Archaeological Excavations in Israel 2005
Israeli Missions Around The World MFA Israel Experience History Archaeological Excavations in Israel 2005

Archaeological Excavations in Israel 2005

  • 2/1/2005
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    INTRODUCTION

    This list of archaeological expeditions which accept volunteers is compiled by the Israel Foreign Ministry as a service to the public. The excavation details below been contributed by the archaeologists in charge of the individual expeditions, who bear responsibility for their contents.

    NOTE: Any questions, comments or requests for additional information must be directed to the contact person indicated for each project, and not to the Israel Foreign Ministry.


    VOLUNTEERING

    Many archaeologists enlist volunteer help on their digs, as volunteers are highly motivated and wish to learn and gain experience, although the work is often difficult and tedious. Usually, no previous experience is necessary. The work includes digging, shovelling, hauling baskets of earth and sherds, cleaning pottery sherds and more. Volunteers are responsible for their own travel arrangements to and from Israel.

    ACCOMMODATION

    Accommodations for volunteers can range from sleeping bags in the field, to rooms in hostels or kibbutzim, to 3-star hotels near a site. Each expedition has its own accommodation arrangements.

    There is usually a charge for food and lodging, although on some excavations these are free. All charges listed are in US dollars. Volunteers who require kosher food should inquire in advance. Excavations conducted in or near a city often require volunteers to find their own accommodations.

    CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT

    Volunteers should have comfortable, sturdy clothes for heavy work. Sunhats are absolutely compulsory in summer; warm clothing is suggested for summer evenings as the weather can be cool. Winters are wet and cold; warm clothes and water-proof boots are necessary.

    Equipment that may be useful - depending on the conditions at the site and the type of accommodation available - includes work-gloves, sleeping bag, canteen, towels and sunscreen lotion.

    WORK HOURS

    The work schedule at an excavation is organized according to the conditions at the site. A day on an average dig begins before dawn and ends after noon. There is normally a rest period after lunch. The afternoons and early evenings may be devoted to lectures, additional excavation work, cleaning and sorting of pottery and other finds, or they may be free.

    CREDIT COURSES

    Some expeditions offer credit courses from sponsoring institutions. Details concering subjects, conditions and cost may be obtained by contacting the expedition director.

    LECTURES

    Most expedition directors (or other staff members) offer informal lectures covering the history and archaeology of the site and discussion of the type of work involved. Volunteers should feel free to request information regarding an excavation in order to be able to appreciate all aspects of the work.

    RECREATION AND TRIPS

    Recreational facilities (swimming pools, beaches and sporting grounds) may be available, depending on the location of the site. Most expeditions organize sightseeing and field trips to sites in the area and to neighboring museums.

    INSURANCE

    In most cases, volunteers must arrange for medical and accident insurance in advance. Even in instances when accident insurance is provided, it is strongly advised that volunteers come fully insured as the insurance offered is minimal.

    APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION

    When applying to the director of an excavation you should indicate any previous studies you may have in archaeology or related fields, such as anthropology, architecture, geography, surveying, graphic arts; or experience in excavation work, pottery restoration or photography.

    For registration, please contact the persons listed in the individual entries. Please note that a registration fee is often required.

    Note: Israel Ministry of Interior regulations require that passports of all volunteers (other than Israeli) be stamped with a volunteer visa (B4). This request should be made by the volunteer at the point of entry into Israel.


    Israel Antiquities Authority - Programs for organized groups

     


    EXCAVATIONS 2005
    (Listed by starting date)

    Note: This is a preliminary list. Additional digs will be added as the information becomes available.

    Ein Gedi Jan 3 - Jan 27
    Tiberias March 13 - April 7;
    Oct 30 - Nov 24
    Har Karkom March 20 - April 15
    Kursi May 14 - 29;
    October 5-28
    Tel Kedesh May 21 - June 15; June 19 - July 14
    Bethsaida May 22 - June 11; June 19 - July 8; July 10 - July 29
    Omrit May 25 - June 28
    Yotvata June 1-30
    Zeitah June 10 - July 16
    Tel Rehov June 19 - July 29
    Tel Hazor June 21 - August 2
    Ramat Hanadiv

    June 26 - July 21

    Tel Dor

    June 28 - August 8

    Hippos (Sussita) July 3-28
    Tell es-Safi 

    July 10 - August 5

    Yavneh Yam July 10 - August 12
    Ramat Rachel 

    July 17 - August 5

    Kinneret Regional Project August 7 - Sept 2

    Note: There will be no excavations at Megiddo in 2005. The next field excavation is scheduled for 2006.


    EIN GEDI Ein Gedi is an oasis on the western shore of the
    Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, more then 400 m. below sea level. Fresh water springs flow there and
    have made permanent settlement that lived on
    irrigation agriculture.
    Ein Gedi is mentioned in the Bible and in many
    historical sources. Archeological excavations revealed Chacolithic Temple (4th millennium BCE) , Iron Age settlement (Biblical period), and a Roman - Byzantine Period village. The mosaic floor of the village synagogue has unique inscriptions.
    The aim the 3rd season of excavations is to continue
    uncovering the village's houses in order to
    reconstruct the rural life at the site of the Early
    Roman Period. The village houses were ruined around 68 CE, at the end of the Second Temple Period, a periodthat until now was not fully excavated in Ein Gedi.
    Director: Dr. Gideon Hadas, Kibbutz Ein Gedi. The
    expedition operates under the auspices of the
    Institute of Archaeology, Hebrew University of
    Jerusalem. 
    Dates: January 3-27, 2005
    Accommodation: Ein Gedi youth hostel, 5 people per room.
    Work hours: Fieldwork is conducted from Mondays through Thursdays, from 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m..
    Cost: $250 per week for room and board, 4 days work,
    depending on type of accommodation.
    Registration fee: $30 (non-refundable). Returning volunteers exempt.
    Minimum participation: One week
    Work hours: Mon.-Thurs. 06:00-13:30.
    Recreation: Touring in Ein Gedi nature reserve, swimming in the Dead Sea, Ein Gedi hot spa.
    Insurance: Volunteers must arrange their own medical and accident insurance in advance and offer proof of doing so.
    Contact: Dr. Gideon Hadas, Fax 972-8-6584384; E-mail: gideonhadas@yahoo.com
    Website: For more information and application form see: http://planet.nana.co.il/ghadas
     
    TIBERIAS In the first 1200 years of its existence, from its founding ca. 20 C.E. to its distruction by the Mamluks in 1247 C.E., the city served as an important center for the political and spiritual leadership of the country. Built on the banks of the Sea of Galilee, Tiberias was home to the ancient Sanhedrin (the Jewish high court) and the place where the Jerusalem Talmud was codified. It was also the capital of the region where Jesus’ ministry began.
    In the two upcoming seasons, we will dig the bath house, the market place, the main street (the Cardo) and an interiguing complex that may have been the seat of the Sanhedrin.
    Director: Prof. Yizhar Hirschfield, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
    Assoc.Dir.: Prof. Katharina Galor, Brown Univeristy, Providence, Rhode Island
    Dates: March 13 - April 7; October 30 - November 24
    Accommodation: Aviv Hotel on the southern outskirts of Tiberias within walking distance from the site and the Sea of Galilee. Up to two people per room.
    Cost: $250 per four-day work week (double occupancy with full board). $100 supplement for single room, discounts for students are available.
    Registration fee: $30 (non-refundable). Returning volunteers exempt.
    Minimum participation: One week
    Work hours: Monday-Thursday, 6:30 am - 2:00 pm.
    Recreation: Lectures and field trips to nearby sites are organized by the staff. In addition, one may swim in the Sea of Galilee, visit the Tiberias hot springs and enjoy the modern city of Tiberias with all its amenities.
    Insurance: Volunteers must arrange their own medical and accident insurance in advance and offer proof of doing so.
    Contact: Prof. Yizhar Hirschfeld, Institute of Archaeology, Hebrew University, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem 91905.
    Shulamit Miller: m_mitzi@yahoo.com
    Fax: Shulamit Miller c/o Prof. Hirschfeld: 972-2-5825548 or
    Dr. de Vincenz: solari@alami.net
    Website: For more information see: http://www.digtiberias.org/
     
    HAR KARKOM Geographically, Mount Karkom is situated in the Negev desert, approximately half way between Kadesh Barnea and Petra. Archaeological evidence unearthed by Prof. Anati indicate that Har Karkom was a paramount cult centre and a sacred mountain beginning in the Palaeolithic Age, reaching its peak of religious activity in the third millennium BC. If the epic accounts described in the books of Exodus and Numbers rely on a historical background, the chronological context may refer only to this period, when Har Karkom was a primary sacred mountain. The topography and archaeological evidence of its plateau appear to reflect the location and character of the biblical Mount Sinai.
    Director: Prof. Emmanuel Anati, Centro Camuno di Studi Preistorici, Italy 
    Dates: April 24 - May 4
    Accommodation: Participants bring their own sleeping bag and tent, and share the cost of catering for food, water supply and transportation.
    Insurance: Volunteers must arrange their own medical and accident insurance in advance and offer proof of doing so.
    Contact: Secretariat
    Centro Camuno di Studi Preistorici (CCSP)
    Via Marconi 7
    25044 Capo di Ponte (BS), Italy
    tel: 39-0364-42091
    fax: 39-0364-42572
    email: info@ccsp.it
    Website: For more information on Har Karkom see: www.harkarkom.com
    For further information on the 2005 dig: http://www.ccsp.it/hkexp05.htm
     
    KURSI Kursi (Gergesa) is located on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. This will be the 6th excavation season of the residential complex of the Byzantine monastery, the traditional location of Jesus' miracle of the swine (Mark 5) and the miracle of the fish and loaves (Mark 8). Excavations since 1991 have uncovered a Byzantine bathhouse, residential dwellings, and the physical record of the Persian invasion of the 7th century. One of the most intriguing mysteries about Kursi is a staircase that leads down to an unknown subterranean area, which will be explored in 2005.
    Directors: Dr. Charles Page II and Dr. Vassilios Tzaferis, Jerusalem Center for Biblical Studies
    Dates: May 14-29; Oct 5-28
    Accommodation: Superior first class hotels, two persons sharing twin bedroom with private bath
    Cost: May dig: $2399. Includes: international round trip airfare, motorcoach transportation, accommodations with two meals a day, entrance fees to sites visited, excursions and field trips as per itinerary.
    Registration fee: A full per-person deposit of $300 is required.
    Work Program: Work on site during the week days with field trips to other archaeological sites on the weekends.
    Contact: Dr. Paul McCracken, Associate Director, Kursi Excavations
    Tel: 205-970-3834
    E-Mail: paul@jibe-edu.org
    Website: For additional information and application form see website
     
    TEL KEDESH Kedesh is the largest unexcavated tel site in Upper Galilee, occupying 20-25 acres. Located in a border area between Phoenician and Jewish spheres of control, while the site lies close to areas of Jewish population in antiquity, it appears throughout much of its recorded history to have been under Phoenician political or cultural control. The goals of the project are to explore the Hellenistic and Roman occupation levels of the site with the intent of identifying and expanding knowledge of continuing Phoenician elements in the material record of the Hellenistic era.
    In the 2005 season we will concentrate our efforts on the area of the Hellenistic Administrative Building. We plan to excavate the bath and explore the public rooms and complex entry system, where we hope to find remains of its Persian period predecessor.
    Directors: Andrea Berlin (University of Minnesota) and Sharon Herbert (University of Michigan)
    Dates: May 21 - June 15; June 19 - July 14
    Accommodation: Moshav Ramot Naftali
    Cost: Cost for one session is $1200 and for two $2000 with full room and board, except for the 3 day break between sessions.
    Work hours: Sundays to Fridays, 5:30-12:00 - excavation in the field; afternoons - pottery washing and analysis.
    Contact: Professor Andrea Berlin, Department of Classical and Near Eastern Studies, University of Minnesota, 330 Folwell Hall, Minneapolis, MN 55455.
    E-mail: aberlin@tc.umn.edu
    Professor Sharon Herbert, Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, University of Michigan, 434 South State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1390.
    E-mail: sherbert@umich.edu
    Website: For additional information and application form see http://www.lsa.umich.edu/kelsey/research/Excavation/
    Kedesh/kedesh.html    .
     
    BETHSAIDA Tell Bethsaida (e-Tell) is situated 1.5 km off the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Research revealed that Bethsaida was probably a fortified city known as Zer on the Sea of Galilee and mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. Bethsaida means "House of the Fisherman". According to the New Testament, Jesus performed some of his most important miracles there, including the "Feeding of the Multitudes," and the "healing of the Blind Man," and from the Bethsaida shores, he was seen walking on the Sea of Galilee.
    Goal of the 2005 season: to uncover more of Iron Age city gate.
    Directors: Prof. Rami Arav, University of Nebraska at Omaha; Prof. Richard Freund, University of Hartford
    Dates: The excavation is divided into three sessions:
    May 22 - June 11; June 19 - July 8; July 10 - July 29
    Accommodation: Kibbutz Ginosar, western coast of Sea of Galilee
    Cost: From $460 to $665 per week, according to type of accommodation. Discount for more than 2-week stay.
    Registration fee: $200 deposit
    Minimum participation: One week
    Application  deadline: March 22
    Academic credit: 3-6 undergraduate ($131.25 per credit hour); University of Nebraska at Omaha
    Work days:

    Monday-Friday
    5:30am - 12:30 pm: Fieldwork
    4:30 pm - 6:30 pm: Lab work and pottery
    8:00pm - 9:00pmL Lecture

    Recreation: Kibbutz Ginosar is located right on the Sea of Galilee, and there is also a swimming pool on the kibbutz. Weekend tours are arranged throughout the season (for an additional charge).
    Insurance: All participants must have health insurance that covers international travel to Israel. Volunteers are encouraged to seek additional traveler's and flight insurance.
    Contact: Bethsaida Excavations Project
    University of Nebraska at Omaha
    International Studies and Programs
    Omaha , NE 68182-0227
    Tel. 402/554-4986; 402/554-3108
    Fax: 402/554-3681
    Email: rarav@mail.unomaha.edu or streynolds@mail.unomaha.edu
    Website: For more information and application form see: http://www.unomaha.edu/bethsaida/
     
    OMRIT Located in the northeast Huleh Valley at the base of Mount Hermon, Omrit was discovered when a 1998 fire in the northeastern Galilee revealed an ancient building complex not far from Kiryat Shmona, with ornate Corinthian capitals and other massive architectural elements were strewn on the ground. Excavations have revealed two successive temples on the same spot as well as an imperial public building which may be the temple Herod erected in honor of the Roman emperor Augustus in the area of Banias.
    Directors: Prof. J. Andrew Overman from Macalester College, St. Paul, USA and Gaby Mazor, Israel Antiquities Authority, Jerusalem
    Dates: May 25 - June 28
    Accommodation: Kibbutz Kfar Szold, hotel-style rooms with air conditioning and kitchenettes.
    Cost: $2800
    Application deadline: March 15
    Work hours: Excavation - 5:00-12:00; pottery washing and reading - 13:30-18:00. Lecture - 20:00.
    Workdays: Monday-Saturday morning.
    Minimum stay: Two weeks.
    Recreation: Swimming pool, basketball courts, and an on site night club. Horse riding.
    Insurance: Volunteers must arrange their own medical and accident insurance in advance, and offer proof of doing so.
    Contact: Andy Overman, Dept. of Classics, Macalester College, 1600 Grand Ave., St. Paul, MN 55105; Fax: 651-696-6498; E-mail: overman@macalester.edu
    Website: For more information and application form see: http://www.macalester.edu/classics/omrit/
     
    YOTVATA At Yotvata, located 30 miles north of Eliat, the site being excavated dates from the Late Roman - Early Islamic periods. A previously unknown early Islamic occupation level was discovered. The goals for 2005 are to clarify the occupational sequence and expand the excavation area.
    Directors: Jodi Magness, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Gwyn Davies, Florida International University
    Dates: June 1-30
    Accommodation: Kibbutz Lotan guest house: 2 per room, private bathrooms, kitchenette, A/C, pool.
    Cost: $40 per day
    Application deadline: March 14
    Academic credit: 3 or 6 credits through Hebrew University of Jerusalem or through another institution; $500/3 units; $1000/6 units
    Minimum stay: Two weeks.
    Insurance: Volunteers must arrange their own medical and accident insurance in advance, and offer proof of doing so.
    Contact: Gwyn Davies, Dept. of History, DM 386, Florida International University University Park, Miami, FL 33199
    Tel: (305) 348-2974
    Email: daviesg@email.fiu.edu
     
    ZEITAH A strategically located "outlying" town, Zeitah (Hebrew "Zayit") lies in the Beth Guvrin Valley, roughly halfway between the Israelite city of Lachish and Tell es Safi (Philistine Gath).
    In 2005 attention will be focused on two areas of excavation: a large, public building (possibly constructed by the Egyptians) that dates to the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1300 BCE) and that lies smothered beneath 4.5 meters of destruction debris; a later destruction level dating from the early Iron Age II (Old Testament period) and involving another building, which the Aramaeans from Damascus likely destroyed during a ninth century BCE incursion into southern Palestine.
    Director: Ron E. Tappy, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
    Dates: June 10 - July 16
    Accommodation: Kibbutz Gal'on - hostel-style rooms, A/C.
    Cost for volunteers: Room and board: $1,400 for full five weeks; $1,200 for four weeks; and $960 for three weeks.
    Registration fee: US $25 (non-refundable). Applied toward the total cost charged to volunteers accepted for the excavation.
    Application deadline: April 1, 2005 (group flight participants) or May 13, 2005 (independent travelers).
    Academic program: Students are encouraged to arrange for credit through their home institution. Credit may also be earned through Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Course description. Tuition through PTS costs $500 for three quarter units or $1,000 for six quarter units.
    Work hours: Excavation - 5:00-13:00; pottery washing and scheduled lectures in the afternoon and evening.
    Workdays: Monday-Friday.
    Minimum stay: 3 weeks (preference to full 5-week session).
    Recreation: Overnight field trips (optional for those not taking field school credit through Pittsburgh Theological Seminary) will take place on two mid-season weekends ($125 apiece).
    Insurance: Volunteers must arrange their own medical and accident insurance in advance, and offer proof of doing so.
    Contact: Dr. Ron E. Tappy, The Zeitah Excavations, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, 616 N. Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15206-2596
    Tel: 412-441-3304 x2126; Fax: 412-486-0776
    E-mail: tappy@fyi.net
    Website: For more information and application form see: http://www.zeitah.net/
     
    TEL REHOV Tel Rehov is the location of the largest ancient Canaanite and Israelite site in the Beth-Shean valley. The first six seasons of excavations, from 1997-2003, revealed successive occupational layers from the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age I (12th - 11th centuries BCE). Large and well-preserved buildings from three occupation layers were dated to the 10th-9th centuries BCE (the time of the United Monarchy of David and Solomon and the Divided Monarchy under Omri and Ahab).
    Major goals of this season will be the continued study of structures with their rich finds in Areas B and C, dating to the 10th-9th centuries BCE, the continued study of the Iron Age I and Late Bronze levels in Area D, and opening a new area on the upper mound where Early Bronze Age fortifications were discovered in the 2001 season and where later Bronze Age strata are expected to be found.
    Directors: Professor Amihai Mazar, Institute of Archaeology, Hebrew University in Jerusalem
    Dates: June 19 - July 29, 2005
    Accommodation: Volunteers will live at Kibbutz Nir David, located about eight kilometers from the site, or alternatively, at another nearby kibbutz. At Nir David, accommodation is in air-conditioned wooden cabins that accommodate up to five people. 
    Cost: First three weeks of participation (regardless of which week you begin to dig): $270 per week
    Each additional week: $240 per week
    Sixth week (July 24-29): $210 per week
    Weekly fee covers housing, food, transportation to and from the tel and laundry for seven full days.
    Application deadline: April 30, 2005
    Work hours: Workdays Monday-Friday: Excavation - 5:15-12:30; pottery washing - 16:30. Lectures twice a week - 20:00.
    Minimum stay: Three weeks.
    Academic credit: An academic program will be offered to students who wish to obtain academic credit, both undergraduate and graduate. This credit will be granted from the Rothberg International School of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
    For more information and cost see http://www.rehov.org/volunteer/Credit.htm
    Recreation: Swimming in the walking distance Sahne springs or in the kibbutz swimming pool, parties and barbeques. Weekends free.
    Insurance: Volunteers must arrange their own medical and accident insurance in advance, and offer proof of doing so.
    Contact:

    - For general information and questions: rehov@h2.hum.huji.ac.il 
    - For those registering in North and South American:
    Lauren Wilson, 8432 Bashan Lake Ave., San Diego, CA 92119
    Tel: 1-619-337 3892
    rehov2005@hotmail.com     
    - For those registering in Europe and Asia:
    Tel Rehov Expedition, The Institute of Archaeology,
    Hebrew University of Jerusalem Israel 91905
    Tel. 972-2-588-2437
    Fax: 972-2-5825548
    e-mail: rehov@h2.hum.huji.ac.il 

    Website: For more information and application form see:
    http://www.rehov.org/
     
    TEL HAZOR Hazor is a major site in the Galilee, located approximately 5 km. north of Rosh Pina. 
    The population of Hazor in the second millennium BCE is estimated to have been about 20,000, making it the largest and most important city in the entire region, located strategically on the route connecting Egypt and Babylon. Hazor's conquest by the Israelites opened the way to the conquest and settlement of the Israelites in Canaan. The city was rebuilt and fortified by King Solomon and prospered in the days of Ahab and Jeroboam II, until its final destruction by the Assyrians in 732 BCE.
    In this season the levels of the Israelite and Canaanite period will be explored.
    Director:

    Prof. Amnon Ben-Tor, Institute of Archaeology, The Hebrew University

    Dates: June 21 - August 2. The season is divided into two 3-week sessions: June 21-July 12; July 12- Aug 2. Preference will be given to those who apply for the entire 6-week season.
    Accommodation: ETAP Hotel Galilee
    Cost: $840 per session ($280 per week x 3) or $1550 for those who register for the entire period.
    Registration fee: $25.
    Credit courses: Participants who wish to receive academic credit must make the appropriate arrangements with their own educational institutions. At the end of the season each participant will receive a certificate attesting to his/her participation in the excavations, lectures and field trips.
    Work hours: Excavation: 5:00 a.m. to 13:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, with additional work assignments in the afternoon and the evenings.
    Lectures: A series of lectures during the week will provide training in field archaeology and the interpretation of finds.
    Recreation: The expedition will organize tours (conducted or otherwise) to sites of your choice, provided enough participants are interested, at extra cost.
    Minimum age: 18
    Minimum participation: 3 weeks.
    Insurance: Volunteers must arrange their own medical and accident insurance in advance and offer proof of doing so.
    Contact: Prof. Amnon Ben-Tor, Institute of Archaeology, Hebrew University, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem 91905, Israel
    Tel. 972-2-5882403/4; Fax. 972-2-5825548.
    E-mail: bentor@mscc.huji.ac.il
    Website: For registration details and application form see: http://unixware.mscc.huji.ac.il/~hatsor/index.htm
     
    RAMAT HANADIV Ramat Hanadiv is located on the southern edge of Mt. Carmel, about 10 km. northeast of Caesarea. Past excavations have uncovered a palatial complex from the time of King Herod (end of the first century B.C.E.), which was in use until the Great Revolt in the second half of the first century C.E. During the revolt (66-70 C.E.) the palace was abandoned and has remained uninhabited until recently. The site contains a rich assemblage of finds from the Early Roman period, including pottery vessels, lamps, glassware, coins and metal objects all reflecting facets of daily life at Ramat Hanadiv. Last summer we excavated the palace’s residential area, and will continue doing so during this summer’s final season along with work on the palace’s main gate.
    Director: Prof. Yizhar Hirschfeld, Institute of Archaeology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
    Dates: June 26 - July 21
    Accommodation: Dor Holiday Village, on the Mediterranean coast
    Cost: $90-$100 per day for room and board (B,L), depending on  type of accommodation (2-3 people per room).
    Registration fee: $30 (non-refundable); returning volunteers are exempt.
    Application deadline: June 15, 2005
    Work hours: Monday through Thursday, 5:30 am - 1:00 pm
    Minimum stay: 1 week
    Minimum age: High school
    Recreation: Afternoon/evening activities include lectures about the site and history of the area and field trips in the vicinity. Private access to the sea.
    Insurance: All volunteers must carry proof of a valid health/ accident insurance policy during their stay at the excavation and in Israel.
    Contact: Prof. Yizhar Hirschfeld, Ramat Hanadiv Excavations, Institute of Archaeology, Hebrew University, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem 91905.
    Shulamit Miller: m_mitzi@yahoo.com
    Fax: Shulamit Miller c/o Prof. Hirschfeld: 972-2-5825548
    Website: For more information and application form see: http://www.hum.huji.ac.il/archaeology/RamatHanadiv
     
    TEL DOR Tel Dor is a major Canaanite-Phoenician-Hellenistic-Roman port on the Mediterranean coast, located in present day Israel between Tel Aviv and Haifa. The site was excavated between 1980 and 2000 by a team directed by Ephraim Stern of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with several other institutions worldwide. Starting on the summer of 2004, a new consortium, consisting of three Israeli and four American universities, as well as a large multi-disciplinary and multi-national team of scholars and experts, reopened the excavation, focusing on the Roman, Hellenistic, and Persian remains on the south side of the site, paying specific attention to its urban development, monumental buildings, and dwelling houses; will undertake limited excavation and scientific sampling of the Iron Age remains at the center of the site; and will continue preparing previously-excavated areas for publication.
    Dates: June 28 - August 6
    Director: Dr. Ilan Sharon, Institute of Archaeology, Hebrew University
    Accommodation: Nahsholim Seaside Resort Hotel; air-conditioned rooms, up to four per unit.
    Cost: The cost for a full season is $2995; the cost for a half season is $1895. Includes full (7-days/week) room & board and access to/participation in all Dor excavation activities.
    Registration deposit: $200.
    Work hours: Excavation: 5:00 a.m. to 13:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, sorting finds, office work in the afternoon, lectures. Saturday and Sunday free. Weekend field trips at additional cost.
    Academic credit: Academic credit will be available through the participating academic institutions. Fees vary by institution.
    Recreation: Sports facilities, diving, boating & sailing, trips are available at the resort and/or adjacent beach.
    Minimum age: 18
    Minimum participation: Two weeks.
    Insurance: Volunteers must arrange their own medical and accident insurance in advance and offer proof of doing so.
    Contact: Talia Goldman, Tel Dor project, Institute of Archaeology, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91905 Israel
    E-mail: dor-proj@h2.hum.huji.ac.il
    In the USA, please contact Prof. Andrew Stewart: astewart@socrates.berkeley.edu
    Website: For information on site & project see: http://www.hum.huji.ac.il/dor/
    For registration details and application forms:
    In North America:  http://yana.sscl.berkeley.edu/%7Eteldor/volunteer/index.htm
    Elsewhere: http://www.hum.huji.ac.il/dor/
     
    HIPPOS (SUSSITA) Hippos (Sussita) is located on the eastern shore of Tiberias Lake, a short distance from Kibbutz Ein-Gev. The site, one of two cities of the Decapolis located in Israel, which is situated on the top of a flat diamond shaped mountain, 350 m. above the Sea of Galilee, was entirely surrounded by a wall.
    In this season we plan to: Continue the excavation of the Hellenistic compound, continue revealing the forum, the northwest and northeast churches,and the area above the east city gate.
    Director: Prof. Arthur Segal, University of Haifa
    Dates: July 3-28. The season is divided into 4 weekly sessions. Preference will be given to those who apply for the entire season.
    Accommodation: Youth hostel, Kibbutz Ein Gev; 3-5 people per room.
    Cost: The cost of participation is $390 per full week (Sun-Sat) or $1390 for the entire 4 week season.
    Registration fee: $100 (nonrefundable) in personal or bank check. Fee will be deducted from total cost of participants.
    Work hours: Excavation (Sunday-Thursday): 05:00-12:00, with additional work assignments and lectures in the afternoon and evenings.
    Recreation: On weekends participants may relax or travel on their own or enjoy on the shore of the Tiberias Lake.
    Minimum age: 16
    Minimum participation: One working week (Sunday-Thursday). Preference will be given to those who apply for the entire season.
    Insurance: Volunteers must arrange their own medical and accident insurance in advance and offer proof of doing so.
    Contact: Mr. Michael Eisenberg, Assistante to Project Director, Hippos (Sussita) Project, Zinman Institute of Archaeology, University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 31905, Israel
    Tel. 972-4-8249392; Fax: 972-4-8249876
    E-mail: hippos@research.haifa.ac.il
    Website: For registration details and application form http://hippos.haifa.ac.il/
     
    TELL ES-SAFI/GATH Tell es-Safi (Hebrew Tel Tsafit), Israel, is a commanding mound located on the border between the Judean foothills (the Shephelah) and the coastal plain, approximately halfway between Jerusalem and Ashkelon. At about 100 acres in size, it is one of the largest and most important pre-Classical period archaeological sites in Israel. Tell es-Safi is identified as Canaanite and Philistine Gath (known from the Bible as the home of Goliath and Achish) and Crusader Blanche Garde.
    Major finds from the first few seasons include the discoveries of a 9th century BCE destruction layer with extraordinarily rich remains and of a siege trench surrounding the site, whose date has yet to be determined.
    Director: Dr. Aren Maeir
    Dates: July 10 - Aug 5
    Accommodation: Kibbutz Kfar Menahem. Rooms (air-conditioned - 3-4 per room; single and double rooms available at extra charge).
    Cost for volunteers: US$300 per week, 2 week minimum, or US$1150 for entire 4 weeks. Includes room and board (kosher food), including weekends, transportation to and from the site during excavation, and various dig-related activities.
    Does not include medical and accident insurance; travel to and from Israel; travel to and from airport to base camp (Kibbutz Kfar Menahem) and travel to and from base camp on weekends.
    Registration fee: US$25 (non-refundable).
    Application deadline: May 1
    Academic program: Students participating in the entire program can earn 6 university credits from Bar-Ilan University. Total cost: US$2250
    Work hours: Excavation - 6:00-1:00; afternoon - various excavation related processes (such as pottery reading) and occasional tours.
    Workdays: Sunday-Friday.
    Minimum age: 18
    Minimum stay: For volunteers - 2 weeks; for students in academic program - entire 4 weeks.
    Recreation: Field trips (twice weekly); kibbutz pool; Thursday evening, Argentinean-style Bar-B-Que.
    Lecture/class: Twice a week, in evenings.
    Minimum age: Volunteers under the age of 18 must have the written consent of their parents/legal guardians.
    Insurance: Applicants must have medical authorization and health insurance (which is valid in Israel!) and complete medical form.
    Contact: Dr. Aren M. Maeir, The Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 52900 Israel
    TEL: (972) 3 531-8299/8350; FAX: (972) 3 535-1233
    E-mail: maeir@h2.hum.huji.ac.il or maeira@mail.biu.ac.il
    Website: For more information and registration package see: http://faculty.biu.ac.il/~maeira or www.dig-gath.org
     
    YAVNEH-YAM The coastal site of Yavneh-Yam (Jamneia-on-the-Sea) is located approximately equidistant between Jaffa and Ashdod. It was occupied from the Late Bronze Period till the Middle Ages. Current excavations deal with the Late Iron Age, Persian, Hellenistic, Byzantine and Early Islamic periods.
    Director: Prof. Moshe Fischer, Department of Classical Studies, Tel Aviv University
    Dates: July 10 - August 12
    Accommodation: Ayanot Youth Village, 15 minutes drive from the site; air-conditioned rooms, four persons to a room.
    Cost for volunteers: The participation fee is US $350 for one week, $675 (2 weeks), $1000 (3 weeks), $1300 (4 weeks), and $1600 (5 weeks). This sum covers full board accommodation in 4-person rooms, archaeological training in the field, find-sorting, lectures, visits to museums and full-day excursions on Sunday, July 17 and Sunday, July 31. Does not cover flight, travel and insurance.
    Registration fee: US$50 (non-refundable).
    Application deadline: May 31, 2005
    Academic program: An official certificate is delivered for participation at the training and lecturing program of the project.
    Work hours: Excavation Monday-Friday 5:00-12:00. Treatment of finds (mainly pottery washing) 16:30-18:30. Evening lectures & other activities 20:00-21:30. Saturday-Sunday free.
    Minimum stay: Two weeks starting on a Sunday
    Minimum age: 16
    Recreation: Swimming in the Mediterranean and youth village pool, one Sunday trip per session.
    Insurance: Volunteers must arrange their own medical and accident insurance in advance, which will be checked on arrival.
    Contact: Prof. Moshe Fisher, Archaeological Project Yavneh-Yam, (Israel), 69978 Ramat Aviv, Israel.
    Tel. 972-3-6409938; fax: 972-3-6409457.
    E-mail: fischer@post.tau.ac.il
    Website: For more details and application form see http://www.tau.ac.il/~yavneyam
     
    RAMAT RACHEL Kibbutz Ramat Rachel is located adjacent to the city of Jerusalem. Important finds at the site, dating from the Iron Age to Roman and Byzantine periods. include a Judean palace, Roman villa, and Byzantine monastery.
    Goals for 2005: Traces of Assyrian and Babylonian hegemony; borders of the Iron Age II (Judean) settlement.
    Directors: Dr. Oded Lipschits; Dr. Oren Tal, Institute of Archaeology, Tel Aviv University
    Dates: July 17 - August 5
    Accommodation: Ramat Rachel Hotel
    Cost: $54-$65 per night; $375-450 per week
    Recreation: Swimming at the kibbutz pool.
    Minimum participation: One working week (Sunday-Thursday).FONT>
    Insurance: Volunteers must arrange their own medical and accident insurance in advance and offer proof of doing so.
    Contact: Dr. Oren Tal, Tel Aviv University, Institute of Archaeology
    PO Box 39040, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
    Tel: 972-3-6409079
    Fax: 972-3-6405542
    Email: orental@post.tau.ac.il
     
    KINNERET REGIONAL PROJECT Tell el-'Oreimeh/Tel Kinrot (ancient Kinneret) is situated on the Northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee controlling the ancient route of the Via Maris. The renewed excavations of the site concentrate on the eastern slope of the natural ridge where impressive remains of a large town of the Early Iron Age period have been discovered.
    Since 2002 the Kinneret Regional Project - a German-Finish-Swiss joint expedition - under the direction of Stefan Münger, Juha Pakkala and Jürgen Zangenberg is exploring the site and its environs.
    Directors: Stefan Münger (Bern University/Fribourg University), Dr. Juha Pakkala (Helsinki University), Dr. Jürgen Zangenberg (University of Wuppertal)
    Dates: August 7 - Sept 2
    Accommodation: Full board and accommodation (5-6 pers./room, weekends included) in air-conditioned rooms with bathroom at the Karei Deshe Youth Hostel.
    Minimum stay: 2 weeks
    Cost: Prices in Euro for student volunteer/non-student volunteers: 2 weeks 350/700; 3 weeks 450/900; 4 weeks 550/1100
    Minimum age: 21
    Application deadline: May 1, 2005
    Recreation: Private access to the beach of the Sea of Galilee. Guided tours on weekends to other archaeological sites around the Sea of Galilee and elsewhere.
    Insurance: Each volunteer must have a valid insurance, covering accidents, terrorism, passive war and third party liability, for the entire excavation period.
    Vaccinations: Tetanus (compulsory). Vaccination against Hepatitis A and B is recommended but not compulsory.
    Contact:

    Stefan Münger, CETheol Fakultät, Institut für Bibelwissenschaft, Unitobler, Länggassstr. 51,
    CH-3000 Bern 9, SWITZERLAND
    FAX +41-(0)31-631 48 45
    E-mail: stefan.muenger@theol.unibe.ch

    Kirsi Valkama, Department of Biblical Studies, P.O.Box 33, FIN-00014, University of Helsinki, FINLAND
    Fax: +358-9-191 24017
    E-mail: kirsi.valkama@helsinki.fi

    Website: Website: http://www.kinneret-excavations.org


    Israel Antiquities Authority - Programs for Organized Groups

    The Israel Antiquities Authority's Department of Education and Information is responsible for educational programs in archaeology and heritage preservation. The department runs three centers for archaeology, offering tours, workshops, activities, enrichment courses and opportunities to participate in excavations - for organized groups only.

    For further information, please contact:

      The Center for Archaeology in the Galilee
      Israel Antiquities Authority
      PO Box 35
      Nahalal 10600
      Tel./Fax.: 972-6-6415607,8

      The Center For Archaeology in Jerusalem
      POB 586
      91004 Jerusalem
      Tel.: 972-2-5602621, 972-050-512113
      Fax: 972-2-5602628, 972-2-6285054

      The Center for Archaeology in the Negev
      Israel Antiquities Authority
      HaTzav St. 1
      PO Box 271
      Omer 84965
      Tel./Fax: 972-7-6469940

    		 
     
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