Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Home

I've been home about a week now and have finally adjusted back to "normal" life. The last week of the excavation was not very interesting. It was a shortened week for most of the volunteers, but the rest of us still needed to finish up some last minute things. Sections were drawn, pictures were taken and fences were erected.

However, there are a couple of "Murphy's Laws" regarding archaeology. First, there are always special finds in the baulks. Secondly, you always find something (usually pretty amazing stuff) on the absolutely last day. Well, Tel Rehov was subjected to these laws once again. On the last day of the excavation, a bulldozer had been rented to backfill a square in area B that was very deep and too dangerous to leave open. As the bulldozer was working, it accidentally hit one of the baulks. Out of the baulk came some amazing and complete artifacts: a bronze bowl, a bronze bracelet, a iron ring, a decanter and some other items I can't recall right now. Can you believe it?!

The day before we were to fly out, my friend Mandy and I headed down to Jerusalem and stayed at the Rabin Hostel. Since we were on the outskirts of the city, it was Shabbat and we were low on funds, we decided to grab some food from a nearby grocery store and take it easy. We arrived at the airport in plenty of time to get interrogated by airport security, but it didn't take nearly as long as it had in the past. Our flight was uneventful (which nowadays is a good thing!).

I'm glad to be home. I've started my new job and am getting ready to teach my course this fall. I may keep this blog as a way to update you all on the happenings of the Shafer-Elliott family. Keep checking in!

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