tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25928005426819648782024-03-14T03:38:12.590-07:00Can You Dig ItNew Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary's Archaeology BlogNOBTS PRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460168149654794610noreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-71974520019242732422017-01-03T13:05:00.002-08:002017-01-03T13:07:06.315-08:00NOBTS discovery at Gezer makes list of top archaeology finds for 2016<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Israeli news website </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Haaretz</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> included the cache of silver and gold cultic items discovered by the Tel Gezer Water System Excavation in its list of top archaeological finds of 2016.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Read about this and other top finds at <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/1.761814">http://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/1.761814</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Gezer water system excavation is a joint project of the Moskau Institute for Archaeology at NOBTS and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) along with Liberty University School of Divinity, a dig consortium member. The excavation is directed by Dennis Cole, Jim Parker and Dan Warner of New Orleans Seminary, INPA chief archaeologist Tsvika Tsuk and Eli Yannai. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The cache of items, which included </span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">a silver pendant devoted to Canaanite and Mesopotamian deities and a Hyksos-era scarab set in a gold frame, </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">was wrapped in a linen cloth and placed in a clay “container” made of two bowls. The container was then hidden in the foundation of one of the rooms.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Warner believes that the cache represents a “foundation deposit” meant to bless the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The pendant includes a disk embossed with an eight-pointed star and prominent crescent shape. Irit Ziffer from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) believes the star disk represents the Canaanite fertility goddess Ishtar and the crescent symbolizes the Mesopotamian moon god Sin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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NOBTS PRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460168149654794610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-24010294991678588502016-11-14T13:04:00.002-08:002016-11-14T13:04:33.647-08:00A Summer of Surprises: Gezer excavation uncovers exciting finds and possible date for water system construction<div style="text-align: left;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Fig. 1, Gezer Water System</td></tr>
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By Dan Warner and Eli Yannai, </div>
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Co-Directors of the Gezer Water System Excavation</div>
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KARMEI YOSEF, Israel – During the summer of 2016, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary conducted its seventh excavation season in the Tel Gezer Water System (Fig. 1). The dig has removed over 550 tons of debris from the system to date reaching a depth of about 145 ft. Still the bottom of the system has not been reached. This summer’s work revealed hidden secrets of the water system which place it alongside some of the remarkable engineering achievements of the ancient world. It is one of the oldest of its kind.<br />
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Determining the date of when the system was first carved has been a top goal for the excavation team. From the time R.A.S. Macalister first discovered it in the early 1900s, to the modern excavations at Gezer in the 1970s, no firm date has been established, until now. From the excavations inside the water system and the gate complex, significant finds were made this summer that have substantial impact on the dating research.<o:p></o:p><br />
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In the quest to determine a date, several factors were realized:</div>
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<li>The massive Canaanite gate (Fig. 2) is located southeast of the water system at the same elevation as the system's entrance;</li>
<li>The gate and water system are separated by only 35 ft.;</li>
<li>Both the gate and the water system appear to have gone out of use about the same time (early during the Late Bronze Age, ca. 1550-1200 B.C.);</li>
<li>No later water system has been found after the abandonment of this gate and water system. </li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Fig 2, Canaanite Gate</td></tr>
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The connection between the gate and the water system appears obvious. To confirm the perceived connection, this summer’s excavation expanded into the gate complex (Area D) and its associated storerooms west of the gate (Area C). In addition to their connection/relationship, the team wanted to determine if any earlier construction lay under the gate and storerooms. Presence of earlier structures may suggest an even earlier origin for the water system. These areas were supervised by dig co-director Dr. Eli Yannai of the Israel Antiquates Authority with his assistant supervisors Dr. Chet Roden (Area C) and Gary Myers (Area D).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Fig. 3, East-West Axis, Canaanite Gate.</td></tr>
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<b>An Earlier Occupation</b><br />
<b></b>At the Canaanite gate the team discovered earlier, previously unknown construction. Sinking a probe along the northeastern corner of the southern gate, two parallel walls appeared, both running on an east-west axis (Fig 3.). The walls are clearly below the stone foundation of the gate. These walls were not known until this summer. The extent and function is yet to be determine, but the importance of these walls lies in the fact that they predate the gate. Based upon the ceramics found within the fill associated with these walls, this suggests a Middle Bronze Age II A (2000-1750 B.C.) date. The gate has been dated to a later period, namely the MB IIC (1650-1550 B.C.). The existence of these walls changes the understanding of the gate complex’s development and the understanding of the development of the MBII culture at Gezer. The gate area includes at least three phases of construction.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The first phase includes the construction of the two walls. A second occupation phase can be witnessed that predate the construction of the gate. This phase was confirmed by a tomb – a jar burial (Fig. 4) which likely contains the remains of an infant. What is significant about the tomb is that it was cut deliberately into one of the two parallel walls. This clearly demonstrates that the burial is from a latter occupation. It is yet to be determined who put this tomb there, but it is clear that the burial came after the walls were built. The final phase is the gate itself. The foundations of the gate were constructed over both the tomb and the parallel walls. This is the only gate from MBII. This new revelation has significant implication for dating the construction of the water system – one could now argue for an early hewing of the system (during MBIIA, close to the time of Abraham and closer to the time of the Jebusite water system in Jerusalem). This pushes construction earlier than most have thought. Interestingly, this is approximately the time Macalister dated the system when he discovered it. This makes the Gezer Water System one of the oldest system of its kind in the ancient world. The dig supervisors will return to Israel this fall to oversee the clearing of the rest of the material in the system -- still a monumental task. The complete clearing of the system could provide additional answers regarding the date.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Fig. 4, Jar burial under a wall.</td></tr>
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<b>Silver and Gold</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Fig. 6</td></tr>
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The most interesting finds of the seven-year dig came this summer in Area C. In the course of excavating the storerooms the team discovered a void under a series of flat stones near the foundation of the northern wall. In the void excavators found a “pottery box” (a pot with a lid) with a small horde of metal objects fused together (Figs 6, 7). Upon first examination, the team noticed what appeared to be a silver bull amulet with horns. A stone scarab wrapped (Fig. 8) with a gold band was attached to the sliver amulet (Fig. 9). A cluster of unidentifiable silver objects were also found. All the objects were wrapped in a fine linen fabric and carefully placed under the wall in this pot. This is known as a foundation offering. It was placed in the room before the construction because the ancients believed it would provide stability for the structure. This deposit was found and excavated by one of the dig volunteers, Savannah, a college student from Tampa, Fla.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XxAB9icBkO4/V9h0akSlldI/AAAAAAAACg0/F9qVEWSEgTgbkbKSDr1fobjFYUOisxcWwCK4B/s1600/Fig7FoundationDeposit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XxAB9icBkO4/V9h0akSlldI/AAAAAAAACg0/F9qVEWSEgTgbkbKSDr1fobjFYUOisxcWwCK4B/s1600/Fig7FoundationDeposit.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Fig. 7, Foundation deposit</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Figs. 8 and 9</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Fig. 10</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Fig. 11.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Fig. 12</td></tr>
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The objects were quickly taken to the Israel Antiquities Authorities lab for preservation and analysis, under the supervision of Dr. Naama Sukenik (Fig. 10). The objects appear to have survived a fire and after careful unraveling, all together six objects were noted. Objects included a silver disk, a crescent-shaped piece (the two were first thought to be a bull motif), a possible ring, an arrow-shaped pendant, a yet unidentified silver cluster and the golden banded scarab. The disk includes an engraved image and is still being studied. The team cleaned the scarab and disk with crescent (Fig. 11) and will release additional details when more is known about the designs. The linen in which the objects were wrapped contained silver chips and other elements yet to be determined. Parts of the linen were fused to the silver pendant. The “golden” scarab was sent to Dr. Daphna Ben-Tor for analysis. She dated it to the end of the Middle Bronze Age IIC, a date very consistent with the dating of the building as a whole. It appears to be Canaanite in origin, but mimics Egyptian symbols. Only one other scarab of this design has been found to date. Macalister discovered it at Tel Gezer (Fig 12). It did not include the golden band which allowed the scarab to be worn as a ring. Another scarab was found in the center of the floor of storeroom with the horde, but it has yet to be dated. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Questions Remain</b><br />
Some technical questions still remain. Where did the metal come from? Who were the artisans? Were they from Gezer, Egypt or even north into Syria? The IAA is not finished with their analysis. Their research could help answer questions or origin and chemical makeup of the pieces. Foundation deposits are not uncommon in the ancient world, but this deposit stands as one of the best documented at Tel Gezer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the five storerooms, our probes reached earlier walls like those found in the gate complex. As with the gate complex, all pottery dated to the MB IIA. Bedrock has not been reached in these areas, which leaves the possibility of an even earlier stratum. Further work in both areas C (Storerooms) and D (Gate complex) will address lingering questions next season.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Fig. 13</td></tr>
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<b>Up from the Mud</b><br />
Another interesting find this summer was removed from the packed mud near the bottom of the water system. After years of removing massive amounts of discarded storage jars (mostly from the Late Bronze Age), the team uncovered the most interesting find to date – half of a clay mold for making idols.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Known as the “Lady of the Abyss” (Fig. 13) by the dig team, the mold measures approximately 2 and a half inches square. It appears to be an Egyptian or Egyptian-inspired design. A wax imprint of the mold will be made to give a clearer picture of the research. What is the mold's relationship to the water tunnel? It is difficult to say. It may have been used to produce idols for the workers – a “security blanket” of sorts to keep them safe while digging this monstrous system – or it may have been discarded in the system after it was broken. If the mold can be dated, it will help determine the dates the water system was in use. It was an exciting season, but there is much work yet to be done. Stay tuned for further updates.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hQh0myjfRsk/V9lXIe66ieI/AAAAAAAACiI/UZjBZPoJAYYIRi-Iz5DqJk-cVbPiI8_FwCK4B/s1600/WarnerEli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hQh0myjfRsk/V9lXIe66ieI/AAAAAAAACiI/UZjBZPoJAYYIRi-Iz5DqJk-cVbPiI8_FwCK4B/s1600/WarnerEli.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Dr. Dan Warner (left) and Dr. Eli Yannai (right).</td></tr>
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NOBTS PRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460168149654794610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-32108060891817267222016-06-19T17:14:00.000-07:002016-06-19T17:14:33.162-07:00Gezer 2016 - Update TwelveThe Tel Gezer dig officially wrapped, with some exciting and unexpected findings. We are excited about returning to dig further next year, and to discover more about the ancient Canaanites and this heavily fortified city. Until then, we will miss Israel and our archaeology friends!<br />
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09070728198823952864noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-36803325678811354692016-06-09T09:12:00.000-07:002016-06-09T09:12:45.602-07:00Gezer 2016 - Update Eleven<div class="MsoNormal">
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By Gary D. Myers</div>
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Finished. Today we wrapped up the 2016 Tel Gezer Water System Expedition. We removed the last few buckets of dirt and pottery from each of the excavation area and began the clean-up process by 10:30 a.m. yesterday. Today we took final photos of each area, took down the dig tent, and packed all the tools and equipment for storage.</div>
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This was a great dig season – with important finds that we cannot mention and new questions to answer. Each year we are inching closer to a firm answer about the date of the water system – the primary question we are looking to answer.</div>
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We collected countless pottery sherds, charcoal samples and ancient material items. Much study will take place in the months to come. Databases of pottery information were created and will be studied closely. The pottery evidence is the most important aspect of our research – the pottery will help us determine the date of the system and who built it. Experts in archaeology have developed finely tuned typologies of pottery in Israel – these experts (like Dr. Eli Yannai) can date a piece of pottery within a 100 years or less.</div>
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Even with all the research left to close out the books on this season’s dig, before we left the tel today, the directors began planning for next season’s dig.<br />
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End of dig updates with Dr. Warner are coming soon. Watch the video below for a walk through our site on a typical work day, and go all the way into the cavern in the water system!<br />
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Photos and video by Sarah Simon </div>
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Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09070728198823952864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-40403847089731248292016-06-07T11:52:00.000-07:002016-06-07T11:52:52.819-07:00Gezer 2016 - Update Ten<div class="MsoNormal">
By Gary D. Myers</div>
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You may have noticed that the blog has been less active this
dig season and especially less active this last week of the dig. There are
several reasons – the addition of a third digging location makes this our
busiest dig season at Tel Gezer. More people, more pottery, more contemplation, more
paperwork, and more work. The extra work leaves us ready for bed much earlier
than usual. </div>
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Another reason for the lack of blogs is the complicated and
theoretical nature of our work this season. We are trying to answer complicated
questions regarding the dating of the water system construction and we are trying
understand the relationship between the water system and fields C and D. It was
much easier to blog when we were only focused moving dirt from the tunnel. Once
we broke through all the fill material in the tunnel several years back, even the
discussions of our progress in the water system became more complicated.</div>
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The main reason for the lack of blogs is the wonderful
season we are having. We have made our best finds to date at the Tel Gezer
Water System Expedition. We would love to tell you all about the finds, but we
can’t until each has been studied and published.</div>
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The team is well and we are trying to finish strong.</div>
NOBTS PRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460168149654794610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-78845854687911133142016-06-05T11:23:00.000-07:002016-06-07T11:35:06.700-07:00Gezer 2016 - Update Nine<br />
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Felipe Ocampo sifting at the Canaanite Gate. </div>
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Tsvika Tsuk and Eli Yannai discussing Eli's House.</div>
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Chet Roden and John Delancey digging at Eli's House. </div>
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Supplies needed for the dig include... </div>
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Pottery Washing at the main tent. </div>
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A view of Karmei Yosef.</div>
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<b>Video Updates:</b></div>
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Canaanite Gate </div>
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Eli's House</div>
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Photos & Videos by Sarah Simon </div>
<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09070728198823952864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-68198849867762610372016-06-04T11:20:00.002-07:002016-06-04T11:20:55.485-07:00Gezer 2016 - Update Eight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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First video update from week 2 of digging - watch for more from our other areas!</div>
Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09070728198823952864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-36166065733738537742016-05-31T11:07:00.000-07:002016-05-31T11:07:02.312-07:00Gezer 2016 - Update Seven<div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif;">Morning view</span> of Modi'in from Gezer. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Sif<span style="font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif;">ting at the Canaanite Gate.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The Big Sifter <span style="font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif;">for th<span style="font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif;">e tunn<span style="font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif;">el dirt.</span></span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Digging at the Can<span style="font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif;">a<span style="font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif;">anite Gat<span style="font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif;">e.</span></span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif;">Asi, our crane ope<span style="font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif;">rator and <span style="font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif;">barista.</span></span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Dr. Cole, Eli Yannai and Tsvika Tsu<span style="font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif;">k reading pottery.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Dr. Wa<span style="font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif;">rner and <span style="font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif;">Lyn Pruitt <span style="font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif;">working on p<span style="font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif;">ottery and artif<span style="font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif;">acts.</span></span></span></span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "arimo" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">We had a great work day today at all three areas -- 50 bags of material were pulled from the water system and the two above ground locations continued to carefully excavate. At this mid-point of the dig, everyone is equal parts excited, exhausted, and home sick. We still have much to do before we leave and many questions are left that we hope to answer ... in the coming week and in the next few years.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">For those of you who are not acquainted with the history of Gezer and the history of the site's archaeology, below is a portion of last year's report regarding the dig.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><b>Tel Gezer Water System</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arimo, sans-serif;">Added evidence that an ancient water system at Tel Gezer in Israel could be the product of Middle Bronze Age Canaanites living between the time of Abraham and the Israelite conquest was uncovered by New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary’s archaeology team during a challenging dig season in the summer of 2015.</span><br />
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The Bible provides one tantalizing possible parallel to the Gezer system in the accounts of King David. In 2 Samuel 5:6-9, David’s men utilized a “water shaft” to invade and conquer the fortress of Zion/Jerusalem. This rock-hewn system has been located in Jerusalem’s “City of David” area. Visitors can walk the entire length of that Canaanite system.</div>
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Based on all the available data, Dan Warner, co-director of the NOBTS Gezer dig, believes the City of David tunnel and the Gezer system are both products of the Middle Bronze Age.</div>
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The Gezer water system excavation is a joint project of the Moskau Institute for Archaeology at NOBTS and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA). The dig is co-directed by Dan Warner, an NOBTS professor, and INPA chief archaeologist Tsvika Tsuk. Jim Parker, NOBTS professor and executive director of the Moskau Institute, and Dennis Cole, professor and chairman of the division of biblical studies, also provide leadership for the three-week dig.</div>
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Warner estimates that the Canaanites built the water system during the height of Gezer’s prominence as a Canaanite city-state. Though this would place construction approximately 600-700 years before the Israelite conquest of Canaan, the water system can shed light on the Canaanite people and their culture — a culture which plays a formidable role in the Old Testament.</div>
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Canaanite Gezer is mentioned multiple times in the Israelite conquest narrative recorded in the Old Testament book of Joshua. The most notable mention occurs in Joshua 10:33. When Joshua and his men attacked Lachish, approximately 20 miles south of Gezer, the army of Gezer came to that city’s aid. The Israelites defeated Lachish and the army of Gezer, killing King Horam of Gezer.</div>
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Another important reference to Canaanite Gezer is connected to the Israelite failure to take the entire land that God had given them. In Joshua 16:10, the biblical author notes that the Israelites “did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer.” And though the Israelites set aside Gezer as a “city of refuge,” the Bible indicates that the Canaanites controlled Gezer until the time of Solomon when they were finally defeated by an Egyptian pharaoh (1 Kings 9:15-17).</div>
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The Canaanites had experienced a time of cultural decline in the years before the conquest but were still a frightening foe with heavily fortified cities. The water system, along with the massive defensive walls and gate, illustrate an advanced society with great technical know-how, significant engineering skills and a desire to build things on a large scale, Warner said.</div>
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<b style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The 2015 Gezer dig</b><br />
“The pottery retrieved from the system this past season appears to date either from the end of the Middle Bronze Age or the beginning of the Late Bronze Age,” Warner said. “Either way, the system had to be dug before the pottery was deposited, giving the earliest possible date in the Middle Bronze Age.”</div>
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The massive rock-hewn water system was created with flint and bronze tools as early as 2000 B.C, Warner noted. Already the largest known of its type, evidence suggests the Gezer system may be one of the oldest.</div>
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“We know of nothing this massive from the Middle Bronze Age anywhere in the Ancient Near East,” Warner said. “This system fits well with other [Canaanite] features in close proximity: to the south the massive gate and stone tower and to the northeast the large standing stones.”</div>
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The ancient water system, which provided a water source inside the walls of Gezer, consists of at least three parts: a keyhole-shaped entrance, a long diagonal shaft and a basin to collect water which may extend into a cavern located just beyond the basin. The massive water system measures 12 feet wide and 24 feet high at its opening, stretching 130 feet into the ground at a 38-degree slope. For the past six years, a team of archaeologists and volunteers has been investigating the site in an effort to determine who constructed the ancient water system and when it was constructed.</div>
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In previous years, the team encountered a highly concentrated area of Late Bronze Age (c. 1550-1200 B.C.) pottery sherds. This discovery led the dig leaders and Eli Yanni, who serves as the dig’s pottery expert, to speculate that the tunnel may have been used as a pottery dump after it was no longer used as water source. Why it ceased use as a water system remains a point of speculation. This year Yanni noticed a clear transition from Late Bronze Age pottery to Middle Bronze Age pottery dating between 1800 and 1500 B.C. under the “pottery dump.” The pottery finds make a 2000 B.C. construction date more likely, Warner said.</div>
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<b style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Gezer water system history</b><br />
In the Middle Bronze Age, Gezer grew from a small village into a heavily fortified city-state. The Canaanites built high stone walls, massive towers and a mud-brick gate system to protect the city. According to Warner, the city met a violent end, most likely at the hands of Pharaoh Thutmose III, who lists Gezer as a conquered city on the walls of the Karnack temple.</div>
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King Solomon launched another construction boom in the Iron Age 1,000 years later. Solomon rebuilt and fortified Gezer and strengthened the defenses at Hazor, Jerusalem and Megiddo (1 Kings 9:15-17). Because of the dating of water systems at Hazor and Megiddo, many archaeologists argue that the Gezer water system was constructed after Solomon, during the reign of Ahab.</div>
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When Irish archaeologist R.A.S. Macalister excavated the system from 1906-08, he attributed it to Middle Bronze Age Canaanites. However, his primitive archaeology methods along with persistent theories about the systems in Hazor and Megiddo led many to dismiss his claims about the Gezer system. Recent evidence suggests that the Megiddo system also is a product of Middle Bronze Age Canaanites, providing additional evidence for an early dating of the Gezer system.</div>
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Shortly after Macalister’s excavation at Gezer, a retaining wall collapsed and refilled the water system with dirt rocks and debris. It remained untouched for 102 years.</div>
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During his dig, Macalister laid a “causeway” of stones across the muddy basin to reach the cavern. While the causeway helped Macalister’s team reach the cavern, it also protected materials resting in the basin from contamination following the retaining wall’s 1908 collapse. The NOBTS/INPA team discovered Macalister’s causeway during the 2012 dig season. For the past four seasons, the team has been removing datable pottery samples from the area Macalister left untouched.</div>
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How the Canaanites could build such a system remains a mystery. Many have attributed the system to outside influences such as the Minoans, Egyptians or Mesopotamians. But the Middle Bronze Age dating removes that option. Warner maintains the possibility that the Canaanites developed the technology.</div>
NOBTS PRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460168149654794610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-26831018794465486652016-05-30T11:03:00.001-07:002016-05-30T11:03:44.610-07:00Gezer 2016 - Update Six<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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No full update tonight, but we do have two great videos produced by Sarah Simon.<br />
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It was another great day at the Tel Gezer dig, but we are all tired and turning in early tonight. Enjoy these video updates from Dr. Warner.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09070728198823952864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-68285988140061338772016-05-29T11:57:00.000-07:002016-05-29T11:57:47.679-07:00Gezer 2016 – Update Five<br />
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By Gary D. Myers</div>
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The Tel Gezer Water System Expedition welcomed the second
week of the 2016 today. It was a beautiful, somewhat cool day – another great
day to dig. Due to our travels, lectures and other commitments (the need for
sleep), we weren’t able to publish an update last Thursday or post Dr. Dan
Warner’s week one video update. So, I will attempt to get you up to date with
our progress and Sarah Simon has edited and posted the week one video update
(see above).</div>
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<b>The Water System –
Field A-B</b><br />
When Thursday came to an end, the team in the water system had cleared the
width of the tunnel just below what we are calling the “bottom step.” For
several years the south half of this area has been cleared. However, we left
the northern half (actually a little more than half) as a staging area for the
bag removal process. This year removing that mass of dirt, pottery, rocks and
debris was a top priority. Since the area was sealed under the causeway of
stones laid over the pool area by Macalister in the early 1900s, the material may
be helpful in establishing the date of the system’s construction. Removing the
material necessitated a reworking of the wooden ramp used as a track for pulling
up the bags of debris. After the ramp system was removed for reconfiguration,
the team photographed and documented the whole area, because it does not appear
in Macalister’s record. After all the dig seasons, seeing the entire width of
the pool area clear of debris is thrilling. The cleaning for photography,
photography, and documentation procedures took most of the morning. After that
was complete, the ramp was reinstalled and the diggers will be filling bags at
a steady pace again Monday morning.</div>
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<b>The Intramural
Complex – Field C</b><br />
In Field C, called the intramural complex in the Dever/Seger digs (Eli’s house
in our reports last year), the work slowed considerably to carefully excavate a
sizeable vessel. Worked slowed again on Sunday when the team carefully
investigated several areas of <i>in situ</i>
pottery in one of the rooms. Both are very interesting finds which are still in
the interpretive stage. Very cool stuff, unfortunately, not something we can
share on the blog without further study, and possibly, the final publication of
the dig reports.</div>
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<b>The Gate – Field D</b><br />
At the gate (Field D), the team continued to search for information to link the
gate system to the rooms in Field C and to the water system. Work slowed a bit
on Thursday as some of the team members were needed to wash pottery. However,
the team did find the dividing line between Macalister’s backfill and what
appeared to be leveling layers installed by the gate’s builders. On Sunday, the
team expanded the square to encompass more of Macalister’s backfill. The effort
(which was difficult) was designed to create the necessary room to dig a probe
in search of bedrock. At some point the team seems to have broken through the
layers of Macalister’s fill to another level of undisturbed dirt. The jury is
still out on that. The probe will continue tomorrow.</div>
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<b>Sunday Service</b><br />
The day began with a devotion on the tel and because it is Sunday, after the
dig and a lecture for Dr. Warner on the Middle Bronze Age, we had another devotional/worship
time before supper. All in all, it was another wonderful day in Israel.</div>
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NOBTS PRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460168149654794610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-33723471105861880082016-05-25T11:32:00.001-07:002016-05-25T11:33:17.927-07:00Gezer 2016 - Update Four<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just posting a video today of the first couple of days in Israel and the beginning of the dig.</div>
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/168083267">Gezer Dig Video One</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/sjsmedia">Sarah Simon</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09070728198823952864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-24468099213158687382016-05-24T11:42:00.002-07:002016-05-29T07:07:11.464-07:00Gezer Dig Day Three Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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By Gary D. Myers<br />
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Today we reached full operational capacity at all three of our excavation areas. We are actively excavating in the water system (Fields A and B), in the buildings near the gate (Field C), and at the Canaanite gate (Field D). Exciting things are happening at each of the locations.<br />
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Though today ended on a high note, it started very slow. One of our drivers (this blogger) lost the keys to one of our vans. Quickly we figured out that the keys were lost while I was blogging in the lobby at Neve Shalom. The only problem is that the lobby does not open until 7 a.m. So instead of leaving at 6 a.m., one group did not get to leave until after 7 a.m. The slow start was accentuated by rain, of all things. I have spent many days in Israel and can remember a light rain only a few times. Three or four times there were significant showers. Between rain showers, the teams took starting measurements at the above ground fields and completed the water system sandbagging of the water system before lunch. After our lunch break, each area was able to begin excavating.<br />
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The water system team removed 19 bags of material. The water system and the two other fields generated enough pottery for us to start our daily task of washing pottery.<br />
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Dr. Dan Warner, Tsvika Tsuk and Eli Yannai talking about the excavation.</div>
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Sifting to find artifacts. </div>
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Field C excavations. </div>
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Brad Biddy at Field C. Sorry for calling you Bruce, Brad.</div>
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Dr. Chet Roden at Field C.</div>
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Mrs. Renee Roden recording dig details at Field C. </div>
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09070728198823952864noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-75002495552778734182016-05-23T11:42:00.004-07:002016-05-23T11:56:51.667-07:00Tel Gezer 2016 – Day Two<div class="MsoNormal">
By Gary D. Myers</div>
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Setup days are always tough. It’s hot, dirty and we are all
a bit out of physical shape when the excavation begins. We round up the tools
and equipment, set up camp, raise shade cloth, make an unreasonable amount of sandbags,
and a thousand other tasks. It takes lots of time and it is some of the hardest
work we do during the excavation. </div>
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Day two at the Tel Gezer Water System Exploration brought much
cooler temperatures and more setup at all of our major work areas. In the water
system (Fields A and B), the team repaired and installed the wooden stairs
which allow access to the tunnel. Others began the long process of placing sandbags
over the ancient steps – 85 steps total, each requiring two to four sandbags.
Once setup is complete, the team will begin clearing out the NW quadrant of the
pool (Area A). Removing this will expose the full width of the pool area at its
shallowest point.</div>
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Just as the team began laying the sandbags, we encountered
the first real problem of the season. The switch used to control the winch shorted
out and, for a time, we were unable lower additional sandbags into the tunnel. This
minor setback was repaired within two to two and a half hours, but the lost
time means at least one more set-up day in the water system.</div>
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Other fun tasks of the day included clearing weeds from the
Middle Bronze Age wall and gate area and covering the long, black water pipe
with weeds to help maintain a tolerable water temperature.</div>
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In Field C (sometimes referred to as “Eli’s House,” last
season), setup was complete on day one. Today the crew began clearing the area
and digging. The goal of this work is to determine how these structures relate
to the gate and the water system. This year the team opened a new surface
excavation area near the Canaanite Gate (Southern Gate). Known as Field D,
the new area could help provide a clearer picture of the relationship between
the gate, the water system and the structures in Field C. According to the
archaeologists on site, portions of these two areas have never been excavated.
Other portions have been excavated, but have not been fully described or
photographed for the archaeological record. </div>
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With setup nearly complete, the excitement is building among
the Tel Gezer participants. As many of you know, we will not be able to publish
much about our most important finds. Information about the important finds will
trickle out in academic publications and later in the final dig publication. So
bear with us. We are hoping to answer important questions about Gezer this
year. We will share as much as we can.<br />
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Welcome to Tel Gezer! </div>
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Setting up at the tent. </div>
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Our main tent at the entrance. </div>
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Digging at Area D. </div>
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Pottery findings from around the Canaanite Gate. </div>
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The Canaanite Gate at Area D. </div>
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Digging at Area D. </div>
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NOBTS PRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460168149654794610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-42285008281025815072016-05-22T11:38:00.000-07:002016-05-22T11:40:10.417-07:00Gezer 2016 Update OneBy Sarah Simon<br />
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Today marked the beginning of the 2016 dig season at Tel Gezer. We arrived on site, and the first-year participants toured the tel while the others began setting up. The day continued with set-up tasks, such as making and placing sandbags, shade areas and lighting the water system, among other activities.<br />
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Tel Gezer was a significant city in ancient Israel. It is located in the Shephelah, and was a heavily guarded city. The Mediterranean can be seen from Gezer in this photo. </div>
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Gezer is the only Canaanite city where standing stones have been unearthed. </div>
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A wider view of the standing stones. </div>
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Dr. Dan Warner giving an explanation to the first-year diggers. </div>
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The group of newcomers touring the site. </div>
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Dr. Warner explaining the site. </div>
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This is the Solomonic gate at the entrance to the city. </div>
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Going down into the water system. </div>
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The cavernous water system as lighting is being set up. </div>
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Sand-bagging and sending the bags down to the walkway below by crane. </div>
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The set-up is taking place for sifting under the tent. </div>
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The archaeologists talking excavation. </div>
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A wide view of the area where the crew is working. </div>
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09070728198823952864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-2854591170929280752015-10-05T13:31:00.000-07:002015-10-05T13:35:52.521-07:00Interested in archaeology: Join the 2016 Tel Gezer expedition<div class="MsoNormal">
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<b>Gezer, Israel May 22-June 10, 2016</b></div>
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<b>About the Project: </b>Participate in New Orleans Seminary’s
archaeological excavation of an ancient Canaanite water system (the largest of
its kind) at Tel Gezer in Israel and the investigation of structures related to
the Bronze Age Canaanite Gate.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Dates: </b>May 22 - June 10, 2016. Volunteers should plan to
arrive no later than May 21, and those working all three weeks should plan
departures for June 11 or 12.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Cost: $</b>1950 for the three-week season, or $650 per week
(Extra days $100 / day) + airfare. Costs cover room, board and weekend travel.
Preference will be given to three-week participants. Participants are
responsible for their own flights to and from Israel. The dig will arrange
airport pickup. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Weekend Travel: </b>The expedition will arrange several field
trips covering key regions and archaeological sites of Israel. Weekend travel
costs are included in the excavation pricing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Accommodations:</b> Volunteers will be housed in air-conditioned
rooms at the Neve Shalom Guest House, with three to four persons per room.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Academic Credit: </b>Undergraduate or graduate course credit for
up to 6 semester hours is available. Standard tuition cost and fees apply.</div>
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<b>For More Information: </b>About the dig, contact Dr. Dan Warner
(dwarner@nobts.edu) or Dr. Dennis Cole (rdcole@nobts.edu), or visit Moskau
Institute and Center for Archaeological Research website www.
nobts.edu/archaeologycenter/</div>
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<i>The ancient city of
Gezer, located between Jerusalem and the modern-day city of Tel Aviv, was a
Canaanite city-state that reached its height of importance in the Middle and
Late Bronze Age. Much of Gezer’s importance derived from its location near the
Via Maris, an important ancient trade route. The Bible mentions the city 14
times in the Old Testament. In one of the more important Gezer entries, the
Bible reports that an Egyptian pharaoh conquered Gezer and gave it to Solomon
as a dowry (1 Kings 9:16). The account records that Solomon rebuilt and
fortified Gezer along with Hazor and Megiddo.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
NOBTS PRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460168149654794610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-51441557552712773792015-06-21T17:25:00.002-07:002015-06-21T17:25:55.715-07:00Gezer 2015 - Final Video<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="396" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TSthaLTGAzQ" width="528"></iframe>NOBTS PRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460168149654794610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-13369354790676307692015-06-09T13:54:00.001-07:002015-06-09T14:01:41.945-07:00Gezer 2015 – And that’s a wrap<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FQdYxZ6x-3w/VXdQlq22YHI/AAAAAAAAB1g/QDksZ3bZOYE/s1600/GezerJune9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FQdYxZ6x-3w/VXdQlq22YHI/AAAAAAAAB1g/QDksZ3bZOYE/s1600/GezerJune9.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By Gary D. Myers </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The work is never truly complete at an ongoing excavation. Always
more work to do next year. Dig directors have to decide when it is best to stop
excavation and focus on washing, reading and recording all the pottery. That
moment came today. Around 12:40 p.m. today, the digging team was notified to
complete its work by 1:30 p.m. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For all intents and purposes, the 2015 Gezer Water System
Expedition has come to an end.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The next few days will involve hours of cleanup, reading and
recording pottery and the taking of final photos. Reports will be completed and
the tools will be stored.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">June 8: First Water,
Then Rocks</b><br />
The deep water threw the dig team a curve on June 7. It is difficult to work
all day in shin-deep water. The plague of the water was followed by the plague
of the rocks. For several days we had been dealing with a substantial level of
rocks. But by June 8, it had become almost in possible to stick your shovel in
the ground without hitting a very large stone. We had to stop for a while and
measure the area and look at the stones closely to determine if these could be
from an unknown structure. After careful examination it was determine to be
rubble which tumbled or was thrown into the system. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Our work on June 8 resulted in the largest bag count of this
season – 51 bags. We turned to the north to remove a large area of dirt and
debris between the center point of the basin and the northern wall. The goal
was to find the floor all the way across the width of the basin. We didn’t make
on the June 8, but there was still time Tuesday.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Work in Eli’s House also came to a close. The team made
great progress this season and learned more about the site near the Canaanite
gate. They also encountered large areas of fill dirt and pottery from R.A.S.
Macalister’s dig in the early 1900s. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">June 9: Washing
Dishes</b><br />
Eighty pottery buckets were waiting on the dig team when they arrived this
morning. With such a large backlog, almost everyone had to wash pottery before
anything else could be dug or sifted. Each piece of pottery is scrubbed with a
small brush, inspected for inscriptions and place in a box to dry. Before 9:30,
all the pottery was washed and we were all back to our original work spots.</div>
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Two team members started the day in the cavern behind the
water system. <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The two were investigating the source
of the dirt intrusions in the cavern. The goal was to find a crack which may be
allowing dirt intrusions into the cavern. No crack was found. However, the area
was covered with clear vinyl sheeting in hopes of catching a cone of dirt
intrusion before the next dig season to help isolate such a crack. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For
Emotional Health, We Needed to Find the Floor</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span>
</span></div>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the remaining time this morning, the
team began searching for the floor in the middle of the basin. We knew that this would be our last digging day, so we dug as fast as possible
this afternoon.</span> It was as if our sanity or emotional health depended on
reaching the floor from the center of the basin to the north. We have exposed a
good amount of floor along the southern wall, this would give a new look at the
basin. We were almost there when we got word to stop digging by 1:30. We dug feverishly and found the floor [more about that in later blogs]. NOBTS PRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460168149654794610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-87492253948762543632015-06-07T11:18:00.001-07:002015-06-07T11:28:39.082-07:00Gezer 2015: The things you find at the bottom of a water system<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L0jks2GfFbM/VXSIq5bW-MI/AAAAAAAAB08/PuSc9bQ2nN0/s1600/BeautifulDayatTelG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L0jks2GfFbM/VXSIq5bW-MI/AAAAAAAAB08/PuSc9bQ2nN0/s1600/BeautifulDayatTelG.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful morning at Tel Gezer.</td></tr>
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<![endif]-->By Gary D. Myers<br />
<br />
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R.A.S. Macalister. I feel your pain. I guess I should have expected water at the bottom of a water system, but I don’t like it any more than you did.<br />
</div>
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For the past three work days, the diggers at the bottom of
the Gezer Water System have been battling water just like Macalister, the
original excavator of the system, did in 1908. The Irishman wrote about his
experience with the water at Gezer in his final published volume about the dig,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Excavation of Gezer: 1902-1905 and
1907-1909:</i></div>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The staircase terminates at a pool of unknown depth—a long
crowbar failed to reach the bottom—now full of soft watery mud. Water stands
wherever this mud is dug away, and the level of the water remains constant no
matter how much be taken away. The first day on which the water was found it
was uncertain whether it was a spring or merely accumulation of rain water.
Buckets were provided, and at least two hundred gallons of water drawn of and
poured away, without making the smallest impression on the level. (R.A.S. Macalister,
261)</blockquote>
<br />
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Macalister, believing he would need divers to excavate the
pool, deemed it “archaeologically unprofitable” and moved on to explore the
cavern. That helped us have untouched material to excavate under Macalister’s
causeway of stones.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Three days ago, some 3 meters under the surface that Macalister
laid across the pool area to access the cavern, we encountered water. The first
day it wasn’t so bad, but by Friday, the water was affecting our work. When we
arrived at the tel this morning, the pool area had much more water than it did
Friday.</div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z4gwg9gYrwY/VXSJbDHPc0I/AAAAAAAAB1I/LabpF7rysnE/s1600/Water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z4gwg9gYrwY/VXSJbDHPc0I/AAAAAAAAB1I/LabpF7rysnE/s320/Water.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bottom after removing 100+ gallons of water.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Using three 20 liter jugs, the team removed close to 140
gallons of water. The jugs were placed in a bag and winched to the platform to
be hauled out with the crane and dumped. It took nine trips to remove that much
water. Unlike Macalister, we could see the difference in the water level—it did
shrink considerably. However, we abandoned that effort after lunch without
clearing out all the water. The rest of the afternoon was spent digging further
into the pool area. We moved much mud and rock in the afternoon as well as two
large stones, possibly rumble from buildings in the city above.<br />
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<br /></div>
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So, where is the water coming from? Most likely, it is rainfall
seeping through the many layers of dirt and debris. But why did Macalister
encounter so much more water in 1908 (he was in this deep water 8-9 feet above
where we are)? Has mechanical pumping lowered the water table? We don’t know all
the answers. It is easy to see why Macalister gave up on the pool, but we won’t
give up. On we dig.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Unsung Heroes of
the Dig</b><br />
One can never fully emphasize the importance each person’s role on this dig. Each
position in the water system dig is vitally important to our success. We have
diggers, winch hook workers, safety gate operators, a winch operator, platform
workers who unhooks the bags from the winch and hooks them to the crane, signal
engineers (those who alert the crane operator to pull up bags), a crane operator, and
sifters. We cannot do the task without all of these people in place. Then we
wash pottery at the dig tent and keep records about the finds we make. We need
about 18 people to successfully operate this portion of the dig. We appreciate the contribution
each individual makes each day. Thank you for what you do and the way you do
it </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Eli’s House<br />
</b>I didn’t make it to "Eli's House" today due to the issue with the water down below,
but I hear things are going well. Eli Yannai and a small team are examining the connection between the houses at the Canaanite gate area and the water system. Yesterday, during our tour of the Israel
Museum in Jerusalem, we were able to see the two gold goddesses discovered in “Eli’s
House,” by a team of American archaeologists in the 1970s. Amazing find.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dbKz1KChikE/VXSKmW1XK1I/AAAAAAAAB1M/BOheXFXwyQk/s1600/GezerGoddesses.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dbKz1KChikE/VXSKmW1XK1I/AAAAAAAAB1M/BOheXFXwyQk/s320/GezerGoddesses.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
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<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div>
NOBTS PRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460168149654794610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-81643937211058086912015-06-05T09:33:00.002-07:002015-06-05T10:18:12.803-07:00Gezer 2015 - Week Two Update<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="396" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9Wby_YyfNXM" width="528"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
By Gary D. Myers<br />
<br />
Week two of the Gezer Water System Expedition is in the books and back by popular demand is the video update by Dr. Dan Warner. The camera loves him ... or he loves the camera. One of the two. We had to shoot the video without the microphone today, so the audio isn't the greatest, however, it provides a excellent overview of the work we have accomplished. We are grateful for his leadership along with Dr. Jim Park, Dennis Cole and Tsvika Tsuk.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-olmQRdcYnyg/VXHLsK62McI/AAAAAAAAB0o/N7ZvKg9e4jA/s1600/Tunnel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-olmQRdcYnyg/VXHLsK62McI/AAAAAAAAB0o/N7ZvKg9e4jA/s320/Tunnel.jpg" width="229" /></a></div>
We had a very slow start this year, but we have made significant progress. The team has continued the probe in the pool/basin area to approximately 25 from what we have been calling the bottom step. We are near the bottom in this area, but we have encountered a significant amount of water.Yesterday, we removed 20 gallons of water using buckets. Today, we removed another 16 gallons of water. Today, the area refilled quickly. We believe that the water is due to a wetter than usual rain season in Israel this year, however, the water is keeping us from getting a clear look at the bottom.<br />
<br />
Four work days remain before we clean up the site and return home. Though we are missing our families, the time has passed quickly. Current plans call for clearing a 6-8 foot wide swath across the width of the pool area. This could help us better understand whether the steps continue past our "bottom step." Opening this trench will give full exposure to significant segment of the floor. It will be a difficult task, but the diggers are ready.<br />
<br />
<b>Kudos to our trustees and their families</b><br />
The Gezer dig has been blessed to have two NOBTS trustees (Tom Clore of Illinois and Dan Wilson of California) and two children of trustees (J.D. Leavell and Cameron Wilson) digging with us. On top of that, we even have a former trustee and his wife, John and Marge James ... they are back for their third dig season. I have been impressed with all of these individuals. Their work ethic. Their walks with Christ. Our trustees (and former trustees) work hard at whatever they put their hands to and they have raised amazing children. It has been a blessing to share this unique experience with all of them.NOBTS PRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460168149654794610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-33363407136394296792015-06-03T13:47:00.002-07:002015-06-07T07:10:11.154-07:00Gezer 2015 - Day Eight: He set my feet on the Rock<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><b>Psalm 40</b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>1 I waited patiently for the Lord;</i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned to me
and heard my cry.</i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
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<i>2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,</i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>out of the mud and
mire;</i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>He set my feet on a rock</i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and gave me a firm
place to stand.</i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>3 He put a new song in my mouth,</i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a hymn of praise
to our God.</i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Many will see and fear the Lord</i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and put their
trust in Him.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By Gary D. Myers<br />
<br />
As the underground digging team climbed out of the Gezer
water system for lunch today, Psalm 40 came to mind. David’s imagery came to
life in a new and special way. We had been in sinking in soupy mud all morning.
The muck was so bad that it was easy to sink past your ankles and lose your
shoes when you tried to move. The muck wore us out quickly. But when any of us
found a rock to stand, the digging was much easier. In fact, finding a firm
spot was the only way to keep from sinking. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The parallels are so clear an explanation probably isn’t
need. Once I was trapped and sinking when God reached down and lifted me out of
the mess of my own making and set me on the Rock (Jesus). I know what that
feels like spiritually … I know what that feels like physically. I’m glad to
have a new source to draw from when I talk what God has done on my behalf.
During this trip we’ve walked in the footsteps of David, Solomon, Paul and
Jesus. We’ve talked about how God led the Israelites to this land after years of
slavery in Egypt and we have talked about God deliverance after Hezekiah
prayed. But for me, one of the most profound moments came during a real-life
object lesson in a Canaanite water system when I was ankle deep in mud.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Check out U2’s song “40” where is about this chapter in
Psalms. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z_LBNF_-xI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z_LBNF_-xI</a></div>
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</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Seeking the bottom</b><br />
Down in the water system we are desperately seeking that firm ground at the
bottom of the pool/basin area. Last season, we kept experiencing step downs in
that area. Each time we thought we had reached the bottom, the floor would drop
again. It was frustrating and confusing. While we have just moved a meter and a
half back into the system, we are now more than three meters below the “last
step.” On the Southern wall of the basin we have removed what amounts to a 4
ft. X 4 ft. X 10 ft. rectangle of dirt plus countless tons of rock above
Macalister’s causeway (the course of stones the original archaeologist laid on
the soggy basin area to reach the cavern beyond the water system). It had been
a slow process, but we really made progress the past two days.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Over at the Neighbor’s
House</b><br />
Things continue to go well at Eli’s house. The team has encountered it’s share
of Macalister fill. The Irish archaeologist cut large trenches across the tel
during his excavations in the early 1900s. His methods left dumped material all
around the tel and complicated the work of future archaeologists. However, it
seems that the team has broken through all the previously excavated material in
at least one part of the area. There the team discovered what appears to be a burn
layer, possibly from one of the many times Gezer was destroyed by invading
armies. The investigation continues.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sleeping In</b><br />
Today, the directors gave us a break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
didn’t leave Neve Shalom until 7 a.m. instead of the usually 6 a.m. The extra
sleep was great. We are all getting a bit worn down. Living out of a suit case
can be tough and we are really working hard at the tel. It was especially
helpful for the crew that worked last Friday and Saturday to build the ramp (they’ve
worked 10 straight, hard days). Back to the regular schedule tomorrow … we’ll
be ready. I am so hopefully that tomorrow will be the day that we find the
absolute bottom of the water system. If not tomorrow, maybe the next day.</div>
NOBTS PRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460168149654794610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-50742140039105504082015-06-01T12:45:00.002-07:002015-06-01T13:49:23.416-07:00Gezer 2015 – Day Six: And Then There were Bags<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DGPnv7cY0qY/VWy6RtnEIvI/AAAAAAAAByg/1RIxaM10-CY/s1600/startofDay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DGPnv7cY0qY/VWy6RtnEIvI/AAAAAAAAByg/1RIxaM10-CY/s1600/startofDay.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Start of the day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lr5IccXOoC0/VWy6utymLsI/AAAAAAAABys/FTEb88PwsjQ/s1600/diggers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lr5IccXOoC0/VWy6utymLsI/AAAAAAAABys/FTEb88PwsjQ/s1600/diggers.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mighty diggers making progress.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
By Gary D. Myers</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Great day today! We’ll call it day six of work (for the ramp builders, it is
day eight of work). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last night’s estimate of “close to 20 bags” of rock and
debris awaiting the diggers today was a gross under estimate. I was trying to
be optimistic about the time it would take to clear all the rocks. We
pulled out 50 bags today and we still have more to clear in the morning. Most
of it was the rock fall that Dr. Parker removed yesterday. These boulders were
blocking our progress last year and again this year. These large stones had to
be removed. So, on the one hand, it seems like halting progress to do cleanup
work which produces no material which is helpful for dating the system.
However, it all has to come out eventually. Before noon tomorrow we’ll be into
that material for the sifters. We are expecting large quantities of pottery.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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The best news today is that the ramp worked like a charm. It certainly received a workout with 50 very heavy bags of rocks.<br />
<br /></div>
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<b><br /></b>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VBEyXS8jvgM/VWy5Su9LXII/AAAAAAAAByY/_obBtlMDHz0/s1600/PotteryWash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VBEyXS8jvgM/VWy5Su9LXII/AAAAAAAAByY/_obBtlMDHz0/s1600/PotteryWash.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Doing dishes."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Eli’s House</b><br />
Work continues at “Eli’s House.” The team working there is producing quite a
bit of pottery. Archaeologists use all these broken pieces of pottery to
determine when a house or other building was in use. Scholars have devoted
countless hours of research in ceramics and have extensive knowledge about the distinctive
pottery of each period. At the end of each day we wash all the sherds collected
during the day and place them in boxes to dry. Most afternoons Eli “reads”
pottery to determine dates. I really enjoy the pottery washing and pottery
reading sessions each day. Apparently, not all of the volunteers feel the same
about pottery washing.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0b_r-naAVpY/VWy4WosgrcI/AAAAAAAAByQ/KsPG4P9dcsw/s1600/Games.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0b_r-naAVpY/VWy4WosgrcI/AAAAAAAAByQ/KsPG4P9dcsw/s1600/Games.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Time</b><br />
For the past few evenings, after showers,
lectures and supper, a large group of the Gezer team has gathered to play games
on the patio attached to the Neve Shalom lobby. The game of choice, “High
Cotton,” is much like “Spoons,” but it includes a dedicated set of cards and
tokens rather than spoons. It has been rowdy and fun. The winners and losers of
these matches will remain confidential.</div>
NOBTS PRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460168149654794610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-40066594071484739662015-05-31T13:57:00.001-07:002015-05-31T14:03:50.876-07:00Gezer 2015 – Week Two: Back to Work<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->By Gary D. Myers<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s hard to believe that it is already week two. We’ve had
a significant turnover in our volunteer workforce. They are coming and going. We
said goodbye to one Friday night, three Saturday night and two more tonight. We
gained one Friday evening and yesterday we gained three veteran volunteers who
returned for another season in the Gezer Water System.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Eli Yannai’s work in the possible dwelling area near the
Canaanite gate and the mouth of the water system is still going strong. The
area has gained an affectionate nickname, “Eli’s house.” Our group is really
enjoying this time with Eli – he is a real pro with a subtle but great sense of
humor. He is always teaching and passing along what he knows. One of my
favorite parts of the dig is pottery reading. Listening to Eli identify sherds
is like a very interesting lecture on ceramic chronology. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We reached several major milestones inside the water system
today. The first three bags of dirt and debris were pulled from the system.
There will be many, many more bags to come, but it was satisfying to get a few
bags to the sifting area today. Dr. Jim Parker and Stan Watts dealt with a
nagging problem – the large chalk “boulders” blocking our next digging area.
Tomorrow will be a “fun” day for the persons tasked with breaking up and bagging
the massive pile of blocks they knocked down. I am anxious to see how many bags
of rock and debris is waiting from their work – I believe it is close to 20
bags of material. Last but not least, we work on safety measures. We have a
great deal of fun on these trips and it can be easy to forget that the work in
the tunnel is very hard and dangerous. After pulling the first few bags and
assessing the ramp for any weak spots, a small crew installed a few safety
measures to help block most things that might slide down the ramp if one of our
bags breaks and then shored up the loose spots on the ramp. We were especially
pleased with the catch fence we install halfway down the tunnel (photos
tomorrow).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Work will speed up tomorrow, so keep us in your prayers.
Pray for safety and strength. We have exciting days ahead of us as we seek to
understand this unique ancient feature. Why is it so big? How did it function?
Was it used for more than a water system? We are still seeking answers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Star Struck</b><br />
I forgot to mention an interesting coincidence that happened yesterday. As we
arrived at Lachish, Dr. Warner noticed a large group marching down the trail
and noted that they must be “serious tourists” because the site is off the
beaten path and not very developed. Those who know their Bible and know about
the Lachish Letters discovered here love this site. The city plays a prominent
role in Assyria’s war against King Hezekiah. The Assyrian siege ramp remains
all these years later, reminding of Sennacherib’s power. But Hezekiah prayed to
the LORD and Jerusalem was spared.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As the group made it down the tel as we started up, someone
notice the leader. It was Dr. John Walton of Wheaton College, one of the
biggest names in Old Testament studies. Some of us were a little star struck.
Today, Walton brought his group to Gezer for a special tour.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
NOBTS PRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460168149654794610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-38591034231994365302015-05-31T13:52:00.003-07:002015-05-31T13:52:34.150-07:00Gezer 2015 – Week Two: Back to Work<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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By Gary D. Myers </div>
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It’s hard to believe that it is already week two. We’ve had
a significant turnover in our volunteer workforce. They are coming and going. We
said goodbye to one Friday night, three Saturday night and two more tonight. We
gained one Friday evening and yesterday we gained three veteran volunteers who
returned for another season in the Gezer Water System.</div>
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Eli Yannai’s work in the possible dwelling area near the
Canaanite gate and the mouth of the water system is still going strong. The
area has gained an affectionate nickname, “Eli’s house.” Our group is really
enjoying this time with Eli – he is a real pro with a subtle but great sense of
humor. He is always teaching and passing along what he knows. One of my
favorite parts of the dig is pottery reading. Listening to Eli identify sherds
is like a very interesting lecture on ceramic chronology. </div>
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We reached several major milestones inside the water system
today. The first three bags of dirt and debris were pulled from the system. There
will be many, many more bags to come, but it was satisfying to get a few bags
to the sifting area today. Dr. Jim Parker and Stan Watts dealt with a nagging
problem – the large chalk “boulders” blocking our next digging area. Tomorrow
will be a “fun” day for the persons tasked with breaking up and bagging the massive
pile of blocks they knocked down. I am anxious to see how many bags of rock and
debris is waiting from their work – I believe it is close to 20 bags of
material. Last but not least, we work on safety measures. We have a great deal
of fun on these trips and it can be easy to forget that the work in the tunnel
is very hard and dangerous. After pulling the first few bags and assessing the
ramp for any weak spots, a small crew installed a few safety measures to help
block most things that might slide down the ramp if one of our bags breaks and
then shored up the loose spots on the ramp. We were especially pleased with the
catch fence we install halfway down the tunnel (photos tomorrow).</div>
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Work will speed up tomorrow, so keep us in your prayers.
Pray for safety and strength. We have exciting days ahead of us as we seek to
understand this unique ancient feature. Why is it so big? How did it function?
Was it used for more than a water system? We are still seeking answers.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Star Struck</b><br />
I forgot to mention an interesting coincidence that happened yesterday. As we
arrived at Lachish, Dr. Warner noticed a large group marching down the trail
and noted that they must be “serious tourists” because the site is off the
beaten path and not very developed. Those who know their Bible and know about
the Lachish Letters discovered here love this site. The city plays a prominent role
in Assyria’s war against King Hezekiah. The Assyrian siege ramp remains all
these years later, reminding of Sennacherib’s power. But Hezekiah prayed to the
LORD and Jerusalem was spared.</div>
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As the group made it down the tel as we started up, someone
notice the leader. It was Dr. John Walton of Wheaton College, one of the
biggest names in Old Testament studies. Some of us were a little star struck.
Today, Walton brought his group to Gezer for a special tour.</div>
NOBTS PRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460168149654794610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-17734652597184728652015-05-30T13:42:00.000-07:002015-05-30T13:45:35.127-07:00Gezer 2015 - Week One Update<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-abqrUQU8ZMM/VWohW-LGdxI/AAAAAAAABx8/GMv9SBt6_Qs/s1600/TheRamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-abqrUQU8ZMM/VWohW-LGdxI/AAAAAAAABx8/GMv9SBt6_Qs/s400/TheRamp.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
By Gary D. Myers</div>
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Week One of the 2015 Gezer Water System Expedition is officially in the books. And though we had our struggles and frustrations, we also had times of great fellowship, opportunities to learn about archaeology, and the chance to experience this wonderful land of the Bible.</div>
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Our work week got off to a slow start due to a holiday. All of Israel celebrated <i>Shavuot </i>(Festival of Weeks in the Bible) on Sunday. Instead of working that day, we enjoyed a long day of touring Jerusalem (in my estimation, the people-watching capital of the universe). Monday and Tuesday we celebrated the Festival of the Endless Sandbags (setup days) at the site. Wednesday we were ready to begin pulling bags … or so we thought. The dig directors came to Gezer with several ideas of pulling the bags without damaging the ancient steps which are no longer covered by dirt. The ideas ranged from those that are easy to implement and those that take much time to employ. They decided to try the easiest first. We tried pulling a bags over the ancient steps using a plastic container. Unfortunately, it looked as if the container would damage the steps over time. The directors decided to attempt the most elaborate idea – a ramp.</div>
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That afternoon the dig directors devised a plan to build 150-foot ramp out of plywood and two-by-fours. The ramp would stretch the entire length of the water system, protecting the ancient steps. The plan sounded … ambitious … even a little extreme. The directors order the wood that same evening.</div>
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With the work in the tunnel as a standstill, most of our team worked with Eli Yannai on Thursday. Yannai is investigating how the structures near the Canaanite gate complex and wall relate to the water system. What a treat to work with Eli. He is so knowledgeable and he takes the time needed to explain the whats, whys and hows of traditional, stratigraphic, archaeology. We took turns digging, sifting and washing pottery. We learned much about “control” of the artifacts – pottery buckets must have a numbered tag. Archaeologists use pottery to date the different layers of occupation at a site, so it is very important to know where a sherd was found. It was an exciting day after three days or prep work and the major setback in the water system. That afternoon a small group begin working on the water system ramp after the wood was delivered.</div>
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Generally, Friday and Saturday are tour days. While most of the team enjoyed the Galilee region, eight men (who had all been to Galilee before) stayed back to work on the ramp. It took at least 15 sheets of plywood and eight hours to build the ramp. It was hard satisfying work with great fellowship. The ramp is a monster – something like Sennacherib, the siege ramp building king of ancient Assyria, would construct.</div>
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The Galilee travelers also had a long and satisfying day visiting sites associated with Jesus. After a little more work on the ramp Saturday morning, the crew is ready to start removing bags. We have a big week ahead of us. I believe the blog posts will tell of great progress in the coming days.</div>
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<b>The Treasure of New Friends</b><br />
As with the previous years, I am always surprise by the people who participate in the dig. What a wonderful group of people. They come from all walks of life and some have little or no connection to the seminary. This year we are blessed to have Dr. Chet Roden from Liberty University School of Divinity with us, along with his student, Terry.</div>
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This unique group of people – strangers a few days ago -- came together quickly around their love for the Bible and interest in understanding the people who inhabit its pages. We came together around the task of digging into history and learning how to do archaeology. There are return volunteers, our regulars who come every year and new people who will only be able to come one time. Some are a bit zany, others are more reserved. Each year, God blesses us with gift of getting to know new people. Deep friendships are formed as we work together during the day, play games like “Spoons” and “High Cotton” in the evening, and travel across the Holy Land on the weekends. It is a great treasure to gain new understanding about the land of the Bible, but it isn’t the only treasure we obtain. We gain priceless new friendships. I really enjoy the work , but the Christian fellowship and the laughter we share makes it a much richer experience.</div>
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NOBTS PRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460168149654794610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592800542681964878.post-18526377962082651272015-05-28T12:47:00.001-07:002015-05-28T12:48:32.969-07:00Gezer 2015 Day Four - Intermediate Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Great day of work on the site today. Unfortunately, a computer glitch has prevented me from writing a full update tonight. I will post more tomorrow if possible.NOBTS PRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460168149654794610noreply@blogger.com0