Karak, Jordan is the home of the Iron I and II Moabite site of Khirbat al-Balu鈥檃, an 17吃瓜affiliated archaeological project that I joined through La Sierra University in Riverside, CA. At the听听I was appointed as square supervisor, my first archaeological supervisory role due in part to my previous excavation experience and for my being a full season student. This was made possible thanks to the generosity of the 2022 Strange/Midkiff Families scholarship.
The Qasr wall directly above this season鈥檚 square
The first week at any excavation site is always the hardest, which I say with complete confidence since this is not my first time attending an archaeological field school or a regular excavation project. Leaving family and the comfort of one鈥檚 home behind for the pursuit of education in another country is not for the faint of heart, one must quickly acclimate to a whole new landscape, work schedule, language, culture, time zone, and cuisine. This can be physically challenging and emotionally taxing, but a very rewarding experience, nonetheless.
During the first and hardest week of the season, we received our assigned area of excavation, the Qasr (Castle), and got to meet our team members and team leaders. We had to prepare the area before excavations could begin, we first set up the soil sifts and made sure they were facing the Wadi Mujib and its fantastic sunrises to make the weeks to come more pleasant. Then came the arduous task of clearing the area of inter-seasonal debris and piles upon piles of rocks and tumble. We were lucky enough to have a constant breeze blowing from the west; the Jordanian desert was kind to the team. Once we cleared most of the rocks from our area, set up balk lines, and assigned individual tasks, we were ready to begin excavations.
The Qasr view from the west
The team clarified walls, cobbled surfaces, and doorways and found pottery sherds, stone artifacts, and faunal remains by the buckets. Any artifacts found in situ were immediately recoded using Global Positioning System (GPS), then collected for processing and laboratory analysis, though some of the stone artifacts excavated were too big to carry and were left in the field. The teams washed and sorted the excavated pottery sherds in preparation for the pottery readings, we took notes on pottery types and periods then sent the diagnostic pot sherds for publishing and the nondiagnostic sherds back to the field. We also completed daily and weekly reports in which we reviewed the strategy, implementation, and outcome of each project. And did I mention we moved more rocks?
On weekends, we had the opportunity to go on field trips to learn about castles such as Karak and Ajlun as well as other archaeological sites like Jerash and Tall al-Umayri. The highlight of the season was a weekend spent in Petra, a Nabatean city in the Wadi Musa. In Petra, we visited features such as the Treasury, the Highest Sacrificial Place, and the Monastery. We also had the opportunity to have sweet tea with many Bedouin women and men, haggled for prices at the various shops in the city, and rode a camel and a mule. This was a bit precarious for someone who is not accustomed to riding beasts of burden.
Bedouin tents in the distance
Our days in Jordan were never dull, at the site we were visited daily by large herds of sheep, goats, donkeys, and camels all being led by our worker鈥檚 friends or family who鈥檇 stop by from time to time to say hello. The Bedouin were very friendly and hospitable, they often shared Arabic sweet tea and sang songs for us, which made us feel very welcomed. The diversity of our team, their knowledge and sense of humor were the best part of the season. I said that the first week is always the hardest, but so is the last week when we have to say goodbye to the people with whom we discovered commonalities, developed friendships, and shared inside jokes for the past four to seven weeks. These relationships are the rewards we get to treasure when we leave our comfort zone in pursuit of knowledge and adventure in faraway places.
Margarita Apffel was born in Culiacan Sinaloa, Mexico but moved to California to study English and became the first in her family to go to college. She is a master鈥檚 student of Near Eastern Archaeology in the H. M. S. Richards Divinity School at La Sierra University in Riverside, California, and received a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from California State University, San Bernardino. She has participated in various excavations projects in Menorca, Spain; Riverside, California; Karak, Jordan, and completed Museum Studies in Rome, Italy. Her goals are to further her education in the field of archaeology and museum studies and to continue to travel the world for as long as she can.
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!
2022 Shepard Urgent Action Grant Report: Conservation of the Roman Bath House in Petra, Jordan
17吃瓜Editorial Note:听The 17吃瓜Team is pleased to share a report from a Shepard Urgent Action Grant awarded to Sela for Training and Protection of Heritage for repairs and conservation work to the Roman bath house at Petra, Jordan. These grants are intended to provide emergency funds to carry out critical stabilization, excavation, or documentation projects. Because time is of the essence with these proposals, funds for the grants can be disbursed 4-6 weeks after an application is received. The mortar, wall plaster, and structures themselves within many of the rooms of the bath house were in need of emergency consolidation and restoration after many years of continued exposure to the elements as well as vandalization of standing structures.
Thanks to the听Shepard Urgent Action Grant,听听was able to conduct important emergency conservation works at the Roman Bath house in Petra.
The Bath house was built between 106 AD and 113/114 AD and represents one of the first Roman interventions aiming at the 鈥淩omanization鈥� of Petra after the annexation in 106 AD. It stayed in use for over four centuries before being abandoned after the 551 AD earthquake. It is unique for its small size and elegant structure and its architectural features combining the mastery of Nabatean water engineering with the Roman Pompeian bathhouse style. With its 22 rectangular and square rooms with a row of windowed parallel rectangular rooms overlooking the palaestra to the west, this balneum covers an area of almost 1000 sqm.
An overhead view of the Roman Bath house in Petra (Photo credit: Mohammad Albdoul).
The grant supported the work of a senior conservator, Dr. Fatma Marii, and a conservation technician, Ms. Nesreen Albdoul and involved interventions aiming at: (a) the emergency conservation of the standing structures (Cleaning 鈥� Salt removal 鈥� Mortar repair); (b) the consolidation of the wall plaster and the stone pavements (repair of detached plaster from the walls and stone slabs from the pavements); (c) anastylosis of the vandalized structures of the calidarium.
Map of the Roman Bath house (Source: Joukousky, M. (2009) 鈥� Surprises at the Great Temple: A retrospective in Studies on the History and Archaeology of Jordan X, 2009 鈥� pp. 291-311)
The monument was documented in 2021 and a preliminary assessment was conducted in November 2021 and again in February 2022. In May 2022 after the awarding of the Shepard Grant a new assessment was conducted to determine the emergency interventions to prioritize for the preservation of the monument. The following interventions were identified:
Vestibule (B): This room presents bricks in a fragile state of conservation in need of consolidation. The mortar presented several horizontal and vertical cracks and required consolidation and repair.
Caldarium (C): This room presents several extremely deteriorated bricks. Walls needed salt removal and mortar consolidation and repair. After the assessment, it was concluded that anastylosis of vandalized structures was not appropriate since most of the collapsed structures were the result of previous interventions of reconstruction occurred in the 90s. All fragments from the original structure were numbered, removed, cleaned, consolidated and arranged in Room F for future interventions.
Loutron (D): The floor mortar of this room is made of lime-based mortar and required cleaning.
Vestibule (E): The mortar of the Eastern wall was extremely fragile and needed cleaning and consolidation.
Praefurnium (F): Mortar on the doorway between Room F and Room C required consolidation.
Service Passage (G): This small corridor on the eastern side of the bath presents plaster remains on the Eastern wall that needed consolidation and reinforcement.
Vestibule (H): The room presented several plaster remains in need of cleaning, consolidation and reinforcement.
Caldarium (I): The caldarium presented mortar in extremely fragile conditions that needed consolidation and repair.
Tepidarium (J): The Southern wall presents some plaster fragments and mortar relatively stable condition. The plaster needed cleaning and surface consolidation.
Ornamental Pool (L): The room presented plaster fragments on the Southern wall in need of reinforcement and consolidation. There are traces of copper alloy hangers on the Northern and Southern walls.
Vestibule (M): Plaster and mortar remains in the niches needed cleaning, reinforcement, consolidation, and repair.
The vestibule (M) before cleaning and repair of the mortar.
The vestibule (M) after cleaning and repair of the mortar.
Frigidarium (N): The walls presented plaster remains in fragile, but stable conditions that needed cleaning, reinforcement, and consolidation. Mortar both on the walls and on the pavement bedding needed cleaning and consolidation.
Small Cistern (P): The thick plaster lining the walls of the cistern needed reinforcement and consolidation.
Bathroom (Q): Plaster fragments in the niche of the Eastern wall required cleaning, reinforcement, and consolidation. The niche wall behind the plaster required mortar repair.
Anteroom (R): Plaster fragments on the Western and Southern walls required reinforcement and consolidation. Before proceeding with the interventions on the plaster, the Western wall required cleaning and consolidation.
Apodyterium (S): Plaster fragments at the corners of the southern wall needed reinforcement and consolidation. The walls needed mortar repair.
Well (T): A plaster fragment at the east corner of the southern east corner and one on the north niche needed reinforcement and consolidation. There are remains of lead alloy at the bottom of the water channel.
Colonnaded Corridor (U): There is a broken stone at the floor (a step), as well there is a fallen mortar require cleaning and consolidation. At the northern wall corner there are missing stones and broken, that the wall requires to be reconstructed.
Palaestra (W): On the eastern wall of this room the plaster is red painted. The plaster and the painting appeared stable. It required cleaning and reinforcement.
Plaster in the well (T) before repair and consolidation.
Plaster in the well (T) after repair and consolidation.
1. Emergency conservation of the standing structures
Standing walls are made of sandstone cut blocks, mostly affected by granular disintegration and erosion (caused by wind and rainfall). The standing walls were cleaned, salts efflorescence was removed and the surface was consolidated by spraying a protein based consolidant (calcium caseinate) in order to slow down and minimize the deterioration process. The choice of calcium caseinate as consolidant is crucial for the sustainability of the intervention since chemical and water based consolidants are not available in Jordan. Calcium caseinate can be locally produced and therefore sustainable for future interventions.
The original lime mortar has disintegrated and crumbled. Mortar consolidation and repair were implemented using calcium caseinate for consolidation and a lime-based mortar made of slaked lime, limestone powder and basalt powder (to increase water resistance) and crushed granite (to make the mortar recognizable as modern) for mortar repairs.
Mortar remains were mechanically cleaned using brushes and wooden sticks, and then using brushes and water. Mortar was consolidated either by spraying a filtered solution of water and calcium caseinate or by injecting a solution of water and acrylic emulsion.
Gaps and cracks in the mortar were filled using a mixture of 1 part of slaked lime, 0.5 parts of acrylic emulsion, 1 part of yellow sand and 1.5 parts of basalt powder.
The mortar mixture used for mortar repairs was made of 1 part of lime, 1 part of stone powder, 0.5 parts of crushed granite and 1.5 parts of basalt powder.听All materials used in the mortar are locally available and easy to procure for future maintenance interventions.
Working hard to restore the mortar of the court (V).
The caldarium (C) before consolidation and repair of the mortar.
Repairing the mortar of the caldarium (C).
2. Consolidation of wall plaster and stone pavements
Several rooms presented remains of plaster and mortar pavement beddings.
The main process for conserving the plaster fragments and the mortar beddings involved:
Mechanical cleaning of accumulated soil and other materials on the plaster surface and edges using soft brushes, toothbrushes, toothpicks, wooden stick, and blower.
Chemical cleaning using water, distilled water, and ethanol (as needed) with sponges, brushes, toothpicks, or sprayers.
Filling the gaps and reinforcement of the edges using a mixture of 1 part of yellow sand, 1 part of slaked lime, 0.25 parts of acrylic emulsion (Primal), and 0.25 parts of water. Wet clothes or burlap were used to keep it wet during hot hours to assure a slow hardening process.
Consolidation was implemented either using a filtered solution of water and acrylic emulsion applied with syringes or spraying a solution of water and calcium caseinate.
Stone surfaces were cleaned and consolidated with calcium caseinate.
-Maria Elena Ronza, Vice President, Sela for Training and Protection of Heritage
The corner of the frigidarium (N) in the midst of repairs.
The same corner of the frigidarium (N) with its wall plaster now repaired.
The weeks leading up to the project were some of the longest of my life. Ever since Kara Larson, a PhD student as well as my academic mentor at the University of Michigan, told me she needed undergraduates to come with her to Israel last fall, I could barely contain my excitement! This was finally my chance to go out and conduct archaeological research in the field, something I had desired for as long as I could remember. Naturally, then, it was difficult for me to wait for the trip. On the chalkboard in my bedroom, I counted down the days until my flight to Tel Aviv.
As excited as I was, however, I remember worrying about what it would be like. I had never been in the field before, let alone traveled internationally, so I had no idea what to expect. How was I going to feel if actually doing archaeology did not hold the same fascination as reading about it all of these years?
Working at Tell el-Hesi was hot, dirty, and absolutely exhausting. We faced scorpions, jackals, and distant rocketfire. I loved every second of the experience.
Michigan students in front of the Treasury in Petra, Jordan.
Our project,听A Multi-Survey Exploration of Residences Near Tell el-Hesi, Israel, consisted of two studies. The primary objective of these surveys was to identify areas with high potential for occupation by Early Bronze Age (EBA) pastoralists. This is the focus of Kara鈥檚 PhD dissertation.
We began our fieldwork with a brief exploration of the region around the site. From a previous survey from several years ago, we started with a set of GPS points that had a high potential EBA yield. We spent the first few days of the trip driving to these points (sometimes on real roads, sometimes not) and conducting a basic cardinal survey at each one. Based on the quantity of EBA artifacts we found on the surface, such as characteristic potsherds and lithics, we will now be able to identify the most promising locations for potential EBA settlements. In total, we surveyed more than 30 individual sites using this method. This also served as a wonderful opportunity to see the Israeli countryside, which is absolutely beautiful.
The main pedestrian survey took place at the Tell itself. In the field at the base of the mound, we set up a grid of 86 squares, each 20 by 20 meters in size. These squares were then divided into 5 by 5 meter units. Kara would assign each of us undergraduates, myself and two others, a unit, and then set a timer for 5 minutes. In that time, we would carefully patrol our squares, collecting any artifacts we found on the surface. Over the course of the trip, we surveyed over 600 of these 5 by 5s, approximately 15,000 square meters!
Allison enjoying her time in the field.
A fragment of a stone sickle found at the site.
By far, my favorite artifact was a fragment of a stone sickle that I found during our main survey. It is a rather intact piece, made from a light brown chert and most likely EBA in origin. The blade edge has a slight sheen to it, indicating that it was used to harvest grain or other crops. Its size (about 2 inches in length) and condition are just spectacular given its age. This is my go-to answer whenever someone asks me what kinds of things we found!
I am beyond grateful for the fieldwork I participated in this summer. Not only did I learn a lot about the process of archaeological research, but I also grew as a student and person, as clich茅 as that sounds. Because of the work our team accomplished, Kara will be able to excavate at Hesi next summer. I plan on being there as a junior staff member. I鈥檓 already looking forward to it! This was truly a life-changing experience, and I would like to extend my most sincere gratitude to Carolyn Midkiff-Strange, ASOR, the University of Michigan, and to Kara Larson. Without all of your support, I would not have had such an amazing and transformative experience.
Allison Densel was born and raised in Sudbury, Massachusetts. After enrolling at the University of Michigan, she began to get involved with archaeological research, working with Dr. Natalie Abell and Kara Larson. It is her dream to be able to pursue archaeology into her professional life, hopefully as faculty at an institution of higher education.
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!
The ASOR听Trustee Nominations Committee has selected five highly qualified members to stand for election for four open positions on the Board of Trustees. The Board sets the direction for 17吃瓜and provides oversight for our organization. Among other responsibilities, members of the Board agree to attend two meetings each year, to participate thoughtfully in the governance process, and to contribute financially to ASOR.
There are three candidates running for two openings as Member-elected Trustees for 3-year terms (Sarah Kielt Costello,听Paul Flesher, and听Robert Mullins). There are two candidates for two openings as Institutionally-elected Trustees for 3-year terms听(Kathryn Grossman and Michael Hasel).听 All 17吃瓜members are eligible to vote in the Member-elected Trustee Election, while only Institutional Representatives of the 60 ASOR-member schools may vote in the Institutionally-elected Trustee Election.
17吃瓜will conduct the elections by online ballot, and all members and Institutional Representatives will receive the appropriate ballot(s) via email on or around October 11, 2022. We will send out two reminders, and all ballots must be completed by听12:00 PM Eastern Time on Friday, November 11. If you have difficulties completing the online ballot (once they are distributed), please contact Marta Ostovich at听programs@asor.org.
Nominees for Membership-elected Trustees (two to be elected)
Sarah Kielt Costello
Sarah Kielt Costello (MA Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology, Bryn Mawr College; Ph.D. Anthropology, Binghamton University) is Associate Professor of Art History at the University of Houston 鈥� Clear Lake, a Hispanic-serving regional university dedicated to educating a broad community of scholars, including first-generation, working-class and incarcerated students. She has won two University-wide teaching awards. At UHCL, she recently completed four years on Faculty Senate, including a leadership position in which she oversaw the creation of a new, equitable workload policy for faculty. She has been active in archaeological fieldwork since 1995, working in Israel, Turkey, Greece and Cyprus. In her research, Costello specializes in seals and related artifacts; ethics and museum practices; Neolithic imagery; and archaeological theory. Her recent publications include听Object Biographies, Selections from the Art of the Ancient World in the Menil Collection听(Menil/Yale 2021), a volume that takes on the ethical challenges of unprovenienced museum collections. She is in the final stages of co-editing a volume on Ethics for the ASOR听Annual听(础础厂翱搁).
Mission Statement:听In the approximately 25 years that I鈥檝e been involved with ASOR, I鈥檝e seen its membership grow significantly and its members develop far-ranging research agendas. In recent years, 17吃瓜members have forged research pathways into areas such as ancient dress, sensorial archaeology, climate, bioarchaeology and cultural heritage, and have been on the forefront of developing cutting edge digital and technological approaches to archaeology. Geographically, 17吃瓜has had the opportunity to expand beyond its traditional emphasis on the archaeology of the Bible Lands as its members have engaged in projects in Central Asia, Kurdistan, Egypt, and the Gulf states. It is vital that 17吃瓜continue to embrace new areas of research, and at the same time, confront the ethical challenges of our time by setting agendas and policies that move us forward and establish models of best practices. As a Trustee, I would support the work the organization is doing on ethical issues from equity to climate change. I would also help develop and support outreach efforts that further connect 17吃瓜with students from a range of backgrounds, interests and means.
Paul Flesher
Paul Flesher is a Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Wyoming and presently directs the American Heritage Center, a large archive whose holdings extend from American history and literature to the Ancient Near East. Trained as a historian of ancient Judaism, with expertise ranging from the Second Temple to the early Byzantine periods, he has excavated on the staff of Tel Miqne-Ekron, Huqoq and Legio as a computer technician and an area supervisor. In 2016, he held the Seymour Gitin Distinguished Professorship at the Albright and began his current research reconstructing the acoustics of ancient Galilean synagogues.
Mission Statement:听The heart of 17吃瓜is archaeological excavation. Indeed, fieldwork provides the fastest growing body of knowledge about the ancient Near East. For more than a century, 17吃瓜has provided support structures and a strong disciplinary environment that have advanced American archaeological work in the region.
With excavation at its core, ASOR鈥檚 primary activities feature dissemination and preservation. With regard to the former, ASOR鈥檚 strategic plan lays out a multi-pronged strategy that focuses on publication, outreach and education. This plan continues to build on activities the Society has pursued for more than a century, now expanding into digital publication and social media.
With regard to preservation, new technology provides challenges the field is only beginning to address. GIS, GPR, and Lidar provide a wealth of new information about architectural sites, but how is this born-digital data preserved as part of the coherent excavation record for future researchers? Even the photogrammetric recording of daily top plans brings on preservation challenges not faced by their hand-drawn predecessors. 17吃瓜needs to provide leadership in addressing these matters.
As the head of national archive, I have begun to tackle these issues by providing the 17吃瓜archive with a permanent home and by offering a place to other archaeological records from excavations, organizations and other sources. If reelected as a membership trustee, I will continue to work within 17吃瓜to meet these preservation challenges so that the results of the field鈥檚 advanced site analyses are not lost to future generations.
Robert Mullins
Robert Mullins is a professor of Biblical Studies and Archaeology at Azusa Pacific University in Los Angeles where he is also Chair of the Department of Biblical and Religious Studies. He received his Ph.D. in Archaeology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he supervised areas at Tel Beth Shean and Tel Rehov under the direction of Prof. Amihai Mazar with whom he also worked as a research assistant. Outside of Israel, he worked for two projects in southeastern Turkey at Tell Atchana (Alalakh) and Zin莽irli H枚y眉k (Samal) under the auspices of the University of Chicago. Bob currently co-directs the excavations at Abel Beth Maacah in northern Israel with two long-time friends and colleagues from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His interests encompass Egyptian-Canaanite interaction during the Late Bronze Age, the Late Bronze/Iron Age I transition, and cross-cultural interaction in the Levant and Eastern Mediterranean. In addition to publications related to the Abel Beth Maacah, Tel Beth-Shean, and Tel Rehov projects, Bob also wrote 鈥淭he Late Bronze Age鈥� with Eli Yannai in Volume 3 of The Pottery of Ancient Israel and Its Neighbors, and the Atlas of the Biblical World with Mark Vitalis Hoffman.
Mission Statement:听I have been a member of 17吃瓜since 1996 and would like to renew my service on the Board of Trustees. Over the years, I have witnessed ASOR鈥檚 growth into a creative, vibrant, and diverse organization that better serves its members and instills a greater appreciation of our profession to the public. I remain committed to our mission regarding the history, people, and cultures of the Near East. I will continue to support policies that foster growth, sustainability, diversity, and inclusiveness. I will continue to advocate for a culture of inquiry, scholarship, and collegiality that engages students and encourages international involvement, especially among students and professionals from underrepresented regions. This includes ASOR鈥檚 cultural heritage initiatives in North Africa, Syria, and other regions where we regard heritage documentation and preservation as a professional responsibility. As the co-director of an archaeological project that has benefited from student access to ASOR-funded excavation scholarships, I want to ensure that our membership does not lessen its financial and professional commitment to our younger scholars. 17吃瓜has much to gain from a vision that articulates a clear purpose, demonstrates a high level of integrity, maintains fiscal stability, and promotes organizational structures and processes that effectively fulfill its purposes.
Nominees for Institutionally-elected Trustees (two to be elected):
Kathryn Grossman
Kathryn Grossman is Assistant Professor of Anthropology in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at North Carolina State University. She is an archaeologist with expertise in the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age cultures of Cyprus and Mesopotamia and a methodological specialty in zooarchaeology. She is Director of the ASOR-affiliated Makounta-Voules Archaeological Project, as well as zooarchaeologist for the Kani Shaie Archaeological Project (Iraqi Kurdistan), the Wadi el-Hudi Expedition (Egypt), the Petra North Ridge Project (Jordan), and the Temple of the Winged Lions Cultural Resource Management Project (Jordan). She is currently co-editing, with Jesse Casana and Eric Jensen, the final report on the excavations at Tell Qarqur, Syria.
Mission Statement:听I have been involved with 17吃瓜for fourteen years. I began attending and presenting at the annual meeting as a graduate student, and my engagement has deepened over time. I served on the Committee on Archaeological Policy for two terms, and during that time I also chaired the CAP Fellowships Subcommittee. In 2018, I presented the work of the Fellowships Subcommittee at that year鈥檚 Legacy Dinner, and last year I received an 17吃瓜Service award for my work on the CAP Fellowships Subcommittee. I am currently co-chairing, with Caroline Sauvage, the Archaeology of Syria sessions at the Annual Meeting, and I serve as the institutional representative for 17吃瓜at North Carolina State University. In my time as an 17吃瓜member, I have watched the organization grow dramatically in its geographic scope and evolve to meet the demands of 21st-century scholarship. In serving as an Institutionally-elected member on the 17吃瓜Board of Trustees, I look forward to helping 17吃瓜move forward with the issues that loom before us, including addressing our climate impact, increasing our outreach to diverse audiences, and promoting the preservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
Michael G. Hasel
Michael G. Hasel is Director of the Institute of Archaeology and Lynn H. Wood Archaeological Museum at Southern Adventist University, where he also serves as Professor of Near Eastern Studies and Archaeology since 1998.
Hasel has participated and served in administrative capacities on eleven different excavations in the Middle East, including Gezer, Ashkelon, Dor, Miqne-Ekron, Masada, and Hazor, in Israel; Idalion, Cyprus; and Jalul in Jordan. He has directed excavations and surveys at Khirbet Qeiyafa and Socoh and currently is co-director of The Fourth Expedition to Lachish. As curator of the Lynn H. Wood Archaeological Museum, Hasel was responsible for planning and displaying art and objects from the ancient Near East in a state-of-the-art exhibit entitled 鈥淰essels in Time: A Journey into the Biblical World鈥� and several temporary exhibits including 鈥淧eace and War: The Assyrian Conquest of Lachish鈥� (2023-2025).
Hasel, an 17吃瓜member since 1989, has chaired several 17吃瓜sessions and served on the Agenda Committee. He held the Samuel H. Kress Fellowship at the W. F. Albright Institute for Archaeological Research (AIAR) in 1995-96 and a Fulbright at the Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute (CAARI) in 2005. He is also a fellow of the Institute for Biblical Research.
Hasel joined the 17吃瓜Board in January 2014.
Mission Statement:Over the past 33 years of my involvement with ASOR, I听have watched 17吃瓜grow into a strong society representing a wide variety of interests and research foci in the ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean worlds. During that same period, I have been actively involved in excavations in Israel, Jordan, and Cyprus while also engaged in Egyptological research.听As an excavator I am interested in encouraging the archaeological interplay between text and material culture.听This integration has been one of the historic strengths of of 17吃瓜and I believe it remains vital as 17吃瓜continues to position itself as听an important and relevant voice to a large segment听of听North America.听As a museum director part of my vision is to make our field relevant for future generations听through popularizing archaeological discoveries and making it accessible to a larger segment of society. This would include encouraging听young听scholars听who are听searching for direction and belonging听to get involved in听ASOR听while fostering connections听in听the regions it serves.听To accomplish these goals, I听would听welcome the opportunity听to continue to support and serve as a member of the Board of Trustees听for another term.
This summer, I had the privilege of spending my seventh excavation season in Cyprus with the Kourion Urban Space Project under the direction of Drs. Tom Davis and Laura Swantek. Our goal for the season was to reach floor level and better define the relationship between the 5脳5 meter trenches of Building 4, a building we began excavating in 2013. Our first week of work consisted of pulling weeds and cleaning the site. We had 4-6 years of brush growth to clear away. During our second week of work, we removed the baulks between the trenches, which was very enlightening. We discovered that 鈥渞ooms鈥� were not rooms, and walls bound spaces we thought were open. We also found that one area of the building was entirely paved by mosaic and marble floors and featured vine and floral painted plaster motifs. We also had an exciting discovery of a marble statue of a boy with a duck.
Rebekah hard at work in the field.
In front of the stone vase at Amathus, Cyprus.
I had a few personal research goals that I wanted to persue while I was in Cyprus. My dissertation focuses on using exterior lights in the ancient world, and I鈥檓 using Kourion as a test subject. While it will be possible to test light and distance with a mathematical formula and computer model, there is something to be said about seeing is believing. So I attempted a little experimental archaeology; with my scholarship money, I was able to purchase equipment and supplies to experiment with light, distance, moonlight, and visibility.听听听
听
The first experiment on the beach.
My initial theory was that I would be able to see and measure the amount of light visible from the cliff to the beach. I had project members stand on the cliff, don鈥檛 worry, they were on a paved overlook, and a partner and I went down to the beach. Unfortunately, the first time we tried it, the wind was blowing too hard and blew out the candles. And we started too early in the evening before it was suitably dark. On our second attempt a few days later, we went to the cliff and beach after dark; there was less wind this time. I could see the candlelight from the beach; however, my light meter was too far away to pick up a reading. I made one final attempt at the end of the season late at night, around midnight to 1 A.M.听 It was just past a full moon, so I had plenty of natural light. This time I decided to see the base brightness level and how dim the light declined as I moved further away from my light source. I set up my candles and my tape measure, and I took a reading of one burning candle every 10 cm.
听
The final, and successful, attempt.
On my final attempt, I got a scaled measurement of a burning candle in bright moonlight! My first two attempts were failures, but as Thomas Edison said, 鈥渢he light bulb was an invention with 1000 steps.鈥� I鈥檒l be able to plug this information into a formula and calculate how much light Kourion鈥檚 ancient inhabitants would require to be visible from the sea. My next experimental archaeology step will be to create torches and measure how much light they provide.听
So why is this important? Light is easy for us. We flip a switch, turn on our phones, clap, light a match, or wave a hand. We are constantly in artificial light, so we do not think about the work that goes into illuminating a space. But there are drawbacks to working with light. For example, ancient light sources existed to be destroyed. Oil reservoirs burn out; wicks turn to ash; torches are made of wood and do not survive.听So听in some respects, I am chasing the invisible, but life did not stop for ancient people when the sun went down, and everybody went home and went to bed. There is too much evidence that this is untrue. But were people illuminating their cities? I think they were. People use light to establish their presence: Eifel Tower, city skylines, Las Vegas, or Jesus鈥� reference in Matthew of 鈥渁 city on a hill鈥� (Matthew 5:14). People use light to see and to be seen; they had to illuminate their city with artificial听light. It was a statement of power, wealth, and a marker of civic identity. And for Kourion, I think this is key for understanding why they built on the acropolis where there was no natural water source.
Rebekah Ross is a senior Ph.D. student at Lipscomb University. She has been working with the Kourion Urban Space Project since its inception in 2012. Her research interests include light, illumination, lamps, and ancient glass.
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!
We write with positive news, an update, and a request to continue supporting ASOR.
First, the positive news. As 17吃瓜moves towards 2023, we see membership levels at a near all-time high (about 2,200), we continue to disseminate research through our journals, books, and Annual Meeting, and we will award a record number of scholarships and grants in 2022. We surpassed our goal of awarding $222,000 to celebrate ASOR鈥檚 122 years, and now we are on pace to award $250,000.
Second, an update on valuable new and continuing member benefits:
Online resources: We have created online manuals and videos for site mapping and photographic documentation available in English, French, and Arabic for use outside of North America.
Photos and map collections: We added ca. 750 images of sites and artifacts and ca. 50 maps from the MENA regions so that members can use them for teaching and research
A new journal: Beginning in 2023, 17吃瓜will provide free online access to the highly respected journal of Northwest Semitic studies,听Maarav, for all student and regular 17吃瓜members.
Annual Meeting: Hosting both virtual (October) and in-person meetings (November in Boston).
Scholarships: Over the past two years, we provided more than $55,000 for 309 membership and 386 meeting scholarships (full and partial).
Friends of 17吃瓜Webinars: To date we have held 37 FOA webinars鈥攁ll supporting scholarships.
Staff: We increased our staffing during the pandemic rather than cutting back or furloughing.
Cultural Heritage: We increased our support for protecting heritage in the Middle East and North Africa. We will implement more than $1,000,000 of federal programming in 2022鈥�23.
Diversity: Added ~50 members from North Africa, awarded 6 BIPOC fieldwork scholarships, and produced three videos (with Archaeology in the Community) featuring BIPOC scholars.
Finally, two requests鈥�
If a financial gap makes it challenging for you to continue your 17吃瓜membership, please let us know (confidentially) that a membership scholarship could help (e-mail听membership@asor.org).
If you can make a gift, please act now. We can only continue the long list of accomplishments above with your participation. You may听, or you print the donation form at the bottom of this letter and mail it back to 209 Commerce Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.
Warm regards,
Andrew G. Vaughn, Executive Director 听 听 听 听 听 听 Lynn Swartz Dodd, Chair, 17吃瓜Development
In 2022, the Committee has actively worked to energize ASOR鈥檚 membership to respond to the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the preservation of cultural heritage of Libya; hosted an FOA webinar 鈥�A World at War: Protecting Cultural Heritage in Times of Conflict鈥� and will sponsor a workshop at the virtual Annual Meeting.
We are especially seeking members from outside of North America and in areas that can add to the committee鈥檚 vision and work. Please send a brief statement of interest and a brief CV by November 1 to Jane DeRose Evans (jevans@temple.edu), whom you should also contact if you have any questions.
2022 Study of Collections Fellowship Report:听The Antiquities Market in Late Ottoman Palestine
Michael Press,听University of Agder
How did people buy and sell antiquities in Palestine in the 19th century? This is the question I鈥檝e been trying to answer since the fall of 2020. Because of COVID, I was confined for a year and a half to online and library research. This wasn鈥檛 a problem initially: there is a huge amount of relevant material online, especially because things published in the 19th century are in the public domain. I have been lucky to be able to access so many travelers鈥� accounts, newspaper and journal articles, business directories, travel guides, and even some archival material online. But many relevant letters or reports or inventories or meeting minutes 鈥� not to mention the objects themselves! 鈥� lay beyond my reach.
Finally, thanks to the听17吃瓜Study of Collections Fellowship, I was able to make my first research trip for this project, to England in May 2022. Visiting several collections, I could piece together bits of evidence into a larger picture of the trade.
Take for example the notorious bookseller and antiquarian Moses Shapira. In the 1870s, Shapira sold the infamous Moabite pottery, consisting of thousands of fake clay vessels and figurines, and tried to sell an even more infamous Deuteronomy manuscript denounced as a fake in 1883. At the British Library, I was able to read letters written by Shapira himself, as well as journal entries and newspaper articles giving people鈥檚 impressions of him at the time. At the British Museum鈥檚 central archive, I was able to see the amounts the museum paid for authentic medieval and early modern manuscripts offered by Shapira in the 1870s and 1880s.
Research at the British Library.
My research setup at the British Museum.
But most of my time was spent at the Palestine Exploration Fund. Their officers, who were mapping and excavating in Palestine at just the time that Shapira was most active, wrote back detailed letters and reports to London. One of the Fund鈥檚 officers, Herbert Kitchener 鈥� long before he became famous as Lord Kitchener 鈥� purchased two of the Moabite pots in Jerusalem and brought them back to the PEF in London. I was fortunate enough to see these, as well as other forgeries probably offered for sale by Shapira.
My time in London was so productive that I am still processing all the information I collected!
Vivian Bull before her retirement as president of Linfield University in 2005. (Oregonian file photo by Roger Jensen)
17吃瓜mourns the passing of long-time member, former Albright & 17吃瓜Trustee, Vivian Ann Bull (1934-2022), who passed away on August 12, 2022 at age 87. We share our condolences with Vivian鈥檚 sons (Robert 鈥淐amper鈥� Bull and W. Carlson Bull).
While we will miss Vivian dearly, we remember and celebrate her life and many accomplishments. We have included detailed remembrances by Jane DeRose Evans and by J. Edward Wright, a personal memorial letter to Vivian by Carolyn Midkiff Strange, and additional tributes and brief remembrances by 17吃瓜officers and others in the 17吃瓜family who were close to Vivian. Please听e-mail ASOR听if you would like to add a tribute to this webpage.
Please听听for the official obituary and memorial service information (October 8, 2022).
Vivian Bull, Andy Vaughn, Marylinda Govaars, and Olin Storvick at the 2017 17吃瓜meeting.
In Remembrance: Vivian Ann Bull (1934 鈥� 2022)
Jane DeRose Evans, Professor of Roman Art and Archaeology and Chair of Art History, Temple University
Vivian, a long-time and staunch supporter of the Albright Institute and ASOR, was a trailblazer throughout her life. She was the first student from Albion College (where she earned her undergraduate degree in economics) to receive a Fulbright. Heading to the London School of Economics, she also completed graduate work in Norway and the Netherlands. After graduation, she was one of the few women working in the field of banking and finance 鈥� and had to appeal directly to her company鈥檚 vice president when she got her notice, which she convinced him was only due to her gender. Her curiosity about international economics brought her to Jerusalem, where she met Robert J. Bull, who was working at Tell er Ras (Shechem). Vivian went with Bob in 1955 to Madison NJ when he was offered the position of instructor of church history in 1955. Five years later, she became a part-time instructor of accounting, and only took on a fulltime position on the condition that she be allowed to complete the work for a PhD in Economics, which she did through NYU (her first choice, Princeton, was not accepting women). Vivian taught at Drew for thirty years, while also serving as Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts for much of that time. But summers were spent as registrar on the excavations that Bob directed 鈥� her meticulous organization of the records is still apparent from the field notes of those excavations.
In 1992, Vivian left Drew as Emeritus Professor to serve a 13-year term as president of Linfield College (OR). It was her background in international education, business, and academic leadership that attracted the attention of the search committee. She became known as a builder, doubling the size of the College鈥檚 campus and advocate for diversity and inclusion. When she retired from that position, she awarded the title of President Emeritus and is still remembered on that campus by the dedication of the Vivian A. Bull Music Center.
Vivian and Jeff Blakley converse at the 2014 Legacy Dinner.
In 2012, she came out of retirement at the request of the Drew trustees to serve as an interim president of the University. Upon her retirement in 2014, she was named President Emeritus and can be remembered on that campus by the dedication of the Vivian A. Bull Academic Commons in the University Library.
Through her archaeological work, Vivian became an advocate for the Albright Institute, where she became a Trustee of the Albright, first serving as Treasurer and then, in 2006, becoming the Chair of the Board. In 2012 she became a Honorary Trustee, a lifetime appointment. At the same time, she supported the work of ASOR, becoming a member of the Board and a vital voice on the Finance Committee and the Development Committee. In 2016, she received the Charles U. Harris Service Award from 17吃瓜in acknowledgement of her work for the organization. Up until her death, she was deeply involved in the efforts to publish the results of Bob鈥檚 excavations in Caesarea and Tell er Ras.
Vivian鈥檚 strong faith was evident from an early age and remained an important part of her life鈥檚 work and philosophy. Although she would have liked to have been a Methodist minister, the denomination was not accepting women when she was making decisions about graduate school. She remained devoted to Methodist causes, working with committees to foster the growth of educational services in Africa and singing in the choir of her local church as one of the few tenors for many years.
Vivian is survived by two sons, Robert 鈥淐amper鈥� Bull and W. Carlson Bull, both of whom grew up on the Caesarea excavations and remain supporters of ASOR.
A Life Well Lived: Vivian Ann Bull (1934 鈥� 2022)
J. Edward Wright, Professor of Hebrew Bible and Early Judaism & Director of the Arizona Center for Judaic Studies, The University of Arizona
It was with deep sadness that we received the news of the passing of our esteemed colleague and longtime 17吃瓜member Dr. Vivian Bull on 12 August 2022. Among her many admirable attributes were her wisdom, administrative acumen, compassionate spirit, piety, patience, humility, and commitment to service and doing what is right.
After graduating from Albion College, Vivian received a Fulbright Scholarship to study at the London School of Economics. She received a PhD from New York University and undertook additional studies in Norway, Great Britain, and the Netherlands. Her dissertation and subsequent work focused on the economic conditions and prospects in the West Bank. Her work was influential not only among scholars but also among policy experts in the United States鈥� government. She met archaeologist and prominent 17吃瓜leader Robert J. Bull (1920-2013) in Jerusalem in 1955. Vivian and Bob married in 1959 and had two fine sons, Camper and Carlson, who now carry on their parents admirable legacy.
Vivian spent decades in the field alongside Bob, mostly serving as a camp administrator at several excavations, including Shechem, Pella, Tel er-Ras, Caesarea Maritima. After Bob鈥檚 death, Vivian continued to work on the Caesarea Maritima excavations and its publication series until her death. It is clearly due to her extensive overseas experience that Vivian was always a vocal advocate for the liberal arts.
Vivian served Drew University a private, liberal arts university located in Madison, New Jersey for forty-four years, moving through the academic and administrative ranks while serving as professor of economics (1960-1992) and associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts (1978-86). After two decades away from Drew, Vivian returned when she was named president in 2012, the first woman to lead Drew University as president. She retired once again in 2014. Obviously, Vivian really was not very good at 鈥渞etiring.鈥� In recognition of her many years of service and her outstanding leadership of the university, in 2014 the university bestowed on her the honor of president emerita and named the Academic Commons in the main library in her honor.
Vivian conversing with Ed Wright at the 2014 Legacy Dinner.
Vivian served as the 18th president of Linfield University, a private liberal arts university located in McMinnville, Oregon from 1992 to 2005. During her tenure, the university was consistently listed among the best liberal arts colleges in the western region. Vivian was the first woman to serve as Linfield鈥檚 president, and under her leadership the university experienced a period of growth in terms of its enrollments and academic standing. Scott Chambers, a Linfield faculty member and one of Vivian鈥檚 trusted advisors and a dear friend recently said, 鈥淰ivian was a transformational president. She led Linfield from a small college to a sizable university. She doubled Linfield鈥檚 acreage and had an impact on every aspect of the school鈥攖echnology, curriculum, buildings, endowment, athletics, and international and professional programs. From the beginning Vivian was deeply engaged with students, faculty, staff, and the local community.鈥� Marvin Henberg, former academic vice president at Linfield and president emeritus of The College of Idaho noted that 鈥淰ivian was the best boss, the one everyone deserves to have at least once in a lifetime.鈥� In recognition of all her accomplishments, in 2006 the university named its new, state-of-the-art music center in her honor鈥擳he Vivian A. Bull Music Center. Upon her retirement, the university honored her with president-emerita status. Vivian also received honorary doctorates from the University of Portland, Drew University, and Albion College.
Vivian served on many boards during her long and distinguished career, and due to her decades of work in the field with Bob, it was only natural that she would be a leader in ASOR. She was a board member from 1982 to 1990 and again from 2014 to 2019. She was also named an honorary trustee. 17吃瓜benefited from her professional expertise and wise leadership. She served on the Development, Finance, Officers Nominations, and Strategic Planning committees. In recognition of her decades of distinguished service, 17吃瓜honored her with The Charles U. Harris Service Award in 2016. Former 17吃瓜president Prof. Susan Ackerman admired Vivian and once told me that Vivian was a model to her as a scholar, administrator, and mentor.
I treasure the six-years (2006-2012) I served alongside Vivian on the W. F. Albright Institute鈥檚 Board of Trustees, Vivian as board chair and I as president. I learned so much from her during those years. Whenever the Board had to deal with a difficult issue, at some point in the back-and-forth discussions Vivian would say, firmly but respectfully, 鈥淗ope is not a business plan.鈥� That challenge quickly led to more substantive planning. To this day I remain in awe of Vivian鈥檚 wisdom, patience, compassion, humility, and grace. We are all better people for having had Vivian as a colleague, mentor, and friend.
Vivian had an amazing life, and she had a deep impact on the lives of countless people鈥攆amily, friends, faculty, staff, students, volunteers, and the people of her local community in both McMinnville and Madison. Vivian deserves all the accolades that have been bestowed on her during her life and now in her memory. I think we can best honor her life and memory by following her deep personal commitment to excellence, honor, diversity, justice, and service. Vivian set a high bar in all these areas.
Drew University will hold a memorial service honoring Vivian on October 8, 2022 in Madison, New Jersey. Linfield University will hold its memorial service for her on November 12, 2022 in McMinnville, Oregon.
May the memory of Vivian A. Bull forever be a blessing.
Vivian Bull hosting a table at the Initiative on the Status of Women: Mentoring Lunch at the 2018 Annual Meeting in Denver.
In Memoriam: Vivian Ann Bull (1934 鈥� 2022)
Carolyn Midkiff Strange,听Tampa, Florida
Dear Vivian,
In August of 1970, the Stranges, Jim, Carolyn, Mary Elizabeth, and James Riley, began a year filled more than we could have ever imagined. It first started with meeting you, Bob, and Camper in his OshKosh B鈥檊osh and having his b鈥檃nna. You, the 鈥淔irst Lady of the Albright鈥� that year, gave us months of memories which we will never forget.
As I look back on that time, I am amazed at all we did. You took us to a place where we watched knitters, and I was able to get sweaters for the children. James even remembers the one I bought for him. Another outing took us to a place where ceramics were being made. The gentleman there gave James and Elizabeth clay so they could fashion their own creations. We took their work back to be fired. I have those objects to this day. There were the cooking classes at the YWCA, during the time the men were galavanting around Turkey. You took me to Miss Halaby鈥檚 basement which was full of very fine cross stitch embroidered by Palestine women. I still have some of the pieces from there. If I remember correctly, her sister, an artist, served us a refreshing drink made of green grapes from her own vines. There was coffee in the morning with Omar in the kitchen and tea in the afternoon in the garden. At Christmas, a tree from the Jerusalem forest, which we decorated with ornaments called 鈥楪od鈥檚 eyes.鈥� We had turkey dinner prepared by Omar; however, no cranberries were available, but you found lingonberries as a very nice substitute. You introduced us to the observance of Advent, not at all familiar to us Baptists. In the spring, there were birthday parties. One weekend with James and Elizabeth safely at the Albright, Jim and I were given the VW tender so we could go to Masada, the Roman ramp side. It is hard to believe we actually walked up that incline. The walk to Jericho is especially memorable. Then we all celebrated the birth of Carlson.
All of this and more orchestrated by you.
And yet, it did not end there. Back in Florham Park and Madison we continued to cherish our long friendship, even after I moved to Florida, mainly keeping in touch at breakfasts, lunches, or dinners during 17吃瓜conferences. I always liked hearing about the grandchildren, especially Carlson鈥檚 one son and four daughters.
You were a tour guide, teacher, and friend through it all. It seems that we have come to the end of an era.
Thank you for many memorable experiences.
I must not forget to recognize you for your important contributions to the Albright over the years. It has become a place of great significance to all of my children and grandchildren.
I will miss you at our 17吃瓜gatherings.
Carolyn
Comments in Remembrance of Vivian Bull
鈥淚 first met Vivian Bull, as so many of us did, at the Albright in the 1970s, where she wrangled two rambunctious kids, the Albright staff, fellows, and quarter mastered complex excavation projects with calm efficiency and good humor, all the while pursuing a career in high-powered economics. When Vivian was around, things got done. She was on the both the Albright and 17吃瓜Boards in the years I was president and vice-president. She always had wise words for us and could calm fractious tempers with a few wise quiet words and a glance. Above all, she was kind. We will miss her.鈥� 鈥撎�Sharon Herbert
鈥淰ivian Bull was an incredible mentor to me when I became 17吃瓜President, as she, with extraordinary patience and kindness, used the knowledge she had gained as President Emerita at both Linfield and Drew Universities to nurture in me at least some small measure of her formidable leadership skills.鈥� 鈥撎�Susan Ackerman
鈥淲hile working in field KK at Caesarea, Vivian would bring me a flower each morning. A discarded bottle became a vase, placed on my worktable. Before leaving the field, I鈥檇 place the flower on the ground. Such a fine way to greet and bid farewell to each day.听Ave atque vale, Sophissima Magistra.鈥� 鈥撎�Kate Sheeler
鈥淪ince I began my work as 17吃瓜Executive Director in 2007, it was invaluable to have a college dean and university president who had strong 17吃瓜ties going back to the 1950s serve as counselor鈥攁nd just as importantly, Vivian was an encouraging friend. Her love and loyalty to Bob and to her family was inspiring. She and Bob were an amazing team. My condolences to Camper, Carson, and the entire Bull family.鈥� 鈥撎�Andy Vaughn
鈥淰ivian embodied wisdom and discernment, and she provided invaluable guidance to 17吃瓜and the Albright over a lifetime, and in a generation when there were very few women in leadership in our field. I will always remember her quiet assurance and encouragement during the difficult early days of my presidency, when there was considerable doubt about the new leadership and ASOR鈥檚 viability as an organization. Vivian was a steady and trusted counsel over the ensuing years, and a source of much wisdom. May she rest in peace.鈥� 鈥撎�Timothy Harrison
鈥淟ike the Stranges, my family first met Vivian Bull in 1970 when we arrived for our Fulbright year at the Albright. We learned that she and Bob Bull met around the corner at a noted Palestinian restaurant which is now the Adventist Study Center鈥攋ust down the street from Orient House! The Bulls were superb hosts to the Albright appointees that year. Since we had a son, Brent, the same age as Camper, we bonded over our boys as well as archaeology. May she rest in peace!鈥� 鈥撎�Lawrence Geraty
鈥淰ivian Bull joined our 1970 dig at Khirbet Shema, for Bob Bull served as senior advisor that year. Going from years based at Nablus to our base camp at Meiron, an orthodox Jewish moshav, was a huge change of settings and cultures for both of them. The kashrut, the closing of the village on Shabbat, and the fact that the locals spoke Hebrew and Yiddish were all challenging, to say the least. Vivian found ways to work around all of that, as only she could, and helped enormously, especially in registry. Carol and I and our daughter, Julie, especially enjoyed our trips back to Jerusalem with them, in the Albright鈥檚 404 Peugeot wagon, for weekends. RIP.鈥� 鈥撎�Eric Meyers
鈥淰ivian and Bob Bull had different personalities and individual different strengths, but over the fifty years I knew them they always seemed the perfect couple. At those times I headed committees for ASOR. I always wanted Vivian to be appointed to the committee because I knew our committee would receive thoughtful and insightful advice. My family will miss Vivian.鈥� 鈥撎�Jeffrey Blakely
鈥淎 stalwart, serving as camp manager for the 1962 season at Shechem was where I first met Vivian Bull. Tough, but congenial and in all ways impressive she was our 鈥淢ama Bull鈥� (though of course not to her face). Down the years she remained a warm and vitally supportive ally in the work of 17吃瓜and the Albright Institute. And with all a special family friend. RIP Dear Vivian!鈥� 鈥撎�Joe Seger
鈥淚 will always remember with a smile one of the most eyebrow-raising moments of a meeting of the W. F. Albright Institute鈥檚 Board of Trustees. Our beloved Vivian Bull鈥攕eemingly buttoned-up and quiet in appearance鈥攑roudly told the board with enthusiasm that one of her children was conceived at the Albright in Jerusalem. I loved her from that moment on. She was Chair of the Board (2006-2012) while I was Albright Vice-President and Chair of Fellowships. Today, as Chair of the Board myself, I realize how much I learned from her wisdom, guidance, and leadership during those years鈥� 鈥撎�Joan Branham
鈥淰ivian Bull was a quiet but powerful presence at the Albright Institute for as long as I can remember. As board chair, she was responsible for regularizing the Albright鈥檚 finances and safeguarding our endowment, services for which we continue to reap the benefit. I will cherish the memory of her loyalty to the Albright as well as her sense of humor.鈥� 鈥撎�Sidnie White Crawford
鈥淰ivian Bull will long be remembered for her dedication and loyalty to ASOR/Albright. What impressed me most about Vivian was her consistent and realistic approach to the development of the two institutions reflected in her often-heard response to Trustee proposals, 鈥楬ope is not a plan鈥�. She will also be remembered for her unfailing support of Bob鈥檚 archaeological excavations represented by this photo [see below] of their working together on the Caesarea pottery at the Albright. May her memory be for a blessing.鈥� 鈥撎�Sy Gitin
Vivian and Bob Bull working together on the Caesarea pottery at the Albright Institute in Jerusalem. (Photo credit: Sy Gitin)
We write with an update on COVID protocols for our upcoming Annual Meeting in Boston. The well-being of our members during the ongoing pandemic remains our utmost concern, but we also recognize that the health situation and guidance from health authorities has changed. Thus, for the reasons outlined below, we currently do not plan to have a vaccination requirement. We do plan to require masking in conference venues (except when presenting, responding, or actively eating or drinking).
First some background鈥� As you know, last year we required proof of vaccination for attendance and enforced a strict mask requirement in public spaces except where eating and drinking were taking place.听These policies complied with recommendations from federal health agencies and city of Chicago requirements.听They were also in line with requirements for air travel and entry into the United States.听Today,听both the city of Boston鈥檚 proof of vaccination policy and indoor masking mandates have been lifted. The proof of vaccination requirement for entry into the US has also been lifted. The loosening of vaccination requirements follows the recognition that vaccinations听do听not prevent the spread of the current dominant COVID variants the same way they did in November 2021 (during last year鈥檚 meeting).听While masking helps with transmission, masking requirements vary across venues and jurisdictions.
Considering all this, 17吃瓜has decided to drop the proof of vaccination requirement, while strongly advising and encouraging vaccination. All 17吃瓜staff will be vaccinated. We also note that this decision is in line with some (but not all) other societies and organizations.
At the same time, we have decided to maintain a masking policy out of respect for and in consideration of those in the 17吃瓜family who are immunocompromised, who have other health concerns, or who live with those with these concerns. 17吃瓜acknowledges that this masking policy is stricter than CDC or local regulations, and we have received assurances from the Boston Park Plaza that they will comply with this policy in our meeting spaces and venues. We cannot control masking for our attendees or others outside the meeting and exhibit venues.
All of us at 17吃瓜look forward to seeing you in November.
Margarita Apffel was born in Culiacan Sinaloa, Mexico but moved to California to study English and became the first in her family to go to college. She is a master鈥檚 student of Near Eastern Archaeology in the H. M. S. Richards Divinity School at La Sierra University in Riverside, California, and received a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from California State University, San Bernardino. She has participated in various excavations projects in Menorca, Spain; Riverside, California; Karak, Jordan, and completed Museum Studies in Rome, Italy. Her goals are to further her education in the field of archaeology and museum studies and to continue to travel the world for as long as she can.
Trustee Nominations Committee has selected five highly qualified members to stand for election for four open positions on the Board of Trustees. The Board sets the direction for 17吃瓜and provides oversight for our organization. Among other responsibilities, members of the Board agree to attend two meetings each year, to participate thoughtfully in the governance process, and to contribute financially to ASOR.
