Tel Kabri

3:35 a.m. and we were up 'n' at 'em! For once jet lag was in our favor. We had a cup of hot coffee, bread and peanut butter, then on the bus and out the gate by 4:45 a.m. 

Our task as newbies was to excavate a wall using pick axes, enormous hoes, trowels, brushes, and the best dust pans I've ever seen.

Hundreds of black buckets were stacked along the trenches, and honestly, we filled those bad boys up again and again with rocks and dirt.

(Note to self: working out would have been a good way to prepare for archeological excavations)

Along with us were Mike and Dave, two enterprising young men who knew just how to work it. A little later came a 70 year old native Jewish man, sinewy and tanned, who inspired us to keep up our pace.

Assaf, the Israeli archeologist partnered with Dr. Cline, oversaw our efforts, and identified whatever we found--pieces of pottery, charcoal, flint, charred bone, and half of an ancient olive pit.

In the trench next to us, the team uncovered the tops of four enormous wine jars, exactly what we're supposed to be unearthing this season.

Breakfast was at 8 a.m., three hours after working had commenced, and was the usual buffet of tuna, olives, lebneh, quiche, cheese, and cut veggies. We took a fruit break at 11 a.m. (peaches); both breaks were very welcome.

We came home to lunch at 1:30 p.m. (more Israeli buffet, this time including roasted eggplant and a few other sundry dishes which were absolutely delicious), while the second shift geared up to head out to the dig.

Dave and I took after-lunch showers then collapsed on our beds for a nap. We slept like rocks (nyuk nyuk) for a solid two hours, then sat in lawn chairs in the field school's garden, taking in the ocean breeze coming from the Med just a humdrum meters away.  We hung out with the young Phds, Dodi (Israeli), who was on our team tagging all the artificats, and a young woman archeologist whose team we'll be on tomorrow.

Permission is limited for photographs of the site, but hopefully tomorrow or the next day Dave and can get a tour of the areas we are allowed to shoot.

Tomorrow we'll wash the pottery we found today, then get a workshop on archeological pottery care and dating. Tonight Eric Cline gave a fascinating lecture on Biblical Archeology, and I remembered all over gain why this is such an exciting adventure!! Dave and I uncovered a wall hidden for four thousand years. Imagine! Can't wait to see what else is under all that dirt.

The students are a very enjoyable mix of men and women, from a variety of disciplines and universities. Today, as Assaf surveyed our excavation,  he remarked, "This is really such a nice group. Not every year is like this year. You all really get along so nicely."

Thank You, God, for Your presence here with us.