BEIT SHEARIM FIELD REPORT PART 1

Beit Shearim

To get to Bet Shearim we crossed Kiriat Tivon. We passed through its suburb Kiriat Amal, established during the 1930’s to house the workers of the area of Haifa Port, the oil refineries, and the factories. The Bet Shearim National Park, 75 hectares in area, includes the 2^nd century CE town of Bet Shearim, built at the top of the hill, and the underground Jewish cemetery dug into its slopes.

In its latest period, before the establishment of the state of Israel, Alexander Zaid guarded the site. He belonged to the movement HaShomer, established in 1908 to guard the Jewish settlements of the time. The Arabs had guarded them until then. Alexander came from Russia in 1904. He played a role in the establishment of Kfar Giladi in Tel Hai, was a non-conformist and did not want to live in a kibbutz. He went to the Keren Kayemet and asked to be a guard in the forests that were just planted in the Alonim area. In 1926 he chose a hill (which happened to be the one of Bet Shearim), set up a tent, and lived with his wife and 4 kids. Later on he built a house on the site where his great-grandson is still living today. He was a guard in the fields of the Jezreel valley and this forest. In 1938 the kibbutz Alonim was established just beyond this hill. Taking advantage of his knowledge of the area and his contact with the local Arabs, they use to include him in the meetings of the kibbutz, sounding a bell to draw his attention and make him come. On the 11^th of July he heard the bell, rode on his horse to join the meeting, was ambushed and killed. His wife Zippora waited all night for him, decided to look for him, went out late at night with the 4 kids and found his body. In the place where Zippora found him, there is the rock with inscription that reads, “Here fell Alexander Zaid.” Not wanting that this death should be in vain she asked for revenge. A local Bedouin by the name of Tabash was the killer. A Hagana member killed him with the rifle of Trumpledor, stating that no person that guards a Jewish settlement should be assassinated.

Sheik Ibrek was the name of the Arab village of the time, and no one knew then that this was the site of Bet Shearim. 

Geographical location

Bet Shearim is located in the Western part of Lower Galilee, which was also called Givaot Alonim: the Hills of Oak Trees. It is covered with oak trees (alon, alonim), and that is the reason that in 1938 a kibbutz was created by the name of Alonim. Later on another settlement Alonei Aba was established by the German Templers in the 2^nd half of the 19^th century.  Nearby the junction is Hutzot Alonim, with a shopping center. 

This area is made of white soft chalk limestone ideal to create caves. It is fertile agricultural land, easy to tread, and that is the reason why in prehistory there were many settlements. The height is 220-250 ms. above sea level. 

The Central part is a combination of ridges and valleys from South to North: Jezreel valley: Emek Jezreel, Mt.Nazareth, The Valley of Rimon, Tiraon, the valley of Bet Netufa, Ridge of Jodvat, Valley of Sachnin, Ridge of Shagor, and lastly the Valley of Bet haKerem that is the border of Upper and Lower Galilee. (Sipori is in Central part of Lower Galilee.)

The adjacent Jezreel Valley was very fertile and was the bread basket in the 2^nd temple period. The produce was kept in Bet Shearim for the authorities and the army. Josephus came and took supplies for his soldiers during the revolt.

Name. – The Verse in Genesis 26:12:” Isaac planted seeds in that land and in that year found 100 doors” Shearim in the biblical meaning has double meaning: “fold”, great increase and “gates”=place of judgment as in Deuteronomy 21:19.

 In the 2^nd Temple Period Bet Shearim was a large agricultural rural settlement, attracting the coming of the Jews from Judea after the Temple’s destruction and Bar Kochba Revolt. Jews moved to the Galilee, including the moving of 24 priestly families (Chronicles 24). During the temple there were 24 families assuming the necessary tasks. They lived all over the country: In Jericho, Gofna, Modiim (Hanuka’s story). After the destruction of the 2^nd Temple the priests assumed that it would be rebuilt soon, as had occurred with the 1^st Temple. They wanted to be prepared, and they lived with their families, each family living in another part of Galilee, in a different village. There was one such family in Bet Shearim. We have data showing where each family established itself.

The Sanhedrin moved from Lishkat haGazit to Yavne, Usha, Shefaram, Bet Shearim, Sipori, and Tiberia.

The most important person that lived in Bet Shearim was rabbi Jehuda haNassi. .  Jehuda the Prince was the Head of the Sanhedrin , composer of the Mishna, spiritual and administrative leader of the Jewish people at the time. He had a close relationship with Roman authorities, Emperor Antoninus or Caracalla.

 He died in 224 and was buried here, although he moved the last 17 years to Sipori.  He asked to be buried in Bet Shearim in his family burial cave. From then on Bet Shearim became the most important place of burial of the Jews in the Middle East for 150 yrs until the mid 4^th cent. Jews wanted to be buried in Eretz Israel, could not be brought to Judea or Jerusalem, so they chose to be buried next to the Rabbi. After the rebellion of Gallus in 351CE the whole site was destroyed. 

ARCHEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS

After Alexander Zaid discovered by chance some burial caves, B.Mazar (1935-40) and N.Avigad (1953-58) excavated the hill under the auspices of the Israel Exploration Society the Park. Only 3% of site has been excavated. An inscription found there identifies the name Basara.

VILLAGE OF BET SHEARIM 

The city extended over the entire summit of the hill- an area of some 25 acres (100 dunams), 450 ft. (137 m.) above sea level.

A wall, two sections of which were exposed, surrounded it. Remains of large buildings were uncovered on the northeastern part of the hill. 

Synagogue. We walked up to a large rectangular basilica like structure, in which only two courses of ashlar blocks have survived. The size is 115 X 49-ft. (35 X 15 m.). It is a characteristic structure of the beginning 3^rd century CE Galilean synagogue. The front of the synagogue was oriented towards Jerusalem and contained 3 entrances that entered into a large columned hall. The persons had to turn 180 degrees to pray towards Jerusalem. The bases of the columns have been preserved. Architectural elements were found scattered among the ruins. 

On the side far among the trees is the building of the Zaid family house.

Going down the hill were seen remains of houses and courtyards and what might have been a glass workshop. Many small artifacts were found: metal, pottery, glass vessels and some 1200 bronze coins, all of which were struck in the first half of the 4^th century CE These coins made possible to determine the date of the destruction of all the buildings of the area. Further on we see an olive memel press. Walking east, we see the remains of another memel oil press with a screw. In the 1^st Century the screw press replaced the beam press. Two vertical beams implanted into holes of the stone base supported a horizontal beam over the sacks of crushed olives. A larger wooden screw was placed in the horizontal beam and turning the screw created baskets. 

Bible Lands Museum Part 2

Preface

The following was written by tour guide students on their first visit to the museum several years ago and may include criticisms that reflected that initial experience. It should be pointed out that the museum has undergone many changes and personally as a qualified tour guide who was among those earlier students, I would have no hesitation recommending this wonderful museum,   

The collection, being composed of items purchased on the open market, has been severely criticized. It was claimed that any such artifacts were stolen from archaeological sites and cannot therefore be placed with certainty at any specific location or dated by stratigraphy or by proximity to other datable artifacts. As such, the collection, it was claimed, was worthless to archaeologists and was condemned as serving only to promote the continued looting of archaeological sites. Although there are undoubtedly problems of attribution of items of the collection, it remains an excellent teaching tool, and an inspiration to those of callings lower than the professional archaeologist who are drawn to the Biblical narrative and the artifacts that have an association with it. Closing of the BLMJ will have no noticeable effect on the public’s hunger for ancient artifacts and the looting of sites to feed that hunger, but the closing of the BLMJ would be a devastating loss to the general public.

A related criticism is that the presentation of the collection specifically for viewing the Bible through items of the material culture of the lands neighboring Eretz Israel is contrived and is not respectful of the items themselves. An Assyrian scribe, for instance, had no knowledge of a Biblical narrative, but his work should be of interest for its own sake, not as a witness to Biblical history. The scrupulously trilingual (Hebrew, Arabic, English) headings over each display case present Biblical passages, even where the connection to the items on display is strained at best. 

The Museum is, according to some, a difficult place in which to guide groups. As just mentioned, being a “Bible Lands Museum”, each artifact has been forced, sometimes rather awkwardly into a relationship to the Biblical narrative. Advice to prospective guides, therefore, is: 

Choose carefully which groups are brought to the Museum. Those with a special interest in Biblical archaeology will be most appreciative of the collection. The Museum may not be appropriate for a mixed group paying their first visit to Israel.

Choose about 10 items from the collection to explain in detail. Begin with the big map in the Introductory Gallery; show the extent of the various empires that contested the area, and their historical sequence. Select, for instance, one cylinder seal, one example of writing, one Egyptian item, one Hittite item, etc. Then give the group free time to explore the collection on their own.

Visit the Museum early in the day, while visitors can give the collection the concentration it deserves.

 The Museum is not a crowded place. The peacefulness is welcome, but the quiet betrays a sad neglect by local and foreign tourists. However, the BLMJ has an extensive education program through schools and special holiday programs for children. The excellent web site, www.blmj.org, offers a history of the collection, lists of up-coming lectures, concerts and events, a virtual tour of 

the collection and a sampling of the gift shop’s offerings. 

APPENDIX

At the BLMJ, Dr. Horowitz continued his lectures on Biblical history in the context of the cultures of the Near East. 

Biblical history becomes historical, i.e. a scholarly and secular subject, with the first extant extra-Biblical references to Israel. These are the reference on the Marneptah stele (~1220 BCE) in which  Israel is mentioned as one of the defeated allies of the Sea Peoples, the Beit David stele from Dan or with Senacharib’s campaign against Jerusalem (701 BCE). To those who are committed to the proposition that there was no ancient Jewish presence in Eretz Israel, no documentation will be found acceptable.

At the time of the Judges, the Twelve Tribes were located in the hill country of what is now Samaria and Judah. The Tribes had strong affinities among them, and as was common at the time, such affinities were read back into history as a familial relationship of the founding members of the groups. At this time, the Philistines five cities, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Gaza, Gat and Ekron, were located along the Via Maris on the southern coastal plain, but in the absence of a strong Egypt at that time, they seem to have taken over the Egyptian garrison towns, such as Beit-She’an, far from their area of residence. The Philistines posed a strong military challenge to the Tribes, and in response, they petitioned Samuel, their acknowledged religious leader, for a king (Sam. I, 8). Against his advice, they insisted on a king, and period of the united monarchy begins with the anointing of Saul (1030?-1009 BCE) from the Tribe of Benjamin. Clearly, Saul was an unsuccessful leader, as in the last battle of his reign, in which he was killed, was staged at Gilboa (Sam. I, 31), much closer to the Israelite centers than the Philistines’ Five Cities. David, from the Tribe of Judah, before his self-imposed exile from Saul’s court, was a hero of the wars against the Philistines, and was acclaimed king in Hebron ca. 1009 BCE. 

David (ca. 1009 to 969 BCE) has historically been Israel’s ideal king. His career may be compared with the Near Eastern paradigm of an ideal king, who must extend the area of his control to the natural borders of his area. The Mesopotamian kings felt it their Manifest Destiny to rule the entire world, but David’s mandate was the lands promised to Abraham, from the Euphrates to the River of Egypt (Gen. 15, 18), i.e. from the upper Euphrates to the Sinai Desert, the middle territory between the centers of Mesopotamian and Egyptian power. Sam. II, 8, 3 refers to David establishing yado (his hand, or better, his monument) at the Euphrates. It was a common practice in the Near East of that time for a military commander to erect a stele or carve a celebratory inscription on a cliffside at the furthest extent of a military expedition, and in transition from the Late Bronze Age to the Iron Age, when the Babylonians and Egyptians were in eclipse, this was an achievable goal for David. It is unlikely, however, that David, or Solomon after him, ever administered this entire area. When Solomon (970 to 930 BCE) ascended the throne, he echo’s the same territorial promise to Abraham (Kings I, 5, 1). 

The ideal Near Eastern monarch should be wise, and a law giver. Solomon is traditionally associated with the wisdom literature of the Cannon (Proverbs, Song of Songs) and legends of his wisdom as a judge all but obscure him as a historical personality. 

The ideal king should establish a new capital city, and David conquered Jebuz, renaming it Jerusalem and building his palace there.

The ideal king should be a builder, and Solomon also fits the role by having built the First Temple. 

The king should be a patron of the arts, and David is traditionally the author of Psalms, and of course, was a harpist.

The ideal king should establish an archive, and we have the books of Kings and Chronicles. 

Dr Horowitz then began a discussion of the development of the alphabet. Sumerian was a pictographic system of writing, but cuneiform, using the same symbols, was by 2500 BCE, a phonetic system, but with 611 symbols. By the time of the Ugaritic texts (~1500 BCE), many fewer symbols were in use, each one representing a combination of a consonant and vowel sound. This was distilled into the proto-Siniatic alphabet. Phoenician, a derivative of proto-Siniatic had 22 symbols, and was a predecessor of ancient Greek in the west and of Hebrew (~1050 BCE) in the south. 

The discussion was continued in the Museum galleries.

In Gallery 2 (The Coming of Civilization) is a large photograph of the Uruk vase from Baghdad. It is decorated with 4 bands of figures. On the top is Inanna, goddess of fertility identified by her attributes, bundles of reeds, receiving gifts from naked males. In the next lower band more naked males are bringing offerings, and below them is a band of cattle. At the lowest band are wavy lines signifying waters. This creates a logical progression from the life-sustaining water, to the animals that provide the economic wherewithal of the agrarian economy, to the surplus that allows offerings to be made to the goddess. It may also be read downwards as teleology: in order to offer gifts to the goddess, the surplus must be created from the agricultural economy, for which water must therefore be provided. 

Gallery 2 (The Coming of Civilization) and Gallery 3 (Symbolic Communication) have cylinder seals, many of which show a seated god, identifiable by an attribute, with an intermediary standing behind. The Mesopotamians inscribed almost everything, which certainly aids contemporary archaeologists. In Gallery 4 (The Beginning of Writing), it was pointed out that the BLMJ staff, insist that before 2000 BCE, Mesopotamian texts were written top to bottom and thus display their cuneiform tablets accordingly. This convention is not one generally accepted.  

Gallery 6 (The Sumerian Temple) pictures a southern Mesopotamian ziggurat, the one at Ur (2000 BCE). The ziggurat was a sanctuary raised on a platform; it was a shrine, a link to the heavens, more than a temple. A cylinder scroll shows gods working at building; another shows a man ascending toward heaven on eagles’ wings.

Gallery 15 (Assyria, The Rod of My Anger) contains a stele with a royal official with the emblems of his office. He holds a cup, indicating he is the chief wine steward, a very high ceremonial position. 

The Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem

The Bible Lands Museum, Jerusalem, located opposite the Israel Museum at Rehov Granot 25 (P.O Box 4670, Jerusalem 91046; telephone 02 561 1066; facsimile 02 563 8228) is open Sun. Mon. Tues. Thurs. 09:30 to 17:30, Wed. 9:30 to 21:30, Fri. and holiday eves 09:30 to 14:00. Additionally the Museum is open many Saturday evenings for concerts in the auditorium, at which time the collection is also open for viewing. There are lecture series, in Hebrew or English, many Wednesday evenings, on topics of relevance to the scope of the Museum. Free parking is available just south of the Museum on a small road (right turn just past the entrance on a small road that winds down the hill to Rehov Burla.  Entrance fees (other than Saturday evenings) are: adults ₪28, soldiers, students and new olim ₪15, pensioners ₪23 and groups of 10 or more, ₪22. An elevator for wheelchair access is located behind the registration desk. (Parking is available on the street that runs off R. Granot just past (southwest) the Museum.)

The public areas of the Museum are on 3 levels, a small street-level entrance hall with stairs that lead down to the intermediate level, where the collection is arrayed in 20 galleries. Also on this level are a small theater and gallery for temporary exhibitions. The lowest level contains more exhibit space, several classrooms, an auditorium and the cafeteria.

Facilities for visitors include toilets (behind the reception desk on the right side of the small entrance hall and on the lowest level to the side of the auditorium), a gift shop on the left side of the entrance hall, and a cafeteria just outside the auditorium that, depending on the day, offers drinks and snacks or hot meals.

Background

The museum was opened in 1992 to house the private collection of Dr. Elie Borowski, in his own words, a failed philologist, failed Talmudist, failed rabbi and failed professor who did not fail as an art dealer, but “made big, big, big, big money”. The land on Rehov Granot, opposite the Israel Museum was donated by the city of Jerusalem, but the $12 million cost of the building was born by Borowski himself. 

The Collection

The artifacts, maps and illustrations are designed to provoke questions such as:

How were ancient societies structured, and what was daily life like?

What was the significance of daily religious worship?

How did trade and technology develop and influence lifestyles and beliefs?

How did new empires rise, and how did they eventually crumble?

How did different cultures express themselves through art?

How did people communicate and trade throughout the ancient world?

The collection was begun in the 1943 when Borowski, a soldier in a French army unit for Polish nationals escaped to Switzerland, where he was interned for the duration of the War. By then he had studied literature, philosophy and science at the University of Florence and had been a fellow in Assyriology at the Pontifical Biblical Institute where he learned to read cuneiform and its languages and post-Biblical Hebrew. In 1938 he transferred to Paris, to continue his studies at the Collège de France and the Louvre. Because Borowski was fluent in Polish, German, Italian, French and English (among the modern languages), served as an interpreter and janitor. When the tide of the war turned, he was transferred to the Château de Céligny, where the elite of the interred Polish officers were housed. He talked his Swiss “hosts” into allowing him half a day a week at the Museum of Art and History in Geneva and an acquaintance with a Swiss collector led him to a post-War career as a dealer in antiquities, headquartered first in Toronto, then in Basel. For some years his personal collection was housed, but only temporarily displayed, at the Royal Ontario Museum. His wife Batya was instrumental in convincing him to seek a permanent home for the collection in Jerusalem, and since his death, she continues to direct the Museum’s activities. 

Before entering the galleries, there is a huge relief map of the lands from which the collection is drawn, from Egypt to Iran, from the Caucasus to the Sudan. The extents of the great empires of the period are outlined in lights, as are Abraham’s journeys from Ur to Haran and from Haran to Eretz Israel. Facing the map is a time table, showing the events in these lands over the temporal scope of the collection, from 7500 BE to 600 CE. The collection is arranged both thematically and geographically/historically in 20 galleries:

Gallery   1: From Hunter to Urban Dweller

Gallery   2: The Coming of Civilization

Gallery   3: Symbolic Communication

Gallery   4: Literate Voices, The Story of Writing

Gallery   5: The Pre-Patriarchal World

Gallery   6: The Sumerian Temple

Gallery   7: Old Kingdom Egypt

Gallery   8: Genesis 14, The Age of Warfare

Gallery   9: The Age of the Patriarchs

Gallery 10: When Israel Sojourned in Egypt

Gallery 11: The Sea Peoples

Gallery 12: Iranian Horsemen

Gallery 13: Stones of Aram

Gallery 14: Israel Among the Nations

Gallery 15: Assyria, the Rod of My Anger

Gallery  16: The Splendors of Persia

Gallery  17: Hellenistic Dominions

Gallery 18: Rome and Judea

Gallery 19: Roman and Coptic Egypt

Gallery 20:  Sassanian Mesopotamia – Home of the Babylonian Talmud

This serves the purposes of many visitors, but not others. The amateur Biblical archaeology enthusiast will find it appropriate, especially with the help of the excellent Guide to the Collection (₪45), the extensive written material posted in each gallery or possible the audio-guide, which being overly ambitious in its coverage, is correspondingly non-selective. The archaeology professional may well find the organization of the collection to be confusing, as, ignoring geographic or historic boundaries, it sorts the collection into non-academic categories.

Extra Note

Since this report was compiled the museum has constantly been involved in adding new exhibits. Accordingly, it is advisable to check out their latest exhibitions and dates of any special programs to avoid disappointment. Some exhibits mentioned above may have been removed for special restoration, loaned out to other museums, etc.

Following our previous two studies about the visit to the Israel Antiquities Authority, we can better understand the process of an archaeological excavation project. We learnt about the need for undertaking careful and meticulous research, and gaining permission from the IAA to excavate an approved site in Israel. Imagine the immense excitement at not only making a discovery out in the field but also having it later displayed in such a prestigious museum where the general public can share in seeing the discovery? Careers in archaeology can begin at many diverse starting points from researching an historic document, stumbling across an hidden artifact in the field, to seeing a beautiful display in an institute such as Bible Lands. Furthermore, this occupation is not restricted to the young as many senior folk have also gained tremendous excitement from making their own remarkable discoveries!

Further episodes of this diary will be featured in later issues of the Jewish TV Channel through its Jewish Travel Channel.

Do you fancy taking a trip to Israel and maybe becoming a tour leader of your own group? The benefits are enormous and can include many free travel opportunities. A special course will be operated by qualified and experienced JTVC staff to enable you to learn more about such subjects as the history of Israel, its diverse people, its geological composition, and much more besides. Feel free to get in touch with us for further details.

CONTACT JTVC 

Israel Antiquities Authority – Laboratories

This article is the second and final part of our study session about the Israel Antiquity Authority – See Article Here.

There are four main laboratories at Har Hotzvim, for the conservation and preservation of stone, glass and fabric, pottery and metal finds. At the archaeological site, it is crucial to identify each object, and the exact locus of each find is documented – for example, whether on the floor, in a jug, etc., and at what depth and so on. Each object has an identity card plus a drawing or photograph.

Pottery is the dominant material of excavations. In the lab it is washed, spread on a table and marked with the season, site and exact location, and license number. They are then put together as far as possible, and finally the gaps are filled in with plaster of Paris which is strengthened and coloured to maintain visual coherence. An object which is considered to be complete and restored is not necessarily totally complete. Most (99%) vessels are symmetrical, so as long as one full side is constructed, it is considered complete. (It is fully reconstructed by the artist who draws the object).

There are different categories of objects:

Pitos – the largest; Amphora – with two handles, tapering, used for wine or oil; Jars – with two handles; Cooking pots – round and heat resistant; Jugs – with one handle , for dipping; Amphoriscus – small container for dipping; Large bowls, bottles, lids, plates and lamps.

Metal is preserved to continue studying. Solutions for cleaning are used according to corrosion. After cleaning, the object is put into sterilized water to neutralize it to prevent further deterioration. As far as possible, the method used is mechanical (hand) under magnifying glass.

Each object is also photographed or drawn to scale.

APPENDIX

Antiquities Law   (http://www.amnumsoc.org/inc/israel.htm)

Excavation, ownership and dealing in antiquities is strictly regulated in Israel. 

 The Israel Antiquities Authority has a legal mandate from the State to protect Israel’s archeological heritage. Therefore, as soon as a construction company uncovers archeological remains it must contact the Antiquities Authority so the site can be excavated. Only after all excavation has been completed and the necessary artifacts removed from the site can construction continue. Religious issues arise when ancient graves are discovered in a site. According to Halacha (Jewish law), respect for the dead is of the utmost importance, and hence graves are not to be disturbed. Israel is a minefield of archeological remains, and severe archeological and economic problems are created by the obstacles to construction arising from strict application of Halacha. Despite claims by the Ultra-Orthodox that construction can occur over graves (if their presence is not known) or around them, it is nearly impossible to build any roads, buildings, or tunnels without the relocation of gravesites. 

The following is an extract from the Antiquities Law of the State of Israel (1978) which replaced British Mandatory Antiquities Ordinances.

Definitions
Antiquity: any object, whether detached or fixed, which was made by man before the year 1700 of the general era, and includes anything subsequently added thereto which forms an integral part thereof. “Excavation” or “digging” includes a search for antiquities and a trial digging.

State Ownership of Antiquities

Where an antiquity is discovered or found in Israel after the coming into force of this Law, it … become(s) the property of the State. A person who discovers or finds and antiquity … shall notify the Director [of the Israel Antiquities Authority] within fifteen days of the discovery or find. [If he] alleges that any antiquity was discovered or found before the coming into force of this Law shall bear the onus of proof.

The Director may waive State ownership of an antiquity in writing, and upon doing so the antiquity shall cease to be the property of the State.

Excavations
No Person shall dig on any land, or otherwise search, for antiquities, including the use of a metal detector, or gather antiquities, unless he has obtained a license to do so from the Director… 

If a person is found on an antiquity site with digging implements in his possession or nearby with which it must be supposed digging has recently been done on that site or is found with a metal detector in his possession or nearby, he shall, unless he proves otherwise, be presumed to have intended to discover antiquities.

Dealing in and Export of Antiquities

A person may only deal in antiquities if he is in possession of a license therefor from the Director and in accordance with the conditions of the license… [The license] shall indicate the place of business … and shall be displayed there in a conspicuous position.

Where a dealer in antiquities offers any article for sale as an antiquity, his plea that he did not know that the article was not an antiquity shall not be heard. A person shall not sell or display for sale a replica or imitation of an antiquity without indication thereon, in the manner prescribed by regulations, that it is not a genuine antiquity.

A person who contravenes [this section] is liable to imprisonment for a term of two years or a fine of 100,000 pounds.

A person shall not take out of Israel an antiquity of national value save with the written approval of the Minister [of Education and Culture]. A person shall not take out of Israel any other antiquity save with the written approval of the Director. A person who contravenes [this section] is liable to imprisonment for a term of six months or a fine of 30,000 pounds.

A Personal Summary

Many of an older generation are familiar with the fictional hero of Indiana Jones. He was hunting for biblical treasure in Raiders of the Lost Ark, whereby his character was involved in an exciting conflict with Nazis seeking to gain extra terrestrial power from the Ark of the Covenant. Aside from these adventures, his character also took on the form of an archaeological professor, a somewhat meek one running counter to his alter ego out in the field. However, the real adventure for many serious archaeological scholars begins at the preliminary research stage, gaining palpable support for deciding to undertake an actual excavation. Accordingly, the IAA can be the starting point for many a real life adventure that has uncovered genuine discoveries, which otherwise would have remained unearthed. It is with such thoughts in mind that we can better understand how our visit to this facility was also a trigger for personal research and quests into uncovering our own heritage. The Trail of the Ark is a Jewish TV Channel special series that was sported after a visit to the Israel Antiquities Authority!       

Further episodes of this diary will be featured in later issues of the Jewish TV Channel through its Jewish Travel Channel.

Do you fancy taking a trip to Israel and maybe becoming a tour leader of your own group? The benefits are enormous and can include many free travel opportunities. A special course will be operated by qualified and experienced JTVC staff to enable you to learn more about such subjects as the history of Israel, its diverse people, its geological composition, and much more besides. Feel free to get in touch with us for further details.

CONTACT JTVC 

Diaries of a tour guide course

Undertaking a serious study of the Jewish promised land is no simple matter. It is one thing to just look at a map and decide where to go and visit famous sites. But, what about the history connected with those sites. There alone one can sub-divide knowledge of the past into several sectors. On the one hand it is possible to gain an understanding of the evolvement of the children of Israel through biblical studies, which is highly recommended. However, that alone doesn’t always satisfy a desire to bring such accounts to life. Extra biblical sources can provide sterling evidence of the neighbors that surrounded the early Hebrews. Records are kept in a wide array of formats from cuneiform tablets baked in hard clay, to the renowned Dead Sea Scrolls on parchment. Our quest to learn more in-depth information about the Jewish heritage begins by becoming aquatinted with an institution that is dedicated to both uncovering this past through physical means such as archaeological excavations, as well as preserving hard found discoveries often prior to them being house in a museum for public access.

Israel Antiquities Authority – Overview

The Israel Antiquities Authority may be better known to students of biblical archeology than to the general public, but without their meaningful work, we would all be worse off for being deprived of the vast collection and knowledge base accumulated over past decades. Accordingly, join us in a field trip that visited their establishment. These records are kept totally unedited to allow you to capture the unwinding story as it occurred.     

The 18 November field trip consisted of visits to the Israel Lands Authority in the morning and the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem in the afternoon.

The Israel Antiquities Authority

The host of the visit to the Authority’s Har Hotzvim facility on the morning of 18 November 2003 was Dr. Tikva Levine.

 Archaeology is the study of ancient finds created by man, which are found in situ.

A tel, which looks like a mound, is an ancient archaeological site which is man-made. It is a place of living and leaving, but also of returning – a place which is abandoned at one time, but is returned to by others who build on top of the original site. An accumulation of layers, it is uncovered but never fully excavated, as parts of the site are left for future archeologists. A tel is usually found at a location with four main features: 1) natural elevation to begin with; 2) water nearby; 3) natural protection; 4) the junction of roads.

The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), under the Ministry of Education, is responsible for all archaeological matters (including underwater) in Israel. The IAA is in charge of their identification, protection, conservation, research, exposure and publication. It administers the state’s national collection of antiquities and aims to increase public awareness of the remnants of the past. Their poorly-maintained web site is sometimes available at: www.israntique.org.il

The IAA has wide range of activities including: 

• Inspection and protection of antiquity sites in accord with the Law of Antiquities. 

• Excavation and research of antiquities sites. 

• Conservation, restoration and development of antiquity sites. 

• Inspection of archaeological excavations in Israel. 

• Administration and safekeeping of the National Collection of Antiquities. 

• Conducting, promoting and publishing archaeological researches. 

• Gathering and documenting of national archaeological information. 

• Conducting and promoting educational and informational activities aimed to protect the national heritage. 

• Maintaining international scientific communication on archaeological issues. 

Organizational structure

The IAA consists of both regional and centralized departments. There are three different branches, covering the North, Centre and South of the country. There is a separate wing which covers the West Bank and Gaza. The Regional Offices are responsible for enforcement of the Law of Antiquities and declare new antiquity sites; conduct rescue excavations and supervising all excavations. The laboratories are located at Har Hotzvim, Jerusalem, and are not open to the public, while the library and archives are at the Rockefeller Museum, Sultan Sulayman Street, Jerusalem.

• The Antiquities Robbery Prevention Unit is charged with robbery prevention, inspection and supervision of commerce in antiquities. 

• The Maritime Archaeology Unit is in charge of the underwater archaeological resources. 

• The Conservation Department is responsible for conservation of archaeological sites during excavation and as part of the development of sites for public presentation. This includes on-site conservation, such as mosaic floors, and of objects taken from the sites, which need conservation and cleaning, as well as ideal conditions in which to be displayed (such as the Dead Sea Scrolls.) The department undertakes conservation surveys and documentation, planning and implementation of conservation works, inspecting and supervising them. It is also involved with development of advanced conservation methods, professional training and advocacy. 

• The Excavations and Surveys Department is the professional core of the IAA. It is the authority for archaeological matters, advancing professional expertise, issuing of excavation license and initiation of scientific contacts with archaeological institutions in Israel and abroad. The country is divided into a grid, and the surface of every 10 km X 10 km square is surveyed archaeologically. The finds are assembled, documented and published, with sketches and photos, and this enables planning of both where to dig and where not to dig. Once an archeological site is identified, it is against the law to violate it. Even if there is no archeological site, when an ordinary site is excavated an inspector follows behind the bulldozer to see what comes out. If an archeological site is uncovered while building, work is stopped for excavation. The question then arises as to whether to document the site and cover it up, or whether to leave it exposed.

• Artifacts Treatment Department is responsible for the treatment and conservation of movable artifacts through its laboratories. 

• National Collections Department manages the registration and documentation of all antiquities in the country, as well as consultation to museums, initiating exhibits and lending artifacts. 

• Publications Department publishes the results of the IAA excavations, surveys and research. These include “Archeological News” which contains interim reports about sites which have been dug up which are needed to obtain a license for the following season. Atikot contains final reports about small sites, as well as reports on coins, pottery, etc. While the preliminary report is in Hebrew, there are also publications and abstracts in Atikot” in English. (Each day of a dig is documented with maps and pictures.) The desired result of an excavation is an annual publication, which is required in order to continue.

• Archives and Library include a scientific library with an extensive collection, interconnected with other professional libraries. There is also microfilm back-up of finds.

• Educational centers carry out activities in schools and for the general public, to promote awareness for preservation of the heritage.

Further episodes of this diary will be featured in later issues of the Jewish TV Channel through its Jewish Travel Channel. 

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