Archeologists and children have much in common. Both enjoy playing in the dirt, although archeologists would refer to dirt as sediment—it is science after all. Every summer Dr. Jill Katz brings a group of Yeshiva University students to join her in the Tell es-Safi excavations. In this unique summer class students learn the methods and theory of an archeological excavation while enjoying an opportunity to revisit their childhood with a grown-up twist.
The Tell es-Safi excavation is located in the area known as Canaanite and Philistine Gath, home of Goliath. It is one of the largest pre-classical sites in the eastern Mediterranean, settled continuously from late prehistoric through modern times. Since 1996, Professor Aren M. Maeir has directed excavations on the site. Many groundbreaking finds, including the earliest known siege system in the world, the earliest deciphered Philistine inscription, and extremely rich and well-preserved evidence of various cultures, peoples, and historical events have been unearthed. The finds have been astonishingly rich and suggest that the project will become one of the most important excavations in the Southern Levant.
Students from all over the world join the Safi team every year. The group is generally comprised of a wide variety of people. Many are students of archeology and range from undergrad to post-doctorate. Two members of the YU team this year, Shani Guterman and Sima Fried, had a previous interest in archeology and chose to participate in the dig to discover if they would like to pursue a career in the field. There is also a large presence of students who are studying unrelated subjects and individuals who join the team as a hobby or side interest. The three other YU students who participated this season varied in majors from math (Yael Eisenberg) and business (Asher Perez) to studio art (Sarala Pool).
This year was the team’s seventeenth season excavating. The season began as expected—the excavation ran smoothly, and new finds were unearthed every day. After a week, however, an unexpected siren disrupted what had quickly become routine. Panicked students were ushered toward the bomb shelters. Excavations were halted for two days while director Aren Maeir received updates from the home front as to how to proceed. During the recess the staff pulled together impromptu workshops and lectures for the students, such as learning the alphabet in hieroglyphics and paleo-Hebrew, how to draw Philistine birds, overviews of Judaism and Islam, and more. Understandably a portion of students was frightened by the security situation and a large group of students chose to leave the country. Despite the constant barrage of sirens the entire Yeshiva University team remained and continued digging with as much alacrity as before. Professor Maeir expressed his admiration for the YU team, “who were excellent workers in the field, had the greatest sense of humor and camaraderie, and stuck it out for the entire season—despite the missiles flying left and right! The YU community should be very proud of the YU team and their leader, Professor Jill Katz.”
Losing thirty students in addition to halting the excavations for two days was a significant setback for the team. Nonetheless, those that stayed continued to uncover new finds. Under the supervision of Dr. Katz the YU team continued to expose a city fortification wall. They also found the head of an animal figurine, five beads of a necklace, six complete vessels, among them two lamp and bowl deposits, numerous pounding and grinding stones, and a phytolith deposit that likely represents a grain storage area. YU student Sima Fried said that “the mystery, wonder, and excitement of the actual excavation, and go[ing] up to the Tell never knowing exactly what you might find,” was part of what she liked most about participating in the dig. In that sense, archeologists and children have even more in common: both groups enjoy exploring, except archeologists actually find the treasure their younger selves diligently searched for.