lautenschlager azekah expedition · 2020. 7. 14. · arlozorov railway station. the station is also...

L a u t e n s c h l a g e r A z e k a h E x p e d i t i o n

2020 INFORMATION PACK

Thank you for joining the 2020 Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition,

and welcome to the team! We are delighted to have you join us in

what is set to be another exciting summer of excavation.

In this guide you wil l find general information on equipment,

excavation schedules, and transport details for the upcoming 2020

season.

SShould you have any questions or require clarifications on anything

referenced within this guide, please do not hesitate to contact

Maddi or Shai at [email protected].

Where is Tel Azekah?TTel Azekah is located in the heart of Shephelah, some 45km from Tel Aviv and 30km from

Jerusalem. Sitting high above sea level, Tel Azekah has played a central role in the ancient history

of the region and was once the control point of a strategic junction of roads. These roads travelled

in all directions and led from the Mediterranean coast to the west, through to the Judean Hil ls in

the east, and connected Beth-Shemesh in the north through to Lachish in the south. For mil lennia

Azekah flourished and grew, as its community benefited from Azekah’s rich natural and strategic

location.

About Azekah

Tel Azekah in the PastAAzekah has a long history, stretching back some

3500 years to the Early Bronze Age when it was

first settled. During the Middle Bronze Age,

Azekah emerged as a strongly fortified, urban city

which continued to flourish unti l it’s destruction at

the end of the Late Bronze Age. After a period of

abandonment, Azekah was once again settled in

ththe Iron II and flourished as a Judean town.

Tel Azekah also plays a prominent role in the biblical texts. 1 Samuel 17:1 references the

area around Azekah as the arena for the battle between David and Goliath.

Beyond its significance as a central Judean town, the site also gains archaeological

and historical importance from its destruction by the Assyrian King Sennacherib in 701

BCE.

AAccording to Jeremiah 34:7, over a 100 years later during the Babylonian siege

against Jerusalem, Lachish and Azekah “were the only fortified cities of Judah that

remained”.

DDespite multiple destructions, Azekah continued to flourish, and was resettled by

Judeans in the Persian Period (539-332 BCE) and continued to grow. During the

Hasmonean dynasty (140 BCE-116 BCE), an impressive fortress was constructed by

the great Hasmonean King, John Hyrcanus I. The remains of this massive structure

can sti l l be seen today, perched atop the mound.

Tel Azekah’s Biblical History

Tel Azekah TodayDespite its long occupation, Tel Azekah was eventually abandoned and forgotten. In the late

19th century, the history of the site was rediscovered when it became one of the first sites to

be excavated in Israel. A small team of British archaeologists, led by F.J. Bliss and R.A.S.

Macalister, briefly excavated the sites between 1898-1899 on behalf of the Palestine

Exploration Fund.

In 2012, a team of archaeologists returned to the site, led by Tel Aviv University professors Oded

Lipschits and Yuval Gadot, and Professor Manfred Oeming from Heidelberg University. In the

years since, our team has grown to include archaeologists, historians, scientists and students

from Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, Malta, United Kingdom, Spain, China, Indonesia,

Australia, Canada, and the United States to name a few! As we continue to dig deeper by

using modern techniques and expertise, the site continues to evolve and excite!

This season there wil l be four active areas across the Tel, including

two entirely new areas! Excavations wil l continue in Areas W1 and

E3 (Upper), while we wil l excavate fresh ground in W4 and S3!

Accomodation

Netiv Ha-Lamed Heis conveniently situated a

short 6.5 ki lometers from Tel Azekah. This means

that journey between the site is an easy 10

minute bus ride each day, ensuring a little more

sleep before work starts!

Food is provided throughout the day by the excavation, with a delicious breakfast and

mid-morning snacks on site and afternoon tea, lunch, and dinner back at the kibbutz! There is

a small market, where team members can purchase additional food, water, basic toi letries and

most importantly, beer!

Team members wil l stay at Netiv Ha-Lamed He from Sunday night through to Thursday night, and

wil l leave for Tel Aviv on Friday afternoon

If you have any specific dietary requests or requirements, please email Maddi at

[email protected]

Rooms are designed for up to four people, and come completely equipped with air

conditioning, an ensuite bathroom, storage and linens. There is communal access to a small

kitchen, perfect for that afternoon coffee and snack!

During the week, participants of the Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition stay at Netiv

Ha-Lamed He, a serene oasis tucked away in the Shephelah. There, the team wil l be able to

process excavated material, relax in comfort, hear from guest lecturers, learn in our field school,

and rest at the end of a productive day.

TransportThe excavation provides transport for participant’s to/from the excavation daily, as well as a

bus service to collect you at the start of the excavation week and drop you off at the end of

the week!

Every week the transport collection point to leave for the excavation wil l be the

same. So whether you join us in week one, or week three, the collection point wil l be the

same!

Please arrive to the pickup point at least 15 minutes before the bus is scheduled to depart.

The Tel Aviv collection point is near the

Arlozorov Railway Station. The station is also

known as "Savidor" Train Station.

You wil l be collected from Namir Rd, just

opposite the Train Station. A member of

staff wil l be there to ensure you get on the

correct bus!

Weekend TransportationOn Friday, the bus back to Tel Aviv wil l leave the site at approximately 12:00 and drop you off

at Arlozorov Train Station

If you have any questions or concerns about transportation, please email Maddi at

[email protected]

Equipment

Recommended Equipment

The Lautenschlager Azekah Expedition offers a Tel Aviv University accredited fieldwork course

worth 3 credit points. The course provides classroom and field training in history and

archaeology, allowing students to earn university credit while they excavate in Israel!

The program involves a number of lectures and practical classes presented over the four-week

season by leading experts in the field. All lectures are free and open to everyone, but are

mandatory for those taking the fieldwork course.

IIn our 2020 season, the course presented is “Introduction to Field Archaeology” and wil l be led

by our senior staff, Nitsan Shalom, Alexandra Wrathall, Abra Spiciarich, Helena Roth and Inbar

Meyerson.

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the theory and practical ski l ls associated with

the field of archaeology. The course includes lectures presented by specialists in a number of

archaeological subfields and includes field assessment, understanding field reports, identifying

pottery and organic remains, and archaeological drawing and surveying.

RRegistered students are required to complete assigned tasks in the field under the guidance of

their Area Supervisors. Students wil l complete the course by applying their acquired ski l ls to a

final archaeological report. Final grades are determined by the quality of the assessments,

attendance and participation in class.

For more information about the course, including a syllabus, contact Maddi at

[email protected]

Academic Fieldwork Course

2020 Staff

Week 1Hour Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

4:20

Weekend

Packing and leaving rooms

4:40 Bus to site Bus to site Bus to site Bus to site Bus to site

5:00 Fieldwork Fieldwork Fieldwork Fieldwork Fieldwork

9:30 Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast

10:00Fieldwork Fieldwork Fieldwork Fieldwork Fieldwork

11:0011:00

Leave for Kibbutz11:30 Fruit Break Fruit Break Fruit Break Fruit Break Tour of the Site11:45

Fieldwork Fieldwork Fieldwork Fieldwork12:00 Arrive at Kibbutz

Opening Lecture:

Oded Lipschits

Returning to Tel Aviv from the Site

13:00 Bus to Kibbutz Bus to Kibbutz Bus to Kibbutz Bus to Kibbutz

13:30 Pottery Wash Pottery Wash Pottery Wash Pottery Wash

Enjoy your Weekend!

14:00 Lunch and Getting Rooms Lunch and Rest Lunch and Rest Lunch and Rest Lunch and Rest

15:30

Fieldwork

Afternoon Coffee

Tour: Tel Socho

Afternoon Coffee Afternoon Coffee16:30

16:45 Guest Lecture: Shua KisilevichLecture:

Benjamin Strochan

Prepare Area Presentations

18:00 Class: Intro to Registration

18:30 Weekly Finds, Presen-tations and Farewells

19:00Dinner Dinner Dinner

Party!!19:30 Dinner

20:30Class: Intro to Field

ArchaeologyGroup Discussion:

Oded Lipschits20:4521:30


4:20

Weekend



5:00 Fieldwork Fieldwork Fieldwork Fieldwork Fieldwork9:30 Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast


11:0011:00



Guest Lecture: Ido Koch



13:30 Pottery Wash Pottery Wash Pottery Wash Pottery Wash Pottery Wash

Enjoy your Weekend!


15:30

Fieldwork

Afternoon Coffee

Tour: Tel Hadid


16:45Workshop: Shai Berk,

Oded Lipschits and Liora Freud (1)

Lecture: Noa Rantzer


18:00 Class: Intro to Archaeozoology

18:30 Weekly Finds, Presenta-

tions and Farewells


Party!!19:30 Dinner20:30

Class: Intro to Field Documentation (1)

Group Discussion: Oded Lipschits20:45

21:30


4:20

Weekend





11:0011:00



Guest Lecture: Yuval Gadot



13:30 Pottery Wash Pottery Wash Pottery Wash Pottery Wash Pottery Wash

Enjoy your Weekend!


15:30

Fieldwork

Afternoon Coffee

Tour: Tel Burna and Tel

Zayit



Oded Lipschits and Liora Freud (2) Lecture:

Inbar Meyerson


18:00 Workshop: Animal Bone Identification


tions and Farewells19:00

Dinner Dinner Dinner

Party!!

19:30 Dinner20:30

Class: Intro to Field Documentation (2)

Group Discussion: Oded Lipschits

20:45

21:30


4:20

Weekend





11:0011:00



Guest Lecture: Nitsan Ben-Melech


13:00 Bus to Kibbutz Bus to Kibbutz Bus to Kibbutz Bus to Kibbutz13:30 Pottery Wash Pottery Wash Pottery Wash Pottery Wash Pottery Wash

Thank you for joining us for the Tel Azekah Excavation 2020

Season!


15:30

Fieldwork

Afternoon Coffee

Tour: Tel Gezer



Oded Lipschits and Liora Freud (3)

Lecture: Vanessa Linares


18:00 Lecture: Paula Waiman-Barak


tions and Farewells


Party!!

19:30 Dinner20:30

Class: Using Archaeological Reports

Group Discussion: Oded Lipschits

20:45

21:30

lautenschlager azekah expedition · 2020. 7. 14. · arlozorov railway station. the station is also...

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