Mount ZionIsrael • June 14-July 24, 2009 |
  Dig Scholarship Winner EssaysEvery summer, people of all ages and from all walks of life volunteer to participate on archaeological digs throughout Israel, Jordan and other parts of the Mediterranean world. Read the dig experiences of three such volunteers, all of whom were selected as 2008 BAS Dig Scholarship winners. Read Dig Scholarship Winner Essays Find a Dig Poster
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 Excavate Historic JerusalemHave you ever dreamed of excavating within sight of the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem, just minutes away from more than 3,000 years of fabled history and lore? If so, you might want to volunteer to work on the new Mount Zion excavations in Jerusalem, taking place just outside the Ottoman-era walls of the Old City.
Biblical Archaeology: From the Ground Down How does a dig team work? What do archaeologists look for at a dig? In this documentary DVD, learn how excavators work and what we can learn from archaeology. More information. Two thousands years ago, the area of the Mount Zion excavations was well within the city walls of Jerusalem and bustling with activity. The area was situated at the end of the city’s great main street, the cardo maximus, and recent excavations here have revealed the incredibly well preserved houses of some of Jerusalem’s wealthiest families of the first century C.E. Fortunately for archaeologists, the construction of the massive Nea Church during the Byzantine period required much of the Mount Zion area to be artificially raised and leveled, meaning that many of these first century houses were safely preserved beneath construction fill.
This summer, you can help dig directors Shimon Gibson and James Tabor uncover the remains of these Roman-era houses, many with their painted walls and high vaulted ceilings still intact. They will also focus their attention on excavating the early Islamic levels in the western portion of the site.
Shimon Gibson British archaeologist Shimon Gibson is the co-director of the Mt. Zion dig. In addition to the excavations there, Dr. Gibson has been a field archaeologist at several sites in Israel and Palestine. He is also the head of the private research company Jerusalem Archaeological Field Unit. He recently authored The Cave of John the Baptist (Random House, 2005) and edited Jerusalem in Original Photographs (Stacey International Publishers, 2003).James D. Tabor James D. Tabor co-directs the Mt. Zion excavations, a project; his first archaeological field work began in the 1980s. He surveyed Wadi el-Yabis (Wadi Cherith) in Jordan in 1992 and 1996; he conducted field research at Masada in 1994; he participated in the Sepphoris dig in 1996, 1999 and 2000; and he explored the Ein Kerem area in 2000 and 2001.Dr. Tabor is Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he has taught since 1989. He is also Chief Editor of the Original Bible Project. His books include Why Waco? Cults and the Battle for Religious Freedom in America (University of California Press, 1995) and, most recently, The Jesus Dynasty: The Hidden History of Jesus, His Royal Family, and the Birth of Christianity (Simon & Schuster, 2006).
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Dig DirectorsGeographic LocationCentral Jerusalem Dates of OccupationEarly Roman to Medieval Dates of the DigJune 13 through July 9, 2010 Minimum StayTwo weeks Application DueMay 15, 2010 Cost$250 per week + $25 registration fee (does not include room and board) Academic Credit/Cost per Credit/InstitutionYes - see http://www.edabroad.uncc.edu/mtzion for details after January 1, 2010 AccommodationsTo be determined ContactContact James D. Tabor (jdtabor@uncc.edu) for information. Open for toursYes, by appointment |
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