“The Archaeological Picture Went Blank”: Historical Archaeology and GIS analysis of the Landscape of the Palestinian Village of Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi
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Available until September 7, 2018[/vc_column_text][mk_divider][vc_column_text]Near Eastern Archaeology, March 2018, “‘The Archaeological Picture Went Blank’: Historical Archaeology and GIS analysis of the Landscape of the Palestinian Village of Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi” by Liora Kolska Horwitz (Hebrew University of Jerusalem), Rona Winter-Livneh (Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath Archaeological Project) and Aren M. Maeir (Bar-Ilan University)
Referring to the dearth of historical archaeological research in Israel, in Between Past and Present: Archaeology, Ideology, and Nationalism in the Modern Middle East, author Neil Silberman states: “Just as the story was beginning to get interesting—when the modern cultures of the region were in the process of formation—the archaeological picture went blank” (1989:233). Since Silberman published his book, the status of historical-archaeological research—notably of the Islamic and Ottoman periods in Israel—has certainly improved. To a large extent, the same cannot be said of archaeological research—either on objects, sites, or historic landscapes—relating to the British Mandate and the early years of the State of Israel.
ASOR/EPHE EUROPEAN SYMPOSIUM: FIRST OVERSEAS SYMPOSIUM TO BE HELD IN PARIS, FRANCE IN SEPTEMBER – UPDATED 8/21/18
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The ASOR Membership and Outreach Committee is pleased to announce its first overseas outreach initiative at the Sorbonne, in partnership with Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes – Paris Sciences et Lettres (EPHE-PSL), in Paris, September 4-6, 2018. The event will be a scholarly symposium with honorary chairs Susan Ackerman, President of ASOR, and Hubert Bost, President of EPHE-PSL. Over 45 scholars from Europe (including Russia), Brazil, Israel, and Turkey will make presentations on the themes of Violence in the Ancient Near East and on Digital Humanities (DH), including a forum-round table in order to set up an action plan regarding the growing inequalities between training in DH, among other discussed topics. Presentations will be video recorded and live broadcast. The symposium participants will also enjoy a guided-tour of the Louvre and a social cocktail in the Luxembourg Garden among other special activities. ASOR members who happen to be in Paris during that time are welcome to join the symposium to hear the presentations. We hope this event will be a first step in expanding European membership and involvement in ASOR. Randy Younker, chair Membership and Outreach Committee, Vanessa Juloux chair, Membership and Outreach Committee Sub-committee for Europe.
For weblinks on the Paris Symposium, see the following:
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR EDITOR OF THE ANNUAL OF THE AMERICAN SCHOOLS OF ORIENTAL RESEARCH
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text responsive_align=”left”]The Publications Committee of the American Schools of Oriental Research announces a call for nominations for the Editor of the ASOR Annual (AASOR) for a term to begin 1 January 2019. ASOR book series editors serve a three-year term eligible to be renewed twice.
The first volume of the AASOR appeared in 1920, making it ASOR’s signature publication. AASOR is a medium for the publication of lengthy preliminary or interim archaeological reports or monograph-length studies relating to archaeology in the Near East. The Editor, working in cooperation with the other ASOR editors, with the Publications Committee, and ASOR’s book publishing partner ISD, holds full editorial control AASOR.
Self-nominations are preferred and should include the following items: 1) a one-paragraph academic biography; 2) a brief statement describing why the candidate is interested in the position; and 3) contact information (including e-mail and phone). If a candidate is being nominated by another person, we seek the candidate’s name, a short academic history, a brief statement describing why the candidate would be appropriate for the position, contact information, and, most importantly, a statement from the candidate that she or he agrees to their name being placed into nomination.
Candidates are encouraged to contact the current editor, Kevin McGeough (mcgekm@uleth.ca), for more information about the position and its responsibilities. Nominations for each position should be directed to the Chair of the Publications Committee, Charles Jones (cellwoodjones@gmail.com), with a copy to the Director of Membership and Publications, Inda Omerefendic (publications@asor.org).
Review of applications will begin 15 September 2018 with a recommendation of a candidate to the ASOR Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees and the full ASOR Board before the Annual Meeting in Denver in November 2018.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1496684098866{margin-right: 5px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_wp_posts title=”BROWSE THE NEWS ARCHIVE” number=”4″][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1496684008271{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 30px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_column_text]Tweets by ASOResearch [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Kevin Williams, 2017 Harva L. Sheeler Excavation Fellowship Recipient
This summer I was able to travel to Israel and take part in the excavation of Khirbet Summeily, which is part of the Joint Archaeological Expedition to Tell el-Hesi. The Tell el-Hesi Archaeological Expedition is under the direction of Dr. Jimmy Hardin, Mississippi State University, and Dr. Jeff Blakely, University of Wisconsin. I took part in the excavation as a student from Mississippi State University.
I was tasked with articulating this pit of grind stones.
This was the first archaeological excavation that I have ever been on! I grew up in rural Mississippi so getting dirty from head to toe was nothing new and my parents and grandparents might even say that I was an expert at it! My grandfather and my parents had gardens, so I was used to using gardening tools in soil. While the excavation tools we used are not quite the same as gardening tools, I really did not have any trouble getting adjusted to using them. I have to say that I grew quite fond of using the hand pick and the mattock. They were really a lot of fun to use! Dig it?
Soil is all the same anyway, right? The loess soil that we were excavating could be rather challenging at times. It was hard and at times it made me wonder if it had been compacted with sheepfoot rollers!
That is not to mention the ancient mudbricks that we encountered! They were harder than the in situ loess soil. At times we could see that we were in mudbrick because we could see the joints between them. At other
Just a portion of Square 55. Robyn Price is pictured.
times we just “knew” we were in the midst of them. You could feel and hear the difference! Now, I may be making it sound as though it was really bad but it was not. Some of the fill sections were actually very loose soil while we dug through them, but once the soil dried up …. So, soils are not all equal and they can also contain interesting inclusions … especially those at archaeological sites!
We also had to deal with stones while we were excavating. Some were just randomly part of the fill but some were there intentionally. A few of these formed a circle around the opening to a small pit in the square that I was working in, square 55. The previous excavations at the site had exposed these stones and the top of the pit.
One of the many beautiful sunrises that we were treated to on several mornings. The dig directors Dr. Jimmy Hardin and Dr. Jeff Blakely are in this shot as well!
I was charged with excavating the pit and in doing so I came across several stones beneath the surface. I then had to articulate between these stones. Almost all of the stones turned out to be pieces of a larger grind stone or a smaller grind stones. It was amazing to find all of these discarded grind stones! I could go on about so much more, but I will save that for another excavation!
I enjoyed having the opportunity to travel to and excavate in Israel! It was such a great and rewarding experience! All of it would not have been possible if it had not been for the Harva L. Sheeler Excavation Fellowship and ASOR! I can not thank you all enough!
Thank you so much!
We found several grind stones in this pit. We got it all dressed up and ready to photographically document.
What We Can Learn from the Flint Industries at Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath
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Available until August 24, 2018[/vc_column_text][mk_divider][vc_column_text]Near Eastern Archaeology, March 2018, “What We Can Learn from the Flint Industries at Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath” by Francesca Manclossi (Centre de Recherche Français) and Steven A. Rosen (Ben-Gurion University)
Within Levantine archaeology, the analysis of chipped stone tools from the Metal Ages is reasonably well established. Chipped stone tool manufacture is a reductive process, leaving large quantities of diagnostic waste products, allowing detailed reconstruction not only of the specifics of technologies and function, but also of such issues as on-site/off-site production, trade, and degrees of craft specialization—and ultimately offering insights into social and economic processes not always available from other sources. The materials from Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath from the Early Bronze (EB), Late Bronze (LB), and Iron Ages (IA) provide a long-term view of these processes at the site, and offer a case study for larger-scale processes.
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR EDITOR OF NEAR EASTERN ARCHAEOLOGY
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text responsive_align=”left”]The Publications Committee of the American Schools of Oriental Research announces a call for nominations for the Editor of Near Eastern Archaeology for a term to begin 1 January 2019. ASOR Journal Editors serve a three-year term (eligible to be renewed twice).
Near Eastern Archaeology brings to life the ancient world from Mesopotamia to the wider Mediterranean with vibrant images and authoritative analyses. NEA ( ISSN 1094-2076) is published four times each year (quarterly): March, June, September, and December.
The Editor of Near Eastern Archaeology receives a stipend. The Editor, working with an Editorial Board, the Publications Committee, and ASOR’s publishing partner, The University of Chicago Press, holds full editorial control of Near Eastern Archaeology.
Self-nominations are preferred and should include the following items: 1) a one-paragraph academic biography; 2) a brief statement describing why the candidate is interested in the position; and 3) contact information (including e-mail and phone). If a candidate is being nominated by another person, we seek the candidate’s name, a short academic history, a brief statement describing why the candidate would be appropriate for the position, contact information, and, most importantly, a statement from the candidate that she or he agrees to their name being placed into nomination.
Candidates are also encouraged to contact the current editor, Thomas Schneider (thomas.schneider@ubc.ca), for more information about the positon and its responsibilities. Nominations for each position should be directed to the Chair of the Publications Committee (Charles Jones (cellwoodjones@gmail.com), with a copy to the Director of Membership and Publications, Inda Omerefendic (publications@asor.org).
Review of applications will begin 15 September 2018 with a recommendation of a candidate for appointment to the ASOR Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees and the full ASOR Board before the Annual Meeting in Denver in November 2018.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1496684098866{margin-right: 5px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_wp_posts title=”BROWSE THE NEWS ARCHIVE” number=”4″][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1496684008271{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 30px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_column_text]Tweets by ASOResearch [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Cleaning up balks and pipes at Omrit. (photo credit: Samuel Butterfass)
This summer was the final season of the Omrit Settlement Excavation Project. Thanks to the generous support of ASOR and the Platt Excavation Fellowship, I was able to participate in this compelling dig overlooking the Hula Valley in northern Israel. Every moment of hard work was well worth the effort as we sought to gain a better understanding of this site, its inhabitants, and their role in the region.
For the month of June, our crew set about exposing ancient architecture and artifacts at Omrit. Our team, consisting primarily of students and faculty from Carthage College, the College of Saint Benedict / Saint John’s University, and a few Tar Heels for good measure, explored the residential area adjacent to the Roman temple complex at the site. The Omrit settlement saw phases of construction from the late 1st century CE through Ottoman times. During the Byzantine era, the residents here began expanding into the older Roman colonnaded way that proceeds north from the temple, building walls between the towering columns to form their work and living spaces. This all rests upon the remains of an even older Roman residence dating to the late first or early second century CE, creating interesting strata ripe for exploration.
The temple complex as seen from our first square.
My square-mates and I had the privilege of working from one end of the colonnaded street to the other, quite literally. We first reopened and finished a square located on the far southern end, next to the temple temenos. We were continuing work from the previous season by exploring that area’s relationship to both the nearby temple and adjacent buildings along the colonnaded road. This square had the blessing of a commanding view of the temple and the valley below, a frequent breeze, and the morning shade of the only tree on site. It was here I had my first encounter with the infamous basalt “boulder.” It did not take long to figure out why people referenced these little black rocks in such a manner. A hunk of basalt smaller than a basketball feels like a task more fit for Sisyphus when you are trying to heave it over your head and out of your square. However, benefits of this activity include a rather rapid increase in upper body strength and hand-eye coordination, both necessary to keep these chunks of Mother Earth from running amok.
Nimrod Fortress, one of our Wednesday afternoon excursions.
More importantly, this endeavor gave me great respect for the ancient craftsmen who worked at Omrit, erecting walls and shaping floors from these stones. I could barely form a decent pile, let alone a functioning structure. Soon we encountered additional evidence of these workers’ skill in the material remains of the water management infrastructure that crisscrosses Omrit. We uncovered a rather still-intact terracotta pipe, encased in concrete, that ran diagonally across our square and sliced through bedrock. I was amazed because this piping was likely sixteen centuries or more in age. Meanwhile, the water company in my hometown can hardly keep their pipes from collapsing in less than three decades (and we don’t have earthquakes). In the end, we were able to close this square out in a little over a week due to the proximity of the bedrock to the surface. While I had never before tried my hand at cleaning a giant rock surface, I believe our final square photo was well worth the effort.
Exploring some of the many rooms of the fortress. (photo credit: Brooke Weltch)
Our second adventure took us to the extreme northern end of the street, where our trench became kind of a square… cubed. Our borders migrated outward as we expanded our work zone into two neighboring squares in an attempt to examine the continuity (or lack thereof) of certain architectural features. Our path was crossed with surprise floors, plastered walls, pipes, and drains. I can personally attest that these drains were well crafted, having spent a few hours contorting my body to fit into one. The bottom layers of this square³ were where we encountered remains from the earliest known residential construction on this site, the late first or early second century CE Roman residence. This building is my personal favorite at Omrit. It is such a distinctly Roman footprint on this unmistakably Near Eastern landscape. Whether it was built by a Roman official stationed here or by a member of the local elite who followed popular Roman fashions, we may never know. Regardless, this residence has the potential to illuminate interactions between the Roman Empire and locals here during this time period. We did our best to expose and examine as much of this trench as possible before time ran out. It seemed that for every question we answered in this square that we created three more; however, that is likely just testament to the wealth of valuable information that Omrit has to offer. At season’s end, our final square photo was one of a long and bumpy rectangle.
A nearly complete ceramic vessel recovered from our southern square.
Of course, there are more educational opportunities available during field school than learning to swing a pickaxe. At Omrit, I learned to recognize the sound of a peacock’s call. I learned to kick things before I sat down them – at the same time that I learned scorpions like to hang out in things on which I like to sit. At the kibbutz that would become home, I learned the basics of reading pottery… and we all definitely learned how to wash it. Also, in the field I practiced taking Munsell readings of the varying soil. At the kibbutz, I learned this skill could also be applied to human skin tones (the sun this summer blessed me
One of the most welcome things on any dig site – food! (photo credit: Samuel Butterfass)
with a 5YR 6/3). Lastly, I learned a lot during my group’s excursions to sites around Israel. These experiences were strengthened by the input of our directors and staff who accompanied us on our adventures. Especially when we visited sights interconnected with Omrit, like Banias, their detailed knowledge added great depth, illuminating what we were doing and why.
Ultimately, I am extremely grateful to ASOR and the donors who make opportunities like the Platt Excavation Fellowship possible. Without their generosity, working at Omrit would have been exceptionally difficult. This summer was everything I had hoped for and more. Because of this experience, I will eternally look forward to my next desert sunrise, trowel in hand.
Sifters under the sunrise of our final field day.
Emily is currently a senior majoring in Archaeology and minoring in Anthropology at UNC-Chapel Hill. Her interests include the Near East, the Roman provinces, and zooarchaeology. She will be applying this fall to graduate programs to continue her studies.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1496684098866{margin-right: 5px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_wp_posts title=”BROWSE THE NEWS ARCHIVE” number=”4″][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1496684008271{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 30px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_column_text]Tweets by ASOResearch [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1496684098866{margin-right: 5px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_wp_posts title=”BROWSE THE NEWS ARCHIVE” number=”4″][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1496684008271{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 30px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_column_text]Tweets by ASOResearch [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
