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I Volunteered for This?! Life on an Archaeological Dig
We crowded around, sharing her excitement. Then the
pot was mapped, cataloged, and put in the “special finds”
box. We turned to our squares. Somehow it didn’t seem as
hot as before, time didn’t drag as slowly. There was a reason
to keep digging.
My crew talked to pass the time. I told my story of the
ancient mariner. Interested, someone asked the larger question: “What was Tel Michal?” And then, the essence of the
matter: “What are we doing here?”
Someone recalled that historically Israel had been a
land bridge between Syria in the north and Egypt in the
south. The land we were standing on, which was part of the
Sharon Plain, was the central passageway between the two
countries and a valuable buffer zone. Whoever controlled
that land controlled the trade route between north and
south. Michal and its commanding view of the coastline was
part of the defense system holding the land that was to
become Israel.
What was of almost greater importance to archaeologists was the fact that Michal showed evidence of a large
population during only one period: the Persian. A mass
migration from the larger neighboring defense post of Aphek
to Michal took place shortly before the Persian period. Then,
just as mysteriously, people left Michal 250 years later, and
resumed to Aphek. Michal was never again to experience a
large occupation. No one knows why. It was one of the reasons we were there.
The buzz of a plane overhead interrupted our conversation. We looked up and saw a light Israeli military aircraft
patrolling the coast. “Things haven’t changed much,” I
thought. “Whoever controls Israel. …” Now, this land which
had changed hands so many times over the centuries, is
again a nation. But the price of nationhood is high. The borders of Israel are marked by barbed wire, gates, blockaded
roads, and U.N. peace-keeping forces. The state of Israel
continues to be a land of dispute whose existence is constantly threatened and which must be protected. This was
one of the strongest impressions I would take away from the
summer experience.

Mary Remole
A volunteer draws the position of each stone for a “top plan.”
This drawing will provide a detailed record of the excavation at
the particular level exposed. The excavation can then safely proceed below.

11:00 a.m. Midmorning. “Mitz” time. Our “mitz” was
a drink similar to Gatorade. It was high in potassium and
would replace our body’s depleted electrolytes. As people
walked down to the dining area, some of us elected to spend
the 15 minute rest period drinking canteen water at the top
of the tel.
Without radios, the scrape of shovels, and the constant
buzz of conversation it was quiet. We could hear the roar of
the wind on the cliffs and the crashing of waves down below.
An occasional gull hung motionless against the blue sky
caught in an updraft between the cliffs and the sea. We sat,
side by side, feeling the cool of the wind, lost in individual
thoughts.

Mary Remole
Accumulated grime is washed away at the communal watertrough.

Chatter behind us reminded us that there was work yet
to be done. The next two hours were the most difficult. The
sun was directly overhead and we were tired. We picked,
© 2006 Biblical Archaeology Society

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