Virtual Dig 1 -- Archive

During the 2004 excavation season at Hippos of the Decapolis (5 Sept - 6 Oct) over one thousand students from twenty seven elementary schools and eleven academies followed the Northeast Church Project each day as a team from Concordia University in Saint Paul, Minnesota, excavated a Byzantine church.  For students, teachers, and home school academies, this site offered a comprehensive online classroom experience. Students were exposed to the scientific methods of archaeology, to the people (both Concordia students and world-class experts) involved in the actual excavation, and to the world of early Christianity. See the Online Classrooms.

The general public also had access to the project through the Daily Dig, audio updates, dig blogs, and the "pic of the day."  Background info and special reports were also available.  Just click into the Public Audience link. 

Major sponsorship for this virtual dig was provided by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation.  You can extend our work through contributions, sponsorships, or by making a purchase at our online store.  Go to Support the Dig.

An Archive of the 2004 Season at Hippos

Daily Dig Select a date below to see the Daily Dig stories as they appeared on the that particular day.  Thursday, September 02 Friday, September 03 Saturday, September 04 Monday, September 06 Tuesday, September 07 Wednesday, September 08 Thursday, September 09 Friday, September 10 Monday, September 13 Tuesday, September 14 Wednesday, September 15 Monday, September 20 Tuesday, September 21 Wednesday, September 22 Thursday, September 23 Friday, September 24 Monday, September 27 Tuesday, September 28 Wednesday, September 29 Monday, October 04 Tuesday, October 05 Wednesday, October 06 Audio Updates Introduction to the Hippos Excavations by Dr. Schuler 07/09/2004 Danielle Heffern speaks on Her Hippos Experience 09/06/2004 Marc Discusses "A City Upon a Hill 09/06/2004 Marc Discusses Herod and Octavian 09/06/2004 Dr. Schuler Discusses Second Burial 09/06/2004 Jim Rogers Speaks About His Nail Discover 09/13/2004 Tim Discusses the Front Porch 09/14/2004 Stan Discusses his Knee Health 09/18/2004 Ben and Brian Explain Their Work on the Floor 09/21/2004 Emiliea Expresses Some Thoughts on the Northwest Church's Tomb 09/22/2004 Yoel Teaches about Fishing on the Sea of Galilee 09/30/2004 Yolanta Describes the Inscription Found in the Northwest Church 10/05/2004

Pictures of the Day by Date Marc and Danielle at the Virtual Dig training session 8/28/2004 Rock n' Roll: Marc and Tim are sweating to the oldies. 9/6/2004 Shalom--Welcome--the tomb of a forbearer of the faith. 9/7/2004 Some people take the phrase, “laying down on the job,” a little too seriously . . . get moving Glenn! 9/8/2004 Ben celebrates his find: a piece of chancel screen that almost found its way to the trash pile. 9/9/2004 How many people does it take to move a capital? 9/10/2004 Sassanids? Er, no – what Jim found turned out not to be a church door burned by fierce invaders. See daily dig for more details! 9/13/2004 The sun rose on some mysteries today at our little church. 9/14/2004 Our hard work reveals diamonds in the rough. 9/15/2004 This column--found in the forum by the Haifa team--is being restored by conservationist Eva Parndowska. 9/21/2004 Jim and Brian are this week's greeters, standing in the main entrance of our little church. 9/22/2004 Moles attack! (See Daily Dig Sept. 20 for details.) 9/23/2004 Two heads are better than one, but three is even better. 9/24/2004 Nap time is over, Dr. Schuler! 9/27/2004 Wanted: ancient grave robbers 9/28/04 The Buckettes 9/29/04 Lost Cause? 10/4/04 Surprise mosaic! 10/5/04 Shalom! 10/6/04

The Northeast Church (NEC) Project

The story of the practice of early Christianity in Galilee is relatively unknown from literary sources. But archaeology reveals a number of vibrant communities with significant Christian populations. One such site was Hippos, the “city set on a hill” to which Jesus referred. Although it was one of the pagan Decapolis cities in Jesus’ day, by the Byzantine era (the 4th to 8th centuries A.D.), Hippos boasted a cathedral and at least three other churches. Concordia University is participating in the excavation of Hippos under the auspices of the Zinman Institute of Archaeology at the University of Haifa. Prof. Arthur Segal is the excavation director. Concordia’s project, led by Dr. Mark Schuler from St. Paul, is to excavate one of the churches – a small structure that in 2002 revealed a sarcophagus buried in the south aisle. In 2003, the team recovered the bones of en elderly woman from the tomb, one revered by those who gathered in this church. A second tomb was also found in the center of the chancel.