Tag Archives: archaeology

A Few Weeks Ago

Our flight out of Amman, Jordan left a little before one o’clock July 25th. It was a relief to finally get on the plane. It seems the closer you get to departure the more you long to finally be home. Yet, the second I stepped on the plane I realized how much I had missed while I was there. Due to the conflict we weren’t allowed our trip to Jerusalem, which in all likelihood would have been the highlight of the trip, at least for me. Then while we were in Jordan, we never saw more than the hotel. I would have loved to explore the city and of course see Petra. I found myself longing for one more day in Akko, the possibility of one last field trip to another place of which I never heard and one more look from the tel out over the Mediterranean.
I have so many stories to tell about my first adventure out of the country. Every moment felt brand new, in some ways it felt like a dream and in others I was reminded of the harsh realities of the world in which we live.  In any case, I have no regrets in my decision to travel to Israel. More importantly and with a firm stance, I have no regrets about becoming an archaeologist. With my first archaeological experience officially over, I can’t help but look forward to the next one. I would love to come back to Akko next year, at the same time I would love to visit Egypt, Peru, Mexico, Jordan once again, and any other place with a historic and ancient past. I have so much more to learn and I am ready and up to the task. I have accomplished much and I hope that this is only the beginning of an exciting, enlightening and adventurous career as an archaeologist and so much more

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Jordan goes to Jordan

                The universities decided to cut our trip a few days short due to the ongoing tensions in Israel and while many were sad to leave I’m sure we were already to go home.   So early yesterday morning we boarded a bus and were escorted to the border which was about two hours away. Once we crossed the border we spent a few hours getting through customs and border control then we met another escort who traveled with us to Amman where we are to catch our flights. Jordan has a much harsher desert climate than Israel does, as we traveled through the towns and small cities we were surrounded by mountains of sand and at times it would cover the roads for kilometers. It took several hours before we reached our airport hotel, which is easily one of the best hotels I’ve ever stayed in. Our rooms are great and for dinner we were treated with some of the best Middle Eastern foods and desserts we’ve had since our arrival. Sadly, after dinner some of us were scheduled on early flights some of which left around midnight. There were some emotional goodbyes but those who stayed hung out one last night before our trip finally comes to an end. 


Location: Amman,Jordan

Excavation

With the ban of US Flights and other international flights arriving and departing Israel, Penn State and the other schools associated with the Tel Akko Total Archaeology Field School have decided to evacuate students from the country. Most of us were originally scheduled to fly out of the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. However, with the landing of the missile a mile away from the airport, we will now be escorted to Jordan instead to catch a flight to New York. Our entire excavation was wrapped up Wednesday afternoon and we will be leaving early tomorrow morning to cross the Jordan-Israel border. Once we arrive we will stay in a hotel until our flight is scheduled to depart. I am saddened by our earlier departure especially since we were so close to finishing the dig but this is for the best. I would also like to mention once again that we have been relatively safe from any rocket fire since the conflict begin.
While this is a very unfortunate event, I am happy to travel to Jordan. Since I share the same name with country and river I am somewhat excited to say that I have actually been there, however I do wish it were under much better circumstances. The decision to send us to Jordan seems to have been an all-day affair as we were not informed until later in the day that we were being evacuated. While some embraced the change, others were uncomfortable and unhappy with the decision. However the decision has been made and tomorrow morning we will be taking an unexpected trip to another Middle Eastern country. To my friends and family I assure you that I am very safe at the moment and I cannot wait to tell you of my adventure. I will see you soon.

Location: Akko, Israel

Home Stretch

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So here we are in the final week of field school. Survey is over and I’m back in my original excavation unit. It’s a little weird jumping back into the excavation pits after being away for the last few weeks and I have to get use to leveling out the dirt as I dig again. However I won’t have much time because we’re only digging for another day or two before we close up the excavation. I’m somewhat torn about heading home, I would love to stay here for maybe one more week to see a few more of the archaeological sites around the country and maybe even go to Jerusalem. On the other hand I’m ready to go home and sleep in for the next month before heading back to Penn State for the fall and spring semesters.                

  This past weekend we headed down to the beautiful coastal city of Caesarea after touring the University Of Haifa Museum and the Carmel Caves, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site between Haifa and Caesarea. Haifa is a beautiful city and its position on the mountains allow for stunning views of the Mediterranean and the Akko/Haifa Bay which can also be seen from the University Of Haifa Museum. In fact without a doubt I have never been in a museum with such a stunning backdrop provided for the exhibits.

After touring the museum we drove about a half hour to the Carmel Caves before heading down to Caesarea. The Carmel Caves are home to some of the oldest prehistoric tool production sites in the world, we even were allowed to explore one of the caves as well as check out some of the ancient tools. Then we headed down the coast to Caesarea which was built for Caesar Augustus by King Herod. After entering the city we walked into a large open air theatre where a path led us to a large amphitheater where chariot races were held and King Herod’s pool which basically sits in the Mediterranean. Tourist are allowed to walk in the pool while watching as the waves of the sea crash against the last bit of remaining structure a few feet away. Next we toured some of the street ruins before grabbing a bite to eat and slowly making your way out of the city. Walking through Caesarea felt like walking through a dream, no matter where you look there’s a picturesque scene a few feet away and as the day slipped by and the sun begin to set over the horizon of the sea, the city became even more beautiful. Finally we made one more stop at a beach about five minutes away where an aqueduct that carried water into the city stood in the sand. Beachgoers of all ages were climbing on top of ruin to take pictures as the sun set,  most of us were pretty tired by then but we managed to climb on top before heading back to Akko. This was by far my favorite field trip here in Akko and one I hope to make again in the future.

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Location: Akko, Israel

Halfway Point

As we start week three in Israel and Gaza enters their 8th day of conflict. If things escalate any further it is possible that our excavation will be forced to close and we will return home earlier than expected. Earlier today I heard that Egypt had issued a ceasefire to which Israel had accepted but Gaza refused. This morning we also saw a fighter jet and we also received news that a Haifa, which sits directly across the bay from us, had a siren scare. This is the second time I know of that Haifa was fired at. Due to the conflict the Tel Akko Archaeology Program is one of a small number of excavations still going on in Israel at this moment. We have been told that we should be safe but we have gone over the procedure just in case we hear sirens. All of us are now paying close attention to any news we can find about what’s going on in the south. Some members of our staff are in contact with people who are also keeping a close eye on the situation so we are very well informed.

                In other news, for the last two weeks I have been part of the survey team, which checks some of the surrounding areas  of the mean excavation area for possible artifacts and ancient features. A few days ago one of us found a small group of stones at the bottom of a hill, now other team members and I are finding more of the stones along a flat area and we now think it might be an ancient road. It has also been suggested that part of the hill may actually be covering a Persian Period gate. While we haven’t uncovered the gate yet, a lot of our staff are excited about our possible find as it could help explain why a large portion of our mound. Originally it was thought the British may have been responsible for taking out a large portion of the site  but if the gate is there it would change the perceived chronology of the site.  It’ll be interesting to see if there is actually a gate under there but it could be a while before a full excavation takes place there.           

                Plus, doing survey is a good workout. We’re constantly moving around and each day we have to walk up and down a hill while hauling tool and buckets of pottery. Some of us have even started to call the survey team the “Survey Corp.” because of the extra digging. Instead of digging  in one place we dig a bunch of sample holes and once we finish we move on to the next one. Though sometimes we may be selected to use a machine to record GPS coordinates which can take all day and you don’t dig any holes, but each person only does that about once a week. While survey is actually kind of fun since we get to explore some of the site a little more, it can be annoying with all the weeds and thorns scattered around. Plus their all sorts of wildlife, bees are a constant problem because they like to land inside your holes. One day last week a walked away from my hole for a few seconds and when I came back about  five bees were walking around inside. We also see a lot of legless lizards, spiders and beetles. Yesterday someone saw a scorpion and today I found a dead snake. However, the worst apart about survey are the plants because their thorns stick you in the leg as you walk through the field and no matter how lightly you step they still get you.

                Well, that’s if for now. I’ll try to post more often as the week goes on especially since we could be cancelled. While there have been a lot of unfortunate events over the last few days I’m still glad I came to Israel. This has been one of the greatest experiences of my life and I hope things work out. So until next time!      


Location: Acre, Israel

Archaeological Field Trips in Israel

          

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 Sorry, I’ve been a little behind on my blog entries, I think I’m going to make two this weekend with this being the first. With the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict our trip to Jerusalem was postponed until the end of the month so last week we traveled to the Sea of Galilee. We were going to take a trip to Caesara today but it was canceled since it’s in the Gaza Strip rocket range. We’re pretty safe here in Akko since we are so far north, we are just outside of the attack range. Haifa, which has reported being targeted can be seen across the bay from us, but that seems to be the limit of attacks. 

 Our trip last week composed of several different sites, first there was Zippori, then to a Tabgha where Jesus performed the miracle of multiplying bread and fish and the Church of the Primacy of Peter on the Sea of Galilee, next we went to Capernaum famous for being the location of one of Jesus’ healing miracles as well as being condemned by Jesus for not following his teachings, then finally to Chorazin which is an infamous town for also being supposedly condemned. Galilee is full of history and stories from the bible, the Roman and Byzantine Periods, as well as the Crusades. We spent most of the day exploring the sites and taking pictures. We even got to stick our feet in the Sea of Galilee which is where Jesus was reported to have walked on water and during our visit in Zippori we accidentally walked into a bar-mitzvah in ancient synagogue.

In short it was an interesting trip. Religious people from all over the world take pilgrimages to the region each year. Many of the signs giving directions to each site we’re written in dozens of languages and while we were eating lunch by the Sea of Galilee and a group of Spanish speaking priest were reading passages out loud in small sitting area.

The next day we received our first official tour of Akko’s Old City. We were escorted through Crusader Tunnels, ancient buildings, busy Middle Eastern market places and through small alleyways and streets. All while learning the history of the city as it has existed here on the shore of the Levant for around 5000 years.

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But what’s even more interesting about Akko in my opinion is that the city is mixed with people of all three major religions. While there was a protest earlier this week against the Israeli State, it remained peaceful. However we’re staying constantly updated about the conflicts that are happening in the south and we’ve gone over what we should do in case anything happens. So until next time!

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Location: Acre, Israel

Interesting 1st Week

So the last few days have been really busy, in fact we didn’t start excavating until this morning. After last year’s excavation the site was filled in with dirt and sandbags to cover the material and keep it preserved and during this time weeds grew all over the main excavation site so we’ve spent most of this week cleaning up. While some of the cleaning can get pretty tedious there have been some plenty eventful moments.

We received a tour of the tell Monday morning and learned some of the history of the previous excavations which extend back a few decades. While also learned about the history of the site itself which has played a huge part in several different eras and empires such as serving as main port city for the Persian Empire (539-323 BCE) before Alexander the Great claimed the area in 332 BCE. Then we spent the rest of the day and Tuesday cleaning the site.

On Wednesday we continued our cleanup and removed the sand bags from the previous season. While doing this we encountered all sorts of wild life living in the holes scattered throughout the site. One group encountered about 7-10 scorpions, while our group only saw one (it was huge!), several large grasshoppers and a few frogs or toads. There was even a small hive in one of the units.

However the highlight of the day was a snake that was in the unit I’ll be working in for the next few weeks. A few people had spotted it earlier before it disappeared for about a half hour. It made an incredible return while me and another member of the team were removing the sand bags in the area. I saw the tail as soon as I lifted one of the bags and alerted everyone by yelling “snake!” As soon as I finished, it darted from underneath the sand bags and slithered through the site. It was a good four to six feet long and the first time I’ve ever encountered a live snake in the wild. I actually like snakes but it was still a big surprise and I wish I could have gotten a picture.

Yesterday, Thursday was more of the same. The site looked a lot better and the only wild life I remember seeing was a small baby scorpion that scattered into a hole. Some people actually started to excavate sometime after breakfast on the site but we continued to clean in my unit.

Then finally, today, July 4th I got my first experience in excavation and it’s a little harder than imagined. We have to take the layers of dirt and stratigraphy away in a layer at a time, which usually means digging in even centimeters. My layers were pretty uneven and I went a little too deep into the dirt at times so I started to get frustrated. It’s going to take some practice to learn how to even out layers and dig the correct amount. I’m pretty determined though, especially when it comes to Anthropology and Archaeology so I’m a little anxious to get back to digging after the weekend. Also weird fact of the day, when digging if you encounter animal bone (which is usually what you find in the field, if human remains are found the excavation has to stop) if you place it lightly on your tongue it should stick, if not then it’s a rock.

Tomorrow we’re going on field trip to Galilee, we were supposed to go to Jerusalem but tensions are high in the city at the moment so it’s been postponed until our last trip of the season. Sunday we go on another to the Crusader Tunnels that run under the Old City here in Akko. I’ll be taking as many pictures as possible so stay posted!

 


Location: Acre, Israel

Days 1 & 2

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            Hi! My name is Jordan Chapman, I am studying Anthropology and Geosciences at Penn State with a minor in Geography and this summer I’m spending a month in Akko, Israel on my first archaeological excavation. First, I would like to think everyone who helped in my efforts to get here, especially all the amazing people in the Student Support Services Program and the Multicultural Resource Center at Penn State. To Ms. Alicia, Ron, Ms. Devin, Mr. Moses Davis and so many other people, I wouldn’t be here without you.

            We’ve only been in Israel for about two days now. We spent most of the first day traveling to and from the airport. Most of the other Penn Staters and myself met up in Philadelphia where met up with the other schools participating on the dig like the Claremont Colleges on the West Coast, Trinity College, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. While some of us come from anthropological backgrounds, others study history, religion, and geography. In all there about 70 of us in total which is supposedly the largest group ever in the Tel Akko Project. Once we finally made it to the Nautical Academy in Akko we at dinner then some of us headed off to bed.

            Today we spent most of the morning in orientation and learning about the history of the Akko and the excavation site. After that some of our group headed to the beach while others headed into Old City Akko which is separated from the rest of the city by a large stone wall which was built several hundred years ago. The city of Akko itself has been around in some form since antiquity and has been under rule of some the major powers of the ancient world like the Egyptians and Phoenicians.

            The contemporary city is pretty modern, while walking around  I noticed several familiar stores and logos from back home in the States.  I took plenty of pictures of the Old City which is designated UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its long occupancy and the city’s famous stand against Napoleon. Everyone we talked to greeted us warmly and welcomed us into the city and I even checked out a Turkish Bazar with a few members of the group. And the view overlooking the bay and the Mediterranean was beautiful. There are still other parts of the city I haven’t had the chance to see yet like the old Crusader Tunnels which are underneath the Old City. However, our entire group we’ll be taking a trip there later this month so I’ll be sure to take even more pictures.

            Tomorrow we’ll be waking up early tomorrow morning to go to the excavation site just outside the city. In fact, we’re having our second lecture of the day introducing us to excavation methods and other things we need to know while digging. I’ve been looking forward to digging ever since we landed so I’ll be sure to go to bed early. I’ll be sure to update you guys tomorrow on my first excavation ever. Until then, see ya!

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Location: Akko, Israel

Mexican After-School Adventures

We obviously have been traveling a lot as a group on weekends, but we’ve also been doing a series of mini-trips to places nearby after classes end!

 

We went to Cacaxtla, which is an awesome archaeological site. The main area we visited used to be a palace! We also met a nice herd of cows on our way out…

 

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IMG_3862.JPGThat same day, we visited Tlaxcala (wow– some of the names of places here can be exhausting to learn/ pronounce), which was a cute little town nearby. We got to go to the Municipal Building there, which is practically covered in a beautiful mural depicting the history of the town and, essentially, Mexico. The Tlaxcalans were a tribe that allied itself with Cortes and the conquistadors during the 1500s and Spanish invasion.

 

We also went to Cholula (a place my family had already taken me) to see the Cholulan pyramid and church built on top. I didn’t mind hiking around a second time; the view was just as beautiful this time around. Plus, we also got to visit a small museum nearby.

 

Another day, we went to visit el Museo Amparo right here in downtown Puebla. Unfortunately, it cost quite a few pesos to be allowed to take pictures, so I have no proof, but the Mayan Exhibit in particular was incredible! The amount of detail that went into carvings is so impressive to see. The pieces were just beautiful. Overall, I’ve loved seeing the sites and works of the different civilizations. To think about the huge spans of time that they held power here, and all the amazing things they managed to accomplish with such limited technologies, just astounds me.

 

IMG_4084.JPGIMG_4093.JPGOur final after-school trip was to a fabrica (“factory”) of Talavera, an intricately painted and glazed style of pottery. It’s origins are in Puebla, and the craftsmanship is all by hand!


Location: Cacaxtla, Mexico

Mexico City Sojourn

From last Wednesday until Sunday, our group took a nice little sojourn to Mexico City, or, as they call it around here, “D.F.” or just plain “Mexico.” To me, D.F. was kind of like a New York mixed with Washington D.C. It had all the important government buildings and all the masses of people, buildings, and boroughs. Of course, it also had amazing archaeological sites and other places that you only would be able to find in Mexico.

 

Our first stop was at Teotihuacan, a place that was built and deserted long before the Aztecs found it and claimed it to be a city left behind by the gods. Though the original creators are unknown, the sheer grandeur of their constructions still remains. The Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon in particular are incredible. The hike up to the top of the Pyramid of the Sun was a challenge but very much worthwhile (as you can see in a photo from a classmate, Kristina, of some of us girls with one of our awesome professors, Roxana).

 

ateotihuacankristina.jpgaxIMG_3569.JPGThe Anthropology Museum is world-renowned, and we got to see so many awesome artifacts, including the original Aztec calendar (La Piedra del Sol) and giant Olmec heads. Nearby to the Museum is the Castle of Chapultepec, where French monarchs lived before the Revolution. Right downtown, however, is another museum and archaeological site. The Templo Mayor can be found smack in the middle of the modern buildings and roads.

 

axIMG_3492.JPGaxIMG_3619.JPGaxIMG_3712.JPGIf there was one thing Mexico City had an abundance of, it was art galleries. We got to see works of artists like Diego Rivera (La Catrina, anyone??) and Frida Kahlo and visit galleries like the Palacio de Bellas Artes and the home of Dolores Olmeda (where peacocks and hairless dogs almost outnumbered the incredible works she had collected).

axIMG_3733.JPGWe also got to visit the Basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe, a very important site for many here since Mexico is primarily Catholic. We got to take a boat ride down the canals of Xochimilco (which you can see in the pic from Rhianna), which have existed for centuries, and do some seriously awesome shopping in Coyoacan.

 

aboatrhi.jpgAnd, although I have no proof since photos were severely limited, our group was fortunate enough to be Penn State’s first to visit Los Pinos, the Mexican equivalent to the White House. It’s apparently really tough to get access, and we didn’t get to enter very many buildings, but we did get to see the current Mexican President, Felipe Calderon, in a meeting as we walked by! It was an exciting honor to tour the premises.

 

Mexico City may have very much been, overall, a city-city, but there was so much to do and see. I can’t say that I liked it more than home-sweet-Puebla, but even just within such a confined area of the country, the diverse amounts of activities and culture is incredible to take in. For now we’re back in Puebla, but this weekend we’ll be traveling again, sort of independently, to Veracruz. Time is just flying by! It’s hard when we’re so busy to stop and take everything in, but it’s been a blast so far. I just hope these last 2.5 weeks last!


Location: Mexico City, Mexico