Uncovering the Glories of Hippos
The relatively small area of this little city detracts nothing from the impressive architectural remains one beholds as the casual observer traverses its ancient streets. "Monumental" is the best word that comes to mind when describing this fortified Hellenistic-Roman style space and its commanding view of the surrounding countryside.
Known as the ancient city of Hippos-Sussita, it is located on the east shore of the Sea of Galilee, on top of a flat, diamond shaped mountain, 350 m above the lake. Sussita, or as it was known by its Greek name, Antiochia-Hippos, was founded after 200 BC, when the Seleucids seized the Land of Israel from the Ptolemies. During the Roman Period Hippos belonged to the Decapolis, a group of ten cities which were regarded as centers of Greek culture in an area predominantly populated by Semitic peoples such as Jews, Aramaeans, Ituraeans, and Nabataeans.The cities of the Decapolis had much in common. Most were founded during the Hellenistic period and were given the encouragement and support of the Seleucid kings, who saw them as a counterweight to the kingdoms that lay to the west (the Hasmonaean Kingdom of Judaea) and to the east (the Nabataean kingdom). Most of the population in the cities was Hellenised and the citizens saw themselves as citizens of a polis in every respect.
The Project
The research of Hippos-Sussita is an international Israeli-Polish-American project collaboration co-directed by: Professors Arthur Segal and Michael Eisenberg from the Zinman Institute of Archaeology, University of Haifa; Professor Jolanta Mlynarczyk from the Research Centre for Mediterranean Archaeology, Polish Academy of Sciences; Dr. Mariusz Burdajewicz of the National Museum, Warsaw; and Professor Mark Schuler from Concordia University, St Paul, USA. The objective of the expedition is to uncover the entire ancient city, the street network, the main public secular and religious buildings, as well as the domestic quarters. The expedition also hopes to survey and excavate the two necropoleis located to the south and south-east of the city. The relationship between the city and the surrounding countryside will also be examined in future seasons, especially the area stretching between the city and the lake. Further, they plan to conduct a detailed survey of the lake's shore to establish the exact location of Hippos' port.
The 2010 Goals
During the summer of 2010 (July 4 --July 31), the team plans to excavate and investigate the:- Early Roman Period Basilica;
- Early Roman Period Odeion;
- Insula by the North-East Church (including preservation work);
- Roman-Byzantine Bath located between the Forum and southern city wall;
The expedition also plans to continue preservation treatment of all of the sites that have been exposed thus far.
The project directors are inviting students and volunteers from all over the world to come join them in this exciting long-term expedition. If you are interested, go to http://hippos.haifa.ac.il for more detailed information and to find out how to apply.
Labels: hippos sussita excavations, roman archaeological digs
Saving Rome: The Villa delle Vignacce Summer Field School
Can You See Yourself Saving Rome? By "saving" one means uncovering and preserving its ancient remains, of course. Program Director Dr. Darius A. Arya and Co-Directors Dr. Dora Cirone and Dr. Albert Prieto of the American Institute for Roman Culture Summer Archaeology Field School will be conducting a six week intensive field school in Roman archaeology. The field school will be conducted from June 19, 2010 through July 31, 2010 and offers students a unique combination of 5 weeks of on-site field work and one week of specialized academic instruction by expert archaeologists and institute professors. As the program centers in Rome, there will also be visits to major Roman museums and open-air sites to augment field studies and to provide participants with a broader context of what life was like in Ancient Rome.
Participants will be given the opportunity to develop their archaeological techniques at the ongoing excavation and preservation of an important Roman site, the Villa delle Vignacce (a large Roman villa). In its fifth season of exploration, students will work with professional archaeologists to explore and preserve an important second century AD villa located within Rome’s famed Park of the Aqueducts. During the previous season, the excavation team's efforts were highlighted by the discovery of impressive statuary and marble veneer decoration. Among the finds was a 1.5 long marble statue of Marsyas, discovered resting horizontally on mosaic pavement, still attached to it's marble tree brace. According to a well-known Roman myth, Marsyas challenged Apollo to a music contest, lost, and as punishment was bound to a tree and flailed alive. The statue that was discovered depicts Marsyas in the midst of this punishment.
The 2010 Field School
This summer, field school excavations will continue to uncover more of Ville delle Vignacce’s imperial bath complex, while working to examine and preserve the caldarium, latrine and an apodyterium with marble veneer and glass paste mosaics and vaulting discovered during previous field seasons. As a large and expanding project, the Ville delle Vignacce investigations are proving to be one of the city’s most exciting new excavations and has recently garnered international press attention as one of Ancient Rome’s “At Risk” archaeological sites, threatened as the result of previous neglect and vandalism.
Participants will also explore both the urban development and the material culture of Rome from the 1st- 6th century A.D., investigating in detail many diverse aspects of Ancient Roman civilization. Through the examination of material evidence, so abundant in Lazio, program participants will have ample opportunity to learn from archaeological evidence as well as the many historical monuments and world heritage sites located in the area. Through this field school, participants will:
- Learn the importance of archaeological record-keeping, including the proper methodology of conducting excavations, archaeological drawing, note-taking, and identifying, organizing and cataloging finds;
- Become familiar with a variety of Roman artifacts and building techniques and materials, and learn how to "read" art, architecture, and other vestiges of material culture;
- Learn more about ancient Rome and its archaeological record; and
- Learn more about historic preservation.
This season's program aims to provide participants with both a chronological and diachronic approach to the study of Roman civilization. In this way, students will gain a comprehensive historical and cultural perspective of Roman civilization, and an understanding of and appreciation for how its cultural values influenced the entire western world up to the present day. T
Pl:
All prospective student participants and volunteers are encouraged to go to the website for additional information about the opportunity and how to apply. Saving Rome couldn't be more fun and exciting!
Labels: roman archaeology, villa delle vignacce
Tel Dor: Archaeological Riches by the Sea
About 30 kilometers directly south of Haifa, Israel, lies a very large tel (an earth mound containing ancient architectural and artifact remains) that tells a story crossing at least eight civilizations. The story is largely a commercial one, as the ancient seaport city of Dor on the Mediterranean coast of present day Israel was host to the trading activities of a number of civilizations or cultures that ringed the Mediterranean world in ancient times. Once a Canaanite city, its history spans settlement or rule by "Sea Peoples", Phoenicians, the Solomonic monarchy, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. Finally, in the thirteenth century A.D., a Crusader castle was built on the site. Few sites of the ancient world can boast a settlement history more varied and complex than this.
The 2010 Excavation Season
From July 6 to August 12, excavations will resume at Dor under the direction of Ilan Sharon (the Hebrew University) and Ayelet Gilboa (Haifa University). The areas under investigation consist of an elite Iron Age I section that includes a large complex (possibly a palace or administrative building); further evidence of early Iron Age destruction; the Hellenistic city and large Iron Age Phoenician public structures; and other Persian and Iron Age layers, which include remnants of an Assyrian fort. Work will include the analysis of finds and stratigraphy at the site museum. The season is divided into two equal sessions or halves and will afford students and volunteers the opportunity to participate in all facets of state-of-the-art field archaeology. This will include excavation, digital registration of architecture and artifacts using advanced graphics and database software, sampling and analysis of deposits, analysis of finds and stratigraphy, and site conservation. Participants may arrange for academic credit (formal field school instruction) through the Rothberg International School of the Hebrew University. Students in this program will receive academic instruction in archaeological field methods and theory, the processing and analysis of material excavated each day, and afternoon lectures on archaeology, history, and specialized studies of the site and region.
There is no doubt that the Tel Dor excavation is considered to be one of the most exciting excavations in this part of the world, as history and archaeology at this location are exceptionally rich and the location boasts beautiful views of the bay and ocean!
Join The Team
Don't just read about history. Help make a difference -- feel it, discover it, and make it a part of you. You can learn more about the project and the application procedure by going to the website at http://dor.huji.ac.il/.
Contact Information:
eblochsm@sju.edu, or
bloch-smith@msn.com
Labels: archaeology field school, archaeology in israel, tel dor
Solving the Mysteries of Achill
It is a comparatively stark, yet rugged and beautiful landscape, totally surrounded by water. Long a tourist destination off the west coast of Ireland, Achill Island harbors some fascinating archaeological sites. Recent research has focused on ancient and historical remains that characterize the significance of Achill's highest peak, Slievemore Mountain, dominating it's surrounding environs at 2,214 feet. Human occupation is evidenced here going back over 5,000 years, to Ireland's Neolithic period. It's southern and eastern slopes are dotted by a series of megalithic tombs and curvilinear field walls. Toward the western end of the mountain are a series of Bronze Age stone platforms and roundhouses. On a lower slope location lie the remains of a historical settlement known as the Deserted Village of Slievemore, an assortment of rectangular houses of dry stone construction. Like an Irish ghost town, it is thought that these haunting yet fascinating remains testify to a traumatic period in the island's history. Continuing archaeological investigation and documentation will shed further light on this in years ahead.
In the summer of 2010, archaeological research on Achill Island will continue under the auspices of the Achill Archaeological Field School, a well-known and highly regarded field school that has, since 1991, trained thousands of students from all over the world. Investigations will focus on three sites: Round House 2 on Slievemore; a late Medieval house at Keem Bay; and a hut at Annagh Booley Village. Round House 2, a Bronze Age site, consists of a circular platform and a substantial dry stone wall and elaborate orthostatic entrance. Was it used for domestic or ritual purposes? Answering that question is a primary objective of the excavation. Excavations of the house at Keem Bay is expected to reveal more about the age and nature of the structure, and help solve the mystery behind the abandoned village of which it was a part. The village settlement is known to have been occupied as late as the early 19th century.
JOIN THE RESEARCH
Are you interested in making a difference in the research and gaining quality, hands-on training in archaeological field work? You can do this by going first to the Achill Archaeological Field School website to learn more about the work, the opportunity, and how to apply. Students obtain credit for the program through the National University of Ireland, Galway, and the coursework includes practical training in excavation methodology, artifact identification, surveying, measured drawings, sampling and analysis, and recording archaeological and architectural features. The field school experience aside, the natural island beauty and the unique cultural taste of the area alone are well worth the trip!
Labels: achill, fieldschool, irish archaeology
Digging Megiddo: The Archaeological Jewel of the Ancient Near East
When James Michener wrote his famous bestselling novel about an archaeological excavation, The Source, he had one true-life excavation in mind as his source of inspiration -- the landmark work that was taking place at Tel Megiddo. Reality trumps fiction at this imposing mound in the Jezreel Valley of Israel. Occupying a highly strategic spot along the critical north-south military and trade route that linked Egypt in the south with Syria, Anatolia and Mesopotamia in the north and east, it's location played host to epic battles and ancient successive occupying powers.
Megiddo's rise to prominence began in the late 4th century, B.C., as arguably the most powerful Canaanite city-state in Northern Canaan. Recognizing it as a prospective and important strategic addition to his expanding empire, the Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III led a campaign to acquire it with military force, defeating the Canaanite army there and establishing it as an Egyptian province. It is the earliest known recorded descriptive account of a major war in antiquity. Megiddo fell again to other succeeding military powers, including Joshua of the Biblical account, the Egyptian Pharaoh Shishak, the Assyrian King Tiglath-pileser III, and, again from Egypt, Pharaoh Necho. According to the Biblical record, Solomon re-built Megiddo and made it the center of one of his royal provinces of the United Monarchy. It is now, as Michener related about his fictitious excavation site in The Source, an ancient layer cake of civilizations going back in time to the first attempts at urban living in this part of the world. This ancient layer cake has been the subject of systematic excavations and study since 1903, when the first series of excavations were carried out under Gottlieb Schumacher of the German Society for Oriental Research.
During the summer of 2010, Directors Israel Finkelstein and David Ussishkin of Tel Aviv University, along with Eric Cline of the George Washington University, will continue excavations of the Tel. They are calling for a team of volunteers and students to help them uncover more of the site and to assist them in their ongoing analysis of the finds and features recovered from the excavation. The effort will be organized in two sessions: June 12 -- July 1; and July 3 to July 29. All participants will have the option to register for college credit coursework designed specifically to draw from the special activities and environment connected to Megiddo. The first course covers Megiddo and the archaeology of Israel, the second, methods and techniques of field archaeology, and the third, the connections between the Aegean and the Levant during the Bronze and early Iron ages. Each course is worth 3 credit hours. For participants who would be attending the excavations solely as volunteers, there are certain lectures that still must be attended in order to learn how to handle finds properly.
If you are interested in learning more about the Megiddo excavations, the coursework and how to apply, more detailed information can be found at the website.
Investigating Food and Drink of Ancient Pompeii
Most everyone has heard or read of the cataclysmic 79 A.D. volcanic destruction of ancient Pompeii. Because of the unique preservative effects of it's horrific burial, that ill-fated city has left a legacy of a civilization frozen in time, revealing structures, artifacts, human remains, and infrastructure features equaled in detail by few other ancient sites. Perhaps no other site has been documented as prolifically as this one. As much as we already know about Pompeii, however, there is still much more to discover, many questions left to be answered. The daily life-ways and styles of this ancient people continue to be a subject of intense scrutiny. During the summer of 2010, a team of scholars, students and volunteers will contribute to this undertaking by conducting a detailed investigation of selected areas, features and structures with an eye toward shedding light on where, how, why, when and what these ancient Romans ate and drank. They will measure, photograph, record, draw, and analyze. The investigation will be totally non-intrusive. No excavation will be conducted.Joining the TeamActivities will be organized into three one-week sessions:June 20 -- June 26June 27 -- July 3July 4 -- July10Generally, volunteers and students may participate in one, two, or all three sessions; however, new volunteers must participate for a minimum of two weeks. Participants will stay in a small, family-run hotel with air-conditioned rooms, eating facilities, and a swimming pool. As part of the experience, participants will attend a series of lectures about the history and geography of Pompeii, as well as a guided walk of the city. A series of other lectures will be offered during the mornings and evenings on a host of other topics related to the culture, finds, and other subject areas. Each week the group will be taken to the Antiquarium di Boscoreale, a museum exhibiting the artifacts of Pompeii. Most importantly, team participants will be instructed in all methods and skills needed to conduct the vital data collection that will take place during the expedition.This project will afford an excellent opportunity for student and volunteer alike to acquire new skills and an intense education in ancient Roman life and archaeology. If interested, see the website for detailed information about the expedition and how to apply.Labels: field school in roman archaeology, pompeii, roman archaeology
