Category Archives: 17吃瓜News

17吃瓜Seeks JCS Editor

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17吃瓜SEEKS听JOURNAL OF CUNEIFORM STUDIES听贰顿滨罢翱搁

The听Journal of Cuneiform Studies听(JCS), a publication of the American Society of Overseas Research (ASOR) and published in partnership with the University of Chicago Press, is seeking a new Editor (or Co-Editors). We anticipate an appointment for an initial six-year period (consisting of two three-year terms) with the possibility of renewal for one additional three-year term. During this period, the Editor(s) will be responsible for one journal issue听per annum. Beginning in January 2024, current editor Piotr Michalowski will work closely with the new Editor(s) to facilitate the transition, with the new Editor(s) assuming full responsibility by July 2024.

JCS听is a peer-reviewed, illustrated publication including technical articles covering the entire ancient Middle East and eastern Mediterranean world from the beginning to the end of cuneiform culture. The principal subject areas of the journal include the texts, histories, cultures, and archaeology of the cuneiform cultures of the ancient Middle East and Mediterranean.听JCS听is published on paper and online through a publishing partnership with the University of Chicago Press.

The duties of the position include the following: maintenance of an editorial office for the journal (remote location is expected); solicitation and acquisition of manuscripts; implementation of a peer-review process; collaboration with the 17吃瓜managing editor and staff; actively promoting the journal; and editing and proofreading each annual issue. One of the most important responsibilities of the Editor(s) is the chairing of an editorial board which is actively engaged in the production of the journal. Duties also include timely publication of journal issues, providing annual reports to the Chair of the听17吃瓜Publications Committee, serving on the听Committee on Mesopotamian Civilization (the Baghdad Committee), and attending the 17吃瓜Annual Meetings including the meeting of the 17吃瓜Committee on Publication, held on location. The new Editor(s) will be required to gain familiarity with the Editorial Manager software program which is currently used in the publication of the journal (training provided by University of Chicago Press).

The Editor(s) of听JCS听will have editorial control over the journal within the parameters of the editorial mission established for听JCS听by 17吃瓜and the Baghdad Committee. The Editor(s) must have expertise in at least one of the languages used to write cuneiform (preferably Akkadian, Sumerian, or Hittite); they would be expected to collaborate with specialists in the languages with which they are less familiar. The Editor(s) should be able to engage with authors writing in English, German, French, but also be prepared to deal with authors with imperfect command of these languages. Ideally, the Editor(s) should have knowledge of the production and distribution processes common to print and electronic journals.

The search committee requests proposals from applicants outlining a vision for the journal within the changing realities of academic publishing. Applications from a single editor, co-editors, or an editorial team will be considered and accepted until the position is filled. All applications received by听November 3听are guaranteed to receive full consideration, but applications will be accepted until the position is filled. The candidate鈥檚 application package should consist of the aforementioned vision statement and a current CV. These materials should be submitted听via e-mail to Marta Ostovich听in the 17吃瓜Office. Any inquiries may be directed to听Kevin McGeough, Chair of the 17吃瓜Publications Committee, or听Jay Crisostomo, Chair of the Baghdad Committee.

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Fieldwork Report: Thomas Barrett

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Uncovering Untold 鈥淰ignettes鈥� of History at Huqoq

Thomas Barrett,听2023 Katherine Barton Platt Fellowship Recipient

With special thanks to the Katherine Barton Platt Fellowship, I had the privilege of participating in the 2023 excavation season of the Huqoq Excavation Project, an archaeological excavation of a Late Roman period Jewish synagogue in the lower Galilee. This project was led by Jodi Magness of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and marked their final excavation season at Huqoq.

The author adjusting the metric stick and sign for Jim Haberman, project photographer before a photoshoot of an area. Photo courtesy of David Adel.

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A view of the Sea of Galilee from the excavation site. Photo courtesy of the author.

This project was a singular experience because it allowed us to participate in a traditional archaeological field school while tailoring this phenomenal experience to our particular interests. I was able to approach the project from a unique angle鈥擨 am a Geography student at Brigham Young University with a minor in History. My primary area of interest lies in the religious history of Judaism and early Christianity. Thus, this opportunity presented itself as the perfect way for me to intimately study religious experience up close and in the Holy Land, not just in a book or in a class. It likewise allowed me to, at least for a moment, fulfill my childhood dream of one day being an archaeologist.

While my experience differed from the 鈥渁rchaeology鈥� I was exposed to in popular media as a child, I came away from my experience at Huqoq having been taught numerous valuable lessons. Above all,our excavations at Huqoq led me to have a shift in my understanding of the importance of archaeology.

Prior to participating in the dig, I had a preconceived notion that archaeology was simply the method used to produce information required for scholars and archaeologists to draw conclusions about the past. In a way, it was the best way for them to preserve a small snapshot of the past, if you will. While that has an element of truth to it, I also began to understand that archaeology additionally provided the opportunity for us as scholars to capture a fresh perspective of the historical world. History is multi-faceted, and not a one-dimensional 鈥渟napshot,鈥� after all. It is for this reason that archaeology is such an appropriate means to better understand the past, as it allows us to uncover additional 鈥渧ignettes鈥� of the past and explore another aspect of the historical narrative that deserves to be shared.

The author moving sandbags with other BYU students during the final week of excavation. Photo courtesy of Andrej Zeman.

This certainly was the case at Huqoq. Our efforts there centered on uncovering a Late Roman period Jewish synagogue similar to other Galilean-type synagogues, but one that stands out as drastically different and unique compared to other similar synagogues in the area. Not only is its adjacent courtyard unique due to its large size, but the actual synagogue floor is covered in exceptional mosaics depicting various biblical scenes. I was assigned to work in the 鈥�3000 East鈥� area, where we were given the task of uncovering a large portion of the adjacent courtyard to determine its true dimensions. Over the course of the dig, all of us were surprised to come across finds that reshaped our initial conceptions of the courtyard, making our site at Huqoq even more exceptional than other synagogues constructed in the same period. While all these finds and details initially raised additional questions, over time we all began to realize how crucial they were and how they painted a new picture of Jewish worship in this particular synagogue. Indeed, our efforts over the course of the dig provided sufficient data to expose a new perspective on Jewish worship spaces and capture that previously untold 鈥渧ignette鈥� of history.

In short, it was the exceptional privilege for me to participate in the Huqoq Excavation Project for their final year, not only because it supplemented my academic studies and offered me a close-up view of the Holy Land, but also because it augmented my understanding of the significance of archaeology. For this reason, I am profoundly grateful for those individuals whose assistance made my participation in the Huqoq Excavation Project possible, as well as all the directors, team leaders, and fellow members who made it such an unforgettable and phenomenal experience.

Thomas Barrett is a Senior at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He is currently studying Geography with an emphasis in Geospatial Science & Technology and is minoring in History, with an emphasis in Religious History.

Want to help more students and early career archaeologists get into the field? Donate to the cause today by selecting 鈥淪tudent Support鈥� as your gift purpose!

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Fieldwork Report: H茅l猫ne Maloigne

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There is Mud EVERYWHERE!

H茅l猫ne Maloigne,听2023听Strange/Midkiff Families Fellowship Recipient

I have been working as object registrar and collections manager at Tell Atchana, Alalakh Excavations in Turkey since 2014. During excavation seasons my work usually consists of recording objects and samples on our database, organising our storage facility and making sure all objects are where they are supposed to be. When specialists come to visit, for example bioarchaeologists, zooarchaeologists, palaeobotanists, or our bead or lithics specialists, I help them find their objects or samples and advise them on recording methods according to our system. I also teach our international group of students object handling and recording skills. For the last ten years I have therefore spent most of my time during season at our research centre where we store our finds and where our offices are, and not in the field. This year I decided to venture out into the great unknown and spend one day a week in the field. Reader, let me tell you: It was muddy!

Figure 1: Tell Atchana, ancient Alalakh viewed from the northwest. In the foreground is the Level VII City Gate, where mudbricks are being dried in the sun. The palace and temple area excavated in the 1930s and 1940s is surrounded by trees, beyond which lie further excavation areas, and modern-day farms and villages.

Over the last four years our team has produced nearly 4,000 mudbricks using a traditional recipe mixing straw, soil and water. As you can see (figure 2), this mixing is done by hand or rather by foot. The mixture is left to mature over night and the following day we make the bricks using custom-made metal frames that reproduce the shape and size of the bricks used in ancient Alalakh (figure 3).

Figure 2: The team preparing the mixture of soil, water, and straw.
Figure 3: Team members Defne Bilgili, Gamze Alkan, and Zeynep T眉rker make mudbricks in metal frames.

They are turned regularly to expose all sides to as much sunlight as possible for about a week. While the constant bending over and pushing the wheelbarrows and water buckets during mudbrick production was bad enough for the back, I had not been prepared for what followed.

Each of these bricks weigh 30 kg. We use them to reinforce existing walls or surround fragile walls with an additional layer. Layers are joined by mortar, which is sometimes enforced with gravel or additional straw. We then seal the walls by additional mud plastering (figure 4).

Figure 4: The tripartite city gate during preservation. Level VII (Middle Bronze Age).

That meant:听carry a brick (or in my case asking someone to help me carry it), placing it correctly, adding gravel or straw as temper (which of course also had to be brought in buckets or wheelbarrows), covering the row of bricks with mortar, repeat. From 5:30 in the morning until 1 pm crouching, sitting, getting up, carrying buckets, lifting bricks, pushing wheelbarrows, bending over, being upside down, getting into mud fights, wiping mud off your face, cursing the heat and the mud, and wishing it was lunch time so that you can go to your room and stretch out on your bed鈥nd yet, enjoying every minute of this backbreaking work because you get to do it with your friends.

The author plastering a wall in the Level IV palace (Late Bronze Age).

One of my favourite things about archaeology is being part of a community forged through hard work, friendship, collegiality and mutual support. There is almost no better feeling than being covered in mud from head to toe, exhausted, hot, thirsty and hungry and yet somehow finding the energy for a race to the car for the best seat for the ride home while laughing all the way. Being part of this kind of family 鈥� a chosen family some might say 鈥� is a real privilege and one I look forward to every year.

Figure 6: The author at Tell Atchana after a looooooong day of laying mudbricks.

H茅l猫ne Maloigne is a lecturer in History at the School of Humanities & Social Sciences, University of Greenwich. They research the history of archaeology in the Middle East in the 19th/20th century and are Associate Editor for the Bulletin of the History of Archaeology and object registrar at Tell Atchana/Alalakh Excavations (Turkey).

All images 漏 Tell Atchana, Alalakh Excavations Project. Murat Akar, 2023

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Want to help more students and early career archaeologists get into the field? Donate to the cause today by selecting 鈥淪tudent Support鈥� as your gift purpose!

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2023 FOA Seminar in Raleigh-Durham

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2023 FRIENDS OF 17吃瓜SEMINAR

October 20-22, Raleigh-Durham, NC

Register today for 鈥淎rchaeology in the Mediterranean and Ancient Near East: Recent Discoveries and Retrospectives鈥� a Friends of 17吃瓜Weekend Seminar in Raleigh-Durham, NC at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel Raleigh-Durham Airport at Research Triangle Park.

Join us in Raleigh this October for a weekend full of interactive lectures, or register for a One-Day pass! Registration includes admission to presentations on Friday evening, all-day Saturday, and Sunday morning. There will be ample opportunities to engage informally with speakers and panelists. Registration also includes a discount on hotel room rates, dinner on 10/20, lunch on 10/21.

This FOA Seminar will include presentations from Eric Meyers, Carol Meyers, Jennie Ebeling, Kate Grossman, Tate Paulette, and Jack Sasson. Sharon Herbert and Andrew Vaughn will participate as panelists.

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Register Now Button
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Pricing

(Full weekend seminar with all events included is $200, individual events priced below)

听Friday Oct. 20Saturday Oct. 21Sunday Oct. 22
听Dinner and a private conversation with the seminar鈥檚 academic speakers: $75One-day Registration (includes 4 presentations, lunch, and dinner): $100One-day Registration: $50
听听Saturday night dinner: $75
*Free for the first 30 local registrants		听
Full Weekend Registration ($200)All of the above includedAll of the above includedAll of the above included
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Presentation Schedule

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20

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Dinner

Private conversation with the seminar鈥檚 academic speakers

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21

Morning

Naboth鈥檚 Vineyard in Context: Excavating an Iron Age Winery at Jezreel
Jennie Ebeling

The beverage described most frequently in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, wine played a major role in the diet, economy, religion, and culture of ancient Israel. A well-preserved winery complex excavated at Jezreel in Israel鈥檚 Galilee offers insights into the technology of wine production during the Iron Age (ca. 1200-586 BCE) and provides context for the dramatic story of Naboth鈥檚 vineyard in 1 Kings 21.

Food, Gender, and Power in Israelite Households
Carol Meyers

Nothing is more fundamental to human existence than food, and in traditional societies like ancient Israel, growing crops and raising animals and then transforming them into edible form occupied a significant part of the daily life of most people. The latter step鈥搕he production of edible products, that is, food颅颅鈥搘as largely the task of women in biblical antiquity. This presentation will look at some of the archaeological materials that women used in making food. Then it will go a step further and look at the social, religious, and other aspects of women鈥檚 food-production tasks. In so doing, it will reveal otherwise unnoticed aspects, such as personal and social power, of women鈥檚 lives in Israelite households.

Lunch

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Afternoon

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Tales the Animals Tell: Zooarchaeology and the Multispecies Communities of the Ancient Near East
Kate Grossman

The cities, towns, and countryside of the Near East were populated not just by humans, but also by the animals that lived, worked, and died alongside them. While we tend to think of animals primarily as a source of food and labor, new approaches to the study of human-animal interactions are foregrounding the ways that animals influenced human action and contributed to social life in the ancient world. Drawing on 15+ years of studying animal bones from archaeological sites in Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, and Cyprus, I will show how the zooarchaeological record provides surprising new insights into the multispecies communities of the ancient Near East.

Beer and Brewing in Ancient Mesopotamia
Tate Paulette

In ancient Mesopotamia, beer was produced on a massive scale and was consumed on a daily basis by people across the socio-economic spectrum. Beer was a gift from the gods, a marker of civilization, a dietary staple, a social lubricant, a ritual necessity, and a reason for celebration. It was consumed at feasts, festivals, and ritual ceremonies, but also at home, on the job, and in neighborhood taverns. It was produced by brewers working for the powerful palace and temple institutions and also by local tavern keepers and homebrewers. This lecture explores the archaeological, artistic, and written evidence for beer and brewing in Mesopotamia, as well as recent efforts to recreate Mesopotamian beer.

Dinner

Plenary Panel

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Cultural Heritage in the Age of Conflict: 17吃瓜in North Africa – Andrew Vaughn, Sharon Herbert, Carol Meyers, Eric Meyers, Jack Sasson

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22

Morning

Of Tombstones and Atlantis: Searching for a Lost Past in Tunis and Djerba
Jack Sasson

In Tunis and Djerba, Jack M. Sasson, a retired (UNC and Vanderbilt) Assyriologist and Biblical scholar, had glimpses of remnant communities that parallel those of his native Syria and Lebanon, alas now as submerged as Atlantis. In this informal talk, he will reflect on his personal experience of that world as evoked by his visit: Arab in culture, Jewish in religion, and French in outlook. Sasson will also report on a striking difference among those communities in their biographic use of tombstones.

Jesus in Galilee: An Archaeological Perspective
Eric Meyers

Recent archaeological discoveries in Galilee have shown beyond any shadow of a doubt that the region was overwhelmingly Jewish in the time of Jesus. There are only a handful of sites that may be identified as gentile or non-Jewish. In addition, the identification of many early synagogues from this period has allowed us to better understand that the multiple references in Josephus and the New Testament are to actually purpose-built structures, chief among them being Magdala. Together with the many stones vessels and ritual baths found, we may today conclude that most of these Jewish sites, which date to the early Roman period, indicate that Jews were practicing purity laws based on the Torah. Also, with little to no Greek attested in the epigraphic finds from this time, therefore, a much more nuanced and accurate picture of Jewish Galilee may be drawn in the most recent quest for the historical Jesus.

Questions about registration? Please contact听membership@asor.org听or call 703-789-9230.

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Call for Trustee Nominations

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CALL FOR TRUSTEE NOMINATIONS 2023

The Trustee Nominations Committee announces an open call for (self) nominations for the 17吃瓜Board of Trustees (Class of 2026). There are three primary responsibilities of the members of the Board of Trustees:

  • Governance: Being aware of issues brought forward to the Board, attending two meetings per year (at your own expense), and bringing issues of concern to the Board.
  • Fundraising and financial management: Leading in development by thinking of new opportunities, leading in giving, and providing oversight on the audited financial statements. We ask that individual trustees aspire to contribute $500 or more annually.
  • Strategic planning and policy development: Leading especially in measures that accord with ASOR鈥檚 mission.

We anticipate two openings for Membership-Elected Trustees. Any full 17吃瓜member may be considered for nomination as an Membership-Elected Trustee. If there is someone that you would like the committee to consider鈥攊ncluding yourself鈥攑lease send the person鈥檚 name and email address to Marta Ostovich in the 17吃瓜office. Please check with the nominee as to whether they are interested in serving on the 17吃瓜Board of Trustees before sending in their name. If you have any questions about the responsibilities and satisfactions of being a board member, please email Kathryn Grossman, Chair of the Trustee Nominations Committee.

The 17吃瓜office, or a representative from the Nominations Committee, will contact all nominees to describe the responsibilities in greater detail, and to make sure that the nominee is willing to have his or her name discussed by the Trustee Nominations Committee. Please note that nominees will need to submit a brief biography and a mission (or vision) statement for what they would like to accomplish as a trustee to be considered by the Nominations Committee. A sample of these statements can be found in last year鈥檚 鈥�Meet Your Board Nominees鈥� webpage. Brief biographies and mission statements should be ca. 200 words each and submitted via e-mail to Marta Ostovich by noon EDT on September 25, 2023.

After the Committee selects individuals for nomination, the election will take place by electronic ballot during October. 17吃瓜is once again conducting online voting to ensure that more of our members are able to participate in this important process. The 17吃瓜office will work with any person who is not able to complete an electronic ballot to ensure that everyone is included.

In order to receive full consideration by the committee, nominations (including supporting documents) should be submitted to programs@asor.org by noon EDT on September 25, 2023.

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Fall Internships at ASOR

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[/vc_column_text][mk_image src=”http://www.asortest.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/social-fb-icon4.jpg” image_width=”42″ image_height=”42″ hover=”false” custom_url=”https://www.facebook.com/ASOResearch/” margin_bottom=”0″][mk_image src=”http://www.asortest.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/social-tw-icon4.jpg” image_width=”42″ image_height=”42″ hover=”false” custom_url=”https://twitter.com/ASOResearch?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor” margin_bottom=”0″][mk_image src=”http://www.asortest.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/social-in-icon4.jpg” image_width=”42″ image_height=”42″ hover=”false” custom_url=”https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-schools-of-oriental-research” margin_bottom=”0″][mk_image src=”http://www.asortest.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/social-ml-icon_7.jpg” image_width=”42″ image_height=”42″ hover=”false” custom_url=”mailto:info@asor.org” margin_bottom=”0″][mk_image src=”http://www.asortest.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/blog-icon3.jpg” image_width=”42″ image_height=”42″ hover=”false” custom_url=”http://asor.org/blog” margin_bottom=”0″][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1496683923840{margin-right: 20px !important;border-left-width: 2px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;border-left-color: #99422f !important;}”][mk_divider divider_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0.01)” thickness=”1″ margin_top=”3″ margin_bottom=”3″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”ca-sidebar-39801″][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1487276122024{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 30px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 30px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_column_text responsive_align=”left”]

FALL INTERNSHIPS AT ASOR

[/vc_column_text][mk_divider][vc_column_text responsive_align=”left”]August 29 Update: Thank you to all who applied for an 17吃瓜internship this fall. At this time we are not accepting any new applications. Additional internship opportunities may be available for the Spring Semester.[/vc_column_text][mk_divider][vc_column_text]The American Society of Overseas Research (ASOR) seeks candidates for part-time internship positions to begin on or around September 5th. These compensated internships are for the fall semester (September-December) with the possibility of renewal for the spring semester. Interns are expect to work 10鈥�15 hours per week at ASOR’s headquarters鈥擳he James F. Strange Center, 209 Commerce St., in historic Old Town Alexandria, VA. Hours and schedule are flexible depending on school or other commitments.

Founded in 1900, the 17吃瓜is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to initiate, encourage, and support research into, and public understanding of, the history and cultures of the Near East and wider Mediterranean world, from the earliest times. Please visit www.asor.org for more information.

Primary Responsibilities:

  • Maintain high-quality customer service for ASOR’s members and friends
  • Answer the general 17吃瓜telephone and information e-mail account
  • Assist with ASOR鈥檚 Annual Meeting in Chicago (happening in November) by providing off-site administrative support including but not limited to, processing registration and exhibitor payments, answering attendee questions, and promoting the Annual Meeting on the 17吃瓜website and social media platforms.
  • Provide general office support (e.g., scanning, copying, ordering supplies, and processing mail, orders, and bills)
  • Process membership dues, donations, and event registrations in organizational database
  • Assist with membership and donation mailings
  • Perform other office duties as assigned

Qualifications / Skills Desired:

  • General office management
  • Customer service
  • Microsoft Office
  • Database management
  • Familiarity with social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter)
  • Graphic and image design and editing (Adobe Photoshop, Canva, etc.)
  • Website management (WordPress or similar)
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
  • Attention to detail; ability to multitask and to prioritize

Compensation: $15/hr

How To Apply: E-mail your resume and a brief statement of interest to Marta Ostovich at programs@asor.org. Please include your name and 鈥�17吃瓜Internship鈥� in the subject line.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the positions are filled.

17吃瓜is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or any other class protected by federal or state law (EEO/AA).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1496684098866{margin-right: 5px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_wp_posts title=”BROWSE THE NEWS ARCHIVE” number=”4″][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1496684008271{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 30px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_column_text] [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

2023 Fieldwork Updates

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pottery yard photo by Kyra Kaercher

17吃瓜IN THE FIELD: 2023 FIELDWORK UPDATES

Virtual Archaeology Initiative: @ASOR_Research is now on TikTok

Thanks to the Membership & Outreach Committee, 17吃瓜launched the Virtual Archaeology Initiative this summer. One of the purposes of this initiative is to allow people who cannot or would not be able to participate in actual excavations to feel as if they are still can. The goal is to create digital assets that illustrate or teach various steps involved in the archaeological process. Students who received 2023 fieldwork scholarships have volunteered to document their experiences in the field. These videos will be appearing over the next couple of month鈥檚 on听听and also eventually on ASOR鈥檚听. If you are interested in contributing to the Virtual Archaeology Initiative and having your fieldwork videos on ASOR鈥檚 TikTok, please email听Marta Ostovich.

Updates from ASOR-Affiliated Projects

Check out the latest updates from the field on the social media pages of these ASOR-affiliated projects and see what 17吃瓜members and students have been up to this summer. If you鈥檇 like to include updates from your听听on this page, please email听. Interested in affiliating your project with ASOR?听

Cyprus
Egypt
Georgia
Ira Schwartz 2022 GRAPE Fieldwalking
Fieldwalking in Georgia. Photo credit Ira Schwartz.
Israel
Iraq
David Brown excavating at Tel Dan, Israel.
David Brown excavating at Tel Dan, Israel.
Jordan
Morocco
Spain
Turkey
Kathleen Forste and members of the Menorca Archaeological Project sorting heavy fraction
Members of the Menorca Archaeological Project sorting heavy fraction. Photo credit Kathleen Forste.

Stay tuned in the upcoming months for updates in News@17吃瓜from students who participated on these projects.听

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Shepard Urgent Action Grant Report: Cham Pashaya II

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Overview

2023 SHEPARD URGENT ACTION GRANT: RESCUE OPERATIONS AT THE SITE OF CHAM PASHAYA II, DUHOK PROVINCE, KURDISTAN REGION OF IRAQ

Along with natural catastrophes and destruction during conflict, artificial dam construction and the consequent water impact are primary causes of the loss of archaeological heritage. Once submerged, most flooded sites do not re-emerge. Others periodically resurface due to the reservoir鈥檚 exceptional or cyclical water fluctuation processes, and once again reveal the evidence of their past. One such site is Cham Pashaya II, located in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on the shore of the Mosul Dam reservoir (Fig. 1).

Cham Pashaya
Fig. 1: View of Cham Pashaya with the Mosul Lake in the background.

Cham Pashaya II is a large cemetery (ca. 2 ha) that extends across two adjacent hillocks (Fig. 2). The site contains over 50 visible cist graves that are threatened by destruction, looting, and vandalism when the water levels of the lake drop and the site is accessible. Since the closing of the dam in 1988, the site has remained mostly underwater, resurfacing only twice: once in 2018 and again in winter 2022.

Water level in the dam area is affected by a number of connected factors including normal dam management, increasing population pressure, the region鈥檚 aridification which is driven by global climate change, as well as political strife between countries for control of the dammed basins.

Fig. 2A: Aerial view of the site with visible graves.
View of Cham Pashaya with the Mosul Lake in the background.
Fig. 2B: View of the cemetery Cham Pashaya with the main tell already partially submerged in the background

Thanks to a听Shepard Urgent Action Grant, a three-week salvage mission was carried out at the site in April 2023 by a Kurdish-Italian team led by the University of Palermo in cooperation with the Duhok Directorate of Antiquities and Heritage (Fig. 3). This was a multi-disciplinary mission that included salvage excavations, archaeological survey, high-resolution documentation of the site鈥檚 state of preservation, and monitoring of damage and looting to the cultural resources.

People at work
Fig 3: The team at work.

An area of 150 square meters was cleared and 25 graves were exposed to investigate the spatial relationships between them. These graves are primarily stone cists of different sizes ranging from over 3 m in length to only 40 cm in diameter. The majority of the graves are rectangular (Fig. 4), but there are also oval and round graves. The team determined that the Cham Pashaya II cemetery has graves from multiple phases based on their spatial relationships. The variety of sizes and forms also supports this interpretation.

We decided to further investigate and fully excavate 5 graves, choosing a selection of the different typologies and sizes (Fig. 5).

Despite widespread ancient and modern looting and the very poor state of preservation of the bone material due to the water-logged environment, we found that it was still possible to reconstruct some of the funerary practices and to establish a chronological framework for the cemetery. Graves were meant to host one or more individuals. The larger ones were apparently used for longer periods, and had evidence to show that they were re-opened many times.

One of the largest graves.
Fig. 4: One of the largest graves.
Our anthropologist at work
Fig. 5: Our anthropologist at work.

Our current interpretation is that Cham Pashaya II was a burial ground for the community living at the adjacent multi-period mound of Cham Pashaya I during the first half of the third millennium BC. This was a critical time that saw the establishment of the first 鈥渦rban model鈥� in Upper Mesopotamia鈥攁 focal point of research on the archaeology of Southwest Asia in recent decades.

Cham Pashaya II disappeared again under the lake water a few days after the end of our fieldwork (Fig. 6). It is hard to predict if and when it will re-emerge.

Rising of the water level in the days before our departure.
Fig. 6: Rising of the water level in the days before our departure.
Dr. Sconzo consults with a one of the project's partners from the Duhok Directorate of Antiquities and Heritage.
Dr. Sconzo consults with the project's partner, Dr. Bekas Jamaluddin Hasan Al-Brifkany, from the Duhok Directorate of Antiquities and Heritage.
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-Dr. Paola Sconzo, University of Palermo

The Cham Pashaya salvage excavation is part of a larger monitoring, survey, and rescue activities project called听.

Established in 2020 with annual contributions, the Shepard Urgent Action Grants program was created to support emergency and rapid response activities on archaeological sites in the greater Mediterranean region. Shepard Grants have provided $59,625 in support of projects with urgent need since the program began. While preference is given to projects and teams with听current 17吃瓜affiliation, applications will be considered from all projects. All 2023 grant funds have been awarded, and 17吃瓜plans to resume accepting applications for Shepard Grants in 2024.听
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Fieldwork Report: Sarah Foster

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My Expectations of Desert Fieldwork vs. the Reality

Sarah Foster, 2022 Platt Scholarship

In May of 2022 I had the fortunate opportunity to be able to participate in fieldwork under the Umm al-Jimal Archaeological Project, taking part in excavations at their West Church. I shared this experience with fellow Calvin University undergraduate students, most of whom had little to no knowledge of the realities of archaeological fieldwork in a desert environment. Although I was passionate to finally听do听archaeology instead of reading about it. Yet, the classes I took in preparation led me to expect our work to look and be entirely different from what it actually was.

For instance, I was under the notion that the trench would be a perfect rectangle with no obstacles inhibiting my ability to trowel through the contexts and collect artifacts. We worked alongside the North end of the West Church, just outside the area of the apse in locations that were suspected to be rooms that were added later on in the church鈥檚 life. Before we had arrived, a local team had worked to clear these 鈥渞ooms鈥� of large rubble and stones that had been part of the infrastructure. Even when we started our fieldwork, we had to work around large stones that had been buried by sand over the ages since the building鈥檚 collapse. Our trench was therefore not a perfect square but instead a rubble-filled rectangle with areas that were never even excavated. From this I learned that while ideally, we鈥檇 like to dig up the entire area of the rooms to get a solid understanding of their layout and purpose, it just wasn鈥檛 physically possible. Instead, we strived to make the best of our trench by troweling in areas that were assumed to be most significant and drawing a top plan of the inaccessible parts to aide us in answering our research questions.听

Additionally, I had not expected fieldwork to take much of a toll on my body besides the typical soreness from physical labor. I discovered that while working in a desert environment, if you are not used to it, can worsen your allergies and the dust can cause irritation in your eyes, nose, and throat. As a result, many of us started taking allergy medicine, opted to use masks to ward off as much dust as possible, and drank a lot of tea to soothe our throats. Ideally, we would have been able to put in 100% effort of work each day, but due to our body鈥檚 response to the environment, there were those of us that had to sit out for a day to allow our bodies to recover. This taught me that when conducting fieldwork in the desert, I cannot expect my body to function as it normal does in the environment I live in. Therefore, before going anywhere, it is just as important to research the environment and its potential effects as it is to do background research on the history.听

Overall, conducting fieldwork at the West Church in Umm al-Jimal was a formative experience for me. I got to discover how archaeology is conducted in the field which I found was in practice a lot different than my expectations. This realization allowed me to comprehend that not only should archaeologists strive to achieve the ideals that are taught, but that they should in turn never expect them. Our rubble-filled trench in the deserts of northern Jordan provided difficulties, as do all other environments and sites when conducting fieldwork. The ideals that exist are expected in a perfect world that we will never find. Thus, it is important to have courage that you can overcome aspects of the obstacles of your environment but it is also important to take heart and embrace the differentness of your setting to reach the histories that lie within.听

Sarah Foster is a recent graduate of Calvin University, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She graduated magna cum laude, earning her B.A. degree in history alongside a minor in archaeology.听

Want to help more students and early career archaeologists get into the field? Donate to the cause today by selecting 鈥淪tudent Support鈥� as your gift purpose!

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Fieldwork Report: Anna Luurtsema

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A Day in the Life on an Archaeological Survey Project

Anna Luurtsema,听2022听Shirlee Meyers-G. Ernest Wright Scholarship Recipient

This summer, I was the recipient of the Shirlee Meyers-G. Ernest Wright Scholarship for Fieldwork Participation. This scholarship made it possible for me to participate in an archaeological survey project called 鈥淎 Multi-Survey Exploration of Residences near Tell el-Hesi, Israel.鈥� The project utilized GPR, magnetometry, and pedestrian survey to better understand where people were living in the Bronze Age town surrounding Tell el-Hesi; our results will help inform the locations of our excavations next season. I primarily helped with the pedestrian survey. In the area surrounding the tell, we created a grid of five-by-five meter squares in order to systematically measure the densities of potsherds, lithics, and other artifacts. We had five minutes in each square to pick up as many artifacts as we could. Our findings were then recorded and photographed before being placed back in the square. Over the course of three weeks, we surveyed 600 squares.听

One of my coolest finds--a Bronze Age socket that held up the lintel in a door frame.

Upon arriving in Israel, we quickly fell into a routine. We stayed at a kibbutz, which is sort of like a gated community complete with a grocery store and a school. We woke up at 5:30 every morning as it was essential to get an early start to the day in order to beat the heat. For breakfast, I would usually have a pita and an apple with a mug of instant coffee. Then we piled into our trusty rental car we endearingly named Sandy鈥攂y the end of the project, the rear window was covered with dust. It was about a twenty minute drive from the kibbutz to the site on dirt roads; everyday, it seemed that we discovered new craters and bumps in the winding path.听

At the site, we started our survey. The three of us undergraduates took our positions in our own squares, which were marked by pink tape, while our supervisor timed us and documented our findings. For five minutes, we picked up potsherds, lithics, and other miscellaneous objects鈥攇lass, bone, coral. Sometimes I collected upwards of thirty sherds in a square, while other times I was lucky to find three. After each five-minute interval, in addition to showing our supervisor, we also recorded in our own notebooks the proportion of Bronze Age pottery and noted any other unusual finds, such as sickle blade fragments.听

Our survey team, with Tell el-Hesi in the background.
A beautiful piece of Bronze Age pottery.

For the first hour or so, the tell blocked the sun from directly shining on us, so the air was almost cool. Gradually, it started to heat up, and eventually the black flies made their appearance. We kept surveying, swapping stories and playing music to distract ourselves from the heat and the perpetual buzzing of flies in our ears. It was sometimes difficult to stay motivated in the heat, but it helped me to look forward to the next milestone鈥�200 squares, 300 squares, 400 squares鈥攁nd to remember how much progress we had already made.听

Around 9 am, we took a break in the comfort of our air conditioned car to have a snack and reapply sunscreen. Then we continued for another three hours, or until we hit our quota of squares for the day. Our work day was finished by lunchtime, at which point the heat was almost unbearable. We always felt accomplished with our work as we drove back to the kibbutz.听

The landscape around Tell el-Hesi.

For lunch, we usually had pita bread and a variety of vegetables鈥攃ucumber, carrots, bell peppers鈥攄ipped in hummus. We made almost daily trips to the kibbutz grocery store for fruit; the peaches were the best I鈥檝e ever had. In the afternoons, I helped organize boxes of artifacts from previous excavations at the site. Tell el-Hesi has been periodically excavated since the 19th century, though the boxes we were working with were from the 1970s and later. Some of the boxes were falling apart, so we moved the bags of artifacts to new ones; sometimes, the plastic bags were deteriorating as well. This task made me realize the importance of curation; it鈥檚 critical that we preserve artifacts for future generations.听

After boxing artifacts and hanging out around the kibbutz in the afternoon, one of our favorite spots to go for dinner was McDonald鈥檚, funny enough. McDonald鈥檚 in Israel is very different from the US as it鈥檚 not really considered fast food. Our first time there, I ordered a hamburger and was shocked to discover that it was almost the size of my face. I really enjoyed our time outside the kibbutz, both at night and on the weekends, when we took trips to places like Masada, the Dead Sea, and Jerusalem. I loved experiencing the culture of Israel as I learned firsthand about its archaeology.

I look forward to continuing this project next summer, when we begin excavations. I鈥檓 sure it will be very exciting and rewarding to participate in an archaeological field project from the initial survey phase all the way through the excavation. Of course, I wouldn鈥檛 have been able to participate in this project without the help of the Shirlee Meyers-G. Ernest Wright Scholarship, and I am sincerely grateful for this experience.

Anna Luurtsema is a senior at the University of Michigan studying anthropological archaeology with a minor in Middle East Studies. Her research interests include zooarchaeology, human mobility, and the origin of agriculture, and she plans to apply to graduate school this fall.

Want to help more students and early career archaeologists get into the field? Donate to the cause today by selecting 鈥淪tudent Support鈥� as your gift purpose!

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