After much ado...
For the first week of this blog there have been technical difficulties, so I will have to summarize, but the blog is now up and running.
The hot spots of the NorthEast Church complex (aka 'the site') so far:
New gold has been found. Last year an amulet and three belt pieces were found near a cistern, probably one of religious and cult significance. After excavating the inside of the cistern, another gold belt piece has been found. One theory in the running is a 'wishing well' type of situation.
A coin has been found in a new square, date yet unknown. I heard the phrase "denarius" floating around (Roman coin) but I haven't heard any confirmation.
The tomb: this year the stone coffin (sarcophagus) from a previously excavated shaft tomb was removed to see what was under it. Underneath it is...more human bones, like what might be found in a very old wooden coffin. Nails, like from a wooden coffin. Glass, like could be found as tribute to the deceased in a wooden coffin. And wood that makes a hollow noise. A wooden coffin? We'll find out after excavations tomorrow. If it is, it's older then the other burials in the church. We are lucky to have a soil scientist and a medical doctor (who knows bones) working in the tomb. Another thought floating around: the bones found so far appear to be of two different people, an older and a younger, maybe a child. Not enough to tell gender yet though. Maybe a family, parent and child?
As far as my square(s), "the street", are going: we diligently plowed through rocks and dirt and pottery and glass and animal bone to find a street, paved with stone. To the east there is a nice wall, but we have yet to get a well-defined wall on the west. In one corner a couple of nails were found, perhaps signifying a door to a possible adjacent structure off of the street (that area has yet to be excavated). The square will be done in the next 24 hours. After that we will skip two squares to the south to look for a continuation of the street. That's maybe...20+ meters over. We will be on the fringe of the sight. More informtion on the street later.
Everything else on the Sea of Galilee seems just fine. My sprained ankle (happened on Thursday) recovered with rest over the weekend. Shopping in the city of Tiberius: so far one pair of copper colored tangling earring for 10 shekels. More will come.
-Rachel
The hot spots of the NorthEast Church complex (aka 'the site') so far:
New gold has been found. Last year an amulet and three belt pieces were found near a cistern, probably one of religious and cult significance. After excavating the inside of the cistern, another gold belt piece has been found. One theory in the running is a 'wishing well' type of situation.
A coin has been found in a new square, date yet unknown. I heard the phrase "denarius" floating around (Roman coin) but I haven't heard any confirmation.
The tomb: this year the stone coffin (sarcophagus) from a previously excavated shaft tomb was removed to see what was under it. Underneath it is...more human bones, like what might be found in a very old wooden coffin. Nails, like from a wooden coffin. Glass, like could be found as tribute to the deceased in a wooden coffin. And wood that makes a hollow noise. A wooden coffin? We'll find out after excavations tomorrow. If it is, it's older then the other burials in the church. We are lucky to have a soil scientist and a medical doctor (who knows bones) working in the tomb. Another thought floating around: the bones found so far appear to be of two different people, an older and a younger, maybe a child. Not enough to tell gender yet though. Maybe a family, parent and child?
As far as my square(s), "the street", are going: we diligently plowed through rocks and dirt and pottery and glass and animal bone to find a street, paved with stone. To the east there is a nice wall, but we have yet to get a well-defined wall on the west. In one corner a couple of nails were found, perhaps signifying a door to a possible adjacent structure off of the street (that area has yet to be excavated). The square will be done in the next 24 hours. After that we will skip two squares to the south to look for a continuation of the street. That's maybe...20+ meters over. We will be on the fringe of the sight. More informtion on the street later.
Everything else on the Sea of Galilee seems just fine. My sprained ankle (happened on Thursday) recovered with rest over the weekend. Shopping in the city of Tiberius: so far one pair of copper colored tangling earring for 10 shekels. More will come.
-Rachel
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