Test Test2 | Page 15

I Volunteered for This?! Life on an Archaeological Dig

6. Does my dig fee cover weekend room and board?
On many digs, room and board are not included for weekends, which means that you will need enough money to carry
you through. While many digs have fairly low fees for the dig week, you may find the weekends, even at the same hotel,
quite expensive. Find out which nights are covered and specifically which meals are covered. Ask about the cost of staying at the site and eating meals there over the weekend.

7. What special arrangements do I have to make on Shabbat?
Many digs are in Israel, parts of which shut down on Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath, beginning right before sundown on
Friday and ending about 8:30 (in the summer) Saturday night. This can complicate traveling and eating, because most
public transportation stops during this time and many restaurants and businesses close.
How you deal with Shabbat depends a great deal on where your dig is located. In Jerusalem, for example, almost
every business and restaurant is closed; buses stop running, but taxis are available. In Tel Aviv, on the other hand, the
beaches will be jammed and many cafes will be open.
On most digs in Israel, you will have free time from about 1 p.m. on Friday afternoon through Sunday night. To
get the most out of your weekend, plan ahead.
Egged Tours, which runs the majority of day trips in Israel, has weekend and day trips on Saturday that run out of
both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Some museums are also open on Saturday. However, in most cases, you need to buy your
tickets or arrange your tour before Shabbat begins.
In Jerusalem, you can find Saturday walking tours through the non-Jewish sections of the Old City. Most Christian
tourist sites are open on Saturday.
Another option is to arrange for a getaway weekend to another part of Israel through your travel agent or through
a local agency in Israel.
If you decide to stay at the dig site, you may want to lay in a supply of snacks or a light lunch and beverages. In
most hotels you have to reserve your Saturday afternoon meals and be prepared for a late dinner.

8. What do I expect from a dig?
Yes, we all hope to uncover a long-buried cache of gold and jewels, but that, of course, is the exception rather than the
rule. You are subjecting yourself to trying physical conditions and disrupting your normal routine. What will make the
dig a positive experience for you?
For some volunteers, being sure of finding “something” is paramount. If this is your situation, question the dig
leader about what has been discovered in past seasons and what can realistically be hoped for during your season.
The Byzantine church I worked on was not particularly rich in artifacts. However, it had wonderful mosaic floors,
which we uncovered, and several large pillars, an unexpected find on the last day of the dig.
On my second day of excavating, I found a piece of chancel screen, the architectural divider between the altar and
the congregation.a This was rewarding, but it could not compare to the day when, after digging for hours, I finally uncovered a corner of a mosaic floor that had been buried for over 1,000 years. The mosaic was perfect, with colors so bright
that the floor looked newly laid.
I will never forget the feeling of accomplishment and elation when I swept away that last thin layer of dirt and saw
those tesserae. It made the heat, the early rising, the scorpion threat (I never saw one) and the aching muscles seem
inconsequential. At that moment, a voice inside me said, “I’ll be back for more.”

© 2006 Biblical Archaeology Society

10