destruction layer revealed evidence of widespread burning, the sudden abandonment of dwellings, the destruction of a kiln complex, the presence of weapons like arrowheads alongside numerous unburied human remains across North Tell Timai that indicate that the city of Thmouis was destroyed violently. The pattern of destruction at Timai closely resembles accounts of the destruction of Lycopolis, a city in the Busiris nome also in the Nile Delta, during the Great Revolt, which was recorded on the Rosetta Stone in 196 BC.
One particularly fascinating find was the remains of a male human body inside a kiln. The team at Timai has agreed that the body was of a man who went into hiding in a kiln to escape the violence and was then killed while he was inside of the kiln. Osteological evidence has revealed that the man was a warrior and was wounded in the armin a previous battle as shown by the healed callous fusing together his radius and ulna. However, they have also concluded that this man was also fighting in this “destruction layer’s” episode of battle, as evidenced by an unhealed fracture in his radius consistent with the ancient combat defensive parry fracture of the “shield arm.” (Silverstein and Littman 2022).
The next week, we were joined by ceramic specialist Dr. Amany Shabaan, who delivered several lectures on ceramics at Timai and also in general, everything from what to do when we find a sherd in the field through digital pottery drawing. She also helped us through workshops on sherd identification and hand pottery drawing. I have experience with sorting and cataloguing pottery, but I did not have experience with pottery drawing, which was a skill that is needed to work on the pottery team at many excavations. These training sessions learning ceramic archaeological skills were my favorite workshops! Moving from ceramecology to Zooarchaeology, we also examined a camel skeleton and a horse skeleton, both of which I had never seen before.
Later in the session, we also visited our Egyptian colleagues at their university museum, the Kafr El Sheikh Museum and attended a lecture outlining the contents of the exhibit, which was fantastic and traced the theme of a horseman killing a monster, which also signals the victory of good over evil. The early Egyptian examples include Horus killing his uncle Seth on horseback, a theme that can be seen also in later Christian examples depicting a Saint killing a monster. During my undergrad at New York University, I completed a project exploring iconographic representation of generational succession myths on the Archaic Athenian Acropolis, specifically the Hekatompedon. My project proposes that the Greeks took its inspiration from the Ancient Near East who also tended to portray their succession myths in art as well, but earlier. When I continue this research, I will absolutely include the Egyptian examples of Horus contending Seth that were exhibited at the Kafr El Sheikh Museum.
To conclude, I will mention a few of the most relevant sites and cultural trips that we went on during the Training Period; firstly, our trip to Luxor. In addition to seeing sites like theValley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, Karnak and Luxor temple, we met with Rais Mahmood, who was an important directing archaeologist at Karnak Temple. We met him in his family home for tea and mango juice and heard about his incredible experiences and accomplishments. He graciously invited us over again the next day to have lunch. We had koshari, which is a staple of Egyptian cuisine and might be my new favorite food. He also showed us how ancient Egyptians moved blocks of stone. Later onin the day, he walked us through Luxor Temple. Thank you to Rais Mahmood and the entire Farouk family for bringing us into their home and treating our team like family.
The last days of the program were spent in Alexandria, which was the perfect end to weeks spent learning about the Greco-Roman period of Timai. Arriving at the Archaeology Museum of Alexandria, I anxiously awaited my first glimpse at the pièce de résistance, arguably the most famous piece uncovered in the history of excavations at Timai: the mosaic of Ptolemaic queen Arsinoe II with the ship on her head as the personification of the city of Alexandria. Dr. Jay Silverstein led us through several rooms that had artifacts from Timai, including the aforementioned mosaic. He pointed out severalinaccuracies in the labels and exhibition signage in relation to Timai throughout the museum. Ideas about what sources and authorities to trust were discussed amongst the group. Regardless, it was a privilege to see the pieces in such a renowned museum. While leading us through the museum, Dr. Jay reminded us of next year’s excavation plans and told us to stay tuned, and it was at that moment that I was convinced that I wanted to return to Timai to excavate next summer.
My experience at the Tell Timai International Training Program was nothing short of spectacular. This program not only strengthened my archaeological skills in areas such as site plan drawing and pottery illustration but also invigorated my academic focus, fueling a renewed passion for Egyptian archaeology that I will carry forward into my graduate research at Cornell University in the MA program in Archaeology. I leave with a clearer vision, strengthened skills, lasting connections, and an eagerness to join the next excavation season (inshaallah). My deepest gratitude goes to the Tell Timai team, ASOR, and Profs. Eric and Carol Meyers.
Olivia Spink is currently pursuing her MA in Archaeology at Cornell’s Institute of Archaeology and Material Studies.
Want to help more students and early career archaeologists get into the field? Donate to the cause today by selecting “Fieldwork Scholarships” as your gift purpose!
Kissonerga-Skalia is a Bronze Age settlement on the western coast of Cyprus, 10km north of Paphos. The site was occupied from the Early Cypriot Bronze Age (c. 2500 BC) to the beginning of the Late Bronze Age (c. 1600 BC). This ASOR-affiliated project is directed by Lindy Crewe (CAARI) and Ian Hill (HARP Archaeology). This is a remarkably interesting, and sometimes puzzling, site to excavate. The soil does not usually have distinct color changes, due to being baked in the sun, so it is important to pay attention to the soil’s texture. Additionally, the site is in a plow-zone, causing the different chronological layers and artifacts to be mixed together. While these aspects may seem daunting at first, they help archaeology students learn how to excavate meticulously.
This summer was my second season at Kissonerga-Skalia, and I happily returned to my old unit, Trench Q, to pick up where I left off last year. This trench features an intact pithos, querns as well as other ground stones, and metal artifacts. Trench Q is also riddled with several wall constructions and pits. These walls cut into each other from various directions, and they feature different concentrations and sizes of stones, suggesting that they are not contemporaneous with each other. Trench Q also has a large number of rocks, many of which form the circular boundaries of pits running parallel to the walls. In order to confirm the presence of a pit, we had to identify the pit edges by defining the rocks and lightly trowelling the surrounding area to find where the soil texture transitioned from being compact to soft.
Mandy defining a compact surface and wall in Trench Q.
Another part of my trench features a jumbled heap of rocks, which I worked with most of last year. This season we attempted to articulate the pile by removing smaller, loose rocks from the top to see if we could identify the edges of a pit. We discovered that with each rock removed, it felt like two more rocks were found underneath it. The rocks will ultimately keep their secrets, but we interpret them to be either a rubble pile or the filling of a pit. This part of my trench demonstrates how archaeologists sometimes come across features that are difficult to identify or study. I spent the second half of the excavation exposing a flat, compact surface, which was probably a floor, and defining one of the walls. As we were following this surface, we realized that it continued on the other side of the wall, suggesting that this wall was not associated with the surface but that it was constructed later, cutting the floor. We concluded the season by planning every excavated section of the trench to assist future excavations at Kissonerga-Skalia.
Mandy drawing an archaeological site plan.
Alongside my role on the project, my personal goals were to increase my skills in photogrammetry, begin to delve into the use of digital modelling technology, and work on my instructional skills. I have only recently begun my journey in digital archaeology, but I am increasingly interested in the use of digital tools to enhance archaeological excavation and data collection. My use of digital modelling technology has been interesting. The feeling of creating an explorable model is wonderful but the process requires an incredible amount of patience. Teaching students in the archaeological field technique was a wonderful and amazing learning opportunity.
During post-excavation activities, I served as the Small Finds Registrar. In this role, I worked closely with prehistoric Cypriot material culture and studied the artifacts that my fellow students and I had excavated. The artifacts dated between the Late Chalcolithic and Middle Bronze Age. The range of small finds this season included juglets, ground stones, beads, and metal objects. I cleaned, measured, weighed, and catalogued these small finds firsthand. Some objects were too fragile to wash, so I dry brushed them to gently remove excess dirt and to articulate their shape. I researched these artifacts for typologies and comparable examples in site reports from other Cypriot sites, and I collaborated with the project’s specialists. Additionally, I made boxes for each artifact type so that the small finds could be securely transported to museum storage for future study. Through this unique opportunity, I gained experience handling artifacts as well as familiarity with various materials and object types that will be beneficial for future work in excavations or museums.
Mandy researching small finds during post-excavation activities.
Small finds from the 2025 season.
Team photo of Trench Q, Kissonerga-Skalia 2025.
Mandy Porter is a master’s student at Columbia University studying Museum Anthropology. She has a master’s degree in Classical Archaeology from the University of Oxford and a bachelor’s degree in Archaeology and Classical Studies from Dickinson College. She is also an active member of both ASOR’s Early Career Scholars Committee and Honors and Awards Committee.
Want to help more students and early career archaeologists get into the field? Donate to the cause today by selecting “Fieldwork Scholarships” as your gift purpose!
YouTube is one of the most influential platforms in modern media, but its origin story is surprisingly simple: a small team wanted an easier way to share video online. In the early 2000s, uploading and sending video files was slow, formats were inconsistent, and most websites weren’t built for smooth playback. YouTube’s founders focused on removing those barriers—making video sharing as easy as sending a link.
Who Founded YouTube?
YouTube was founded by three former PayPal employees: Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim. They combined product thinking, engineering skills, and a clear user goal: create a website where anyone could upload a video and watch it instantly in a browser.
Chad Hurley — product/design focus and early CEO role
Steve Chen — engineering and infrastructure
Jawed Karim — engineering and early concept support
The Problem YouTube Solved
At the time, sharing video often meant emailing huge files or dealing with complicated players and downloads. YouTube made video:
Uploadable by non-experts (simple interface)
Streamable in the browser (no special setup)
Sharable through links and embedding on other sites
Early Growth and the First Video
YouTube launched publicly in 2005. One of the most famous early moments was the first uploaded video, “Me at the zoo,” featuring co-founder Jawed Karim. The clip was short and casual—exactly the kind of everyday content that proved the platform’s big idea: ordinary people could publish video without needing a studio.
Key Milestones Timeline
Year/Date
Milestone
Why It Mattered
2005
YouTube is founded and launches
Introduced easy browser-based video sharing
2005
“Me at the zoo” is uploaded
Became a symbol of user-generated video culture
2006
Google acquires YouTube
Provided resources to scale hosting and global reach
Why Google Bought YouTube
By 2006, YouTube’s traffic was exploding. Video hosting is expensive—bandwidth and storage costs rise fast when millions of people watch content daily. Google’s acquisition gave YouTube the infrastructure and advertising ecosystem to grow into a sustainable business.
What YouTube’s Founding Changed
YouTube didn’t just create a popular website; it reshaped how people learn, entertain themselves, and build careers online. Its founding helped accelerate:
Creator-driven media and influencer culture
How-to education and free tutorials at massive scale
Music discovery, commentary, and global community trends
From a small startup idea to a global video powerhouse, YouTube’s founding is a classic example of a simple product solving a real problem—and changing the internet in the process.
Amiella Musser, 2025 ASOR Stevan B. Dana Fieldwork Scholarship
Though I often say I spent my summer “digging in the dirt” in a somewhat humorous way, the truth is I spent the summer learning that archaeology is more than a fascinating discipline to me—it is a lifestyle that I love. Waking up at 4:30 a.m. to be at the site by 5:00, we would get as much done as possible before our 7:30 “coffee pause,” a quick but necessary break. Afterward, we had a couple more hours of digging before breakfast, and then more digging until our day ended at 1:00 p.m. But that wasn’t really the end of the day, because then came pottery washing. Though tedious, it was an opportunity to hear from others about what was going on in their areas, what finds had been uncovered, and what they knew about the site—or others in the region.
A sunrise at Azekah, one of many.
A quick break to get some fresh air and water outside of the pit
I worked in what became known as “Gadi’s Pit,” named for the assistant supervisor who oversaw its excavation. The site is Tel Azekah in the heart of the Shephelah. It’s a large area with so much left to discover, even alongside everything already uncovered. I exposed the entrance to what we initially thought was a cistern, but as we dug deeper we realized it was more than that, despite the deceptively simple first week. The Tel has a water system that has not yet been excavated, but the area I was working in seems to have some connection to it. The work was addictive. Every morning I woke up looking forward to getting back into the pit, and even during breakfast you could hear me saying how much I wanted to return. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to reach the bottom this season, but it was not for lack of effort. If you were to meet my field supervisors, they would probably tell you they were mildly concerned at times about me ever leaving the pit. Little did they know I was just avoiding the sun in the most effective way possible—being two meters underground.
A sunset at Azekah while we were breaking down for the night, one of those days we tried to avoid the heat by working early morning and evening.
Buckets stacked triple high inside the pit while excavating. At this point it was about 2 Meters deep.
This summer had record-breaking heat day after day—so much so that we had to shorten and adjust our workdays in order to avoid it. Some days we left the site at 10 a.m. and returned at 5 p.m. to work into the evening, avoiding the harshest hours of the sun. The unusual schedule on those days made the work strangely more exhausting, even with the much-appreciated popsicle breaks meant to counteract the heat. Even then, I often found myself uninterested in truly taking a break. As strange as it may sound, among the many things I learned this summer (and there were many), the one I think is most important is how to take a break. Feeling the boost of energy it gave me—and seeing it in the team around me—I realized how valuable a ten-minute pause is. Our work in the first hour after a break always seemed to be the most productive. In general, we were quite an efficient team, with complementary skill sets, a lot of good humor, and thankfully a relatively good taste in music.
Me coming out of the pit after passing up buckets, normally we would empty 20 at a time, but at one point it got up to as many as 60.
It is simply the truth to say that excavation is hard work. Pickaxes, as fun to wield as they are, get heavy. Heat is more than uncomfortable; it exhausts you in ways you don’t notice until later. Dumping hundreds of buckets a day into what becomes a mountain works muscles you didn’t even know existed. You would think all this might make you want to never return to a site, yet it has the opposite effect. The conversations you have while pickaxing away, the strength you feel at the end of a season, the information you learn every moment—it draws you in. It’s been a couple of weeks since I left Azekah, and I have to say, I miss it. Though it’s still months away, I look forward to future excavation seasons.
One of the days I was working above-ground, some days it was too hot to work inside the pit since it trapped the heat and humidity in.
Amiella is an undergraduate student double-majoring in Archaeology and International Studies at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania. Archaeology is what she lives and breathes – she has known for a long time that this is what she wants to do with her life, and every year of learning and doing more with it only affirms that! As much as she loves the “digging-in-the-dirt” aspect of archaeology, Amiella hopes that she can build her career and make it more accessible to anyone who wants to learn more about our ancient past.
Want to help more students and early career archaeologists get into the field? Donate to the cause today by selecting “Fieldwork Scholarships” as your gift purpose!
Behind the Scenes in Philadelphia: Two Days with Friends of ASOR
On the bright spring morning of April 16, a group of Friends of ASOR gathered just inside the entrance of the Penn Museum. There was a shared sense of anticipation for the next two days of stepping into the working world of museums and collections, archaeology, and curation. Our Friends of ASOR in Philadelphia tour gave the opportunity not simply to see the incredible objects of some of the city’s greatest institutions, but also to encounter them in context, guided by the scholars and specialists who found and study them.
Among Ancient Worlds at the Penn Museum
The first day kicked off in the Penn Museum’s Middle East Galleries, where towering Assyrian reliefs and intricately inscribed tablets offered a powerful introduction to the ancient Near East. Moving through the galleries together, the group learned not only how these objects were made, used, found, and but also how they were ultimately brought into museum collections.
In the Ancient Egypt in Watercolors exhibition, Dr. Josef Wegner gave the group the special insight into materials found at Dra Abu el-Naga, as well as the exemplary, century-old watercolors documenting Egyptian tomb paintings. Created by Egyptian artist Ahmed Yousef during Penn Museum excavations in the early 1920s, these paintings vividly record elaborately decorated funerary chapels from Dra Abu el-Naga, a key burial ground of elite officials and priests during Egypt’s New Kingdom (ca. 1550–1070 BCE).
By the afternoon, the tour shifted from the public galleries into spaces few visitors ever see. Inside the Center for the Analysis of Archaeological Materials led by Dr. Marie-Claude Boileau, the Near Eastern Storage with Dr. Katy Blanchard, and Tablet Room with Dr. Phil Jones and Dr. Steve Tinney, participants stepped into laboratories where archaeology is not just displayed, but actively practiced. Specialists explained how materials are analyzed to reveal stories invisible to the naked eye.
What had begun as observation became a deeper understanding of the meticulous work and stories that underlie each museum display.
Dr. Chris Woods, director of the Penn Museum, welcomes the Friends of ASOR group on April 16, 2026. (Credit: ASOR)
A New Lens at the Barnes Foundation
The second day began at the Barnes Foundation, where a private lecture led by Dr. Kaelin Jewell offered a different lens on the ancient world through Albert Barnes’s philosophy on art and collecting antiquities. Rather than focusing solely on archaeology, the conversation broadened to include the history of collecting, display, and interpretation, as well as identifying the potential pitfalls of collecting and forgeries.
Moving through the galleries, participants encountered Egyptian, Greek, and Roman objects in dialogue with paintings and decorative arts from across centuries. The juxtaposition invited new questions: How do we interpret ancient objects outside of archaeological contexts? What stories and patterns emerge when they are placed alongside later works?
Friends of ASOR discover prints, drawings, and photographs in the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Print Room on April 17, 2026. (Credit: ASOR)
Hidden Treasures at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
That afternoon, the group arrived at the Philadelphia Museum of Art for one of the tour’s most exclusive and intimate moments: a visit to the Abigail Rebecca Cohen Study Room. Here, away from the crowds, participants gathered around tables as works on paper—prints, drawings, and photographs—were carefully brought out for close viewing. ASOR President Dr. Jane DeRose Evans welcomed the group and joined in the afternoon’s close and unique encounter with the Prints Collection.
Without glass barriers or gallery noise, each object was given ample time and reflection by the viewer. Fine lines, subtle textures, and traces of the artist’s hand and eye became visible up close. Conversations unfolded naturally with curator Nora Rosengarten, guided by curiosity and up-close observation.
It was, in many ways, a fitting conclusion to the tour: a reminder that the study of the past is as much about careful observation as it is about grand narratives.
Friends of ASOR at the Penn Museum in Philadelphia, April 16, 2026. (Credit: ASOR)
Lasting Connections
Across the two days, what emerged most clearly was a sense of shared discovery. Participants were active participants in an ongoing dialogue by asking questions, making connections, and engaging directly with the people who dedicate their careers to understanding the past.
These two days defined the Friends of ASOR tour experience. The FOA tours offer not only access, but a deeper understanding of how archaeology and museums work together to preserve and interpret human history.
Joshua Feland, 2025 Eric and Carol Meyers Fieldwork Scholarship Recipient
In southern Jordan lies Humayma, an extensive archaeological site with a complicated history. The ancient village was home to the Nabateans, Romans, Byzantines, and Arab peoples, all of whom left their mark permanently in the village in the form of large and small structures. Humayma, or ancient Hawara, was initially a Nabatean settlement roughly equidistant between Aqaba and Petra in southern Jordan. The site is notable for its water collection infrastructure, Roman fort, Byzantine churches, and Islamic Qasr, to name but a few of the structural types on the site. Spread throughout the site are the everyday signs of life in the past: pottery sherds, ceramic building materials (CBM), faunal remains, and evidence of burials—all of which is being mapped and documented.
In May 2025, I was presented with the opportunity to act as a supervisor on the University of Alberta’s Humayma Field School project. The field school aims to instill archaeological field technique and values in the next generation of archaeology students. For this season I was tasked with teaching photogrammetry techniques using the standing structures at Humayma and excavated materials from previous seasons.
Fifteen university students coming from Canada and the United States travelled to Jordan to conduct their first fieldwork in the Middle East. The overall goal of the field school in its inaugural season was to establish the state of the structures on the site, create a detailed site map, pinpoint key areas for further excavation and conservation, and instruct the students in archaeological field techniques, including photogrammetry and 3D modelling.
The photogrammetry for the site was conducted primarily by the students using both a traditional DSLR camera and the students’ own smartphones. Both pieces of capture technology produced excellent results, considering this was the students’ first time using them in the field. The process involved the students walking steadily around some of the notable standing structures on the site, taking photos as they went with as much overlap as possible. This allows for the processing applications to “match” structures, creating an in-depth 3D model that can be georeferenced and measured. The technology is instrumental to modern archaeology, allowing for the creation of high-quality and often fully explorable 3D models of sites, structures, features, artifacts, etc. This can provide easy access to on-the-ground site data that may be a world away. Properly georeferenced, one can measure entire structures from one’s own office or laboratory.
Alongside my role on the project, my personal goals were to increase my skills in photogrammetry, begin to delve into the use of digital modelling technology, and work on my instructional skills. I have only recently begun my journey in digital archaeology, but I am increasingly interested in the use of digital tools to enhance archaeological excavation and data collection. My use of digital modelling technology has been interesting. The feeling of creating an explorable model is wonderful but the process requires an incredible amount of patience. Teaching students in the archaeological field technique was a wonderful and amazing learning opportunity.
The inaugural season of the University of Alberta Humayma Field school consisted entirely of survey work; as such, small finds were limited to rare instances of surface collections. Throughout Humayma, due to environmental exposures, looting, and other means, artifacts are observable on the surface all throughout the site. Some of my notable finds were a bronze coin of indeterminate age and a piece of marble.
My fieldwork participation in Jordan continues to be instrumental to the development of my career as an archaeologist and educator, and I could not be more thankful for the opportunities and connections this experience has provided.
Joshua Feland is a master’s student at the University of Alberta in Alberta, Canada. He is interested in Desert and Harbour archaeology, particularly where the two intersect. He has a specialization in Roman provincial archaeology. He has conducted fieldwork in Italy, Jordan, and the boreal forest zones of British Columbia and Alberta.
Want to help more students and early career archaeologists get into the field? Donate to the cause today by selecting “Fieldwork Scholarships” as your gift purpose!
Atakan Atabas, 2025 Shirlee Meyers/G. Ernest Wright Fellowship Recipient
When I left my hometown in central Anatolia to attend university, I never imagined that my path would eventually bring me back to the same region—not as a student of technology, but as a researcher of the ancient past. My undergraduate years were spent studying computer science at one of Türkiye’s most prestigious universities, followed by professional work in the technology sector in Istanbul. Despite these achievements, I felt a growing distance from the land of my childhood. Archaeology offered me the chance to reconnect: to engage with the cultural heritage of Anatolia and, in doing so, to give something meaningful back to my community and my country.
I gave a talk about Kerkenes to a group of cyclists who visited the site during the Sorgun Bicycle Festival.
One of the works that has always stayed with me is Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Once Upon a Time in Anatolia. In one scene, a driver tells a doctor, “When you have a family, you’ll have a story to tell. You can say, once upon a time in Anatolia, when I was working out in the sticks, I remember this one night, which began like this. You can tell it like a fairytale, Doctor.” Whenever I am in the field, I think of this dialogue. To me, research is not only about data or analysis; it is also about collecting stories. Some call them academic findings, but I see them as connections-bridges between the past, present, and future of the Anatolian landscape. In that sense, I consider myself a mediator, one who helps bring different times and perspectives into conversation.
Turkish tea time! Workers gather to chat and share food and snacks.
In the summer of 2025, I joined the Kerkenes Project in Yozgat, central Anatolia. For many international scholars, fieldwork in Turkey means collecting evidence, expanding networks, publishing papers, and advancing knowledge of the ancient world. For me, however, it is also deeply personal. Fieldwork is a return home: talking with workers from the village, walking the landscapes of my childhood, breathing the scent of native flowers, and tasting familiar foods that I ate growing up. At Kerkenes, I feel responsible not only for contributing to the project but also for representing the local community whose generosity sustains our work. This dual sense of responsibility reminds me that archaeology is not just scientific inquiry; it is also an ongoing dialogue between researchers and the people who live near the site today. I believe that understanding this relationship is key to understanding how academia can engage more meaningfully with society.
Looking for points for preparing survey grids.
My own path—from computer science to archaeology—has taught me the importance of interdisciplinary approaches. To restrict archaeology to narrow disciplinary boundaries is to diminish its potential. Often, archaeological questions require the mind of a sociologist, the skills of an engineer, the vision of an architect, the insights of a politician, or even the calculations of an economist. At Kerkenes, I have seen how archaeology draws together these diverse ways of thinking. Fieldwork also demands practical versatility: negotiating with local bureaucrats, collaborating with villagers, and adapting to shifting roles and responsibilities. In such a dynamic environment, effective communication is essential. Each season teaches me how to engage with people of different backgrounds, perspectives, and priorities. Thus, the Kerkenes Project is not only an academic training ground but also a place of intercultural exchange, collaboration, and personal growth.
Conducting an electrical resistivity survey on a foggy, cold day in the field.
For me, archaeology is not only about answering research questions but also about building relationships—across cultures, disciplines, and generations. An excavation site is a meeting point where individuals from different nationalities, ethnicities, genders, socioeconomic classes, and educational backgrounds come together. It is also a meeting point across time, where modern researchers walk through the same landscapes that ancient inhabitants once knew. In this sense, we are not outside observers of history but participants in its unfolding narrative. We are part of the same story, shaped by the same land, only at different moments in time. Once upon a time in Anatolia… there is always a story to tell.
Looking out over the foggy plain from the field.
Atakan Atabas is a doctoral student in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Central Florida. His research focuses on digital archaeology, with particular attention to Anatolian art and archaeology. He has been a member of the Kerkenes Project since 2023, and his dissertation examines the orientations of buildings at Kerkenes and their relationship to the social organization of Kerkenes society.
Want to help more students and early career archaeologists get into the field? Donate to the cause today by selecting “Fieldwork Scholarships” as your gift purpose!
